The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-27
FECHTER.


HIS second Amer'Gssai s4i.sisGr .sai.asrmaneeT Severe
The theatrical critic of the New York Tribune
writes this morning as follows;-- 9l Ira 81
Last night at Niblog Garden Mr.. Fecht,r
acter 'Iegardere, in The Dttke's Motto.0 To.
In order. Jericho was q mere nothing In COM
parison with Mr.. Fechters as o etimulant to, the
horns. Nothing ia more hurtful than, injudicious
admiration. For our own part, the more we
grows that he has been largely overrated. VIZ
a Mr., Fechter-4with the prestige Of aParis and
London reputation that is certainly entitled TO
reepect-has been brought here with uncommon
pomp and ceremony, and presented to this pub
lie as very great actor. Before he came we
were told, In substance, that, In seeing Mr..
Fechter act, we stould, for the first time 10 our
benighted lives, see nature on the stage That
famous mirror to which "Hamlet" makes allu-
sion was understood 70 beln Mr.. Fechtee's trunk
and hopes that it would presently be held mp
were inspired with the utmost profusion. Since
the gentleman came, moreover we have been
more than once Informed that nature has been
seen; or If not seen, that the fault is in our own
blindness and not in the actors art. "It is my
business, sir, said DR.. johnson, ''to furnish ar
guments, and not to furnish brains." That is the
attitude of Mr. Fechters apostles. ig7r a1 tel
The quality of an egg is always discovered as
soon as its shell is broken; and even through an
inadequate medium the actor who has genius
will always convey an impression of it.sr Look
r
"Legardere +" we not olly fail to see the prodigy
that was promised, but we fail to see an actor
who rises above the average level of our own
stage What we expected-and what we had O
clear right to expect, after Mr.. Dickens clarion
and the numerous minor bugles-was If not q
phenomenon, to say the least of it, unique
actor. ~ Ill ...'. ~. ... 81. -.
What we do in fact see, IS q stout, middle
aged gentleman, full of years and dinners, whose
countenance has little mobility of expression,
whose whole asnnct ia comm OnDlape whose vOica
though delicate In quality, Is an organ of the
ordinary sort, who speaks English with French
cadence, and, now and then, with pudding
headed cockney drawl, and who, altogether, Inn
presses the mind as o substantial result Of the
sausages and beer of philosophic Germany, bet
tered by London stout. -'
Many player owes more TO the irnaginations
of sympathetic critics than he would be willing
TO admit. These critics, ''sitting at play"
often see in the representation that passes be-
fore them, qualities of excellence that have no
existence except in their own minds. With
those qualities they invest their hero's persona
tions, which, therefore, when reproduced on the
printed page, are not described merely, but are
ennobled and glorifled. Mr.. Fechter must either
have profted in that way, 10 very great extent,
or else he must entirely have outgrown and left
behind him-"in the dark backward and abysm
of time"--a very potent and wonderful charm.
He is now an old stager turning very familiar
old crank.
He may once have been poetic youth, full of
the exquisite grace, softness, romance, enthu-
siasm, and spiritualized physical beauty which
only youth can supply. If So he has suffered
more than q sea-change. "Eieu Jugaoes, Pos
tune, Postunae, la6ant,ar a,.ni," which being
freely interpreted, may be held to signify that
Fanny was younger once than she is now, and
prettier of course" The polish, the vivacity,
the good-humor-and Mr.. Fechter is best in this
---and the picturesque stage-business of the per-
formance wrought their natural effect, and won
their merited reward Of popular applause.