The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-20

markable that the two most important even
in the history of the Jewish nation, if not
humanity, the giving of the Mosaic law am
the death of Christ, should have been accon
panied by the awful phenomena of earthqual
shocks. Those who believe that the circun
stances which surrounded these events a
quite mythical must still find this an interes
ing fact; for it would, if that view were con
rect, show how deep an impression these my
terious convulsions had made on the minds 4
the Jews.
The paper on "The 'Hamlets of Il
Stage has the following account of Edmund
Keans visits to America:-
Early in 1920 he made his first appearan&
in this country at the new theatre in Philade&
! phia. His fame had preceded him, but &
had George Frederick Cooke, and for sever
nights the admiration for that great act0
created a few dissenters. They soon su 81
cumbed, and on the fourth night of his Cd
! gagement when Kean appeared as ''HamletN
! his position at the head of his profession W "a
admitted. All our leading towns We'd Wit
Philadelphia in enthusiasm, and Kea#
crowned his popularity in Boston by chara
terizing the city as ''the literary emporium W
the New World.
But the spoiled child of fortune was soo&
to be visited with the displeasure of thA
other spoiled child, the public. Returni1
to Boston at an unfavorable season of thH
year. he appeared two nights to thin house
and on the third, after counting twenty spe&
tators through loophole in the curtain, u
abruptly went to his hotel. The theatx 4
afterwards filed up to respectable number
and the managers begged him to return, ID
he declared that he would not play to bad
walls, and that he was packing his trunk O
leave the town.
1t is hardly possible for us to realize ho4
thin-skinned the American public, au&
especially theatre-goers, were to any fanciex
insult from an Englishman, one or tv
generations ago. There are many cases {
point-the national wrath, not only at foolis
and unjust books, like those
Mrs. Trollope and Basil Ha1
Though even they contained mud
unwelcome truth), but also at such compar
lively kind ones as Dickens America
Notes." the indignant arraignment of Fan1X
Kemble for observing that few Americans 81
a horse well; and the bitterness kindle4
against Macready, in Baltimore, for his 4
legged remark that he could not get any WOOD
in America fit to make an arrow of for 81
shooting-scene in William T6y Kean's foolis
+ caprice in Boston was construed into Englis
I contempt for America, and so turned the It'd
of feeling against him that there were riotoIt
f demonstrations in various places, which droI
him from the country
. Just before sailing from New York D
= visited Bloomingdale Asylum, as it was b
! habit to study manifestations of INSANITY I'd
= his great part of Lear" While there d
E astounded the superintendent by turniul
double somersaults across the garden, and {
his frenzy he would have leaped from II
roof of the house if strong arms had nd
seized him and borne him away.
He erected over the remains of Geord
3 Frederick Cooke handsome monument beaT
ing the inscription
, '"Three kingdoms claim his birth,
, Both hemspheres pronounce his worth"
1t yet stands in st. Paul's church-yard. :
the corner OF. .Vesey street and Broadway OS
, his last evening in America, tears streame
, from his eyes while he stood before it, listen
ing to the chimes of Trinity, and singing
with great sweetness, ''Those evening bellsN
and Come over the sea-"
, Kean carried back to England, as a mo&
, cherished relic, the bones of the forefne&
IT Cookies right hand - ''that dictatori&
fnoe,~" which the great actor had used viii
sucb won7 71erful effect. Dr. j. W. Francis had
carefully preserved Cookies skull One eve1f
ing, many years later, when Hamlet ws}
represented at the Park Theatre througI
some neglect no skull had been provided IA
the gravediggers' scene. A messenger froI1
the manager hastened to DIR. Fraucis ofic2
for one; and Francis furnished the only on
in his possession-that of the veteran actor
Never before or since were the famila1
phrases, "Alas! poor Yorick!" IA fellow a.
infinite jest, of most excellent fancy" an&
''Your flashes of merriment, that were won
to set the table on roar, uttered with sud
literal truth as by the 'Hamlet" of that ever
ing to the skull of the great actor.
Soon after Kean's return to England, hi
dissipations and an intrigue in which he be +
came involved, brought on series of mil
fortunes, and finally drove him from th \
stage. Terribly depressed in health an
spirits, and only the wreck of his former selH
he revisited the United States in the fall a.
1925. His first appearance in New York wa
prefaced by pathetic appeal to the hos
pitality and mercy of the country. Certail
, . of the ''unco guild, and some of the nd
partisans of Booth, attempted to excita
a riot; but is pleasant to remember that NeV
York gave to the unfortunate tragedian gene
rous and hearty welcome.
Revisitng Boston, he said, in a very humbl9 4
+ apology published in all the morning new
, papers," Acting from the impulse of irrit
ton, was disrespectful to the Boston public
Calm deliberation convnces me | was wrong
! The first step towards the throne of mercy i
, confession; the hope, we are taught, forgive
ness" But five years had not cooled the rag.
of the ''literary emporium. The poor actdI
E was twice pelted with nuts, cakes, and bottles
He retired to the green-room and wept like
child. Meanwhile the frenzied mob useE
brickbats and clubs freely, and destroyed
great deal of property; and Kean left the cid
by night to escape the imminent peril.
When Kean appeared in Philadelphia rotte{
eggs and other missiles were rained upon tl<
stage; but there was a strong police force pr
sent and arrangements had been perfected G.
call out the military so order was uuick&