St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-10-31

J., lSOI. a
From tie London MraiaS Her aid.
MR.. EDWIN BOOTH.
Time. Vas when every season Of Drury
Lane or Covcnt Garden prodsced its A.
pirants 70 the higheet honors Of the stare.
l1n1 at lesA one 6hylock or Richard NJ
z { ]! ] Is J 7 !
of either house. In those ti,Ees. too, 4 s.
said, that holy Of enthusiastic admirers
of Ednund Keau offered systematic and
persevering opposition to every one who
dared to assume any of the great tragc-
dian's favorite parts" Amu.gst those
who had courage enough TO face this op-
position, and talent enough in some degree
TO bear it down. was Mr. Lucius Junius
Brutus Booth. u gentleman whose career.
'wcver, upon our stage was not length
Ell d one. but who gained and retained
il very co siderable rel uta'ion n TIE o h =
side Of the Atlantic. All but the oldest
play-gocrs have forgotten erents which ex-
led great attention in their time, and the
rivalries that stirred the pit and boxes OF
those PALMER days Of the drama are but
matter Of stage history
To some who can recollcct when the
names of kean and KenLle were the
watch "ords of dramatic factions, who are
even not ignorant Of what and who were
the 'WulvCs," the rcsuscitation Of Mr.
Booths name OF tho head of the Haymar-
kct play-bill dnring the past few days have
recalled many pleasant associations. Tai
cut may or may not be Hereditary. bul
there can be no question that the world
attaches All interest to the pos.essors of
| known names. In Mr. Edwin Booth
who appeared last night at the Haymarket
As Shyiock. and who is the sou Vt keans
contemporary and rival, the audience no
doubt saw the legitimate successor Of a
gifted rsce-tLe tlansmitter Of the trali-
!ion of our stage. Bootb, it is known.
initiated the elder Koan ! Kran built h;,
style, it is said. upon that of George Fred
rick Cooke. aud Cookc himself acknowl-
edges that one Of bis nost successful per
sonaiiti.s was 'all GAUiek."
MIR. Edwin Epoih 10 an artist quite ca.
pabic of building his. ssssc.ss urvu n,e
o.. ..e.: 40, his c"allhcations for the
stage arc f-r from being merely r, di-
'ary. His first entrance, last night
showed beyond doubt tba, he vas no
slovcnly p.rsonator Vi the jew" bu,
! that h. had conception of character
And very t'w sentences proved his ca
pacity to carry out his conception. Mr.
Booth is rather above than below the
middle height. has n good stage figure.
n ine face. capable OF great expression,
i good eye. aud powerful, rich and
pla.tic voice. His earlier scencs may
have been = little too i.npressivcly work
cd out. with lack of the sarcasm. ,lay-
iul though bitter. with which Shylock
cntraps his victim but there was char
scter aud meaning in every word. In
the turn to Antonio. "Rr.t you, fair,
good. Sig"or," the uudcr-currcrt Of
meaning WAS admirably indicated. and
the account Of Jacobs cxpedicnt with
the ewes, was delivered with al unc-
ton and slight touch Of humor tha,
gave i: additional point
| The well known speech. "Signor An
tonic, ma,'y time and off," was de-
iivercd with the fullcst expression-in
short, the whole Of the seine showed
that no crude or incapable actor was be-
fore the public. IL the scene with Tu-
bal, where Shyiock receives alternately
news of his daughters clnpemcnt and ol
the misfortune of Antonio, the transitions
were marked with force and di.criuina.
tiop, although less q. - 49,. 49,. m.,-
ment wcui. uave been desirable. The
whole Of the trial scene MAS most csre.
fully and successfully gone through. uo'
word or shade Of meaning were lost
and whilst the full force vt The variou,
! situation was given. there were. scm.
remarkably fine touches Of exprcsziou
such as no cGmmon artist would have
imagined or worked into the part.
-! l, cannot be laid that Mr.. Booth,
performance WAS Que Of that class
which clectrify an suIicnce .aud excitr
their feeling. beyond restraint. but j,
was sensible, powerful. aud correct,
sviueing beyond . doubt = very high
,legree If tragic power and strong
sense ofcharacter. aud grsced with 6ne aud
weli-sus,ained elocution. The applause
excited WAS genuine, the call at the
! close of ih., fourth act = true expression
If publiv aprosai. and Nj: Booth's' re-
ception genersiiy sucL ar ~"u.d be fair
~ accoricd BY an audience perhaps Bc.
disposed to ~ easily Carried away BY
their feelings. bu, ready to DO justice to
wcll-cxecuted performance. indicative
of no small amount of drsmatic talent
+. Whilst il must be admitted that there
is not 50 complete su originality in Mr..
Booths performance. or such wide
departure from the conventionalisms Of
the stage As challenges minute or ana.
lyticsl criticism. It's general effect upou
!. the audience Was decidedly favorable to
the actor's preiensions. and such ~ viii
cntiile him TO . favorable heaiing in
any other great part he may assume. Mrs.
Charles Young. who has joinsd IL. COM
psny. appeared on the occasion a. Por-
tia. sud Mr.. Buckasons himssif was ihs
l.aa.., -: Gotbo.