New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-09-14
Charles kenn.

Othelloo was performed on Monday. In Lear and IN
Otheo. even more than in Louis XI Mr. Keans excel
lence artist finds graphic Illustration. Iha' e1
ccllence principally consists In these four qnacssm
plcity, truhfulness emotional sympathy aud Absolute
precision of method. These make him great actor
In SAYING this we are not blind to his defects We do
not forget his occasional artifcality his manner
sms which-as displayed in certain important portray
Ias OF cbarac,er-arc far from being agreeable. But
these defects must not be permitted to bias our judg'
lnent. They not profound; they are merely the
H. tricks Of CUSTOM" the infrmties Of nature and
when every allowance has been made for them. we are
sn left fee to recognize him great actor. This
point Is all the worthy TO be empha1lcsy stated
in view Of the peculiar reputation that Mr. kean has
acquired. His father, all the world knows, was man
Of sngulary wuyw ard although aoriousy brilliant ge
MUS That the testimony Past for those OF us who
must perorce be content with the voice OF legend 10
Us the name of Edmund Kean is not altogether unsu
lied albeit forever ilustrious That OF Charles hean
on tho contrary Is pure tie sun Itself THIS con-
rast bas not been lost upon the pubic mind In soue
nexpicable mannerand Notwithstanding the fact that
private virtue has nothing Mt all to do with p1bhe sue
cess in artt chances that Charles Kean has been en-
rolled in the ranks Of what are denomnated worthy
men, This class Of persons, as a class is remarkable
us ciblncnt ~ o"lh H"N"N'
Of gold headed canes it resides in the Madison Ave
of the world it wears the coors Of tie sedatc
but aristocratc doves does anything to shock
the accepted standard of social formaiy and II Is
always and everywhere equally proper and equally I'M
interesting. We have, OF course no objection to urge
against this excellent section Of the community. 1t is
difficult how the social system could be kept in
Its present place, without ducprepondrance OF heavy
m. l., f.Vt Drt
they certainly labor under one considerable dsadvant
age In the busy and busting world that seethes about
them they not popularity supposed to experience an
emotOn aside from that OF govt All the virtues are
ascgbed to them and the sum sof all their virtues is
sapposed 10 be correctness. The widest and most
audacous effort of popular fancy pictured one of
them capable Of taking to the stage and really enact
ing s1ch character as King Lear. To rank Charles
Kean in this category is therefore, manifest Injustice
His long, laborious industrious, and dgnifed career
n an actor has indeed entitled him to universal aad
inequiyoca respect. No man VI this generation has
lone as much as he has 10 elevate tho dramatic FRO.
'ession But he has not aspirel 10 place among the
show pieces of modern responsibility; and the judgment
uuust that numbers him among them. II IS certain,
lieyegtheless that 'such Judgment prevails. in no
United extent One may recognize 1t in the prevalent
.endenoy TO institute comparisons between Mr. kean
and oils father to allow him that correctness which is
lhe fruit OF culture bat TO deny him that inspiration
which Is born II genius and Gnay in the disposition
Of the critical mind to regard him representative OF
elegant conyentlonaliiy. Tn, anonymous wag ex.
pressed this latter idea very wildly ia saying that Mr.
Kean was TO make a Farewell visit to the United
States aud was then going home to die, and be baried
in Westminster Abbey.
This view Of the subject thoagh /. may be natural Is
far from being rational Though the towering aud
urii genius of Edmund Kean has not descended TO bis
son. and though that sons career has been marked hy
no wild Outbreaks Of passionate eceentriciy ye Charles
KcAn has genius fills own, original, powerful, and
ndmirabea capacity OF divine influence tina. lifts him
far above the level Of cultured medioerty II signifies
nothing against this judgment that he he's somewhat
declined into the vale of years." that he sometimes
speaks with parrot.I rapidity; that his eauacatioa
is occasionally almost nasal; and that he does not
always appear to DO possessed BY the passion or the
mood which he has assumed TO utter Like other great
actors he has his fanlts aud his weak moments. But
his merits largely outweigh his defects. His conccp-
tons of character are broad. clear. complete and i'm
pressye and they are thoroughly revealed and elabo.
ratey finished His elocution Is natural; his costumes
are uniformly perfect His Imagination firreaching,
sensitive. and noble. gives him complete mastery OF
character and complete harmony with circumstances.
lie merges own identity In the poets IDEAL and Is
what he assumes be- In saying this pat aside his
Hamlet because do not think that part be sait1-
bly, acted by elderly man. Bat. Louis XL. as
Macbeth. Shylock. as Lear, and as Othelo, Mr..
Kcan lfs out of common life makes forget that
we are LOOKING upon mimic scenes. and conyuses our
nature with the passion and pathos Of reality There
are special objections that might be urged against
certain of these objections based upon
the sense Of superficial blcmishes Bat while his por.
tayals in general are above the reach OF serious
sure lis Lear is a perfect effort in dramatic art. We
have carefully studied the acting OF all the eminent
players who have appeared hereabouts within the last
ten years; bat we have yet seen the equal OF Mr.
Kcan in this character. His Lear is his best persona
tion-not even excepting his Louis NJ. Iu tie latter
which was prepared for him by Boueica be Is Ger
tainy great artist. But to be great in Lear is more
than be great in Louis XL because the part itself is
greater. The imperial PRIDE the vast tenderness of
heart. tho venerable majesty. the tragic intellectual
isolation the awful SORROWS Of the poor old King make
him of the grandest figures in the realm OF ina gina
tom and as such he is represented by Mr.. Kean. 1t
superuous to specify particular excellcncles in
performance that Is perfect in all particulars so har.
monous in oil its parts. 70 graphic and touching.
One feature in It, however, may properly be noted since
II is distinguished exponent of Mr.. Keans That
feature is its simpcityis utter disregard of what
technically called points" Mr. Kean s Lear is not
eocutionst. He does not below tie curse of Regain
with the lungs Of bull mouth about the great
gods that keep this dreadful potter DER our
heads, nor dwell upon the famous pry thee undo t1is