New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-18
Lawrence Barrett as Gains Cassius.

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Forever and forever, farewell Cassius,
If we do meet again. why We shall smile;
If not, why, then this parting was well made
The curtain that recently dropped on the
splendid tragedy of 'Julius Caesar one Of
the plays of Shakespeare too unfrequently
enacted, will necessarily shut out for a
while dramatic pers0natiou of rare spirit
and excellence. The traditions of the past,
literally comprised and interpreted, incul-
cate lessons of hurtful tendency, when
they assume to teach eosterity such falla-
cious dOgmas as that with the generation of
great actors who have gone before us died
out all the elements Of dramatic greatness.
Had the eye or the thought Of those pseudo
seers been touched with the prescience of
real prophecy, they might have known that
posthumous ages, so far. from being barren,
we're as pregnant with the celestial fire" of
histrionic genius, as the very epochs
that gave birth to the characters on
which they relocated, their hypothesis.
Taylor, in n Philip Van Artevelde," ut
tiers an indieputable 'truism when he says
THE world knows nothing Of it's greatest
men," and as in operations of circumstance
or chance developments are effected, IN
foreseen and unforeshadewed in the dreams
of our philosophy; so periods of time or
occasions may start to life spirits as full of
vital energy and mastery power as those
that swayed the ea-lier destinies of the
race. when Rostius was an actor in
Rome" there may not have been a contem-
porary Roscius; but does it follow, as a
natural sequence, that the stage would
never echo to the tread of another Roscius
Dramatic delineation, after all, is only
mimetic, and there is no fixed limit to the
reach of imitation. Few examples are such
types of pertectability as not to be over
taken by the closeness of pursuit, and there
are instances on record where they have
been eclipsed by the daring of ambition
and the persistency Of emulation
Certainly, there have been few portrait
ures Of such remarkable fidelity and energy
as that Of Mr. Barrett's Cassius, and if the
ever had a prototype it must
have existed in the days luminous with the
dramatic triumphs of such classic actors as
Cooper, Kemble, Kean, or others Of kin
bred type. Not in our time nor probably in |
the period just antecedent to it, has the fiery |
and impetuous nature OF Cassius found a |
form more fitted for it's inspiration than that
IF Lawrence Barrett. Irrespective even of
he drawbacks of age, which operate, by
in the reckonings of criticism,
ne rises so readily to the lofty dignity and
nf he ok, nj ~ a.
he naturally detracting tendencies of ks
-oung manhood in the maturities of culture,
tudy and aptitude. To the superficial Oh
erver the delineation is SO sharply outlined,
nd smoothly rounded, that the performance
asses off for a simple effort of genius.
But to the close and profound analysist
here are the deeply furrowed marks of in
ense application, severe mental labor,
bought and research SO traceable, that the
Lean and hungry look
AOnd Cassius has,
May rather be the result of overtaxed
acultles than the assumption of the "coun-
erfelt presentment in Mr.. Barrett. Let
carp at excuses or dispari-
les and the tlippant tongue of the sciolist,
whose pretentious standard is beyond the
each and scope of human effort, pirate
earnedly OF mistaken conceptions, over
wrought passions, vehement gesticulations,
IT faulty elocution judges, who, if Invested
u. the official robes, have sat before and adj
udicated stage matters, concur in the opin.
on that MIR. Barretts rendition of Cassius is0
masterpiece OF dramatic power. u
10 single out specialties would be to mar
hec ontour OF the entirety, brit is in the de
ached or rather interlusive parts Mr.. Bar.
EFT filings those spells of passionate action
nd irate bursts of defamation, that, &C.
rented together, constitute in the concrete =,
ne impetuous character of Cassius. The
ialogue with Brutus. because Of his con- 7
of Lucius Pella, for receiving
ribes of the Sardians, wherein, as Cossius
ellis him:
my letter, praying on his side,
Because knew the man were sighted off,"
as a splendid illustration Of vehement ha-
angue Who that noted the couchant I
on reused from his lair in the breast Of ,,
assius, did not, when Barrett touched the ,
pex OF his anger, fancy he saw the fiery 8
'arks of temper fall flashing from his
laken maneg {
Take the speech opening, "Well! honor c
the subject OF my story" etc. 1t is an
'hievement OF rhetoric and oratory worthy G
| inscription in the roll of Barrett's HON I
8. The vocal intonations, the artistic pos E
res, the graceful gestures, all combine to b