The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-21
LITERATURE.
REvIEw OF NEW HOOKS,


HE TEAeED1AN; an Essay on the Histrionio
Genlus OF Junius Brutus Booth. BY Thomas
X. Gould. Published by Hurd & Houghton.
Philadelphia Agents: Claxton, Remsen &
Haffelfnger.
We are disposed, like Mr.. Gould, to place a
igh estimate on the actors art. Unlike
painting and sculpture, it is evanescent and
xists but for a moment, and the fame of the
istrionio artist, If it survives at all, must
urvive only in tradition. The curtain falls,
e step from the theatre into the cool night
|ir, the glamour of the mimic scene passes
way, the magnetism of the personal presence
genius no longer enthralls us, and only
mid confused memories Of what our ears
ave heard and our eyes beheld do GER
hin bright points and exquisite render
&Pgs of passages dwell in the mind
remind us of the Legitimate claims of the
ctor to the honored title Of artist. Notwith-
banding this, it is certain that, more than any
ther form Of art, the histrionic exerts an i'm
hediate and powerful influence, and on that
ccount everything should be done in the way
elevating the drama by encouraging the
est styles of acting, and by holding up the
est models for the inspection of actors as
|ell as audiences. An intelligent critical
palysis of great actors presentations is par
cularly valuable, and such an analysis Mr..
ould has given us in his essay on the genius
the elder Booth. Mr.. Gould acknowledges
imself to have been an enthusiastic admirsr
Booth, and he claims for him the position
the greatest of all actors, and in comparing
Inn with Edmund Kean he says:-
1.-THE recorded impression left by Kean on the
inds OF his reporters and biographers is of
bighty grasp and overwhelming energy in
RrIlal scenes; while Booth is remembered for
Is sustained and all.relating conception OF
parscter, intensely reailzed' II Is true, but
bly, charmed the listener but accompanied
be scholar to his study. and shed light on
be subtlest and profoundest passage of Snake
peare. The imaginative power was so opulent
Booth that he multiplied himself in the
cene, and abolished the dullness of the other
layers. Filled with the conception OF the
ppernatural himself, he Shook the superflex
them In Hamlet he made the tread and
Kit of the Ghost arier; and in Macbeth trans
prmed, by his presence and action the three
ntastic Old women into ministers Of fate"
Mr.. Gould claims to speak of Booth from an
acquaintance of many years and from an
tendance on innumerable performances.
e does not claim that he was always correct,
that his powers were always under con-
Fol, and he says that "Mr. Booth was per-
eps the most unequal of all great actors"
md in this connection he mentions that for
PINE cause or other Mr.. Booth seemed to play
etter to a thin house.
The following is Mr.. Gould's description Of
ooth's personal characteristics
"In person Mr.. Booth was short, spare, and
hnsculaI; with head and face of antique
auty, dark hair, blue eyes, neck and chest
ample but symmetrical mould, q step and
hoN ement elastic, assured, kingly. His face
as pale, with that healthy paIlor which is one
gn of magnetic brain. Throughout this
rief, close-knit imperial figure, nature had
lanted or diffused her most Vial organic
brces. and made it the capable servant of the
pm manding mind that descended into and
ossessed 1t in every fibre.
'The airy condensation of his temperament
pund fullest expression in his voice. Sound
no capacious lungs. vascular and forous
broat clearness and amplitude In the interior
houth and nasal passages, formed Its physical
asis Words are weak, but the truth Of those
Fe shall employ, in an endeavor to suggest that
Dice, will be felt by multitudes who nave been
drilled by its living tones. Deep, massive.
esonant. many-stringed, changeful, vast in
oiume, OF marvellous hexiblllty and range;
Dtal interchange. trumpet-tones, bell tones
bpes like the sound of many waters like
be mufi1ed and continent roar OF bleak grown
.'But no analogies in art or nature, and espe-
ally no indication of It's organic structure and
by steal conditions, could reveal the inner
ecret of lis charm. This charm lay in the
pind. of which his voice was the organ: a
most miraculous organ under the sway OF q
thoroughly informing mind The chest voice
ecame fountain of passion and emotion.
cen, awake ening tones OF the pure intellect
Ind as the ina sglnation stands, with its beauti-
rain and marries them with a benediction,
living glow to the thoughts and form to the
motions, so there arose In the intuitive actor
third element of voice, hard to denne, but OF
fusing, blending kindling quality, which we
pay name the Imaginative, which appeared
ow In some single word, now with the full
iapason OF tones in some memorable sentence,
md which distinguished him as an incompara-
le speaker of the English tongue. That voice
ules OF elocution. 1t transcribed music. 1t
brought airs from heaven and blasts from he'll.
struggled and smothered in the pent fires of
ASST ion darted from them as in tongues of
lame. 1t was the earthquak voice OF victory
was, on occasion, iniI OF Years "a ano Hr, nesrt
ressure of the conduit thought; snd expressive
eyond known parallel in voice OF man, it sug-
es ed more than it expressed.
"But his voice was marked by one slgnlncant
imitation. 1t had no mirth. There were tones
4 light. but none of levity. No laughter but
bat terrific laughter in Shylock,' which seemed
prn from bis malignant heart at the announce
pent of 'Antonio's' losses IL is true Mr. Booth
layed in farce. We have seen MIN repeatedly
Is Terry Sneak in Foote's farce of the Mayor
- Garran and as 'Geoffry Mufilcap In Ina,
eUgS and Act0rS. But his acting in this kind
kas never to our taste. II was not fun alive
His TAI ce was simply the negauon or his ira
edy. In 1t he took the one step from the SUP
me TIE sunny blue eye, the genial smile
he pleasantly e found SO winning In social
tercourse never Appeared upon the stage
ri genius, and the voice IL sWayed' were deul
aLed to tragedy. Child Of nature as he was
housh contaminated by art, he dlsdalned NJ nc
esou ce which might mlutster 10 the legttt
bate effects of tragedy. Aud 1T may be sale
hat, as Phidias blended the lion into the god
n the face of his Jupiter, so Boom lllIeu tn'
Ions voice, the prowling lions Here am,
Into the human scale, and with judicious re
Arve and translat ed meaning oade it roar anC
Nffl, 1iar