New-York tribune., 1870-04-18
BOSTON.
LITERARY AND THEATRICAL GOSSIP

GEORGE ELIOTS POEM-TllE hANiiONo IN
rv11, Observation-Disclosures, SERMONS, AND (
MUSIC. -.
BnsroN. April 16.-0ur very latest sensation
IN fashionable and literary circles-Whieh IN Boston
uyaps very nearly the thng-is the performance
az MI Fcclter in comedy The people who nave gwen
themselves up 10 such degree OF enthusiasm over
Mr. Fechcrs genius had 10 regard him so entirely
s tragic and romantic actor that the announcements
~ his apIcarance in Don Caesar de Ba zan " was re-
eycd with great surprise. But he played the character
ON Monday night and again on Wednesday ana his
victory is complete In the loer assumptions vi
HaDlci and Ruv Bias The first peculiarly which strikes
t student Of Mr. Fechtcrs acting in his performance OF
o,nedv il tst hi, uttcrance often mntegibe Ill the
rush and heat Of tragic passion is perfectly clear ana
quite as easily understood as that OF any oher ACTOR Oh
the stage with him Keeping more cool andnotforgc'ung
hiue SO much In the business Of the scene MI fecher
displays such command Of English as is his III conVer
satou and his accent becomes so slight as TO ne almost
an added charm But must not he thought that not for
c,tuc himself Nr Fechtcr fails toidentify himself with
t,c character. Never an aricr, gayer more buoy
AM Dom CGSGr: and there seems no eh0lt about the
e,cty such rs mars the rendering OF some actors more
used Ia tragedy than comedy, 10 apses into serious
Inuba,t where the lines seem give preteXt for IT,
Mr. Fechter makes the hero OF the comedy
very psySo tpsy that he does not stand firm upon ms
and cannot speak words Of syllables This,
far as know j. innovation; but II may nave Deeh
within the meaning of the play as written since 1t MS
well with the rcckltsSuc>s the impudence. the pug
nacity displayed by Don CGSar IN The street
scene IL prevents, however, the giving OF much
emphasis TO many OF the best points III the scene; ana
tbouch Mr. Fccher gives the lighter stages OF inoxica-
ton very dclicately ana nicely. think he appears TO
greater advantage when the prison scene finds the Don
sohered in but not in another watching the
clock tick of the minutes before his impending eXecu-
ton hui as witty and audacOus as ever From tins mo
ment he carries the play splenddly forward making
brilliant points in the expressions OF the disgust created
~ nj Ia him his ana IN the
superb efrontery Of his declaration II am the King OF
Spain" when that monarch has assumed his own lden
tty. At last, the closing scene OF the nual act MI
Fechter gives feryOr TO the expressions Of serious
passion called forth 10y the situation than most actors are
able to evolve from the general ghness of Don Cesors
character; but The Inconsistency, if II is One is easily
forgiven since the actor makes it most effective and
contrves to make the t act of Don Cesar de Bazan
almost as powerful in its v&T as ne eln"A oi h"'
Bias" N7~~
MI. Fechter auanges the play differently from 'He
version commonly given here, splitting the first act into
two and introducing several brisk choruses. Miss
Jeccrcq supports him in this as in other plays, and
amazed tr venerable friends Of the Boston upper crust
ny introducing the pant OF Noritaha with genuine
ballet dance performed with combination OF grace ana
fire which stage has not known for years. and quite
confirming the newspaper story that this lady was ten
wear, ago a member of ballet troupe upon very III
significant salary There is certain hardness about this
lady's acting spite OF the grace Of her movements
and the simple OF her eocution but she has become
great favorte Boston, and al sorts OF compliments
nic >howered upon her.
There has been a r,nOr born probably Of wish that
Mr Fechter and Mr.. f. l.. Davenport, here olsen
cagcd would play together for night as Iogo and
Odcio: hut il is not to he, at least during Mr. Fechters
present engagement The manees have proved so much
the most profitable OF his perfOrmances-the ladies OF
The suburbs hOcking in numbers only limited by the
capacity Of the housethat Mr. Fechers performances
are given on two afternoons and only four evenings this
week He appears also briefly this evening having con
seuted 10 play comedy part in French I'm on Demo"de
u GOuUeyRet" 10 give brilliant start 10 MI JugnetS
French company which here for fornights stay
after several years deprivation Of their style Of enter
taumeuts.
This evening is also to he made notable by the first
appearance IN America OF Mrs Howard Paul in her dou
ble Characterization of Lazy MACBETH and Heeafe III the
same play, which won some commendation in London
The Museum has been secured FOR the purpose and the
stock company are TO be So distributed 10 give the
highest possible ecat 10 the novel effort The comment
upon it will Of course advertise the Paus and their usual
variety entertainment, which they begin next week
LITERARY MATTERS.
New books there are none, and rumOrs OF new books
are very few Messrs Fields Osgood q 60 will get out |
IN few days Mr. Bret Hare's clever book of California
sketches but have concluded arrangements for nothing
not heretofore announced. Messrs. Roberts Brothers
will have ready about the first of May the second volume
of their edition Of George sands novels, "Antona,"
translated, like the former one, by Miss Virginia |
Vaughan They propose continue the issue steadily
for the present They will publish uniformly with Arthur
Hepss other works issued by them, his new volume,
"shot Essays and Aphorsms which is to appear pres
entity in England made up partly of his contributions TO
GOOD Words ampfed, and in the style his early
book " Companions Of My Solitude which was pub
shtd this city many and has long been out
OF print "Casmir Maremma" has enhanced this
popularity in this country, and anything of his
will be sure fair sale. The firm will issue in this
h.V1a
OF poems Song before Sunrise TO appear in En-
gland.
Messrs. Roberts Brothers also already busy max
iue pTeparatons for the Fau campaign and have com
pcted arrangements which insure the publication 10y
them Of a remarkable French work, especially interest
ing 10 all lovers Of art "The Life and Works Of Thor
waId,eu" translated for them ly Miss Luyster II will
he accompanied with the original French illustrations
between thirty and forty in number mostly representing
the great sculptOrs principal statues They have
to terms with the German silhouette artist Paul Ko
ncwka and will publish before the Christmas not
only his Faust" which is perhap his best work but
HE " Fdlstafi and his Companions" nineteen pictures
which viii appear simultaneously in this country and in
Germany.
Mcssrs Lee shepard have added to their promised
list the work of Mr. {. A. Washburn, Minister 10
that unhappy country Of Paraguay The title not yet
fully decided on hut the book will give a complete his
tory Paraguay rom the earliest period, showing in
particular the effects Iva successive centuries Of the sway
of the Jesu in politics together with "reminiscences Of
washburns diplomatic I'm trouble
times aud survey of the of the country
aud its moral, social political and material condition
and pros poets The book will fl two octave volumes
and will pleDtifully illustrated. 1t already in the
printers hands. The same firm have Lieut. Dalls book
on Alaska. after many delays at last all ready, except
the printing of the index the preparation OF which has