The New York herald., 1875-07-20
JOHN HOWARD PAYNE.
His Career as Actor and
DranatiSt.
THE FAUST CLUB MEMORIAL
Mr.. Gabriel Harrison's Tribute to
Payne's Genius.

edy OF '.Brutus,D and other Dramatic Works.
BY Gabriel Harrison. Albany, ~ T.: joel Null
sell.
The Faust Club OF Brooklyn was organized IN
1872 ior the purpose OF providing gathering place
In that city for gentlemen belonging TO the sew
eral roessions-authOrs, artists, actors Journal
lists and musicians. Out or the literary entertain
ments with which 1t was the custom Of the club TO
delight its members arose the Payne Memorial,
and now this beautiful volume-a tribute to the
memory OF The e1lted and distinguished drama
tist-is another fruit OF the clubs endeavors 1t
win be remembered that at the time the move
ment for the erection OF suitable memorial to
Mr.. Payne was begun Mr. Gabriel Harrison, who
was in possession Of much valuable Information
relating to the life and work OF the author OF
"Brutus" ana ''Home, Sweet Homen reao q pa
per before the club with the purpose OF enlisting
the sympathy and aid OF Its members
In behalf OF this object. The material
ut MIR. Harrison's command was too CO.
pions to allow its embodiment in single
paper aud hence the necessity for this volume.
The book Is from the press or Munsel, OF Albany,
and ls beautiful specimen OF typography. II Its
literary merits were equal to the value OF Its In
formation or the beauty OF the printing, nothing
more would be LETT to be desired. The subject Is
one OF singular interest, and Howard Payne's as
sociations with most OF the greatest and best ac-
tors who ever graced either the English or the
American stage were intimate and enduring.
The friend in his youth Of Charles Brockden Brown,
the novelist, and OF Cooke, the actor, whose re-
mains rest In Trinity churchyard, Mr. Payne was
the COMPANION li,tle later in lie OF John Kembe
and Edmund Kean, the elder Walack and the ell
der Booth, and OF many other actors and actresses
OF almost equal renown. His marked precocity.
his admitted talents and his evil fortune, even
when he was most fortunate, aside rom his really
important figures OF his day, ana the story OF his
struggles an actor ana dlamatlst is the history
Of the stage botn in London aud New York during
she greater part OF the early half OF the century.
JOHN HOWARD PAYNE's CHILDHOOD
In Mr.. Harrison's portrait OF this singular man
nothing is more interesting than his sketon OF
John Howard Payne's childhood. The son OF
teacher at East Hampton, L. J., ne was taught
defamation and elocution In his infancy and
early evinced a desire to go upon the stage This
disposition was combated by his father who was
then residing in Boston, and the lad was sent TO
New York to enter a counting house. Here, when
only in his thirteenth year, he begun the pubca-
tlon OF The Thespidn mirror, which met with such
success that the boy became som thing OF
literary lion, and enlisted In his interest men
ike Charles Brockden Brown, the novelist,
under wAose auspices he was sent to Union Col
lege TO be educated for the Bar. Just previous to
his departure for schenectady he relinquished the
publication OF the Mirror in a card, which Mr..
Har ison ieprints, and which we give as q singu-
larly interesting specimen OF manly precoclty and
sophomore bombast 1t is as follows:-
TO THE PUBLIo:-The editor OF the Tnespian
Mirror respectfully acquaints his friends and sub
scrlDers that. IN onsequeuce OF circumstances
that nave transpired since the publication Of the
lOurtn number o this mis- any, he mas resolved
10 relinquish the editorial duties of that WORK in
order more particularly to devote himself 70
studies which may promote his future usefulness
In life, and mature, strengthen aud extend dis
position lor literature winch has grown with his
earliest years. When the Mirror was commenced
IN this city 1t was under circumstances which have
since materially altered. From the interest
which some warm hearted friends (perhaps tnju-
dciousy) took In the ed1tor the work was
brought forward and enthusiastically ushered
into public notice. Various were the sentiments
OF the community respecting It, and as various
was popular conjecture on tue efrec-s Of the mis-
directed exertions OF Its juvenile editor. From
wish TO render himself useful rather than orna-
mental In society plans were agitared Tor placing
him in the ull possession or advantages with
which lie might cultivate literary taste and di-
rect his views to obecis which promise benefit
TO his country, satisfaction 10 MS friends and
utility and honor 70 himself
The work which he had heedlessly commenced
was considered by the udicious Fs the frult OF an
itch Tor scrlobling the materials for which, with
out more extensive stock of ideas drawn IRON
The pure fountains of classical learning, would be
soon exhausted. The patronage OF one, TO whom
he feels obligation which he cannot express, has
placed within his reach advantages the rejection
OF which would be the height oil FOLLY and lngrat-
itude A collegiate education will, therefore be
81 The law tse goal Of his iuture exertons, Apa,
determined exclusively to devote himself to these
Important objects, he now declares mis- design OF
disseminating the Mirror after the publication or
this number (Which completes the original term
OF enRaeementl, and OF waiting patiently the
aurels OF fame until science snail expand his
mind and crown his labor with lasting ana de-
served celebrity. He begs leave to express his
warmesJ Acknowledgements to those friends who
have encouraged h m by their assistance in the
advancement OF the Mirror. He Is convinced that
feeling lor his real welfare, they WIN approve the
that, cherlshlng the most grateful sentiments, ne
VIII never feel Tor n mself more hanpy than in the
opportunity OF expressing the esteem with which
he Is tne1r much obliged and very humble SER
want JOHN II. PAYNE.
Young Payne remained az college two or three
years, but his mother died in 1907, and the same
time his father was reduced TO poverty These
events neeessitated a change in his plans in order
90 provide Tor the future and 1t was reluctantly
determined that he should be allowed to essay
the stage, for which he had all along shown such
a determined inclination. His debut was made at
the old Park Theatre In this city, February q,
1902 as Young Norval, and was decided success.
The boy's effort was a surprise and the applause
was great. The newspapers were warm In his
praise. He followed up his success by appearing
In other parts, and was at once pronounced to be
the rival OF Master Betty, the 'youug Roscius' or
England. A letter written at the time says: s:-"I
nave seen Master Payne In Douglas; Zaphua,
Selim and octavian. and may truly say think
him superior TO Master Betty in all. There was
Que scene Of his Zaphua when exhibited more
taste and sensibiiity than have seen since the
days oil Garrick.n
THEN AND NOW.
We have no desire to question the correctness
OF this estimate or to deny to Mr.. Payne all those
great merits as an actor which bis biographer i'm
putes TO him. There is, however one passage in
Dir. Harrson's book which we transfer to our col.
umns Tor the purpose Of taking issue with 1t. In
speaking OF the class OF people who were present
at the OLD Park Theatre at the time OF Master
Payne's deout, our author says:-
In those days critics and acors were OF more
austere character Than they are at the present
tlme, and IL was not 50 easy TO OBTAIN an opp0rtu
MY 70 make frst appearance upon the stage or 10
get tne critics. praise at any other price tnan taat
o. Ieal merit. In tnose days. too, the theatre was
tue lashlon. The opera was not known to us, and
Frequently the wealthy and the learned crowded
hto She oest seats in the pit and IN boxes oil the