The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-02-01
The sunday Leaders Criticism Sc
verely Criticised.

Editors of the Register.
WHEELING, January 81.
"a man must serve his time at every
Save censure-critics all are ready made
With this COLI let to preface my
remarks, l propose to take some excep-
tions to the wholesale determination by
the critique of. the sunday Leader, of the
people who sustained Mr.. Gotthold. at
hamlltons Opera House during the re.
cent engagement of the Pittsburgh CON-
bination. His censure was mostly
devoted to the night upon
which "Othelo'' was rendered and the
heit of his condemnation on Mr.. Waverly,
who personated the part Of "lago,"
which he denounces as "execrab.e." "
Now don't remember of another adjec-
tive in our language that could convey
to the reader a worse :.opinion OF lagos
playing than "execrable." 1t must in
deed have been miserable to justify the
use of 20 severe a term. Yet as an offset
to this opinion, to three dailies spoke
rather favorably of his acting, none
of them noticing the very imperfect part
by Mr.. Waverly, which if ''execrable'
they would certainly have done in
spite of their prorerbiat blindness to the
worthless performances that are some.
times produced in our neat little temple
of pleasure. / numbered ,one amongst
those on Friday night who thought the
character of "Iago' was unusually well
rendered and was justly appreciated by
the audience, calling "Othello" and
"Iaso" in front OF the curtain after
the close of one of the acts.
There are many parts in as
MANY PLAYS, which l believe Mr.. Was
verly isnot naturally adapted to ill, but as
the william he is at home in both look and
acting, and with the single exception of
at times speaking too rapidly and thus
effecting the distinctness of his articula-
lation he made an excellent "Iago."
The eritique in noticing Mr.. Gotthold
asserts that his memory Is detective.
w ell this is rather singular and lncon-
sistent. indeed. That an actor of prom
ipence. who has studied Shakespeare's
characters and is imbued with the spirit
and fire breathed forth therein" as well
as showing sufficient ability to write q
rather merltorious play; should
have the reflection of paucity of memory
cast upon him is surprisingly strange. If
he diverged f'om the text. the divergence
was probably occasioned by his concep-
tion of how the part should be acted on
other causes than the school boys excuse
of "want of memory" The gentle Miss
Fletcher, "a "Desdemona," Mrs. Baker,
AS "Emilia." Mrs. Ellis, as 'Cassio," !"
and the whole support got touch from
the goose Quill of our Sunday reviewer,
and vet his closing sentences, In which
he saws: "These generalities would
be doing injustice to the above
mentioned, AS there were certain parts
in which they deserved conmendstion,
robs one of true understanding OF what
is implied. Whether he desires to im'
press on his readers that they are good,
bad or indifferent, individually or collec-
tiyelv, from first to last, by his elaborate
criticism is an uncertainty, and had bet
ter be considered AS Centennial Joke
which the criti9ue desires to play upon
the trio of reporters for the dalhes, VINO
very modestly refrain from venturing on
so sensitive and dangerous q topic
1t must be admitted that the city press
does not often give It's readers their own
views on the dement's Of public per-
torrance, but chsritsbly permits US TO as
certain for ourselves. This is condem-
nstary to some extent, but Is 1t not pre-
fersbie to wholesale denunclation OF q
performance that has been rendered with
more O. less true merit? l rather think
i, is, and il honest praise cannot be De-
slowed, let a mild criticism be offered, for
il ia better to err an hundred times on
the side of copmendatlon than
wound the feelings and damage the repu-
tation of player by false and wholesale
denunciatlon. In conclusion the erit'o"e
might reflect with profit over the follow
ing lines:
aWbo steals my purse, steals trash lis
something, nothing; %
Twas mine, It's his, and has been slave 10
Rut he that inches from me my good name
Robs me of that whicn not en'lcnes MIN
And makes me poor indeed"