New-York tribune., 1872-05-21
THE DRAMA.
BOOTHS THEATER.
EDWIN ADAMS AS ENOCH ARDEN.

work. and win his highest triumph when moving spon.
ianeOusly according TO his natural bent The artist
whose soul finds ireest expression in the Pesoor0s AMI
Gubeds Of the drama will usually cut but sorry figure
In the jean VOccns the IegGOS. and the C0b Plum
ners. At very long intervals, indeed, encOuI tets
the exceptional, manysded man, whose range extends
from Mr GoLghHy TO Ch0Tss S,faoe. from JeD Bags
to King LCdrj and this, doubtless, is the richest
most potential genius. Comprehensive truths how.
| ever, do not grow out OF exceptional instances;
| and the comprehensive truth at which We
! glance is the fact that the vitality and worth
| OF an actors achievements mainly depend on absolute
harmony between wnat ho does in action and what hs
IA in spiritual essence and imaginative life. Mr. Edwin
Adams when first lie attracted attention. years ago.
acting the hero Of "The Dead Heart :" and his per-
Torrance of that personage-full Of manly power aud
| sweetness-was an eloquent revelation OF the dL
| rectiOn OF his mind. 1t showed great tenderness
of feeling and keen and loving sympathy with noble
ideal OF Individuality and conduct IL showed temper
ament to which alabsOrbing yet unsel1sh love would
be possible, and to which the subDmity ana thos ot
selfsacnce would be profoundly impressive. 1t shoGed
initiative talent informed and guided by imagnationi
and It was graced by fine free gallant manly bearing
and sympathetic The only difficulty in tbs
actors way was that he had not yet found an en-
rely adequate medium through which 10 reveal li'
self That difficulty vanished when he hit upon the char
acter OF Enoeh Arden 1t in June, 1862 that he acted
the part in Booths Theater, and everybody knows thai
he won q beautiful triumph. "EDoch Arden" was
end Of July; and the play ygoing public speedily esah
lished familiar acquaintance with its beauties Those
beauties had, Of course, been previously cOnned in the
lovely and pathetic verse OF Tennyson but many per
sons-such is the force Of living symbos-fOund new
benefit and luxury in seeing with the eyes of the flesh
what before they had only with the eyes OF thd
fancy. Last night, upon the same stage "Enoch Ar
den" was once produced and Mr. Adams persona
ting its hero again ecited the precious tribute Of
Inc admiration and sympathetic tears The performance
was full of beauty; the whole subject as ii comes upon
our thoughts, is gentle tender ennObling and pure
Criticism naturally gives place TO eulogium, in the pros
ence Of much that excellent in spirit and influence
We could indeed, cordially commend the queer
play that Madam Julie dc Margueres mado out OF Ten
Dysons poem were II symmetrical in FORM written either
entirely in entirely in prose- and brought to cons
cuson without the inartistio sckroom scene, which
far too real in its suggesyeness Of drugs and medcincs
and the physical attributes Of illness and death. But az
previous occasions, we can heartily commend the
high pOetcal tone, the moral suggestiyeness the pic
Tesque accessories and the great ideal Of seabnegT
tion that give piece its vaue-ranking it with thu
educational forces Of the modern stage. The power
behind the work is OF the genius Of Tonnyson
ne who fashioned the ideal-building we believe
basis OF ruthand bade us be cOntrite and humble
I'm the presence OF Christke humanity IN the person
poor sailor that true TO duty through ordeal
supreme anguish. 1he play only reproduces, In mma
diae sequence, the chief situations Of the poom-tH
wOoing and marriage Of ERoeh Arden and Anne Lee F
the little Cornwall village the subsequent adversely d
taese married lovers the departure OF EnOch on hh
long voyage the experiences Of Annie and the children
I'm his absence the vision OF IEnOch under q
PALM which his mournn wife nterprets a sign thai
the lost one is In heaven; the rescue Of Lnoch from m
tropical sle the return OF tie wanderer, and his tan
with Miriam Lane the struggle between love and duij
I'm the wretched mans heart when he looks upon hi
wife aud children In their homc-she married to an
OF her, and all regarding him dead; and, lastly, thu
t,,f I.ef aud no
lease OF DEATH How potent these situations are, is
their command upon the feelings. need not say. Thei
speak for themselves and with uncertain sound. T
absorb their meaning is 60 feel I'm the i1most hear
what commonly wins but a cold. mechanical, inollectus
assent,-that the submity Of human life Il sesacrhc
in the performance Of duty work that teaches uh
lcsson-not obtruding It, but letting II filter into thu
heart aud brain through the of beauty aroused
and addressed ty many pictures OF life and conduct
possesses a practical value II would be hare
to oxaggcrate 90 Notwithstanding its bad style d
text. In period, too, unrcticent tha
every ache Of nearly every body seems ATTENDED
with s sequent public blast, tho contemplation Of az
ideal Of heroic endurance cannot come nmiss. Manyi
may advantageously learn from the story OF BnooJ
Arden wide the difference betwiXt loving himself
and loving else and how celestial silent fortb
tude is, alongside OF weak disclosure and puul com
plant The play received even more than its usual hnt
setting last night, the stage OF Booths Theater Mr.
Witham's painting OF the Cornwall village Mr. Mnard
LeWiS's painting OF the tropical Isle, inc WOuulaue
scene with It's gay morsdancc and the night picture OF
the home OF Philip and Annie presented agreeable
and impressive variety TO the eye. Mr.. Adams.
have intimatcd, received with delight. His EpOcI
Arden In the two acts OF the drama, is a manly
bluff free-and-easy saor-haying the marine nayop
the nautical swing and bluntness, and the great charm
OF frank, just, honest, ard generous temperament
/ In the last two acts Il the same personality
rpened by experience and SORROW. One il not surprised
that such age-he premature age Of afiicon-grow
out Of such youth 1t a natural sequence. The great
scenes are those which depict Enochs dcsola,on. weE
cast away tho tropical island, his delicious joy whcE
rescued his passion and prayer In the hour OF his great
trial at home, and the triumphant grandeur Of his
simple death These things cannot codly discuss.
Mr. Adams lived ont the hopeless and the anct
ing struggle and showed comprehension Of love. misery
and fortitude-cOmbned with artists skin t0 Topro
sent them-bcorc which the only ri.ht attitude is that
OF sincere respect and admiration lie called before
the curtain, by the applause OF his auditors; and. unle
we quite mistake the spirit that whispered about, and
made this occasion sngularly sweet and genial, very
many of them will cherish kind remembrance OF ths
actor after the echo OF play house auds Las dled
away and the lights Of the playhouse pageant beer
forgotten IN darkness and years.
More particular comment upon the details OF a rcpre
! sentaton well known and sullcct 80 thoroughly
discussed earlier times may properly be omitted now.
The sufficient word for the moment Is word of welcome
for a beneficial play and excellent actor. Among the
subsidiary performances that OF Iip Ray by 1ir &c
| Bangs was notable for sweet refinement and manly
dignity "Enoch Arden" should render H0oth' Tncater
pleasant place OF resort f0r many weeks. The cugiso
rnent OF Mr. Adams is 90 last u ,hc um'r vacation.
The chief features in the cast OF E.ach Arr Do as now
| performed, stand as follows.
Enoeh A.ans N,ier A'e'A''' v fs.'s'
lLip .; y. :; ti sisIl hr. Ss c rc@ss
/ D. .Tu|. IH b. q