New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-10
THE DRAMA.
THE LATE CHARLES DILLON.

II isreported that Charles Dillon, the we'll known
English actor fell dead in the street, at Haswick
England, tho 9th of June. If this lie true then
and thus persisted, in very awful manner q man
OF extraordinary talents, and whose labOrs, had
he not been afflicted with the propensity for drink
would have given him permanent rank among the
best actors Of our time Mr. Dillon came to the
United States about sixteen years ago. and attracted
much attention by his performance OF the seriO-
comic part OF BekpkeG0r, and subsequently, he was
scen III King Lear, and in other characters OF the
highest order Of tragedy He was deficient in statu-
esque attributes and in all tho qualities that are
termed classical. and he not fino declaimer
But he revealed surprising depth OF tender feeling
and he initiated nature woll that it was hard 80
SAY where his art began. He was not natural in
the absurd sense of that word, it is used by the
wild takers about spontaneity, who think that
there can he anything like natural nsting without
preeonceived intentOn but he felt deeply, and at
the same time could direct and cOntro ais feelings
go as to make others ioel deeply too. No one who
saw viii ever forget his beautiful, pathetic stage
Business with tho shawl when Is BelpAegor he re-
allied That his idolized wife had deserted him. 1t
was of the ovelicst touches OF pathos ever seen
upon the stage-and it was always done in the same
way, yet always seemed to be done for tho first time
He possessed i'll perfection the art to conceal
art.
His powers in tragedy, too, were extraordinary.
He was massive, and had ropose and could seem
Onnous and always rose to the necessity of q vehe-
ment outburst; and his voice had tones of great
richness and mcurnful BEAUTY. His ira gical domain
was of the heart rather than the intellect, and
therefore he exceled III the human portions of Lear
and Othello-the moments of shpwrcck and misery
But he never rose higher-and dramatic art could
never rise higher, in tho simple expression of genu
inc sorrow-than in the scene of BsIpheJors effort
when quite broken down with grief and with hun
GER to give his exhibition of bufioonery in the pub
lie square. The ideal of genuine maniness constant
amid troubles, supreme above broken heart, and
mconsciously sublime i'll friendless misery
was simply colossal in its magnifcence. After that
IN the drcss-coat portion of tho piece, the perform
ance dwindled away; but in the main, it was truly
q great work
'Belphegor,' it will be remembered, is % version
of "Paillasse," by NM. Fourier and DEnnerv
originally produced with Frederic Lemaitre in the
chef character. 1t singular that such on OK
cellent part should be left in egect upon the Amer
lean stage Mr. Frank Mayo would find himself
well fitted with it-and Chanfrau, Cookbook or
Wheatleigh would be excellent in it, for human
feeling.
Dir. Dillon made his best success in America dur
ing his first engagement. He acted as what had
been Wallack's Theatre when it was managed
by George Wood and afterward at Woods Museum ;
but his popularity did not become great and
uiu not idSt- lneTe was \ certain cOmmOnneSS
his general appearance, which told against him and
probably this element was III his nature. He had an
1nordinate fOndnesS for beer with which his finer
faculties submerged and dulled. II was "A great
misfOrtune-fOr he was o man of good heart and
many winning. eompanionable qualities and as al
ready ntimGted, his powers and resources in acting
were exceptional and fine.
he was born in 1919, and early in life was a
player in Richardson's Show-.o that his schooling
was elemental and thorough. He first gained dis
tincton in Dublin, an in 1866 appeared in Lon
don, at Sadler's Wells Theatre, and in 1s8O-'61 he
lie was for q long time Australia. He had
travelled much and seen the world under many as
poets. and his talk full " the interest that at
faches to aneodote shrewd observation Of character
and manners, and quiet good atured, inJolent
hulnor. His attributes rs an actor made him unoce
and difficult to define. He resembled in some
respects, s.. V. Brooke and he had merits kim
dred with those of Edwin Adams He will be re-
inembered less as tragedian--thoug his Lear was
III some respects grand work, aud his Macbeth was
finely colored with superstItious tints-than IA "A
romantic and human actor, in the realm that is
represented by Belphsg0r and Jea~ Tatjcan His
school was not deformed by the hair-splitting re-
modern English stage, and though neither a Kemble
Cooke nor kean, no understood and respected
the traditions that were left by those masters and
continued by Aacready and Young. His influence
was good; his example in art is one that will ha We
Its sanitary results; md his mcmory-as "a kindly
apna1le, gentle, and interesting man-will be cher
lshcd by many friends. Peace DO with him The
tears that he caused were those that comfort and
cXalt kind, and thousands Of kind thought will
bless him III his grave.