Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-10-18

lating to dramatic art, we have high
respect, and II lie therefore with no ordi-
nary surprise we End In his letter Of last
Saturday, an allusion to Miss Nelson as
Ga beautiful woman but not very superior
actress" to call whom "great Is
''only ridiculous" W. are douhly sur
prised, first that an attempt should thus
be made In one hasty paragraph, to dis
miss from consideration an artist who
hae won the enthusiastic applause OF the
m st cultivated audiences Of England
and America. and secondly that such an
actress should suffer disparngement at
the hands Of a gentleman OF usually good
taste. Joining in the hope Of many o.
our own people, that this actress Of mar
vellous benutv and wonderful talents may
some time appear before Wilmington
audience, we protest AGAINST the impress
sion sought to be created by the letter 10
which we have alluded.
1t has never been our good fortune TO
see Miss Nelson in any of her most
famous roles except Juliet, hut In that we
have seen her twice, and think that on
her rendition Of that alone she might
Justly base her claim 10 greatness. No
other play presents the universal passion
SO stripped of Ill conventionalities and
mere accessories as does this. In II we
have the very unconlined and naked
flame Of love itself presented to our gaze,
instead Of the mere results from which
we must infer love, as is the fashion with
modern stories. In this play Shakespeare
chose his scene beneath the warn Italian
sun, which kindles hearts TO such quick
flame that even a Mercutio's raillery
cannot constrain Romeo into con-
cealing his passion, and the author has
freely used the dramatist's privilege OF
making his characters speak out their
Utmost thoughts and lay their very hearts
bare. The play is therefore in no sense
extrayagant or oyer-colored. "O oh that
"I were glove upon that hand, that l
"might touch that cheek, is of a piece
with many thoughts and aspirations OF
youthful lovers, and lts verbal expressio1
is the only thing unusual.
Yet fitting and natural as these
things may appear on the printed rage,
it requires the incest taste and Judgment
TO give them audible utterance on the
stage without making the text and player
both appear disiempered, unnatural and
absurd The parts Of the principal actors
are particularly difficult in this regard,
while to this difficulty is added In an
especial degree, 60 far US Juliet is
concerned, the necessity for equal ability
in comedy and tragedy and remarkably
rapid movement from one to the other.
Added 10 these qualities, she who would
successfully attempt this difficult and
delicate part must have a "beauty toorich
81 for use, for earth 100 dear" TO juftify
Romeo's impassioncd praises. And
yet all this aud more has Miss Nelson,
and such Is her beauty that so far from
feeling that "Rou D." oyer-prsises her,
the audience viii, IN rs lcart, hail her
appearance with hi, exclamation at il
"the East, aud Juliet is thu sun
But she not merely locks the character,
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I the purpose. the very removal In distanc,
~ seems 10 ,dt uny,er tn her lov,.pakir,.
a ond with bo, vo,r. Atom. sh. ,,,, o,r,,
. nor loyern ilcr.. tender c,ress than otbe,
: actresses co9Il Dive nv ,a,,sl ,.hv.ica
~ cortoc,. In ,o.. s,.,r ,l.l, ,oilous
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4. assert ,oe,,-. word of rraise and m,