New-York tribune., 1878-02-05
THE ORA Ma.
rnwIy BOOTH AS RICHELIEU.


rnon this personatiOn-which was again seen,
,, night in Booths Thcareit is not easy 10 make q
,rosh comment The work has required in all its ancient
viror and brancy and 1t continues TO beas often IN
this journal named and portrayeda noble and spendd
tyne Of na ginative power Mr. Booth succeeds, as no
other tragic actor OF time has ever succeeded III
,aturatng the leonine of Reheiieu with gentle
and lovely melancholy, not weak, but as loity
a. IL Is tender. and such as halows inc
character and makes IL as magnetic 10 'He
heart as, I'm its werdness, II Is enrancnS 10 '"o '
aginatiOn, or as In its tremendous power IL
20 the mind Those moments In when the son'afy oiu
man remembers his youth and the dying friend
who committed daughter TO his paternal care ana thoSe
IN which he rumnstes upon his and lonellncss-the
moments that is 10 say, in which the heart " adj
ates the brain-are brightly Duminative OF The
nature of Richeiieu; and OF these Mr.. Booth has
perceived the full significance. He does not strive
70 be literally historical lalbeit his personal re-
semblance, when made mp for this part, to n bust
of Rebelieu which stands in Of the halls OF the
Iouvre is marveous for the Rieheiie OF the play Is
very little like the Rieheiieu OF the histOres but nc
Keeps close the poets IDEAL and that is an eternal
Summer Of sympathy with all that is virtuous innocent
heauu noble and ght. And 10 this the actor gives
glamour by indesorbabe charm OF persona y 0ther
actors have made Rehe'ieu correct; have produce.
sttrlng effects at specific points, have shown Tight
instinct 70 his force Of WILL his grim vinor ms niue
vauities his indirecon his sacerdotal prize ana Pou
Lndllnes and his craft: but Edwin Boothaone IN 0ui
invested
fascination The performance is Que q, sr ,h nIbiic
uleely ilusve that ever were set beIufe tho punhc
ssss ssy,. a great man: and, as is always true
with genius. the greatness 81 TINS priest anu ruer @
a. seen--or rather il felt-to he personal, ana NOT
official; inherent in himself and not dependent on ms
place and adiuucts. ReheIeu AS mere iact is wise
virtue contendiug against vice and treason sltns.h
pIotectng Innocence and, therefore, naturally Is stiuu
iauye OF universal human sympathy. Bui dbstiac.
gladden. in ITS triumph. Rieheeu must be mnch more
than good and tue result OF tAe exhOlioh =, , ui % %
him potency OF innate carn; lnahts nm u, 'TN ,
able 6y grac tnat IS o; ingiTo oniy 9l The man hTa.f
but all behold him. To tins acipf Il hnoNu the he
teTr majesty and sad isolation a thinker who is poised
aboye l- time. By him understood the loneliness oi
tae unse heart which, grown old III sorrow" no longer
even the least nope dream OF happiness FOR
Itself nut lovingly Impels endeayOr for the happiness
OF Others. II is this noble and bedullful tNataoh o
spirit which makes Mr.. Booths embodiment
o. Rieheeu al once fascinating aud so benetcent
Then too II full Of the most exquisite touch o deit
the arstocrac and TIE FAINT frsrrance OF ola lace
Iyen moments Oi banter or what nlgIt almost pe
named rVolity II l. permeated ana controlled Wy pe
feet taste. ~ Booth especially hne last night IN
lie delicate tracery which. during the frst act The
charact,r uniodcd and IN the delivery oi the sOio
oies not he said. except for those wuo like lhe
In soi,oqny Is more difficult ou the stage
taan adequate ia anything else; aid TINS genera
lion has Edwn Booths superior ln the uieI
auce nf suliOquy. The auathema scene produced IN
tIectrieal effect. Mr. Wheeock acted De hdaWdt ~ an
ardent. gaDa { manner; Mr.. LeNick made BdITudds
brsve-aunerd specious. captivating o4fiier and not
rufnan. though smileless; ); and Miss Rache Moab
mer simply and well. The point IL ths pait, Is 90 DC
Charming In person, and higb'bied III uiauheis-
Ia qualification which very few wCIncn on the
stage poss,ss and In which Mis- Noah ~ not over
wnelmngy suOnl and not 10 make onended virtue
aburd 10 The recItal OF It's sela.crtiop. The general
per,Ormsnce goOd-which i rather more than
usfaly important in representation or TINS par
tcular play. I'm order that Kiehefieu may be
superb in his peril, pathetic ia ms apparent
victory. II L.. 10 the last degree essential that
qrradas should be potent in ms wicked mali snant ma
Yute and purpose, Jiie lovely IN Ecg devoted anccon
end womanuke purity De uGupTGt noble dnd winning M
his romantic yonth and the Kong important and stately
In his royal office and presence, lOwSoeYcr Yaccidng
In his niuod~ and puny IN ms spirit Mr. Boot was
generally well up OItcd. The public az preclat1n OF
hs acting expressed with persistent vSor aud clam,
oruus ebu hence Tat he several times summoned
before the curtain. Hc viii act Hchfieu unli saturday
night and then repeat ms neIOrmlnco7 OF My0c" ana
Iefrpehio. revival Of KING Lear" Is contemplated
Mack.