The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-28

IRA ALDRlDGE, THE COLoREn TRAGEpIAN.-
The following notice of the negro actor. Ira
Aldrldge, IS from the St. Petersburgh cores
pondence of lie Nord, under date of Dec. 5:
he success OF the negro actor, Ira AL
bridge, has beep wonderful At his debut.
people were curious to see an Othello who
needed reither Grape nor pomade to blacken
his face. Many expected tears of laughter.
rather than tears of emotion, when they learn
ed that Iago and Desdemona would reply TO
him IN German. The absence of an English
troupe forced him to play with German actors
Those who counted on this were strangely de-
ceved. From his appearance on the stage,
the African artist completely captivated his
audience by his harmonious aud resonant
voice, and by style full of simplicity, nature,
and dignity For the frst time we had seen a
tragic hero talk and walk like common NOR
tails, without defamation and without exag-
gerated gestures. We forgot that we were in
theatre, and followed the drama as if it had
been real transaction.
" The scene in the third act, when the senti-
ment of jealousy is reused in the ferocious
Moor, is the triumph of Aldridge. At the first
word OF willy lnslnuation you see his eyes KIN
die, you feel the tears in his voice when he
questions lago, then the deep sobs which stihe
1t; and finally, when be is persuaded that his
wretchedness is complete, a cry of rage OF,
rather, roar like that of wild beast starts
from his abdomen. | still seem TO hear that
cry 1T chilled US with fear, and made every
spectator shudder. Tears wet his cheeks; his
mouth foamed, and his eyes flashed fire. l have
never seen artist identify himself so per-
tectly with the character he represents. An
actor told me that he saw him sob for some
moments after his exit from the scene. Every
BODY, men and women, wept. BOileau was
right. In saying to actors, Weep yourselves, IL
you would make others weep Rachel, in the
fourth act of Les Horaces, is the only artist
who ever produced great All effect. At the
first representation, poor Desdemona was SO
horror-stricken at the terrible expression of the
Moor, that abe sprang from the bed and fed,
shrieking with fright.
In spite of his stony nature, Aldridge can
adapt himself to those scenes which require
calmness and subdued passion. In Shylock,
to see him trembling with fear and indignation
before the tribunal which is endeavoring to
force Christianity upon him, makes one of those
Impressions which never effaced. The Sc
verest critics find but one fault with him-that
when speaking to characters at the back of the
stage, he has the bad habit Of turning his back
to the public. The director demonstrated with
him about this but it was of no avail"
INCREASE OF LoNGEvITY.-It is a prevailing
common in the times of our ancestors than at
present. Facts would seem to prove otherwise.
In the latter part of the sixteenth century, one
half of all who were born died under FIVE years
of age, and the average proportion of the whole
population was but eighteen years In the
seventeenth century, onehalf of the population
died under twelve years. But in the FIRST sixtv
years of the eighteenth century, one-haf of the
population lived over twenty-seven years in
the latter forty years, one-half exceeded thirty
two years of age. In the beginning of the
present century, one-half exceed forty years.
The average longevity of these successive Pc
RODS has been increased from Is years in the
sixteenth century, up to 43.7 by the last re-
ports. This increase in the duration of life is
believed to be the result Of improved medical
science, improvement in the construction of
houses, drainage of streets, and superior cloth
ing.-Nesoark Daily Adrertiser.
SANcrIFIED ScoUNDRELs.-George Of Cappa.
docia, born ct Epiphania, in CECILIA, was low
parasite, who got lucrative contract to supply
the army with bacon. A rogue and informer.
he got rich, and had 10 run from Justice. He
embraced Arianisn, collected , library, and
got promoted by faction to the Episcopal throne
of Alexandria. When Julian came, A. D. 36I.
George was thrown into prison, the prison was
burst open By the mob, and George was lynch
ed, as he deserved. And the precious knave
became in good time the St. George of England,
patron of chivalry, and the pride of the best
blood of the modern world Strange that the
solid, truth-speaking Briton should derive from
an impostor. Strange that the New World
should have no better luck-that broad Ameri-
ca must wear the name of a thief America
Vespuci, the pickle-dealer at Seville, who went
out in 1889, subaltern with Hojeda, and
whose highest naval rank was boatswains mate
in an expedition that never sailed, managed in
this lying world to supplant Columbus, and
baptize half the world with his own dishonest
name. Thus nobody can throw stones We
are equally badly off in our founders, and the
false pickledealer is offset to the false bacon
English TRAITS.