New-York tribune., 1875-07-27

More years ago tidn We care 10 count We
listened first to her reading Nothing can
ever eradicate the impression Of that wonder
ful prrformance--an impression of hrgcre>s
and completeness; muscular grasp II we may
venture on doubtful figure, o. the very
heart OF Shakespeare. ~ we looked ana
listened, We pleased ourselves with Thousand
fancics We imagined that we heard the voice
of the qucenly Siddons and saw her with the
hl-tale blood upon her 0utsirctchcd hands.
Then came to the excited mind the sonorous
tones and the Roman step of John kemble
while in mcrricr mood as the character ol thc
scene gave rare interval OF relief, We re-
called the rolling Falstaf OF Stephen h"mble,
and the exquisite Mercutio OF the lady
father. There is nothing Ike the long
reign Of this remarkable family IN the
annals Of the British stage. They are the
aristocracy of the drama. Theirs is the blue
blood OF the profession. Wherever was there
found such another royal group IA that which
is collected in IIariowc's picture Of the scene
from Henry the Eighth! The school of acting
which the Kcmbles founded, for thcg certainly
did not find it, fingered fOr IL while IN spite
Of the ccarser glories of Kean, but i, bas now
cone. though not forever - gone with itS
method. its painstaling. its scholarship. it,
almost archaic accuracy; and what We have
in ITS place it would be superfuons to
suggest. Mr.. llamhlin Was the last actor in
thi, city who could give rs an idea ct the
Kcmble style, and those who were privileged
to see his Hamlet will net speedily forget 1t.
OF tragedy queens who Were queens indeed,
we hrd Ms. WhitOchc, Mrs. Duff, and Mrs.
Sloman and Miss Cushmau's Lady Macbeth was
fine enough to satisfy the most fastidious Old
gentleman in TIE ticatcr. But her school also
is nearly extinct. 80 We turn from the eilded
glorics Of the theatrr to our books, and are
grateful that another is to he added to the
volumes which chronicle the theatrical achieve
mcntS OF the past.
There i, quite II little bibliography of auto
biographical books written by actors and
actresses, and there are some literary culloSi-
tcs connected with the kcmblo family wei
known to collectors. Such is the "Fugitive
pieces" by John Philip Kemble, published at
Yor', in 1880, which the anthor endeayoled by
every means in his power to destroy, 80 that
on one Occasion ii copy brought 80 at auc-
ticn. Mr.. KcmbIc's agent bidding against Sir.
Perry WHO carried of the book. Mrs. Frances
Anne Kcmble's play OF 1" Francis the First
rcpuhli,hod in II pretty shape III this
city, We have not seen for years
while the authors Diary" OF her first Ameri-
can tour always brings a good price At the
sales, beng in demand among dramatic bibliO-
n,!niaca. nnd having also, with many faults,
an intrinsic merit and interest. OF dramatic
autobiography we may say that. while We
have seen many works OF the kind greatly
waning in literary finish. we do not remember
onc--not even Fcnncls-Which is yalueless and
,n!ntercstng. The charm OF the playhouse
cnliyens the clunsi, 81 pages. The franlness,
candol, garruity, and in some instances. the
unconscious sclf-suliicicncy of the writer's are
aiways delightful. Cibber's Apology" with
his characters OF the players of lis time. is
book 10 take to bed with long candle. Then
there are the autobiographes OF George Anne
Bcllmy of Perjita Robinson. of Kelly. OF
Bernard, and of many others; with the life of
Gauick, written by poor Tom Davies, and
almost - much life of that actor himself,
with all its genial pIattle. The truth is the
people Of this class are always good com
pqny, and have excellent memories and
wonderful Gift Of narrative. who that
ever read it has forgotten GOldsmith's
account of atroiing player as told by linn
self! Or iIoaarth's amusing print of Actresses
Dressing in d Barn? We take kindly b these
.,osie. of ignomipious failure and brilliant sue
cess, of want aud plenty and multilarious adj
venture, which are Ike the drama itself, IN
cpiloInc of human life. TO oae who desires to
collect book, which he can read as well as eA-
hiIit to The enyious, We warmly recommend
tbs branch of the insanity.
Somebody once said in1olently, and with
cruel Injustice. that actors wrote the best au-
photographers, because they alone had made
their iarewell~ 10 respectlbility What then
shall be said of Bubb D,lington'. Diary, Of
Fiankiin's Narrative OF his Early Life, OF
portions of eioethe's UichtDRg Hnd U0rkcit,
Of that Ms. of Byron which was probably
destroyed on account of is perfect franl,ness,
op Moore's journal which was undoubtedly kept
for posthumous publication 7 There is
no Vu'ear Error in all Sir Thomas
Brownies catalogue more erroneous than
that which. with equal ignorance and prcju
dice, consigns all theatrical people to a com
mon limbo Of disreputc; aud yet We have
known it it to be entertained by men Of suf-
ticeut information in other departments of
human Enowledgc-the inhcrtors of Jeremy
Golfers bigotry and ignorance Every profess
sion embracing a wid. range Of abilities diff
lcrcnt both in kind aAd degree i open TO the
same indiscriminatc condemnation especially
If its membc-, arc forever in the public eye.
We confess that upon hastily recalling what
we know upon this point wo are surprised
- find how many instances Of private and per-
sOnal excellence the history Of the English and
American stage presents and to our stock of
these, the "reminiscences OF Mrs. Kembe will