The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-12

A rule readings colossal borcs In O mSress Or
causus or political gathering Of any kind wncn niAn
makes the anxious announcement that hc win trespaA
the good nature, &C., &c, and produces largo roll o
manuscripts every sensible person takes bis has and
walks OF Ora.ory, like other arts appeals much V
the eye as the ear and when speaker reads he loses
that command OF the sympsthes OF his audience which
comes from the magnetism of the eye This the grand
difficulty in tho reading Of plays dramatic poems.
must be great genius, well finished artist who
can overcome the prosaic table, the open book and tho
blank wall Of the lecture 1t is only recording
well known fact when say that Mrs. Ksmble is the
only professional reader who all those Difficult
ties and whose reading OF OF Shaksperes plays is
better than theatrical performance OF it, shall
presently show.
Mrs Kemble after short but brilliant theatrical
reer retired from the stage several since She Is,
believe the last Of that family which gave the Eng
fish stage the best Lady Macbeth (hs. Siddons), the
best Hamlet John Philip Kemble) and the best Mercusio
Charles Kembc) Her own performance Of Juliet was
favoraby compared by the best critics. with those Of
Miss ONeil and Miss Ellen Tree Mrs. Kcmoic had then
and has still all the physical and mental requisites for
the highest place upon the stage Ten years and
elapsed since she commenced reading the plays Of
shasspere public During that time numerous imators
have sprung up In all parts Of the country, but
OF them have succeeded in obtaining audience
N the metropolis Mrs Ken,be the contrary always
has her room full Of the best brod and best educated
people in town. Such her audiences at the Four
eenth street College on Monday, when she read Cymbe-
- and Thursday for 'SRchard H." Mrs. kemble
has grown no thinner srce we saw her last and Is oneI
wise unchanged She safe behind the same low table
with the ample folio before her. In the Same man
she pcoped the small rosrum from which adolescent
doctors wont to hear learned discourses upon the
whole art Of killing or curing with creations OF the won
derful imagination Of tho divine master Mrs Kcmblc is
an eocutionst OF the old schoowe say old as fami-
Is
the stage days We have departed from the prac
tcc of fathers and very few plays in arc now
performed Wha few exceptions young actors study
only their talors' bills, and tho actresses equally de-
voted to the publications Of the milners. Occasionally
happily hi, off in the Critic but with the exception of
Miss Cushman MIR. Forrest and Mr. Waack, We know OF
no on the stage who have made eocuton study
Mrs kembe Joins perfect knowledge OF elocution TO
thorough appreciation OF the beauties OF the poet and that
nanciess something which makes great actress-shat
power OF identification with the part to be assumed and
the art to convey that identification to the audience.
some critics say II is initiative faculty-some
call it genius Is very good thing ana
it may be called The reading Of erich
ard H. " Shakspere's most abused pay-knocked about
clerks who hang about theatres huggng the faacy that
one of these days they will be great actors-was
eminenty refreshing. No theatre in the city could
give good of the play because neither
the leading subordinate Characters could be well Allied
by any OF our stock companies During the whole reading
Mrs. kemble never lost command over her audience. III
to select particular passages should take
half the Play; but were particularly struck with the
rendering Of Clarences dream, which omitted in repre-
sontation. In the lines Clarence Is come &c Mrs.
kembles fine full voice rang through the hall like the
notee Of trumpet, and the whole speech was
given with such vivid dramatic coloring as to bring
the before the eyes Of the audience Mrs.
Kemble equally happy in delineatng the changing,
willy tickle character o Gloster the gentle Anne and the
bold, " high reaching Buckingham" Her reading seems
at times little conventional, but that Is better than the
hurrying sriAg drawing whining Of the Fronch
school, which has spoiled many good English actress.
We glad TO that Mrs. Kemble fully appreciated
On Thursday the hall entirely full, aud number OF
the audience obliged 10 remain standing throughout
tho reading. This evening Mrs. Kembie will read
q Henry VIII