, 1874-01-11
ADJUSTMENTS.
EALvINI AS HAMLET.

For once, 6a1vinl played in Chicago to an
audience which partially responded to the ca1la
OF his genius. Not to be cynical upon the sub
fect. We might suggest that as that audience was
mainly composed Of ladies', and, as the splendid
figure and handsome face OF the great actor were
displayed to considerable advantage in the con-
ventional attire Of Hamlet, this not su1ptis-
ing. Nevertheless, to be Just, We must admit
that the ladies appeared to appreciate the finest
points Of his acting. and that their applause WAS
always spontaneous and hearty. This again may
be partially accounted for by The fact that
s;Hamlct" is more familiar to most people than
any other OF Shakspeare's plays, and much more
30 than the others in Salvini's repertory. From
the actors conception Of 0Haeao, the public
was prepared for something very differ
ent from the HdnaEt they saw. Judging
BY that Of Fechter, which is Of the snme realis-
tic school as Salyinis OuaeTlo and Conrad, they
anticipated d Hamlet Of rather grosser material
than they had been accustomed to. In this
they we're mistaken. While his conception is
not what may be termed philosophical. it Tas
not altogether coiloquial. It struck one as q
continent mortal Of like passions with our
selves, morbid in no sense Of the word, bnt 8
puzzled human being, led by destiny he could
neither comprehend nor investigate. not pro-
fouudly med1tatiro nor grossly cnrnal, Tor why
the sudden start OF terror at the thought
To sleep! perchanco to dreami Az, there's the rub.
For in that sleep Of death what dreams may come7
4 man not deeply meditatiye nor melancholy
vulsioa that follows the apparition Of his father
on each occasion His Ha,nfa has healthy
mind that shrinks from the thought Of the char
ne!-houae aud Ill that appeItains to OF suggests
it, and would only too willingly regard the su-
peTnatu1al as the creature Of his fancy. But
there ls dignity about it which compels adIai-
ration, an earDestness that repels the sugGes-
tion Of FechterB coarseness. It Is worthy OF
note that in dressing the piece, while salvini i'd
heres to the blsck tunic and hoEo, he comes On
give decided personality to Hamlet other than
his own. His reading and his action
partako of tho Same quality Of natural
ness, for though never colloqulal in the
sense OF commonplace. ho desplses the stuted
this character. In the familiar solloquY, tor
instance, he reads quietly aud medttatively,
merely giving sound. as it we're, to the thoughts
which those Lines convey, and starting but once,
and then as il BY pang Of terror. at the sngges-
as natural as can be we'll imagined. This spirit
OF rejecting nature appears in the scene with
0phelaa. subsequent TO the discovery OF Polonius
and his uncle ian effective bit Of buslness Which,
though not original, is nnnsuaD, whore he smn-
lates madness. there is no dashing from one
ncot,eTanco of i,;s 1anouare' T. ia 1,nnncadsarv:
fo1 tba eavoa.dronners tRoneh thew can hear
a~a o,,I ~ sioht Tha linns :. 1at thea "a !
nnnnarr etc ara amnbs s;zad hv wonderfn1
cent-ot - a., t,,rea pn~ hv tbe n;t"h ~ tbe
100 ..,5 ar1a;, !. ha1a hesrd ~ Innr 1,a;nts
inos etc If is entirely without effort. and vet
With extraordinary effect. 1t would be- tedious |
to follow every line aud point out the novelty Of
his method, for in almost every line some such |
can be found. Perhaps the most perfect scene |
is tlAt Of the pay and this aarors Of that real
ISM to which We have been accustomed. Hamlet |
is provided with the manuscript OF the lines |
which be has written for the players, and |