New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-02
A DINNER TO JOHN GILBERT.

ANCE on THE sTAGE-THE FESTIVITIES OF THE
LOTOs CLUB.
On the fftieth anniversary of his first APP
pearance on the stage John CT bert entertained last
Saturday night dinner by the Lotos Club The table
was spread for about ninety guests-eVefy one
that the spacious rooms could ACCOMMODATE
Among others present Mr.. John Brou|ham'
Mr. Iester Wallack Mr. John Mccullough, Mr. Davidge,
Mr. E. NJ yandenhof, Mr.. MapesOD, Mr.. Campobelo'
slgnor Puente, Signor Foil, Mr. Bronson e. howaru
Mr. Junius Brutus Boot Stuart Robson, Cba les "Dlh
son Harry Beckett, William Il. Floyd, Charles CoGhan,
Charles A. Stevenson, and @ large number VI
other representatives Of the dramatic and lyric
sage numDrr who detained by
evening engagements the various theatres,
came IN before the dinner over In response TO a
hrc spree by the president OF the clue proposing Ills
.Cse,sr we, who are about 10 die. salute you! Such
the gadaOrs cry IN the arena, standing lace 10 race
with death. There is certain appOSlientsS III
the have just uttered that prcbne may cores
po TO my position Understand me- 40 not mran y
die theatIictly nj present. llAueherI But Mhen a
man has arrived at my ape he can scarcely look
forward to very many fr Yeas J6Gn PTgnam MI
BfOughamI am not gonS 10 die Ju.tleD laughtrrl-ii
fered me. hattered and cOmpImented But SAID
:" John, You know ! am no s"crnaHci =. lin,
won't DO" "Tncn." said re. repeat the nrSt speech
OF Sir Peter Teaze. When an old bachelor marIios a
young wle, what Is he TO eApectf ILhnghtef' neli,
| think can pdraphrase thai ana say W zen u Souut
man enters the thCat zeal profession. what Is lie 10 eN-
pectp Wei, he may expect IA goOd many thibss 'h"'
However. suffice it to say that fifty years ago made
commenced III the hlsi-class tragedy Of JdWer, ~
Otway's charming Tragedy OF venice fte>el yeu'
in"1cht IL was ILanghter.I TIE manager evidently
thought was too, Tor M lei repeat the chara' ter
with such asyratIuus had There might nave been
some inspiration about tat icas There ought 10 lave
bret-for tuo lady who pct-Ondted BeirdeTd was hrs
Dun, lovely woman. ana Tue in"st rAPni'lte lragi'
arrrs, that ever rom that PERIOD 10 me present.
Afiet his ac,ed Two or tnr,e parLs-horii"cr, "E
IOcg and some Oi those little tr ling chartctcr--
augGtt Tl-Wth comparative success Bui shvIti! aii'f
and wisely, INTO thc ranks Osiudy int profession
moi ~ conmu nee 10 tue top and 10 the bottom
aughrT-but begin az the bottom and 20 10 the top
auJ new | vent 10 the sOdtu and West, NY amyiuon
san beng. IL that Of al youthful aspiJLls Tor dram
Al last ven To a theatre, ana TO my great disgust
ana md gDatlon was cast fof m old nan-hI the ~
VA, no altrrn ave, aud did II. received applause
played = few more old men. ilAu-ht"r.I i"uhi az
last that my Poiut, ny forte, anu li'o"'' u
up and this long lapse OF years stl continue IN
wrii - England aud was received with kindness
aud cordially, aAd, returning 10 my own coun.iy ia
1852. was Invited to iom Wallacks 1neaue by the
l,tner OF my dear friend mere tllludug 60 Mr. Lester
WalacbJ-his iatDer, whom am proud 10
acknowledge a. a friend Of mine nearly mt
dramatic master. lAppdusc.l | need not tell you
tnat since that tine 1 have been under The
direction Of hs SON. what nay carer has been up TO
the present time you all know. II requires comment
from me. | am no longer Young man. hut DO NOT
think am old m u. lApp!ause ana Iaughter.l /
owe this to good constitution and moderately prudent
life fSnOuts 81 laughtcr.l L may say, with Shakes
pedrcs Adam, that
In my youth never did apply
H.. @RS Ts5S S a q NV frosty. but kindly
viii You permit me, gentlemen, 10 thank you for the
very high honor YOU nave c"nIetteu upon me ,Iis
Ivy and happiness of the Lotos Clubi lCbeeIsI
witty and apprecnuyo speeches were also
made by John Brougham, Lester Wailnck'
Cbauucey Depew, Thomas Barbour AMI n number
-. I..Ffas
repeatedly.
