New-York tribune., 1878-10-16

hearers do not apprehend bis work fact They
Illusion; and what they admire is the skill with
which he converts mans nature into the sem
blance Of hend. Awful srifes Of passion and awful
depths Of nlquity and suffering suggestively laid
open their view by his art and he therefore, shines
out wonderful, dreadful But the honors
he only for dayh he stops at this order OF
achievement and does nothing capvate the sympathy
Of eOmpassOn equally at least with the sympathy OF
perception. Mr.. Davenport went TO his grave unsats-
fed IN his ambition to Sir Giles. Everybody admired
It, and everybody refrained much possible from
seeing IT, In the choice of LOuis XI for specially, MI
John W. Albaugh-who came forth, Monday night at
the Broadway Theatre, in this character-prepares
tue way for similar experience here
Is character compounded OF all the smples
OF the internal pit. Hero ire crystallized III
human form. dupcity, sensuality cruelty, mahgnHy'
tIeachery supersttOus bgory cold and wicked intel
lect passionate fury and sardonlo pleasantly Iho
character OF history and is known to readers
of literature chiefly through Sir Walter Scotts ne mover
OF Quentin Durward." This theme, Mr. Boucicault-
following in what to him is very familiar, the
wake French writer-has illustrated in an English
play which our stage and public knew very well in
1865, when Charles Kean was here and acted Louis Al
Other revsions OF the French original exist-that pre-
Ssnted last night being the work o. the late l. B De
walden; so that the spectator, as he listens
70 its blank verse, in which there Is not
poetic syllable may fcolingy exc'sm, with Bruius.
90 Julius C@ssr, thou art mighty yeti" or late this
piece has been allowed almost unbrOken rest; and to
this condition it win doubt be often committed in tue
future. No permanent good flows from the exposition
Of such theme No impression that left by II can DC
rated as in any way more valuable than that which -
given by scorpion in bottle Of spirit In respect TO
uter hatefulness in fact Louis XI bad bad
be worse than the hebOrn Pescaras and Ludovl-
Of Shelwhich among the Vilest sort OF dram
attic demons They at least have human passions, and
act under the stress OF fanced wrongs LOUIS
XII, in another way, is loathsome as the
shiny old reptile OF Ben Jonsons Fox -; in fact Tt
Of theatrical octopus. The illustration or conveyance OF
a really great or lovely passage in human experience,
possible OF ideal, is affair Of public imporance-0y
virtue Of the ennOblng and salutary in
fuences that proceed from such WORK:
and herein resides the practical value OF acting.
Works Of that order stir enthusiasm and prompt thought
Louis XII the contrary, freezes feeling aud limits
mental vision to the mere analysis of technical skill.
Mr. Albaugh's OfOrt was that OF good actor
and there an end. The part is trckiy constructed,
to be full Of abrupt transtons-frOm ferOcty 20 pous
ObsequiOusness, and back again TO malignant word-
ness; from feebleness 20 strength; from cOwardice
10 frenzy These Mr.. Albaugh made, with due
efect and In his sklful treatment OF these
Is the strength OF his performance. He has
imagination, and eHrnestness, and sincerity
and sympahy-which 10 heard and felt in his voceanG
an experienced stage method Of execution. He acted
under many and obvious difficulties last night for he was
conditions though, 1t easy 10 see his porsonation
would remain rough aud devoid OF subtlety, over
physical and destitute OF the essential quail
ity OF awful strangeness. The habit OF command.
the gnawngs OF remOrse. the encrOachment OF illness
and age and the nrOads Of superstition, all combining
in condition OF spiritual isolation and immedicable and
endless suffering. would naturally give a man.
even like Louis XII, a certain kind Of elevation,
ana invest him with atmosphere Of awfulness and
dread Mr.. Albaugh did not mpress.by anything Of this
kind in his personality His of the stage;
professional exploit beginning aud ending with tec-
nical suficieney The performance, however, is one
that asl grows subety and in repose. will grow IN
even this kind Of worth The parts that stood forth as
conspicuousy good the ebultions OF fury, soon
controlled by balefu cOmpOsure OF hYpOcritical ma
lightly and grim humOr- In these the actors
powers Of insight his correct instinct and his capacity
He s. beyond question, a man OF talent The
death-scene, let IL be noted far too vigorous
and much too long. An absurd individual who acted
Trsta associated with the dire bad representatives
OF Confines and Coitrer and de POLE to guyng
the whole proceedings. Mdrtha-which Mrs Charles
Kean played. when she here with her husband in
1865 was well acted by Mrs. Carhart and there
some Of real sensbty in the performance
OF the DauphiH by Miss Rose Keau