New-York tribune., 1871-12-26
TIE DRiN.i.

BOOTH = THEATER-Jt I1tA t1NAE.
1t is not an exaggeration to say that Mr..
Booth has won the best and brightest OF his
career theatrical manager. in the revival VI "JaIiIn
Cesar This was AT HE theatcr, last night by ut
least 5000 pcOplc-and il with unalloycd pleas
aud recognized with unlimited enthusiasm The
magnificent tragcdy-with which no other play
vie. whether in truth Of substance. sim
1phcity OF expression. purity OF spirit, aud
whether considered H. picture of f'u " an expo
oitinn OF the idca-was set upon the stag" in
marvc'ously sunptuouS attire. which at al! points
was correct and at some points was gorgeous.
Roman architecture aud ornamental ION. with AL their
apcnd"r were nevertheless. simple IN form and color
and that law has been scrupuouIly respected in tho
scenic illustration OF this tragedy. Nine scenes were
-' the crande,t bcug that representing the chamber
{" the Roman Senate. and the public square IN Rome. in
which Butos and Antony spoke their funeral oratiou-
over the body Of CTsd The oImer of these seemed To
have been based In part on fieromcs great plcur II
is the most impressive stage portrait that remember
1t occupied the whole ot the stage. and it created
perfect illusion. The climax Of the Snation-ap
preached through elaborate prelminarcs, ana effected
under most startling ciicuinstanrcswas the auimatng
soul Of this picture anI made 1t indescrioably thrilling
and painful. We cannot now speak III detail o the
scenery, but must he content TO say that
every portion OF thc tragedy received com
pctcnt illustration. and that similar breadth of
design and minute accuracy OF treatment have seldom
hcen Appropriated, even in this th"aer-whcrr excel
lcncc in such matters il the established custom Com
ncut the acting, too must h" brief and sOmr what
general this II marked by bright intelli
rncc and profound carucstnesS audin the chief parts
by great ability. In "Julius iCRsar," more than
in any other OF ShaLesprares plays, poetry aud
history are one. The characters drawn BY
Shakespeare are substantially the character, drawn
by Plu,arCh The language OF the poet o ntly
expanded parapirnSc of the Language oi the historian
These facts shOuld he remembered in estimating the
uulllt pf he ne uplu
cdy. Thercis tendency almost universal on the stage,
imaginative subjects IN mood OF realisin-to
substitute fact for fancy In tire present case" however
this lead the actor far wrongSc"ing that
fac. has rrlcously preserved in halo of poetry.
We would intimate that the success OF the acting
last night wa in any sense Involuntary. ON the CON
tl.ry. there urnsc vitality "t concurrent de
si and i deep and delicate appreciation ~ the poetic
atiuos,,lcrc Mr. Booth acted Brwtus-for the second
tine in his life. His first performance Of the
par' Wa hCru AT the Wit;cr oarI"u IN 1914,
! On the occasion Of the Shakespeare Benefit.
He looked the par, much hctter than cvp"r,"diu
fact hc realized perfectly There II popular d"lusion
that Hr"'TS was IA lus" man In fact IN" popular
idea cunccvts the noble Roman uvara'ly
granite IL. uatrr Of believe that there
wcr. bg Romans: bui beiIey" II is equally matter
that the wcr" not always he most vrn-
Gus. B,HiS Ike Ci,Si.'s. lean and Pil.-Ind Mr..
Ioohs piy steal embodiment OF the character IL, there
fore. entirely accurate. lie invested the performance
with delicate SPIRIT and in the scene Of thu as
! sas~iliLtion, and that OF tho El"t!y vista.
tinu, hie profound emotion strrrd every heart I"
deepest sympathy. IL portions OF the part, however he
wa not cay. was lent though that the cUnccp
! ton IuSt and we doubt not III" execution WILL
after the nusl of excitement has ouh,.ded Iar-
uoIze with a. II Is not he denied. however. that the
part i rcnd, Impressive upon the Stage when
played hy a man of massive SIZE and great ph!slcai
| ,la,clincSS. Mr. Barrett, who was welcomed win
lively interest and applause, acted CaSsi"S with 'lhchd
spirit cfcct ON previous occasion W. nave
expressed the opinion that this is work Of absolute
genius. II Will suffice 10 remark that ~ easily bore
away the richest Aonors Uf last nights performance MI
Bang. achieved a good success AnionM The funeral
oration WAS pronounced with singular discretion and
patos. subdued VEN of sweetness ran thr"'ig"
II, and this set of the five outhur-t nj The "hd M''
emphasis think, should be thrown "h the u ~ '"'
pt tuo-ity oi the character.
Nr Waller faithfully reproduced lie wei! know historic
figure OF Crsar-the tall. thin. haldheaded. blckcycd
warrior whose genus and grand individuality would
n We made the tyran of the world but for the dag
yer Of the heroic Bruus Shakespeare has been ~ re
10 the great OF the moral government OF the uni
| verse as to the fact OF history. They say blood
| VII have blood" 4 tyrant is sa!n-bu the
! heart the slayer is cleft hy his own
sword. III cxpation Of the dread sacrifice There are
lessons of the gravcs import TO I've learned from julius
Caesar Americans ant To think that Liberty Is al
invention OF the world and mOder times. II may
! y" well 10 br reminded that Others than our siTcs
fought and suffered for it and that rhe same
struggle hls been forever goiug on IN the world
| between the en,rt Of what IL good III human
nature to establish universal freedom aud what is had
IN human nature establish and the dominion
Of vice tins play with apreoiatvt eyes Is
to learn the value 81 liberty, and to Sympahzc with
some of the crande-t ideals of heroic character md
athctic experience offered IN literature or III me-
DRAMATIC NOTE.
| The funeral of Mrs. HOughlon-wiie of the
Rev Dr IIoughon of Little Cburchtakes place at 10
O'Clock s forenoon the church Ia Twenty -nnth-st