The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-28
MUSICAL AND DRAMA TITO.


actresses now upon the American stage, that of
Mrs. +. W. Lander (Jean NJ. Davenport) is Ger
tainly entitled to the first position. In the
higher walks of tragedy and comedy she is
equally at home, and the fame and popularity
which she has won are legitimate tributes to
her abilities and cultivation as an artist and her
private worth as most estimable lady. Both
personally and professionally she is an orna-
ment TO the stage, and her appearance at the
Walnut Street Theatre during the present aud
next week in series of her best presentations
will afford rare pleasure to many admirers of
the best styles OF dramatic art
Jean n. Davenport was born a. Wolverhamp'
ton, England, on the Sd of May, 1929. Her
father was originally lawyer, but his tastes
and inclinations predisposed him to the drama
and he accordingly left the bar for the stage.
He became the manager of the Richmond Thea
ire, and his daughter Jean made her first appear
ance there in 1887, when only eight years of
age. The character in which she made her
debut was the Little Pickle" in piece va
riously known as the Managers Daughter, the
Spotted Child, aud the Young Actress Jean
made hit In this part, as she also did in that OF
Richard the Third She was the first represen'
tative of the hump backed tyrant that
appeared upon the boards of the Rich
mond Theatre after the death of Edmund
Kean, and the hat she wore was one which
that great actor had been accustomed to wear
In the same part After her debut she appeared
with success in the principal cities of England
and Ireland for couple of years, and in 1889
she was brought to the United States. She
made her first appearance in this country at the
old National Theatre in Leonard street, New
York, which was at that time under the man
agement of the late James W. Wallack. She
played a series of "star" engagements in other
cities, and in 1S42 she returned to Europe, where
she sojourned for several years IN France aud
Italy, for the purpose of completing her educa-
ton. In Paris she studied music under one of
the best masters, and the talent which she
manifested for the art was SO great that it was
matter of discussion with herself and
her friends whether she should not
torsake the dramatic for the operatic
stage. Her final choice, however, was
in favor of the drama, and she zeaously
applied herself to the cultivation of her powers
and to the study of the best models. In ls45
she again appeared upon the London stage, at the
Olympic Theatre, aid played Shakespeare's
'Juliet,n "Julia" in the Hunch6dck, the
sCountess" In Loue, and other characters OF
like importance. She speedily became favorite
with the public, but a serious illness com peled
her to retire from the stage in the midst of an
unusually successful season. Absence from the
public gaze, however, did not diminish her
popularity, and when she returned to the stage
she was complimented by testimonial benefit
under the auspices of the Lord Mayor Of
London. In 1916 she went to Holland with an
English company, and remained tor about two
years. and her refined and elegant style of acting
excited much enthusiasm among all classes. In
1848 Miss Davenport made her debut as public
reader In England. Fanny Kemole had not then
taken up this line of art, and Miss Davenport
therefore had the field to herself. Her irsc
reading was given in oxford, but she afterwards
gave entertainments in the other principal
British cities. She was the first reader Of
Shakespeare since the time Of Mrs. Siddons who
was competent to interpret the works of the
great poet, and her performances attracted
large audiences of the best classes OF society
In 1849 Miss Davenport came to the United
States for second time, and the successes which
she achieved determined her to reside here in
future. The death of her father, in July, 1851
rendered it necessary for her to return TO Eng
land to settle the affairs OF his estate, which
task being accomplished, she again crossed the
Atlantic, and made a decided impression by her
performance of the parts of Peg WofingCon,"
"Adrienne Lecouvreur," the Countess" "Leti-
tia Hardy" and Camille" In 1855 she visited
California, aud since then she has been to Eng
land vice.
On the 3O.h of October, 1860, Miss Davenport
was married to Frederick West Lander, at San
Francisco, and she retired from the stage. Mr..
Lander was at that time civil engineer, and
Government agent for paciiying the Indians in
the Western Territories. When the Rebellion
broke out Mr.. Lander offered his services to the
Government, and was made Brigadier.General'
A high-toned gentleman and brave and
honorable soldier, General Lander left an un
sullled memory when he fell in battle on the Sd
of March, 1862. His widow, instead of wasting
her soul in impotent grievlngs for his loss, de-
voted herself with ardor to the cause to which
her husbands life had been sacrificed. She
organized an efficient corps of nurses, and until
the end OF the war she exerted herself to relieve
the wants of the sick and wounded soldiers of
the Union army.
In February, 1868, Mrs. Lander made her re-
appearance on the stage at NIblo's Garden,
New York, in the drama of Mesdl lance. Ris
tori introduced new line OF characters soon
after, and her signal triunphs revived the in
terest ofthe public in the best forms of dramatic
art. Mrs. Lander took advantage OF the ftrOre
which was created by Ristori's acting, and she
made her first appearance as Elizabeth in
an excellent adaptation OF Giacomettl's drama,
at the National Theatre, Washington, in April,
1867. Since then she has performed ELIZA
BETH" MARY Stuart" ''Medea," and other of
Ristori's roles in all the principal cities OF the
Il. .lsI