Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-18
RID Van winkle.

The following crttique OF Mc"ade 5
and Jefferson's versions of lrvings le-
gend is from the New Orleans Republl-
can of November 4:
Charles Burke wrote two-act drama
called Rip Van Wrinkle. Jefferson, in
stress of weather, at Melbourne, Austria
liza. PLAYED, at venture, Burke 5 drama
tization Of Irying's famous Rip, and hap
pily il was success. Turning many
profitable penny, Jefferson engaged Bou--
cicault. the great dramatic adaptator and
upholsterer to improve on Burke, and
give him a fuller drama, based on the
immortal legend 1t was done; 1t made
Jefferson rich; it transformed silver
placer into Pactolus of gold.
Now, why should Burke or his assigns
not have perpetual presumption right
to Rip Van Wrinkle, and why should
Boucicault dare infringe upon Burke
And, by the way, how
dared Burke infringe upon the domain
of Irving himselfY
When Edmund Kean, after eircling
around London like an eagle, as he was,
pounced down one snowy winter night
on the boards Of Drury Lane, and laid
Macklins Shylock in the shade or, was
regarded by the metropolitan critics as
the very impersonation of
1.-THE crook-back on his charger"
in the haze of Barnet fight did the critics,
or Lord Essex, or the rest, regard Mack
lin as having a presumption title to Shy
lock. or Elliston to King Richard2 And
Kean, when he defeated Booth, the elder,
in Othello-the first as the Moor, the
second as Iago-did he think he had a
pre-emption right to 0thello or Richard,
when in Boston and New York he found
his rival successful representative OF
the heroes of Shakspeare2
Presumption? If this new Jefferson
ian doctrine should prevail, Manager
Bidwell, and all other managers, would
be compelled to close their theaters, and
both star and stock air their wardrobe
and sell out at auction.
No one will dispute Jefferson fine
PRESERVATION of Rip Van Wrinkle, or the
interest veining Boucicault's stage YER
sion of the legend Both, however, can
not only be made the subject Of emula-
ton, but of decided improvement.
When, at the Varieties, Mr.. Jefferson
PLAYED his celebrated character part, we
were told that his pathos was indescrib-
able One journalist almost made us
believe that if we sat in the dress circle,
il we're best to provide ourselves with an
umbrella to keep dry, for the tears from
above would fall like rain.
We went; carried no umbrella, and
came away dry Even the ladies around
us, strangely enough, refused to weep.
There was not red nose within the
scope Of a lorgnette. Not a pocket
handkerchief was drawn in an overt act
of treason to smiles and laughter.
There were some things in Jeherson's
Rip Van Winklewe did not like. 1t was
treason then to say anything against a
pet version or dispute the conception of
Jefferson. II may be now. Neverthe-
less we will mention three or four defects.
marvellous indeedin such an experienced
actor.
First-The "Eda Van Wrinkle" ofBouci-
caults version stands, during the memor
able final scene Of domestic infelicity,
the type Of petticoated tigress. Her
will seems memorable as Fate. The
heart does not so prompt wife and
mother Nature cOmpels such an one
10 vindicate both the delicacy and the
affections inseparable from her organi-
zation.
Second-"Rip Van Wrinkle lies down
to sleep in the Catskills He has no
beard other than that Of days growth.
He sleeps twenty years and rises an
aged man with long, flowing white beard
and hair. This extraordinary change
was unnoticed by jefferson. The eyes
Of Rip Van Wrinkle should have
quickly detected this change from youth
TO age. Yet the detection was reserved
for an inhabitant Of Falling Waters after
the return Of the sleeper to that town. /
Added 70 this manifest error was an
other. Jefferson, unmindful of the
legend, causes rip" to rise almost
suddenly and without apparent exertiou
10 his feet His body, chilled as II was
and upon which the SHOWS Of twenty
winters had beat, was muscuIarly elastic
There was almost the same snap and
spring as when RIP" first saw the phan-
toms Of the mountains.
Third-Jederson puts into the mouth
Of Rip the words May you an live
long and prospect" This toast Is re-
peated as often as the California toast Of
Thus do we pass the Yuba" Now. The
word prosper is rarely, II ever. used
by one 80 illiterate as Rip Van Wrinkle f"
The solemn cadence Of the word would
cause il 70 be dismissed BIZ men of m
class, IL introduced BY person Of a
higher grade, as simpler and equally
expressive one vas al hand
Fonrth-At the close. Jefferson mako
rip not only drink the toast above
but return 70 The schnapps which had
made his hearthstohe desolaie bv ans.
ng him 10 SILVER his household good.
around him. The neral Is thus lost A.