Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-07-18
THE EVENING STAR.
July rs. 1879


When first saw Booth play Peseara in Rich
sro taIor Shieis "Apostate," It was at the Ire
mont Iheater, TO Mrs. G.. II. Barrett'S Florinid
and Harry Smiths Hemeya what most i'm
pressed me was Booths peculiar make up for
the part and his startling description OF Pesca.
rGs cream: IL Is the most dinicult passage In
the play and one in which most actors either
"ccme TOO tardy on, as an artist who attempts
to paint lightning, or debase the text by degen
spansh suit Of OF Booth
similar hue, so that 1t had spectral, hideous
aspect, significant OF one who had long inhaled
the foui and sunless air OF the inQuisftion dun
geons and OF q cruel spirit suited to that place
He was all drab, from his boots to wig, EXCEPT
his eyebrows, which were made heavy ana
black and SO as to meet; and this dark, bow-llke
death angel, completed, by contrast with the
haggard complexion, a most horrible tour en-
semtie OF look, which may be described by say
character Of Pescara himself Booth explained
his Pescdrdn eyebrows by saying, whenever
you meet person with such J0inted eyebrows
you may safely set him down as a monster OF
inhumaDity." 1t was probably only joke or
whim OF his, and as wildly falacious as many or
the ridiculous conclusions Of phrenology and
phys1ognomy TO which nature give the lle-Siv-
Lavater
But the astounding exploit OF Booths Pesca-a
was the Volcanic-not vCc!ferOuS-deiivery OF
Ihe cream, In which the half smothered rumo-
nngs or Pescora's heart were heard In every in
tenseiy passionate tone, each word like burning
lava In Its pitless course till the whole sc nth
Ing eruption had fulfilled its whitening mission
When Prom forth the yawnlng earth q figure
rose, whose stature reached to heaven" Booth
SO charmed the imaginingS Of his audience that
his own stature seemed to grow In keapinp
with the demon he described and when "With,
In my arms methought claSped YOU" burst at
last eXult1ngly from Pescd, as grim and bitter
lips Florindas answering Shrek OF horror
found echoing In every hearers breast, SO that,
sublime as Booths acting was throughout that
flaming, hendish subtle parable the audience
felt sensation OF relief when ne made his exit
after the parting menace:
Mark me. There's Oft prophecy 10 dreams.'
Though SO glowfngly and virulently passionate
there was nothing boisterous 10 all that extra
ordinary scene OF acting. Every sentence was
surcharged with electricity; and its narrowing
fmpreSS1yeneSS was all the more profound and
amazing because the bolts discharged were so
many and deadly, and yet borrowed no idle
terrors from thunder.
will not tire by illusions to his greatness In
other characters, but only add. in a general
way, That his original mind needed not TO imi-
tate any, and he copied none. He constituted
an original model, whose affects have been SAL
utary TO those who have studied him, but whose
seldom even tolerably well initiated To Judge
act blank verse drama of "Ugolina" 1t con-
tains passages which prove him a dramatic
poet OF high order. And now, In fine, | Will
say OF the elder Booth that acting his acting so
interpreted the greatness and graces OF his
mind that be added meaning to the text OF all
his authors, without excepting Shakespeare
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