Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-03-27


GREAT AcroR's TRIUMPH. o,r,c,s
upon the stage are produced only by great
preparation. When Charlotte Cushman plays
the part OF Meg Meriles, and Jefferson enacts
the character of Rip Van Wrinkle, and Sothern
enacls Lord Dundreary, our delight and salts
faction are the result of profound and untirinp
application OF the actor to the study of the art
anu no man or woman can hold audience far
lifetime without that preparation which great
artists give to great conceptions. There was
once an English actor SO terribly in earnest
With the study of his profession that he made
mark on his generation never exceeded Inv
any other tragedian! He was little. dark man
with a voice naturally harsh, but he dpterm in,
Gu Gu When comparatively young, to play the part
| oil Sir Giles Overreach in Massinger's drama.
as no man ever played it before. He resolved
| 10 give years OF interchangeable industry in pre-
pairing himself for the part, and to devote his
whole intellect to proper conception of the
| character. In the whole range of English Jra-
matte literature the character of Sir Giles ia
estimated one OF the greatest pieces of effective
| vlllainy and untamabe passion ever po-traved
and Edmund Kean set to himself the task of
producing on the London stage all the effect
which the author intended With what inten-
sity he studied the language, and how he flung
himself, with kind of rage, into the feeling
OF the pieces. all his biographers have recorded
lis wife said that lie would remain I'm ali
light Deio'et me glass, tndeavorng to realize by
gesture, meditation and action the couception
at which lie had arrived
AT last, after repeated refusals to the man.
| aeement TO APPEAR as Sir Giles saying he was
not ready yet, and must still give more time
| 10 the rehearsal, he consented to have the nlav
announced, as now he felt he could do il ms
/ tce. !" JUS
And what was the effect of all this hard work
anu uliceaslug study of the part? Furtuuately
we Know all about it, although Kean PLAYED \
on that memorable evening, more than fft,
| years ago. IL was one OF the grandest effects
ever witnessed on the English stage. ne hay,
accounts IRON various eyc-w witnesses of the sen.
satioh ana enthusiasm, the presentation of thi,
character produced, when Kean fully rim. fo
the occasion, came upon the stage as Sir Giles
ahu some Vi the tiiumphs of that wonleifu
evening in 1851, at Drury Lane, are wei
known. 1t was observed that when he first
, walked In from the wings there was that in his
burning eye which betokened greater determi
nation than usual, and Lord Byron who wa
~ stage Dox' whispered to the poet Moore
That something dreadful was written on TN
+ great actors countenance, something more suq
Sestive oil power than he had ever noticed be
lore Never TIL them in the history ofthe stage
: was there witnessed such an exhibition of force
full endeavor ~ w
4 throughout the whole play Kean bore him
z , SCI seii hhc Jury, Dut 1t was reserved for TIN
l
isled during the lifetime of all who we re- nre
sent. The great actor himself shook like
| strong OAK, III the whrlwind of his passionat
( vengeance as displayed in the closing sentence
, OF The play, and when he was removed from
the stage, his face turned to the spectator
was so awful, that Byron was seized with
, convuislve fl, and fell forward pale as dealt
itself The solemn stiffness of the house wa
: broken by screams of terror, from boxes an,
Sahery tne pit rose, en- masse. Mrs. Glover Al
actress OF long experience and great talent faint
ed outright on the stage
2 Mrs. Horn, who was also playing in TN
piece, staggered TO chair and wept aloud a
The appalling sight of Keans agony and race
Murden, veteran on the boards, who plave
4 the part OF Marall, stood so transfxed wit
astonshment and terror that he had to be ca,
RED OIL by main force from the scene, his eye
a rlVeted on kean's conyulsed and awful connt,
ahce. The actor that night was master of In
A stua'iop, and profound and ear est stud
gave him the clue to lis great achievement
S -~-
FRANK BLAIR As AN ISyALID-After n,
reading had begun, rcd-faccd, slender, fabl
| lng-ooked man, with cane in his hand an
n one arm in a black sling, walked through m
c main door, and. with that painful dragein
gait OF one who had sensation ia but half hi
| pody, and was pulling the other load along as
dead member, limped 10 chair, and those VIII
knew him felt aquick rush of Sympathy. 1t wa
Frank Blair, majorgeneral in the late war, an
, one Of the redeemers OF Missouri from the slay
l olgarchy a few months ago lie was a uuain
Keen, inclsive, and popular man, the pride ,
- his old father, and the vindicator of his famil
inT nblic life. In one night afflicsion came uI
t on him; one part of his body being paralyzed---
A stricken hopeless invalid for life is all that n
4 mains OF him now.-IPdsh. Letter,
: By the explosion at the American Powie
Works, in Acton, Mass, on Monday, A. {
= Fay, of Concord, the compaRy's agent, an
two workmen, named Wentworth and Seine
l. der, were killed.
Edward Muster, aged 10, was run over an
v lillel hQ "A nrauel Train. M 49,. -.-.--t.--