The New York herald., 1879-08-06

Hamlet lie certainly gave most original concel,-
tion of the physique OF the melancholy Prince when
he introduced him in u long blonde wig and pro-
fusion of aaxen hair. IN which he out-Germanized
the German conception itself. Thousands locked
TO see his Hamlet a curiosity. Men who admired
the sturdy purpose OF the Prince as shown by
Forest his gentle demeanor and scholarly bearing
as pictured by Davenport. and his half mad. half
sick plant walled by Booth. were disposed to sit
aud study this curious creature with long. light
locks and staring and comical patois taught
by Fechter. But while IT was easy enough to mock
at oddities and carp at the infelicities of his
tongue. it impossible to follow his read
ing without delight. The intense and unmistak-
able that he displayed exceeded every demon
stratlon of the kind that we have seen. The
solloquy in death was admirably spoken and in fact
all his soloquies were in the finest taste and
torted the admiration of the most judicious.
Through the predominance given to the meditative
element they acquired "a very remarkable character.
elaborated at vast expense OF thought. with their
delivery marked by the subtlest variations. His
Hamlet a thoroughly polite and conservative
Prince. was beautifully shown i'll his treatment
of the players. his delicate gatherings with
Ophea. and even in the quiet dignity with which
he bore the garrulous Interruptions of old Polonius
Whether it would be fair to measure Fechter's Ham
question. He certainly did not speak the English
language IL should be spoken and that critics
Shakespeare than many native English actor could.
and his name must in fairness always rank far up
among those who illustrated Shakespeare best.
With varied success Mr. Fechter played here and
IN all the great cities. In Boston he met the late
Arthur Cheney, then owner of the. Globe
and of the artist. To him he confded the
virtual control Of the theatre. but to no
good end. While there Fechter had very serious
quarrel with the late James w. Waliack, and the
matter proceeded far that neither would speak to
the other and the business OF the theatre suffer-
ing. 1t grew out OF the assignment OF dressing
room first and the refusal of one of the actors to
play part that was secured to the other. jour
nalist of this city called to see Mr.. wallack who
said Tho difficulty with Fechter is that he doesn't
understand men, and especially me. He's too high
and mighty. All he had to do was to slap me on the
back and say Here jim, let's take a drink. dare
say we are both wrong and would have given in ut
Instead OF that he gets his back up, wont play
at all and puts the management In hole. Subse-
qnently the same Journalist called on Fechtcr, whom
he found in a smoking cap, dressing gown and fancy
slippers. with cigars coffee beef tea and foils on the
table, The difficulty with Wallack was referred to
and Fechter said Nobody manage Wallack
but myself. can't manage him in this matter at
ALL All he had to do was to ask me to take glass Of
wine and arrange it amicably but he is stubborn
lie is like mule, my dear boy. and so wait till he
is ready to make the advance. for after all am in
the right" III less than an hour the two actors met
at the table Of their common friend and both
laughed heartily when their host narrated to the
two his experiences with each.
AT another time, though not long after this little
development, Mr.. Cheney came TO the conclusion
that he had his hands more than full with two such
men as Fechter and Wallack, the former being the
manager and the other his "leading man. with the
right to refuse any part he did not fancy 1t
sent the part OF Don Saluste to Mr.. Walack who in
proper time sent the following note:-
MY DEAR FEcnrKr-I have received the play and do
play it. Yours truly, j. W. WALLACk
whereupon Mr.. Fechter replied to Mr.. wallack:-
NY DEAE WAaI.ckI sent you the part ,l q Don Sal
ing your permisson you Joseph Surface Don
sailuste beg of you to- reconsider your note and ac-
engagement at an end this very week. consider Don
y the @ sss part II 'ns p a so anS w %
parts And am my dear wallaek yapr; yS%1,r sraly
Upon receipt of Mr. Fechter's reply. Mr.. Wal
lack wrote in effect as follows:-
sInI consider that no other prefix is necessary after
with you relation my at
the Globe n no way your right to Interfere
to whom shall look a6iment of the business con.
