New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-08

current of his career. the enormous vitality anu
industry bv which it was Marked and the success
with which it was crowned; Actors more t1 thn
most Of the persons who live by their aDorS IN inc
realms Of art, are necessarily affected by the imme-
date influences of their time. Their characters III
other words. are 10 considerable extent, Deht ah9
moulded by public opinion and caprice. They feel
the necessity of the instant response; ana &C
cOTdngly, they not slow to max" That dlrecI 9p-
peal IN which very often there Is more OF Impulse
than of Judgment the tnsel Of artitce rather imam
the pure gold of art. BrOugham, like many OF ms
contemporaries recognized tins Necessity; put ms
sincerity of feeling, his sturdness OF character DIS
schOlar-li1e taste. and his intense loyalty to me
higher principles and best ideals OF art, were All
combined in antagOnIsm to worldly prudence ana
pxpedency: and all through the story of his life.
it is easy to trace, not merely rowing. drifting
careless dispONti0n-the licht-hearted heed
essness and yielding amiabillty or Goldsmlih,
whom in some WAYS, he much reSemhled-
but the resOlute bent of mind that spontaneously
insisted on going IFS own way ana running us o"
laws. There was, indeed, in his intellectual eNIst-
enCr, no continuity Of movement toward dchnltc
goal clearly defined and seen alar oil. But he was
born to be man of letters, poetic artist and wiz.
and he could not, except III the most htful manner,
take his from his circumstances. Ills experience,
therefore, was often that of conflict with prevailing
notions, and toward the last, of considerable spirit
ual discomfort and bitterness.
The fact that fortune always. sooner or later
slipped through his fingers was. doubtless. chclly
ascTIhable to his buOyan llbcrnlan reckeS'icSS OF
the ordinary precautions of prudence, and To ms
needless trust IN cvCr' body. He adapted inc
Dukes Motto" for Fcchter, tor instance and 1t had
cVcTrecCivrd tor his work upon II was box O cigars:
and with transctionSOf tins kind ms whole business
career WAS spaugCd. But, even with harder tenn
permanent, he would still have been at odds with the
practical spirit of his time. He had originality aS n
man, even more than rs n writer ana lac WAS ollPn
n dreamer in the midst of battle. Those 81 ms
works in winch he himself took the most delight
and i'm winch the student will hereafter discern me
most of the man. are thc hurlcsquc o. "Co!rmbnS,
the blank-vcrse drama of Tile ldlY oi
France" and the comedy of PLAYING with
Fire" They full of delicate Thought, Oh
pOe:ic suggestions of SWcct-cmpcIcd satire. al c"-
;einplalive philosophy, and OF plthoS. II" often
chose to appear to DE-. in mild ana elegant way
The TaItu. rOaIIng Ir;ShmaI' hr was. IN lart
nothing of the kind. but q prnsiVr mnraiSt, p"'tlr
dreamer. Il delicate. sensitive gCntlcmau n frank
aud hOncst rs a CHILD, and ~ geut.c AZ woman.
Hts rank among actOlS il would he difficult 10
assign. He cXcrcn in humor rather than IN Iatl"5
sentiment and was, probably, at his best IN the
expression Of COIlCallY cCcpHtlIr Chaacl"r Among
the parts that will always 1--we IN memory ~ dsSn'
CIatcd with his name, are Nt0Hf, III Money. IchH"
BfaiTU.'dty. IN " john l|HiI,' Sir Inc rs ~ !Hg9p.
ia The h!v;.ls.' CHifi, McUrbc la "ioct - GFdcR.
III "Arrah-Na-l oeir,' N'cccin 81 nd"rAS-Ii'dhr'.,
CqpiGiH NHrpbY .UdgtiTc. ~ " b." SrIluus Family,
and OC0iIag6ap III :" HIS Last Legs Ills animal
Spir g., dL>!. VI-0r, and brittany ia t"tsc paris,
very -rcat lee entered trrily into Their Srlilt
OF mIrh: hc could Ice cuIsrl'u-lN Joyous or UhcuI-
sci0uSly urol: ne was never tur an instant ont ni
the Stage picture; and he SpOAr tn" lan"uagr WIN
dciirI"Is panty. lie has gwen an iinulcuSc amount
Oi pleasure; hc has GONE 40 ntrln; ne goes 10 ms
grave IN the fulHc-- 81 wears Iud hOunrs; ms works
viii live alter hl.n. IN the Usage o. the stage ANA
the admirI;lo OF tnc pubic; lee Is honestly ana
deeply mrlirn"u: aHd II VIII Zee Il very long iiinr w.
tore any who ever knew nm can SpciE without
n SIGH Tie name OF John ~ 'ugnam