The New York herald., 1872-10-13

most extensive ana the most happily enjoyed
Thanksgiving Day. North, South, East and
West and the most effective on behalf Of Sec
tional reconciliation and harmony, in the his
tory of the United States.
shakspeare's Comcdies-shall We Have
q New Falstars
Both in England and in this country there
is frequent demand for the revival Of
Shakspearian drama, especially the light and
sparkling comedies in such remarkable con-
trast to the grandeur and majesty of the great
dramatist's tragedies Just now we find the
English press in ecstasies over Mr.. Sullivan's 8
Benedick in ''Much Ado About Nothing" and
asking why the English public cannot witness
the Sir John Falstatf of 'The Merry Wives Of
Windsor" little oftener. The same inquiry
applies to New York Since the death of the
great actor, Hackett, this country has not had
q Falstaff on the stage, though we have had
Romeos, Hamlets and Othellos in abundance.
The reason may be found, perhaps, in the
want of American interest in the historical
plays, but this could apply only to the Falstaff
Of "King Henry the Fourth" We can only
look, then, to the alleged inferiority. Of the
part in s'The Merry Wives as an explanation
of the fact though we are unwilling to admit
the one creation as in any way inferior to the
other, the Shakspearian scholars and critics to
the contrary notwithstanding. The two char
acters, though the same in inception and out
line, are wholly dissimilar, and that is all.
We prefer for ''The Merry Wives of Windsor
Falstaf of the Eizabethan era, and not of
the earlier age, when Prince Hal was roaring
and registering youth. This, we conceive, is
what Mr.. Daily intends giving us in presenting
Mr.. Charles Fisher in the part, and this will
certainly be most acceptable to the majority
of theatre-goers.
Dramatic progress in the last ten years has
been very great but it has been in the direc-
ton of stage-dressing and scenic decoration
rather than in dramatic art. At this day no
artist, however great, can be acceptable without
the accessories of the costumer the painter
and the carpenter The getting up Of a piece
must be perfect, for clumsy actor or feeble
actress is more tolerable than a blunder in
dress or hitch in the machinery. It is in
this direction that Mr.. Daily particularly ex-
cells, and we may expect Garter Inn that
would please the soul of old John Willitts, and
pictures Of Windsor that would satisfy Sir
John himself. Without these there is no act
ing that he can supply that will be satisfactory
With these the question whether we shall have
q new Falstaff is already half answered. In
regard to Mr.. Fishers assumption Of the part
we have nothing to say in advance but it is
for him an opportunity seldom offered to an
actor of his distinction. He takes possession
Of an unoccupied field, and he can hold it
against all corners if he is equal to the task he
essays. Of all stage loves the ridiculous
passion of Falstaff stands out the boldest.
There is no mistaking him for one Of the
feebler heroes Of Mr.. Albery, Mr.. Byron or
Mr.. Gilbert. Shakspeare's hand touched
him and he sprang into second life as COM
plete and inspiriting as when he was boasting
and drinking with the dissolute companions
Of tbs Prince Of Wales Of much earlier age.
| The second character is to us more interesting
than the first, for we have in the later creation
the Falstaf Of the historical play acting his
part iu the comedy. Comedy is best suited to
the spirit Of this generation, and had not
Shakespeare 5 tragedies been SO much greater
than the Tragedies of all other dramatists they
could not have held Q place so much superior
to his comedies. Unlike the former, the latter
are not without their rivals on the English
stage, and so it has become the fashio,oo 10 make
Shakespeare the representative of only the
grander passions, and yield more frequent
if not higher place to the comedy characters
Of Sheridan and Goldsmith. These consider
ations make the production of The Merry
Wives of Windsor at the Fifth Avenue Thea
ire an event Of some significance, and its
success will, we hope, pave the way for more
permanent reign of Shakspeares comedy
characters.
In the last few years the principal attempts
| at presenting Shakspeare's comedies were in
the production of "a Midsummer Night g
Dream" at the Olympic, and Mrs. Scott-Sid-
dons occasional appearance as Rosalind in
"As You Like It." The success of the fairy
play, both here and in Boston, is sufficient
evidence that the comedies cannot fail when
presented with the necessary completeness in
stage properties and effects The acting,
| though 1t Is desirable that 1t should be as