, 1869-05-28
ANECOoTE OF THE ELDER BOOTH.


Mr.. Elhu Burritt contributes to the Feb
ruary number Of Packsrds Monthly an inter.
e>ting article, under the title Of Breathing a
Living Soul into Dead Words in which The
liollowng anecdote is told of the elder
Booth:
The elder Booth was a man who threw
into his impesoustons an amount of heart
and soul which his originals scarcely have
equalld. lie did Richard III to the life
and more. He had made human passions,
emotions and experiences his life's study
lie could not ,nly act but feel rage, love,
despair hate, ambition, fury, hope, aud re-
veuge, with depth and force that half am
azed his auditors. He could transmute
himself into tie hero of his impersonation,
and he could breathe a power into other
mems writer words which, perhaps, was
never surpassed. And what is rather re-
markabe, WHEN he was inclined to give il.
lgst.aIi@s Ofshs fasusX ~ QElSats riJsGSlHss iJsGSlHss
passages from Job, David or Isaiah, or other
holy unn Of DID, When an aspiring young
professor of Harvard University went to
him b, night, to ask little advice or in
instruction in qualifying himself for an oIa>
tor, tlp veteran tragedian opened the Bible
and red few verses from Isaiah in a way
that made the Cambridge scholar tremble
with aFe, as if the prophet had risen from
the ded aud were uttering his sublime vis-
ions il his ears. lie was then residing 10
Baltimore, and pious urbane old gentleman
of thai city, hearing of his wonderful power
OF elooItion, one day invited him to dinner,
although strongly deprecatirg the stage, and
all theatrical performances.
"a hrgescompany set down 10 the table,
and OF returning to the drawing room, one
oil then requested Booth as a special favor
to then all, to repeat the Lords Prayer
He si,ni6ed his willingness to crafty them,
and al eyes we're fixed upon him. He slow
ly aud reverently rose from his chair, trem-
bling Rith the burden of two great concep.
tious. He had to realize the character,
attributes and presence OF the Almighty
Being he was to address. He was to trans
form himself into poor, sinuing, stumbling
benighed, needy suppliart, offering homage
asking bread, pardon, light and guidance.
Says one of the company present 1t wal
wonderful to watch the play of emotions Iha
convulsed his countenance. He became
deathy pale, and his eyes, turned trembling
ly upward, were wet with tears. As yet HI
had not spoken. The silence could be felt
it had become absolutely painful, until a
last the spell was broken as if by an electri,
shock, a. his rich-toned voice, from white
lips, sylhbed forth, Our Father, which ar
in heaven, &C., with pathos and ferviC
solemnity that thrilled all hearts, He fin
ished the silence continued, not voice wa
heard nor a muscle moved in his rapt aud
ience, until, irom q remote corIer OF tn
room, subdued sob was heard, and the olC
gentleman Qhe host) sreped forward will
streaming eyes and tottering frame and seize'
Booth BY the hand. Sir, said he, in brok
en- scceuts, you have afforded me a pleasur'
for which my whole future life will fee
grateful. am an old man, and every day
from boyhood to the present time, | though
had repeated the Lords Prayer, but
never heard it before, never.
'You are right replied Booth, TO rea'
that prayer as it should he read, caused m
the severest study and labor fGr thirty years
and am far from being satisfied with NJ
rendering of that wonderful production
Hardly one person 10 ten thousand compre
hends how much beauty, tenderness an
grandeur can bs condensed in a space s
small and 10 words so simple. That prays
itself sufficiently illustrates the truth OF th
Bible, and stamps upon it the seal Of dlvIr
ity.' so great was the effect produced
, says our. informant, that conversation va
/ sustained but short time longer, in subdue
: mOnosYlables, and aluost entirely ceased
and soon after, at an early hour, the eOmPan
: broke up and retired to their several home
, with sad faces and full hearts