New-York tribune., 1875-11-15
ROOTH As SHYLOCK.

On SATURDAY. night at the Fifth Avenue Thea
Ter The Merchant Venice represented. for the
lrst time during the present engagement OF lawn
footh-who persOnated Shyi0ck When last We sa" nun
act this part his performance Of IL was IN state OF
transition II had emerged from the fiery, tumultuous
ana vehement tradition Of Edmud kean James Wallace
and Juau- Booth and reyertns toward the intense
burning ideal of Mackn. lt is now settled
snd d fnte sr Booths Shgiock l. not grand religious
-arspuac hut fierce jew, animated, indeed by stIOhe
emotions Of aud religion. but chiefly mpeued by
PERSONAL hatred aud personal greed The ideal s not
pitched az that lofty hight which many great critics
notably Victor Hugo and Ludwig Borne, whose papers
On Slyoek are among tie best that ever were written
have maintained % De imperative. 10 is Shyioc6 who
hate Autao and wishes Co ,troy him. less because he
& bst.r Of the sacred nation" of Hebrews titan be
csuc De a formidable obstacle IN the way oi successlu
usug Thus &c walks upon the earth, and not above it,
evann NJ terror but inspiring neither Veneraton nor
pit. Mr. Booth. 10 be sure. gives il moments Of
pstho, when expressing the anguish OF father
Who !, sacrificed by flh iugrat tude, ana The
prCgsatloB OF "a proud spirit that is utterly
bowed down by the irresistible weight OF arbitrary
power But this pathos is defective. IN not being ahed
10 either besuty of nature or 1ueness OF conduct II
spuss ~ the involuntary scnsibuy OF the actor ana
OF the musical cadcnces Of his sympathetic voice
We DO not feel that hi. Sbyoe is vrtuous and tender
that In hs atrocous conduct he is justified to him.
s by his austere religion. on tie contrary We behold
In him malignant, vndicve monsters and when Fato
visit, him harshlv We view the retributOn with unruf
Fed coutentmeut
Mr Booths expression OF the character was lnarked by
perfect clearne,s admirable symmetry, natural idenl-
lca 1n and many special Rraces Of eOcuton ana ac'
hon He dressed the jew with grizzled head red cap
esbrriiue pointed red shoes and altogether correct
and suitable trappngs. His greatest effects were
wrought with the passage ending II shall go hard but
We viii better the instruction. and with the iubian and
terrible thank Cod" IN response to news Of Antonios
nsortunes There rant IN the street scene with
where along the line Of the performance All was natu
RAJ coherent intense aud impressive The spirit Of
Tie tascene was dabocal and therefore dramatically
II not spiritually adequate. In ideal this work may not
be level with tAo shakespearean conception In
ar; ~ r among tie best Of Mr. Booths achievements
"The Merchant Of Venice Is not to be repeated; ;
aud when We recall the gross iDcapacity,
ignorance feebcness and pretensi0n-of many OF the
players who participated IN the representation, On satuI
day night We record this fact with profound gratitude
The best features Of the cast were Mr.. Daydge az
L0tnceof G0Jbo. Mas RI JesSicd and Mr. EinggOid
a. Lora5O IL just and necessary 10 remark that the
present company at the Fifth Avenue Theater.-yiewed
a. whole and 10 the light Of recent performances
Possesses neither the professional education nor The pro-
ieasionsl adaptabihty 10 act in Shakespeare.
Tonight, on THURSDAY and al the Saturday matinee,
Mr. Booth will appear az Hamlet On Tuesday and
Wednesday he viii assume King Leor On Wednesday
afternoon he may be The stranger ana Fetr"eh'O
On Friday he vii repeat Richetieu, and on Saturday
high as Will act Iqgo aud close his engagement ut the
thth venue The3ter