IN response 10 the toast 10 the Dramatic CFlc, MI
william Winter said
thank YOU very gratefully. for this kind welcome.
and think f. priv cge 10 be allowed to take part Ia
festival so delightful a. TINS ana OJoin WIN you III p,
IN. respect to "a name Justly renowned and hOnOred
that OF John Gilbert. cannot nope a.
equatoy to respond 10 the PERSONAL sent
mchts which have been so graciOu,iy expressed nor
adequately to celebrate me detnI anu ans 'ituGs OF
BuT sucn answer as can make You suall com
mand" For since first became iahllhr WIN vac stage
ar-Lway DAYS ~ Ola BOstOu-JOhh uilneit mas Sceh
10 me Toe iullmcnt OF one OF NY hC col nj dls OF *
eellence. IN the dramatic art ana ~ would De
hard II could not now say TINS, 1 not WIN eoqu,nCe
least with icTVor all aware OF ct tam 'tidhEt
presence and TO his honor, shon'd De spoken
by me. The fIeaAs Of time and fortune are
ven Iohn Gilbert was YET IN the full nusu OF his
Young manhood, and already crowned Win the lau-
res OF success, the friend VINO Is now ~ aking was
hoy AZ his sports-payg around tht Ola fcoeia stcet
Tneatre, beneath tne walls VI the t.auAin sr,e
Peal st. rustic ANA paIer Oi the Autumn leaves
ey Ie FROM The chesLnuts around ihe Perkins Inst
serted caste Of Harrs's Folly. win this sense OF
siIaugcness, though comes senrc sill more stiAlns
and inpre OF the turbulent, active, aud brilliant
period through which John Giibcft hds hIeu;
Byron nad Seen de96 but four year., ,,i ana
wuen he began - act Goethe Was stIi living Inc
of Thackeray aud Dickens were yet to be created
Cooper Irving Bryant, naock, and Perciya were the
1dS % iLoe 81 hawthorne and po, We're Vet 10
ri md of "A
were yet TO be seen by him us fresh contributions TO
me mf ,a o. ,I me ooE Of sa,b Al sst nrt of
O,d Boston TO watch have rcterresine scene equally
OF hes birth and youth and first successer and u his
tender reirospccuOi-has been sweep away or entirey
changed Gone j. the old Federal street Ineare. Gone
thal qu%n Lhsi'sn a,lu; @d, ,,S So,eS % hl
S.aCgpOr, whore, many tlme, at The latter end OI
are OF the Old South Church. But, though " the spot
where many Time he tnumpBcd l. forgot, his calm
and gentle genius anu bic haze physqne nave enuul,u
In unabaled visO that lie has charmed two gen
men ana women OF to-day Webster CDoale, FELTON,,
Everett. Kanloul. shaw, Bartlett, Lunt. Hsl'ct.
starr KING. Bartol. Kirk, these aud many
more, the old WORTHLESS OF the bar, the
days Of intellect ana taste l-all saw HIM. as see
him. In the siVergray elegance anu exquisite perfection
with which nc illustrates lac comedies OF England. Ills
has imp upon the 1--WE great clues OF Boston,
New-Orleans. fhiiadrlphiL, London, and YORK. IL
touches at extreme. the ripe fame Aindcn who
died IN 1871 Hud-ircgnteu with all the rich traditions Of
the stsgeIt must nee0s at ITS other e1tree transmit
INTO the next century, the nigh mood the
schOarhkc weight, and the pure style of IN
finest strain OF acting that Time has bestowed
upon civilized man by what qualities 1t has
been distinguished, tnis brilliant assembage
Is full well Tue dignity. winch is ils grandeur;
the sincerity which its truth; the ihOrOugbness, which
Is Its massive suDsaEce the sterling principle. winch
IA s force the virtue. which Is It's purify the scholar
ship. mind, hunor. taste versatile aptitude OF simt-
ton and beautiful grace OF method, which are
is powerful and 30 deli facial and att iDut 8,
have all Detn DiOusLt home 10 your minds and behrte
by the hying ana couqurring genius OF the man
himself! have often fingered In fancy upon
Ia A all IL l.H
siOn-hcre the dazzling yisagc OF GarricK there the
wOefu face OF Mosop here the glorious Of kean;
there tue sparkling 10y eness OF an Abingdon or JOT-
dan-Wllch moves, through the chambers OF the Den-
DRY, across almost any oid and stOried stage. The
thought Is endless In its suggestion ami Easel
Mating In It's charm. How often, IN the chin
OF fe shall wewhose privilege has been To