New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-19

800 r.,reIv !, 1sGo-was first impaired by en-
oraoch,no,ta If the disease which has now proved
total In 1870 her life was seriously Imperfect, and
II w.s Thought that she " ould die The indomtabe
spirit prevailed, however and in 1871 SHE returned
To the United States and resumed her public voca-
ton appearing a reader of Shakespeare. In thiS
department she has had no equal, excepting Fanny
Kembe; and in simplicity. imaginative weirdness.
personal magnetism, humor and stalwart force OF
execution, her readings,-in our time,-have never
been rivaed.
On September 25, 1871 Miss Cushman acted in
Booths Theater az Queen Katharine, in Henry Will
Mr. William Crcswick personating Uolscy; and III
the course of the engagement then begun, when
lasted till November H. she also represented Lazy
Macbeth and Ncg Nerrilcs. These, together with
blanca Emilia, klriia, Helen McGregor, and NdncV'
nav correctly be specified As the parts In which her
genius was revealed upon all Of ITS sides. The ardent
public sympathy that Miss Cushman's acting che
tied at this time testified in eloquent and delight
full manner to the esteem in which she was held, and
TO the effect of the power which she was still able to
exert Her New-York engagement was succeeded
by few OIL rs, in other cities of tue Union. Then
for time she was but seldom seen, and only as
reader TIE beautiful readings that she gave AT
Steinway Hall, in March, 1873, and again at the
Academy of Music, in January, February, and April.
1874 must still be fresh the recollection OF i.any
who had the privilege and the happiness to hear
them nor will this community soon forget the ex-
citemcnt and the social and literary demonstrations
which accompanied and slgnalizcd, in the Autumn
of 1874, her final performances on the New-lork
stage. These consisting Of Queen Katharine. Lazy
Macbeth and Neg Merilics were given at Booths
Theater, between October 10 and November l.
Her last embodiment hcre-that of Lazy Ndcbeh
presented on the latter date-was seen by vast as
semblage and after it was ended an ode by Stod-
daTd, an address by Bryant, laurel crown, the
plauGiis Of "A great multitude and the tears "i
proud and saddoned friendship were commineled III
farewell homage to the queen who, then aud there,
laid down her scepter and departed from her throne
A few subsequent appearances closed her dramatic
career The most important Of these was made III
Boston, at the Globe TheateT. on May -, 1879, rs
L0dy NGobeih when she was the recipient oil pubh'
homage in that city, and when she tenderiy TOOK
leave of her native and fayorite community. The
last months of her life have been passed at Newport
Ashiield and Boston. Last summer she was very
low in health at Newport Later sho rallied. but sie
soon again reapsed and then the doctors gave her up
TO die Toward the last she had recourse to
chemist in Boston, who inspired her indonitable
mind with renewed hopes OF recovery. Only twenty
DAYS ago in her room at the Parker House. IN Boston,
she spoke with cheerful conf lence Of her an
ticpatcd restoration To health Her eyes were
bright: her voice was frm-thOugh suilasod ia every
tone with unconscious sadness most deeply
touching and quite ndescribabc,-and her no
BILE head and reverend face indicated such
a vitality as it seemed impossible that
death could conquer. To the last She was an image
of majesty. The pain that consumed her sui
ferug body could never qnell her royal spirit She
could look back upon good life; she was III tanned
BY religious faith she fo.t upou her gray haiI the
spotless of honor she met death, as she had
met life. victor: and she has passed from tAe
world with all the radiance of her glory about her
likcsunset from mountain peak that vanlshes at
once into the heavens.
The greatness Of Charlotte Cnshman that Of
an exceptional because grand and str. king person
ality combined with extraordinary power 10 cnbody
the highest ideals Of majesty path -, and appalling
anguish. She was not great actress merely ou'
she WAS a great woman. Size did not possess the
dramatic faculty apart from other faculties. ana
couoncr r.. that alone: but having that faculty, ia
almost unlimited luliness, she poured forth through
It's channel snch resources OF character, intellect,
moral strength soul. and personal magnetism rs
marked her for genius Of the first order while they
made her al irresistible force in ant. When she
came upon the stage she III d it with the weirdncss
and the brilliant vitality Of her presence. Every
movement that she made was winnngly character
istic. Her least gesture was eoQuence. Her voice,
which WAS soft or siivery deep mellow accord
iuply IN emotion affected IL. used and then To
tremble and partly to break, with tones that wcT"
patEeic beyond description. These were denote
met. of the fiery soul that snollered beneath her
,1ye exterior and gave iIidesceucc 70 every form
of art that she embodied Sometimes her Whole
being seemed 10 become petriii: ID in silent suspense
more thrilling Than any a'tion-as If her lmasIha-
.iun were suddenly enthrallcd by the tu!nult ani
awe of its vast perceptions. Ii made no differ
euce that. especially of late years. her person was
somewhat balky and cumbrOu', that her couaie-
nance was homcly, and that some of her mannersms
were mannish The commanding character, the
authentic charm of genius the lofty Individuality
strange weird sweet, aud fascInating-was vcto-
rOus all the same.
As an actress Miss Ciishman best III tragedy.
whether lurd pathetic. and III somber mel"-
drama Theatrical history will. probably, associate
her name more intimately with Nag Merr'Ees than
with any other character. This production was
unlGne Ii embodied physical misery, wandering
REASON delirious imagination, and the wasted ten
dcrness of a loving but broken heart and IT was
tinted with the most graphic colors of romance De
art method by which IT projected was peculiar
in ths-hat 1t disrogarded probability and addressed
itself to the imaginative perception When Meg
Neyrihes sprang forth in the moonlight and stood,
with towering figure and extended arms. tense rigid
and terribly beautiful, glazing on the form OF
Henry Bertrdm the spectator saw creature OF the
ideal world and not of earth. Thus conception may
have been in the brain Of Sir Walter Scott: it was
never on his page. Miss Cushman could give free
rein to her frenzy this character and that was
why she loved it and exceed in il, and was able by
means of il reveal herself amply and distinctly
] to the public mind. What she thus revealed was "A
mower of passionate emotion as swift "a the light
/ o,.I NKll1 &c