New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-21

This admirable light comedian TOOK nj
farewell benefit at the Crystal Palace, IL
England, on the twenty sixth OF June, wher
"Clancarty' was performed with selec
company. Mr.. Wyndham is held in grea1
esteem in this country, to which it is hoped
he will return before many years. He il
now about to make tour in Germany, t.
carry out an enterprise of Sothern's, having
"Saratoga" for an attraction, which comedy
slightly localized, will be played in thu
German language. Mr.. Wyndham first ap
peared in America at Mrs. John Wood''
Olympic Theatre, in Now York, in 1861
The rebellion coming on q host Of actors
and among them Mr.. Wyndham, whs
volunteered as Q surgeon, for which
profession he was educated. At the close
of the rebellion, when he had seen enough
Of American fighting and saw-bone prao
tice, he returned to England and to the
stage. He came again to New York ir
1869, and supplied Lester Wallack's place
as leading comedian for year. He after
ward organized comedy companies under
his own management, and played the Rob
ertson pieces throughout the country in the
most perfect and charming manner. Wynd
hams style on the stage is the refinement
and elegance of acting. 1t is easy for him
to play the gentleman naturally, because
he is himself gentleman. He is an agree
able actor, and he has withal an agreeable
way of saying droll things which he sets
down tor himself. In his speech at the
Crystal Palace benefit he said:
The official announcement that was to
deliver u valedictory address has made me
miserable for three or four days, and for az
many nighta l have taken to bed with me
Macaulsy's Essays, volume of Montague,
Tupper's Philosophy, Johnson's Dictionary,
and l scarcely know what else, and l have
pOred through all of them before extin-
gushing my nocturnal illuminatOr and
drawing the nightcap of slumber over my
brow; but the result aas been such q verbal
indigestion, such q nightmare of concocted
ideas, that l have resolved nothing in the
world shall ever induce me to give you the
speech that bad conc0cted.
Badinage apart it is to the word valedic-
tory that / take exception. A valedictiOn
may mean q farewell forever, and / don't
wish these words OF mine to convey any such
meaning to you. The simple facts Of the
case are, that having been tempted by a
German manager to introduce to Berlin a
am about to try the ordeal OF q foreign au-
dience and foreign language.
Whether Bob will be as tavorably re-
ceived in his new home as he has been in
America and England, or whether his new
companions may choose to paraphrase
Shakespeare, and sav Of him that Nothing
became his visit to Berlin like his leaving
it," time alone will show.
There is an old story that some would De
compilers, engaged in bringing out CYCLIC
dedia. felt considerable difficulty in deecrib-
the celebrated naturalist, and submitted to
him the following detnlGon: "The crab: a
red fish. that walks backward" Cuvier's
reply ran thus: "The crab ls not q fish, it
is not red and it doesn't walk backward.
With these exceptions your definition is
perfectly accurate"
"And go my German critics may say TO
me: 1--WE don't like your piece, we don't
think much of your German, and we can't
stand you as an actor. With these excep-
tions you are gigantic success"
1t such an uDfavOrable verdict should be
the case, am sure l can count on your kind
sympathy, and for my part l know l shall
be able to derive undesirable consolation,
in the midst of my misfortune, from the
recollection of the many bright and happy
hours have spent in your service-some Of
the brightest and happiest, l assure you
without affectation, of my life.
Mr. Wyndham introduced to the Ameri-
can public many of the best comedy ar
lists seen of late years on the stage, among
them Bevil Ryan, George Giddens, John
Parselle, Jane Rignold, Sidney Cowell and
others, and yet with such combination as
be formed he made less money than Doud
Byron or Buffalo Bill, for the great public
prefers scalping sensations to genteel COM
edy, and the great public will always have
what it wants. Mr.. Wyndham's quiet style
ought to please the cultured and less sensa-
tional Germans. At any rate he has the
pluck to try them, in their own language,
and for the pleasure. he has given us We
wish him success.