The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-05
MACREADY'S REMINISCENCES.

MACREADY'S "REMINISCENCES,
AND SELECTIONS FROM HIS DIARIES AND LEE
TIERS. By Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart. New
York: Harper & Bros. New Orleans: Geo
Ellis Il Bro. PIP. 721. {.
| The inner and private lives of all great
public characters are undoubtedly possessed
of interest to contemporaneous public, and
from the peculiar nature of his profession,
perhaps none more so than Mr.. Macready, the
tragedian. Barely two years have passed
tor were laid away forever in Kensal Green,
but his name and fame will endure, long as
the English language is spoken, as among the
brightest stars in the galaxy of the British
drama.
The record of life spent before the foot
lights and extending over period of three
score years can not be without healthful
lesson, but when we come to reflect that this
single life was one of the few links that bind
the modern drama with its glorious past, that
the man whose Macbeth and Werner have
delighted the present generation, trod the
same boards with Edmond Kean, Mrs. Sid
dons and Mrs. Jordan, we are prepared to
listen to his relations with the same interest
as the child to the SCARED veteran of NAL
brook. Unfortunately the mine thus left in
the hands of Mr.. Macreadys literary execu-
tors does not seem to have been properly
worked. Mr.. Pollock's idea of editing par
takes more of the rag picker than the artist
He has carefully gathered together every
scrap left, and without exercising the least
discrimination in winnowing his material has
published this scramble bag in bulky volume
of over seven hundred pages. IT. will be found
tiresome to wade through by even the sub
ject's most ardent admirers.
The remains thus gathered consist of an
autobiography, prepared by Mr.. Macready
himself, up to the year 1926, and which, by
the by, with all its faults, is the smallest and
most readable portion of the volume. Fol-
lowll ~ SKelsson diary kept by him
during the remainder of his life, together
with number of public and private letters.
1t will be very evident to the reader of this
work that Macready's excellence as an actor
did not extend into other literary fields. His
is characterized by that intense
vanity which makes important mountains of
the merest personal mole hills, and is so
prosily accurate in detail as to become weari- |
some. We can gather from it, however, that
he was a conscientious, Woodworking man in |
his profession, of strict integrity, and eleva- |
ted views CT life; that he had more faith in |
khov, hot soka
and viewed his profession as
unworthy and beneath him; that he was
unduly fond of aristocratic notice and as
careful of the farthings as the most thrifty |
Scotchman. In his criticisms of dramatic |
associates he was most generous, but ever
with the benevolence OF q patron, not |
the enthusiasm Of friend. He was happy |
in the possession of all the domestic virtues, |
and in this relation, at least, was undoubtedly |
as good man as actor. His narrative gives |
us as close an insight into early struggles as
could be desired, and covers faithfully to the
smallest details the early portion of his life.
The second part, composed of selections
from his diaries, is less interesting, and is
evidently simple transcript of his notes.
written down hastily from time to time as
mere memoranda. What can be more dreary
or wearisome than few hundred pages of
this stuff:
Oath. Acted King John fairly. Called
for and very we'll received. Gave out the
play. Serle, Dickens, Forster, Emerson,
Pennant, Stanfeld, Maclise, came to my
room. All pleased.
18th. Jacques.
9th. Othello.
28th and 31st King John.
November 2. Jacques.
18th. King Arthur produced. Called for
after wards, and very we'll received.
December 4th. Dearest Letitia's birth
day, etc.
This dreary waste of common places: it is
true, is often relieved by few pages of more
or less interest. Among these prominently
is his own account Of the Astor Place riots,
MS opinion of Forrest, etc. His visit to New
Orleans is also recorded in the same frag-
nentary style-impressions of the city mar
RED to the measurement of the old Peytona,
upon which boat he departed.
But we have already trespassed our limits
n noticing this work. which wants boiling
Town" worse than the morst obese Of die
iOnarieS