National Republican., 1881-03-09
LAWRENCE BARRETT.
AN ACTOR AND a FINE GENTLEMAN.
Interview with the Eminent Tragedian Now Play
ing at the National Thestre-An Eyentfni
Life-His Fame the Result Of Earn
est and conscientious Effort.

| Mr.. Lawrence Barrett, who is now full
filling an engagement at the National Theatre, ii
| one of the best examples of what may be accom-
plished by earnest, conscientious, and persistent
effort of any actor now before the public. Having
lively remembrance of Mr. Barrett over twenty
years ago, while he was the leading man at the
Boston Museum, the writer took the liberty OF
dropping in upon him yesterday afternoon for a
friendly CHAT and the following is theresult OF the
conversation that ensued:
After referring to the period above alluded to-
Mr.. Barrett said: do you know came very
near abandoning my engagement at the Museum,
and should have done so had it not been for Mr..
William Warren?"
How SO, pray?"
We'll, l had been playing in New York. where
the wardrobes were furnished by the manager,
and when accepted the engagement and at
tended the first rehearsal. began to think had
been too rash. knew nothing of the Boston Mu-
scum, and the name rather suggested hall than
cosy stage upon which were grouped some of
the very best in the profession. arrived in Bos-
ton on Wednesday, and upon going to the green
room found myself cast for Fred Brdinbe, Mg0mGr,
and characters like those After the rehearsal
walking with Mr.. Warren, and asked him if he
thought Mr.. Kimball would allow me to throw up
wanted to know why thought of such thing 1
told him frankly that had my doubts about my
ability to sustain the line of characters TO which
would be assigned, and then mentioned the mat
ter of wardrobe, telling him that in New York,
where had been playing, wardrobe was furnished
by the theatre, and adding that was poor, and
must either solicit aid from the manager or get
means in some other way. shall never forgetthe
kindly manner in which Mr.. Warren said 10 me
that to abandon the engagement without an at
tempt to perform its duties would seem rather
cowardly, and then took me to a costumers and
became responsible for whatever wardrobe might
require appreciated his friendship then. and
am happy to say that 1 have maintained it ever
since"
"Howlong had you played before you went to
Boston,"
about four years, 1 think 1 had played in
Detroit and in some of the Western cities when
made up my mind to go to New York. reached
that city with only twenty dollar gold piece in
my pocket, and put up at the Irving House In
the morning when commenced to dress l found
that my gold piece had been stolen, and was
without penny. 1t happened at that time there
was very wealthy lady VINO conceived the idea
that she could act, and SO engaged company, pay
ing them herself She had given one performance
of Romeo and Juliet which had been made
had then determined to play for week. l was
engaged, and my first character was Sir Thomas
Clifford. had no wardrobe and no money, but
managed to fix up an old pair of Span
ish boots, and the rest of the costume
was equally as ludierous. l was q mere stripping
with very thin face, and when l came forward
with my fEst lines, This is my quarrel, SIR the
audience fairly howled. 1 had been thoroughly
frightened before, and think as 1 walked down
the stage my knees must have knocked together:
but when they laughed at me it made me mad,
and played the entire character to the best of my
ability, and as result was offered engagements
at several of the theatres Immediately Fortu-
nately, selected Burton's, and while there had
the advantage of association with John Brougham
Dan Setchell, Mark Smith, Burton himself, and
others of the old school, which was of great benefit
to me-"
"You entered the army from Boston, didn't
you?"
"Yes. l was a captain in the Twenty eighth
Massachusetts Regiment, and when was mus
tered out became leading man here in this city"
THAT accounts for your popularity here, then, to
some extent. Where did you then go?"
II went to the Varieties at New Orleans, and
then to San Francisco. While there Mr. McCul-
lough was my partner, and as an idea of the bust
ness we did will say that during the first year. in
season of fthree hundred nights, ourreceipts were
over 100000. sold out my interest, and have
since plas-.S-=%atirely by myself"
II suppose, as You married in Boston you con-
slider that your home now, do you not?''
"Yes 1 love dear old Boston, although am not
much there. Ny threec children are now in Germany
st school, and my summer vacation will be spent in
visiting them. I think shall take house in
London, bring them TO me, and then try and see
of that great metropolis"
You have yourself been abroad, have you not ?"
"Oh, yes +; 1 have visited Europe three times and
have acted in Liverpool; but this time shall go
With the full determination to enjoy myself with
my family
At this point Mr.. Barrett produced a series of
ard showed with manly and affec-
ionate pride the family to which he Is strongly
attached One was group containing the mother
and the three daughters; next came the eldest
laughter, a thoughtful, broad browed girl, with
Indication OF high order of talent; then followed
he second with clear, Grecian profile delicately
,hiseled features showing the sensitive, ideal
lure of the artist and lastly, the youngest girl of
ome twelve years, with open, frank countenance,
aughing eyes, whose future cannot be predicted
1ut whose Fshole countenance shows warm, af-
trustful nature. 1t is his strong home
that have kept Mr.. Barrett free from
many of the dangers into which members of his
profession frequently fall, and have caused him
o be so truly respected and esteemed in private
ife as upright, sterling, cultivated gentleman