stood by u.s. or had You to Keep your word as
given presence Of Mr. Cheney. this need
naiare With you w%IIAoK
But Fechters squabbles with theatrical people did
not end here. He in hot water continually, and
in this very Globe Theatre dispute was charged BY
Mrs. Chanfrau with improper treatment of his lead
ing lady. contribution to the literature Of the
subject was this letter of Mr.. Chanfrau's, which
Fechter printed verbatim in his card to the public
detailing the history Of the Boston trouble.
PARKER HOUSE, Boston. Dec. l3, 1870.
SrR--It has come to my knowledge that on u recen
occasion at the house OF friend in this city you
I their nssse 20 amy ~tssy unMohsy Of Re
for the family whose hospitality you thus grossly
wieh yoa have inspired me ey tweaang your nose in
fa secasion your PRECIOUS person
available of saying upon my personal responsibility that
Gross blackguard shall be hotel five this
evening when propose 10 return Branch. New
TO CnAs FEcnrri St James Hotel Boston.
The Globe Theatre dispute eliminated on the 14th
OF December by Mr.. Fechter retiring from the man.
agement after brilliant but stormy season of three
months.
Mr. Fechter was never ladies' man. in the ofren-
sive sense of that term. He was. however, always .
great favorite with the sex, and likewise always
afflicted with q grand passion. Some scandal was
caused here owing to a rumor that he had III arried
Miss Leclercq but he instantly stamped it out with
a card to the HERALD. 1t again said that he had
Ilv,n
had been his support in travelling engagements.
Concerning this the following letter written at
the time:-
RUE MALES HKRsxs, PARIS, jan - 1879.
SrR-An article inserted In number OF papers dated =
has been sent to me in which i is said that Mr. Fechsr
@ % a Taen . y m
that Of an honorable man doubt also injure
that Of his children whom honor Is the only
November, ls47 We have two children-a daughter
that in her turn she will hold honorable and hon.
sss@ a%
all the good and charming Dickens family have always
sh sssn IN the S Mr. Mr.
psIso aha have the v 70 s r nm
of family happy, united and Of whom the very
Fs
be very grateful for this rect6cation Receive SIR
A''A' 'A'' u my ''''''sa'"'RR RoEBIRT i% fEcHrER,
Ex.Pcnsonnsire de Coincide Francaso.
That settled for q time the rumors affecting the
great artist who. in many ways. had gradually per-
mitted the public to be weaned from him. He pur
chased iarm in Bucks county. Pa. and retired
there to read, study. smoke, drink and live his
trlumphs In the scrap books aud albums OF his
palmy days. His new home. where he lived with
the second Mrs. Fechter. formerly Miss Lizzie Price,
not grand house by any means. Mansion
would be at too large and too cold name for it,
1t is good oldtime country house. set back about
twenty feet from the highway, with clean white
fence in front OF it. its walls plastered with
Portland cement and festooned with creeping
cobia vines. two large plate glass windows each
side, and i'll the centre OF the grass plot III front
good honest pump. from whose wooden spout on
q vigorous application OF the handle. pours stream
of sparkling spring water. There is no step from
the green to the first floor which lis exactly level
with 1t: the door is opened ana you pass ut once
from the lawn to the parlor Here was the summer
sitting of the famous actor. Against the wall
arranged five pieces of firearms, sufficient in
dicaton of one method by which lac whed away
the vacation months One IL very fine Reming-
ton rife, then there is one single.barrelled and
two do oube-barrelled shotguns aud petite single
barrclled piece used by Mrs. Fechter. Charles
Fechter u crack shot and very fond OF ncld
sports. Iu large cabinet against the opposite wall
are two fne fishing rods. numerous reels and lines
nd Nv boxc nd nil Ia Iat. In,