New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-19

possessed far beyond other men Of identifying tleih
selves with heroes and kings, and villains oouu nos
be always kept within the Elitteriug boanas'! o e
fO0tghts il cast its gamOr real Iie ahd coNoep
the world with strange hues, like iandsSape seen
Though many colOred easement mus H1 uyns
keaD, sTrayed in war-palnt Wampum sSiO' 80
partnerships, played the part OF an lhuli cinv,'
solely for his delight. Cooke, WIN 81
ture, pawned himself for bottle OF brandy ana wsS
teketed and slowed away upon sheu 10 De
Booths adventures of the kind were numerous ho
did many things which in another man WoViu navy
aroused derision, but IN nm mao eiecslioa az
effect While playing Byufus in the tragedy OF
John Howard Payne, in the most tlrlnbg
scene where tie Roman condemns ms son
TO death, Booth was deeply affected and tears
streamed from his eyes. He was intercepted "
drunken man in the gallery, when, without losing
the character he fixed his eyes upon the offender anu
exclaimed " Beware am the headsman-Il am the
executioner." On the lips OF Forrest or Macreauy,
such words woud have caused roar OF laughter put
in the case of Booth this added TO the profound I'M
preston of the tragedy-hey became part of IT. For
such mind there was little distinction between the
stage and the street. We do not believe thet ELMER
Booth, or Kean, Cooke had any organic lnsanltyi
bat there frequently little difference between inc
excuses Of their imagination and the neaKs oi tne
madman. When Booth sailing 70 Charleston, z. ",
sUrang into the sea- with the intention of suicide u
vas not because Of anysufhcient reason, but simply
from an overmastering imagination, which had long
been broOding over the death of the actor conway
intellectually, Booth was undoubtedly the greatest
of the tragedians. He hadithe advantage oil good
education and hard student throughout MS ne
As linguist his accomplishments were remaSKaDle;
he spoke eight ten languages, and IN new
at the French Theater, appeared successfully III Tue
tragedies of Racine. Kean was DESTROYS OF reputa-
aOn for scholarship but his acting was lar Detter ta
the Latin he affected. Neither itean nor Cooke Wouu
have been successful in any but theatrical career,
but Booths abilities might certainly nave gaIIeu INN
emnence in literature He wrote well, had great con-
VersatiOnal powers, and was NOT only al aeVoi V"'
theoogian. "Al forms of religion and all temples oil
devotion were sacred TO him. and IN passing chure1eS
he never failed 20 bare his head reverently lie
worshped at many shrines; he admired the
Koran and in that volume many beau
tiful passages are UNDERSIGNED; days sacred 10
color ore, and metals were relgiouay observed by
him. In the synsgogues he was known as a jew, oe-
cause he conversed with the rabbis and learned doc
tors and Joined their worship in the Hebrao tongue
He read the Tamud and strictly observed many OF ITS
laws Several fathers of the Roman Catholic CBurch
recount pleasant hours spent with hun IL theological
discourse and aver that he was of their persuasion
by his knowledge Of the mysteries Of their faith"
Yet no religion was too humble, and OF all the
places of worship he frequened, that winch ne most
loved, says his daughter, "was floating church' OF
Sailors Bethel The congregation was OF the num-
bleSt degree and the ministers not at all ediyng.
remember kneeling through lengthy impromptu |
prayer which contained no spirit pety to my child
sh ears and looking around YEARLY at my iather,
beheld his face so earnestly inspired with devotion
that felt rebuked, and 1t became pleasant TO attenu
to that which was devoid of interest before we are
Wiling 10 believe that this reverence for religion
ch had such opposite modes Of EXPRESSION was yet
Ace, y rooted and that it was shown in daily acts OF
biIor thrOpy There rare beauty IN the nature
r this singular man; his tenderness for even the
Srn,o 20, alls that of the lady in Shelleys Sensitive
plant - :. d golden thread of human sympathy with
III saot,ros whom God had made through the
iarkening mo, Nds of his genius, says the Rev. Mr.
Freeman CLARK describing the solemnity with which
b 1,ro Christian burial 10 few dead wild pigeons
an Eccentric protest against what he firmly Believed to
- otoT n,Trrder In 1872 he purchased a farm in |
Hartford County Mar land, his home when not fnl-
fllinr theatrical engag, ments Here NO consistently |
enforced his humane creCd: inc use Oh nesh lot Dou
was nrohibted. Anim,d life on the farm, says |
~; dahtar 1. was sacred frep the dainty partridge
IN tfe hact snor. sud Wild boar OF the wood. The
servants. II actually N~"uting meat, were ailoTeh
money 10 purchase it from the H. Low ~ an. |
mediate family religiohsly obseryeu "a falling of |
stnenee Another thing forbidden was Ia az II |
trees. Every tree was held sacred from the AZ
O Dryad or woodland nymph inhabited its trunk
Fallen trees and brush served for trewood, While
animal and vegetable life hOurished IN rare Iu1u-
rance" The following letter, which Booth wrote IN
1893 TO his father is characteristic expression OF has
AR FArHrR The weather bad that the managers
closed the house wednesday evening" haq 70 nay Os
fnish The blowing send her home Let the gen
teman who bears this have Peacock 70 ride bae5 70 ba
more Let Joe sow the timothy in the meadow leu Junius
NOT 70 90 opossun bunting setting rsbbtirap bnt to e
the poor devils i've Crney the offspring o. en ~
nrsssed and NOT too oen the ease oy I'M
;bnkng beings who surround them hiei who taxes prop
sy fro another has It in his power should he repent 70
make the robhet Of life never can give oeek
What has wantony and saeregousy taken nGm Deng
spfeSing torture with himself The ideas Of Pghagorss
pthinT that man can preach make believe
10 The contrary Every death a own avenger breeds
TponeS OF this think there panepseed hanging
in by the paflor. Let
MANURE in small trenches In The garden ee or
Booth was great actor-we think the age has
produced none greater, aud certainly even Edmund
Kean was In some respects his inferior. But hean
had an advantage which Booth laekea--crucs anu
enlooists who not only had the ability but tho
inolpation to do justice to his powers Such men as
Rvrop and Hazlitt have taken Ofhis fame Booth
left london then the theatrical metropolis si the
world, before his genius was natures ana euus
dewiyed himself of criticism which mil ht have been
part of the literature Of the age. England never
forgot nor orgave his desertOn OF the English stage
and Mrs Clarke is perfectly correct in saying thai
recent English publications have done injustice 10 MS
fame. He came to q country where the importance
Of fbe stage had then less recognition from literature
True Carpenter had published the " Mirror OF Taste
in Philadelphia, periodical chiefly devoted 10 inc
theaer but his criticisms were but second rate ana
thonph there were certainly men capable OF writing
intelgently Of the drama dc not remember single
article upon Booths acting that was worthy OF II.
NEWSPAPER praise he had in abundance, but 1t lacked
discrimination and description. This deficiency has
been unfortunate for his fame which rests too much
upon tradition and the reeoections OF old play gcers
vet what evidence we have is enough to place him
among the few great trsgediaps who have lived since
BettertOn Those who remember him well say that
no other actor resembled him. He had wonderful
individuality. In his great moments there was some
thing awful in his passion-"he impressed me-"
wrote gentleman who him in his proudest days
almost as something supernatural, as a being from
another world. No living actor equals the snblimity
r. lis anTfr mi
lbs letters, even his faults confrm the originality Of
his genius-genius which, though not fully recorded,