, 1877-01-16
ADJUSTMENTS.

1l4E S41AhAIALoHs
Mr.. Mccullough has been 40 uttcn seen IN
1.-THE Gladiator " that there Ia nothing III Tho
way VI fresh criticism to be satl IN connection
With tho presentation Of tho play inst night.
1'nE Tu1BuSR has ncEcr shared With tic Eastern
prcsa !te intense admiration Of Mr.. MrCnl-
loug1i'e personatton Of nt'ticnt characters.
There is, In flct, no absolute standard hy which
ancient character may bo tr.cd, although tho
stago has elevated un ideal which has come to
be considered type Of nll tho oil ,ntionalties,
from tsuul tu Persian. An utll view Ut "Thc
Gladiator" will bo tiiat winch attempts to phseu
the Ron'ans and tho tiFce1an: Of the tragedy III
contrast with cacl uttcr. History unl htera-
ture nru iu1l of illustrations of The tl!tcrgnrc$
between the twn great races, yet Dr. nlrl'h play
might be searched In yait lor any Intelligent
aud cp,nprelscnslroo Analysis of tue qualities
discover in Mr.. MrCullougl's characterization Ii
| consistent cnteayDr tu separate une rarc from
tito oli,cr. SO habitual i!as II BECOME for him to
cn!ow sparfaen1 with the satnv qualities ~ Iir-
iuslon In the public nlin as to tlie r1gln Vt tho
| 'rhsaclan captive, und thcie have 6ccn critics,
| with some prctcns!ons tu information who hasn
tlnken Of "The Gladiator" "a a Runan play.
laid In Italy. T1.e three principal chnraetcrs aIs
t;rrrlnn, unl, II there wns cyer Ill Opportunity
tn illustrate Thrnrian virtue ty lsn'l'al cgener-
ary, 1t IL afforded i' this plav THIS opporssln-
l
tent, It must 10 confessed BY tue al.
thur of the play. and, 80 fur Us hc
f. responsible fnr thc general conduct OF tic
pcrsuna. tito idea |. In some measure carried out
in thu nctton; but tl!cso IL no t'roa'l treatment
nf tic subject as Il deserves to he treated. slr:
McCul!ough's acting hna merits. Ills hto!!.l
manner shows to advantage III parts Ut tiis de-
scrptlulI. Even the harshness Vt Ills v0ec hAs
illness nj times, ami the general fTnnhltty ot
iIa countcuanec llOcs nut SEEM always inappTo'
rratc. But lie ought not to consider It com
lf,ncnt when It II Is satsl Of him that he cxcela
in ancient characters. Tho modern ct,tncs Enorg
t,curly hume to tic consciousness Of the general
playGucr, nh! Is more intctiigcntly Judged: TIN
characters whtcl, belong not to ono cporli, hut
10 all Time, ars s.l! moro difficult T., ~
ot tGc.c il Of higher kind than IN,
| {ancirll adaptation for pt'sturing rs ancient
iuu4lcls. Wien It Is said tlsat Vt. Mccullough
Ia nluru sicccseful III the latter llah In tho for
ncr line, tho compliment iat,e highest one TINT
Tan be- bestowed upon him, und al' tl.r h1.hrs he
causu 1t Is uttered at the expense VI !neuFr!nt
condemnation for hcresy. The ucEsonatt0n o
Spartaeus last night was not wanting In even
meas, or In general r1actncss OF method, or II
prcese and conscientious attention to details
II wante,i unly grandeur Of conception and hero
Ism. Even these were nttaltca at tunes, BY!
| they were generally missed. Mr. Fhurnc'
I.hdraaius had h!eh degree nt merit IN vtcw. 2
the 1act that It Is generally badly done. III
description u the execution OF thu rcbc
a.tticry was linciY given. There were, ho"
Tim ~ q whole. "'Thc filal!ator" viii he re
1catrA tonight. The attendance last Night VA
snail, bilt larger than Was expected in view
| ~ E3