New-York tribune., 1878-12-23
LOCKE RICHARDsON's RECITALS.

ON five occasions since the 9TH inst, Profess
sor Locke Richardson OF Syracuse. has-at the Union
League Theatre and TO audiences OF the finest character
for intelligence and tase-gven rccals rom plays OF
Shakespeare. These have presented condensatlOns Oi
''The Merchant OF Venice" Macbeth " As You LIKE
It" Romeo aud Juliet and king Lear" 1t is
the method OF this scholar aud artist to give the
essential parts the from memory, and for the
rest 10 piece them together with few apt words OF
narrative or explanation He discards all books ana
manuscripts and forth upon clear stage, fully
possessed o his subject and Of his facutieshus utterly
iscomtng that spirit OF ediousnes which Is the great
enemy OF platform entertainments On Saturday he re-
cited King Lear" and therein fulfilled the most am
btious aud exaeng II not the most successful purpose
Of hIs series dress coat comes close 10
beng ridiculous: and Ii Is a significant tribute
10 Professor Richardson's profound earnestness,
fine poetic spnt, and competent artistic skill
10 say that he fully maintained the solemn import and
noble gravity OF the subject. As lesson upon the
acting Of Lear this performance, while not Of novel
precept was generally wise and salutary Its most
defect Of conception appeared TO he In It's
lack of discrimination between the inchoate and the
completed madness through which in Shakespeare the
old king Is displayed rhe anguish was of one strain
from first 10 lasi-and this in nature, and not
so n the pages OF the poet It might be added Also
that the reality OF Lears misery absent from tins
Interpretation. This heard, indeed in the words;
but heard In the quality Of the voice. An
embodiment
wonders and most prOdRious tasks OF the stago-was
not 10 t expected in this The elucidston Of the
tragedy is to be remembered ~ the speakers main
design and this he accomplished it not with indubita
ble accuracy at least with brilliant ability The effort
of memOry-in itself astonishing and dehghtiul-was
forgotten in illusion created by the artists excellent
mower of discriminating between the caraeters OF en-
teriug into the nature as well the mood Of each Of
ndoiny each personality with the force OF truth and
of uttering every line with intOuaton suited to the do-
syncracy OF the ina gned speaker, well as 10 the
subtcst meaning Of the words The sadly-sweet droll
cry and melancholy playfulness OF the Fool were for
Instance made In lovely spirit. and with ad-
mirable SIX H. The impatence, hardness. contemptuous
soorn ana rank cruelty OF Gone and Reganthe insen-
ability 10 worth and duty the complacent arrogance.
and the cxasperatng lttleness OF nature sometimes
seen allied with the fascinating beauty in woman
were shadowed forth really astonishing accuracy and
force At one pont-that. namely. OF the poor kings
hystercai ouburst upon both his ingrates-Professor
Richardson intO the true vein OF tragic passion An
actor who should MI out the image here suggested BY
him would reach an altitude OF noby deOus passion
eaiaiIy poetic mould ana truthful IN emo
tion II was In the element Of tenderness,
thought that this work more particularly
exeeed aud fascinated the sympathetic attention. All
the lines allotted TO Cordeid spoken with all
heart OF the speaker; while old Led's Poor naked
wretches wheresOeer yOu are" was sounded forth
with all the holy pathos which enwraps those immortal
lines On other occasions, when 1t has been our good
fortune 10 hear Professor Richardson the attribute that
has mainly charmed was his humor-which is Of VIOLA
tile gentle and lOvable quality This last effort IL the
more memorable for the attribute of tenderness Pro'
fessor Richardson represents influence ID dramatic
art which IL OF high educational value put more than
ths De intellect true taste. keen sensibiiity and
sympathetic temperament make him persona Iorce ia
given to-day and should not missed by the lovers OF
literature aud dramatic expressionl