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Edwin Forrest, on witnessing this
novel Interpretation in Edinburg, hissed
audibly. 1t was naturally charged to
professional and national jealousy, espe-
cially as be himself had been received in
London with similar marks of disfavor.
But Forrest, in a public letter, defended
himself, alleging that Kissing had always
been regarded as legitimate mode of
expressing disnpprobation, and that he
could not refrain when Macready desc.
Grated the scene by introducing q fancy
dance"
JUyIUs BRUTUs BOOTH.
In spite of the former triumphs of
Cooper, Cooke and Kean, Booth almost
Immediately became the favorite of the
public. Richard III" was his most
famous part. But those who saw his
Hamlet" before any decay dimmed his
greatness, cannot, even at this lapse of
time, speak of it with the calmness of
criticism. 1t was par excellence the
Hamlet" of Shakespeare. In Booths
wonderful pathos, his fiery bursts of pas
sion, his soliloquies, where each word
seemed to drop from his heart rather
than f-em his lips, his yenerstion for his
fathers spirit, his impsssioned pleading
with his mother, and his manner in the
last scene, where the destiny which has
led and thwarted all his purposes en-
compasses him with its deepest melan-
choly and foreboding, are ell familiar to
qs in description. And every look spoke
with such full meaning that the deaf
could say of him as of Garrick: His
face is language" Such was his power
of throwing all his soul into word that
when he uttered the simple exclamation:
"Alas, poor ghost |" tears often streamed
from the eyes of his listeners.
Booth was often accused, especially
by Esglish critics, of initiating Kesn.
The fact that they were gifted by nature
with some marked points of resemblance,
aud that Booth was the younger actor,
gave color to this charge. They we're
both of low stature, with handsome faces,
wonderfully expressive eyes, and great
mobility of feature. Each, too, was
gifted with that intense feeling which |
enabled him to identify himself COM
pletely with the part. The imagination
seems to have been nature's-no |
Booths.
ANECDOTES OF BOOTH.
His eccentricities we're commonly at
tributed to his periodical excesses in
drinking, but the underlying cause was
in his organization. Not even Kean
illustrated so wildly how nearly great
wits to madness are allied. No COM
mon place judgment can be applied to
his exquisitely sensitive nature. Even
in his younger days, when his habits
were abstemious, he seemed to live in
region of abstraction and ideality, in
which phantoms became real to him,
and he suffered great mental tortures.
In later life he often expressed his desire
to retire from the stage and keep light.
house, and indeed he once began nego-
tiations to obtain charge of lighthouse
on Cape Hatterss.
One night, in Southern theatre, when
Booths manner was unusually wild, the
frightened Ratclff Of the occasion gssped
ont,
"'Tis I. the early village cock"
then stammered, and iu trying to correct
himself twice repeated the mistake.
Booth finally drew himself up, and asked
yith sternest dignity, "Why the devil
don't you eros then {" Tie curtain gent
down in tumult Of laughter, aud no
more of Richard was given that night
He loved best to play in the widely diff.
fering cities of New Orleans and Boston.
Perhaps the one gave him the warm greet
ines vhieh pleased big ardant nature, and
the other the colder intellectual sppreoia-
ton which gratifed his judgment. In
New Orleans he once personated 0restes,
in Racine's play of Andromache," 10
the original, with company of French
actors. His accent was so pure, and his
rerforuaIce 81 eleetricsi, tlat sI toe
close. the theatre rang with cries Of
" Talmal Talma"
LATER HAMLErs
The present generation has seen several
Hamlets Of considerable end varied
merit We can only mention Edwin For.
rest, who esteemed Hamlet one of his
greatest characters, and usually played
il on benefit nights, but who, though the
closest student of Shakespeare in Ameri.
"a, had little fitness for the part beyond
IN unusually deep, rich voice. E. l..
DdNtupoENf WuOdc uofit rs ou oCtOL 10
ar beyond his reputation, and who is a
much more popular Hamlet in Great
Britain than any other American has
,ver been and Barry Sullivan, the Eng
ish actor, whose desert also outruns his
anne, and who played Hamlet to large
louses throughout the United States.
But beyond all rivalry Edwin Booth has
ucceeded bic father in the role Of the
prince, aud has even ex- I
.elled him in il. The father, like Bur
age, won his great triumphs in Richard
III but the son, more than any other
.ctor since the time OF Shakespeare, has I
Identified bis genius and reputation Z
nth Hamlet. Ali the culture Of g
he schools Of acting has been
rought 10 bear upon this personatiop.
Ie has evideclly studied sarafally the
Fectiye po.nta Of 6srriek, the beautiful
eadings Of Henderson, the intellectual (
onceptions Of Ksnble, the inspiration {
{ Kean, aud the commanding genius Of '
is own father. Nature, too, has been q
'oss gracious TO hir. Trus, be lacks {