Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-05-28


Charlotte Cushu.an-Her PersonatiO9 IF Neg
lferrMe,-.Sfngular Deatl-An Aifasir Of
Honor. 900
Charlotte Cushman has never visited Rich
mond but twice, with professional object; the
first time about six years ago. She appeared
for the second time before Richmond audience
last week. Her engagement was necessarily
brief here, and is purposely SO everywhere
She seldom performs in one place longer than
week, and this at intervals of considerable
length; and this prevents the interest, and even
the excitement occasioned by her appearance,
from tagging The anxiety to witness her per-
| formances in Richmond, surpassed that occa-
stoned, perhaps, by any of her profession who
has ever lived; and more especially to witness
| her personation of "Meg MerrileS," the gypsy
hag. The acting of Miss Cushman is, be-
lieve admitted to be beyond the reach of the
most delicate and refined criticism, consequent
! lv, really competent critics never essay that
| with regard to her, for which they have such
abundant room and material, iii the large ma
| iority of her profession | had the pleasure of
! seeing her on Wednesday night last, rs Meg
MerriiIes." This is called her greatest charac-
ter" and so incompatible is her perSonation OF
| it. as nearly approXmating perfection possible
| that very few now attempt character seeming
| " Spontaneously surrendered, as belonging
| exclusively to Charlotte Cushman. 10 attempt
\ even u uellne9GOn Oh neF performance "bHiu NC
folly Suffice it to say, she electrified the audi
ence, producing death-like stiffness SO long as
she was before it. which only broken and
temporarily suspended by her retirement from
the stage ut the end of each act, which seemed
to be seZcd upon as time for respiration, IN
order to prepare for her Teappearance. The
actors supporting her, themselves accustomed
to the efforts of the most elevated well as the
most insignificant grades of histrionic talent,
seemed almost to forget themselves. As II
transtxed to their places they watched this
''wondrous woman" while, to my mind, and
doubtless that of majority of spectators, Miss
| Cushman had transformed herself from the
greatest of living actresses, and withal from one
of the most accomplished ladies of America to
| a hideous old gipsy one of the most hOrrid con-
ceptions of SCOTS prolific imagination, posses.
| ing all the powers of divinahon, OF (which, though
! itself supposed and selfassumed, the repetition
strikes terror into the soul of the listener. Miss
Cushman's presentations of Lady Macbeth,
and Queen Katherine, in King Henry With,
were pronounced unapproachable though
one of our local critics, whose lofty standard
of perfection, apPrehend no artist will ever at
tain, being unable to detect anything in her La
DIV Macbeth aftording room for what he no doubt
would deem paragraph of excellent criticism,
| but which is really no more nor less than com
bination Of ridiculous cavil and hYpercritcal OBJ
iectiOnS but still believing it his duty to make
some objection, absolutely and absurdly spoke
of the lady's personal appearance, as detractIng
considerably from the enjoyment OF her acting.
Miss Cushman is certainly not progressing,
either in face or figure, and l suppose that this
mars every other merit with our Richmond crit
| fc to whose mighty intellect, possibly, 1t never
| occurred that her personalappearancc, or home
inesS if he Will have it so, are so peculiarly
adapted to her role, that she seems to have been
created for the rendition of Lady Macbeth,
Meg MGrilles, &c, aud that if she renders other
Characters well and exactly in her sphere, addi-
tional force and effect is given TO the perform
ance, as being triumph of genius over physi-
cal defects and obstacles. The distinguished
| lady left us on Saturday for Boston, where she
| is now fulfilling engagement
Chas. Bass, one of the two American FalStaitS,
is now playing here with Walter Alfred Stew
art n lad of twelve years, whose delineation OF
! [riShisms are said to be vastly superior to
Barny Williams. Messrs. Bass and Ilackett,
are believe, the only American actors who at
tempt to play "Jnck Falstah," either as the
Fat" or Fighting Knight"
a singular death occurred here last Wednes-
day night-singular both in its suddenness and
the mystery which clouds the cause and crcum-
stances, \ most respectable citizen of Henrico
county, was discovered, about u o'clock on the
night mentioned, with his head hanging out of
n door, almost on Il level with the paJement; he
being perfectly insensible, was conveyed to the
watch house, and wound was discovered near
! the temple of which the physician una
! BILE to determine the cause or to relieve him.
| Very shortly after his discovery the man died.
The coroner'S jury have not as yet returned a
verdict, though the opinion prevails that he
came to his death from fall down fight OF
stairs near by, as he was known to be intoXica-
| ted the night before the accident.
Mr.. o. Jennings Wise, as you have doubtless
learned, has had another "attair of honor" His
antagonist was not Ridgeway, but i. b. DOn-
glas, ESQ, State Senator. Both gentlemen
have reputation for courage, and were only
arrested in their murderous purpose by friends,
one of whom is said to have caused them to de
sist and consider, when they had their rifles
aimed. blessed is the peace maker"
FRANK.
OLD TINES Oh, lO3 YEARS AGo.-The following
advertisement, copied from the Pennsylvania
Gazette of February 18th, 1855, exhibits the