Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-27
McKayc's Lectures on Dramatic Express
siOn-The Theatre BOsIOn's Portrait
statues.
lrRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT

been pupil of Delsarte, and who is enthusiastic
about both this science and its author His lee
ture, at the Saint James hotel, was given for
two objects; first to raise money for his old mas
ter, who has lost all his property in the war;
and second to advocate the establishment OF an
art university, of which Delsarte shall be presi-
dent. He thought the theatre should do for
men, what Kindergartens do for children, in
struct, ennoble, develop, strengthen and inspire
the moral and spiritual nature, all in the way
of amusement; and that actors should
be trained for this great work of teaching
and purifying the world. as thoroughly as physi-
clans clereymen and lawyers are trained for
their professions This portion of the lecture
was delivered with great earnestness, and evil
IDENTIFY impressed the large audience, whose lis
tening was a much finer compliment to the
speaker than even the frequent applause But
the remarkable and entertaining part of the per-
Torrance was the illustrations of gesture and
facial expression. Mr.. McKaye is young, tall,
slight, dark and perfectly graceful. His train
ing has given him absolute control over every
joint and muscle in his body. He showed every
expression Of which feet, hands, arms, and
as he made them, and explaining in what their
power lay. Then he showed what he called
"chromatic scales" of facial expression. His
body was at rest, he moved neither hands nor
feet, but he made faces; made them artistcally
and. scientifically. For just one second his dark,
refined handsome face was in repose, then q
CLEAN of satisfaction lighted the eyes; glow
of pleasure stole over the face, it softened into
winning tenderness. deepened into love, and
finally into alteration, and the face was that of
the noblest of the saints; then it went
slowly back to rest, and passed through
dislike and all the immediate stages
to fury. Again through jolIity to drunk
enness; and through degrees ofmental weakness
and disturbance TO idiocy and insanity; always
retracing the steps, and pausing moment in
the calmness and beauty of his natural express
sion. Each of these scales was given rapidly,
with entire self-posseSsion, and without any loss
of dignity. 1t was an astonishing exhibition of
power, and seems more and more remarkable
the more one thinks about it. 1t is impossible
to convey any adequate idea of the lecture; it
was so unlike anything else, that there is moth
ing to compare it with. Mr.. McKaye, was, by
Delsarte's desire, to appear at the Theatre Fran
Gals, in the part of 0restes, Talma's great part,
but the war wrecked this plan; and Mr.. Nc
Kaye returned to this country, to lecture on the
Delsartean system; and he will appear on the
stage here early next autumn.
At the last meeting of the radical club, Rev
W. J. Potter of New Bedford repeated the essay
that he read year ago at Horticultural hall on
fha of I -, IT.
tory. 1t is very fine
One week of the engagement of Fechter and
Miss Leclercq has passed and people have seen
with fresh pleasure their splendid acting in
Lady of Lyons, Ruy Bias and Don Caesar de
Bazan. Next Monday we shall have No Thor
oughfare for the frst time, and Fechter in a part
new to us, will be the event of the week. Oliver
Twist at the Globe is said to be horrible beyond
description; people who have tried to see it came
away in the midst of the murder, sick and dis
gusted, warning others not to go to the brutal
spectacle. To-day the Globe rejoices in COM
bination of imbecility and coarse crime, "Sara-
toga and Oliver TWIST but next week more
cheerful entertainments are offered; the Iron
Mask on Monday, for Mr.. Wallack's benefit,
and School of Scandal on Thursday for pretty
Mrs. Chanfrau's.
As the nine portrait statues in public places
here interest great many people, | have ven
tured to make some record of them. The oldest
is the marble Washington, by Sir F. Chantrey
1t was bought by subscription, in 1928, and
placed in the State house, where it is now
almost impossible to see it. 1t stands in recess
whose plate glass front reflects the Dorc hall
and gives the statue the appearance Of standing
with a window at its back, chandelier on its
head, and pillars and people between it and the
person who is trying to see it. Indeed, all the
statues at the State house are injured and half
hidden in this way. AS the Andrew cannot be
glassed in, it is a question whether a bell-glass
will not be set over it,
The magnificent Beethoven, at the Music hall,
the only one of the nine with really satisfactory
| drapery, was presented to the city in 1856 by
Mr.. c. G. Perkins. 1t was modelled by Craw-
ford, and cast in Munich.
In the autumn of the same year, BENJAMIN
Franklin was placed in front of the City hall.
1t was ordered in 1854, of K. S. Greenough; was
cast in bronze at Chicopee, and paid for by the
Massachusetts, charitable association, with the
help of other contributions.
In 1859, the Webster, in bronze, was put in
front of the State house; it was cast in Munich
from a model by Hiram Powers, and paid for by
subscription.
In 1865, Miss Stebbins' statue of Horace Mann,
cast in Munich, and paid for by subscription,
was also put in the State house grounds.
In 1867 Mr.. W. w. Story's Everett was set up
in the public garden, and has been made fun of
ever since. A very large sum was raised to pay
for it-much larger than was necessary; aud
part Of the surplus has been given towards
other statues. In 1868 Col. Henry Lee presented
10 the city DIR. Runners granite statue of Alex
ander Hamilton, which stands at the head of
Commonwealth avenue. In 1869 Thomas Balls
fine equestrian statue of Washington was placed
on its pedestal in the public garden. 1t was Or
dered in 1860, the money for it being raised by a
fair. Then came the war, and all art interests
were. set aside for while. The model was
stored in stable till the war was over; then
the city of Boston gave money enough to pay
for the casting at Chicopee, and liberal sub
scription was made from the Everett fund.- and
so the public garden obtained its greatest orna-
ment. The last is Balls statue in marble of
hall of the State house this year, 1871.
The subject of statues reminds me OF Professor
Sinding's handsome, illustrated book, about the
works of Thorvaldsen. He is quite satisfied
with his success in getting subscriptions here. 1t
seems strange that the biography Of Thor
valdsen' by Eugene Plon, published in
1861, should never have been translated; il is a
charming biography, beautifully printed and
profusely illustrated. The rapidity with which
statues are executed now is in marked contrast
with the time Thorvaldseu spent upon his
work; his models stood sometimes for uanv
years in bis workshop, aud were continuaiIv
altered and improved, and even after thew were
finished there were singular delays in getting
them to their destined places. His statue Of
Byron was sent to London in 1885; no place
could be found for it, for the Anglican clergy
would not allow it to be put in any place over
which they had control; at last, in 1S45, Trinity
college, where Byron had been educated, offered
to receive it. II was then difficult to discover