New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-06

citing and affecting by series Of vivid situation.
each stronger than its predecessor. fine point y
its superiority, moreover, resides in the skill wit,
! which it wells the ruinous msdeed of Its heroita
and directs the attention Of tho spectator raths
upon the consequences of sin than upon the evil
and reprehensbe misconduct which has made puu.
| iShment inevitable, salutary and just
The dramatst. in short, comes at once TO Hecub.
aud presents the image of o miserable repenta,s
woman, who. having fed from husband
children, aud home. is urged, through Goa.
triton aud strong maternal instinct, n
return thither IN disguise, and accent
position of servtudc. where she had filed In.
throne of sovereignty. Tho first two acts are Dc.
.oted to a statement OF the relations Of the per,or
implicated in this plot. The last three acts exhibi,
| the experiences of this unfortunate and wretchoa
woman, when thus established in the household q,
the man whom she has wronged, and who suIpOa.
! ing her to be dead, has taken a second wife.
1t would be difficult to devise conditions Of exist
euce more agonizing and hopeless than these which
are thus indicated. An added element of power
and pathos is gained BY making the husband coz.
INFANT of the real identity OF the Mss Mutton whom
he has engaged as gOverness for their children
Tie third and fourth acts of this piece, 10 fart b
amount to perfect vivisecton OF the human heart
Trial after trial. blow after blow, agony ever chang
ing, growing and deepening-this is the burden OF
the action. A desperate avowal of the truth ensuss
and an affecting death ends this fruitess endeayor
to atone for wrong and to rebuild the shattered fall
ric of innocence and happiness.
The use Of such subject-so dark, so hopeless
IN the purpose Of play may we'll be questioned.
There ought to be made evident some purpose Of
more than common good to justify the effect that
follows upon such an accumulation Of miseres. The
g ~ .Iot.A. 10 ufrEr
scarcely requires such narrowing enforcement az
this. Those persons, however, who need terrible
warning will find it here. No voice from any pulpit
ever smoke with such an effect of piteous grief and
overwhelming convictions as are seen to flow from
this drama.
The acting of Clara Morris in the character Of the
rcpentant wife and heartbrOkcn mother cannot
readily be described. II presents the spectacle Of a
human being apparently absorbed aud eDthralled
with agony. The individuality of the actress seems
entirely swallowed up in the identity which her
Notwithstanding through the heart-has MAIDS
real Ii is kind of acting which has apparent
laws and is to be tried by no standard. The wO-
man feels the grief which she is undertaking 10
convey and she seems to allow her expression q
II to follow the current Of her feeling, without tbs
least heed to form. or method of utterance. Hay-
ing seen her several times III this character, how
ever the auditor discovers that in fact she follows
the same general liue of action upon all occasions
which means that, the exciting cause being the
same her nature will utter itself in the same gen.
era manner. Il seems evident, though that neither
intellect nor artistic purpose has much TO do with
the result. The mechanism, IN fac, IS almost cha
otto COntOrtions Of the body. cOnvulsons of the
face disproportonate attitudes eXtravagant ges-
lures spasmOdic starts and changes and lndeScrib-
able wild means and cries are all cOmmngled in
this wonderful embodiment with moments OF sweet
dignity lovely tenderness. exalted iOrtitudc and
cXaulsitciy simple expr sSiOn of simple emo
ton which i, very beautiful. Over the whole eff
fort tIere is the awlessness of genius winch is
"A aw t,t,elf; and the effect OF tnc effort IS that
of absolute nature.
There are actors who feel and there are actors
who do not feel. and shave the sam, results
Of realism produced by both. Miss Morris Is of the
former class. There is great vein of rich huMor
in her nature and this forms its llef bnt there
seems to be little capacity of that intellectual
isolotion of herself from herself which would enable
her at all times to moduate the expression OF feel
ing with tho absolute propriety and refinement
which, without lmplring it. power, m1intains Its
unhrocn beauty. This, though Is the only quart
iraton that the Sternrs taste cond suggest OF tue
,yholr-hrarted admiration her performance Of Mia
II
phases of this expruence-the remOrse that is felt
h1 tine sinner and the torture that she suffers IN
Twin, fal>. life under the very eyes of moral re
eru.nont aLd ind gnant jus -iceis beyond all praise
Tor It's perfect truth. TIE cnrbing Of Gnef
and OF passion 10 tho graf scenes OF irIa
is arcompii>hed with most aflciing tragic power
The EXPIRES ION of the strong will Is intense ana
noble. The p0rtrli;ure of the peevlshucsS OF SICK
ness the half inlbrc ie tone of the wandering mnd
AID ali the pres iging dcaotementS of mortal DISCO
luton is wonderful in fidelity. This performance
may be bat OF dub.us utility for what it leaves OF
eauty IA the Observers mint; but as fix OF tne
individuality Of geniu4. a theatrical achievement.
aud as q moral ssOn it i, aetning altogether ex
traorIlnary, and not to he forgotten.
The symmcry aud adequacy of the general repro
sontation of Mss Mutton contribute to the brill
ani effect of this performance. Mr.. Parsrlles en-
boAiment of the simple guilelcss Old French tutor
with his BACKGROUND of experience, his great. ten
der heart, and his odd little half-senile ways-Is
delicious piece of work. The drol eccentricity OK
Mr.. J. II. Stoddart, OVERLAPPING lOv0ble tenpera
ment and expressed with fine dellcacy, whether
IN reposa or action, sheds gentle light of hhmor
upon very sad subject, and lends to the darkness
of the piece u much-needcd relief. The beauty OF
Miss Eleanor Carey aad her simple expression OF
bride in ner happiness as the triumphant wife make
A fine foil to the wasted, fOriorn state aud cruel
natbos of Miss Multors experience The character
of DtlatOuy the husband. is acted with sweet
dignity and finely sad tone of repressed passion
by MIR F. DE BellevIle. The little children, too are
interesting clever aud we-trained Altogether
this is one of tho best performances that nave been
gwen in the Union Square Theatre; anu Therefore
one of the best now &c, cSSlOle upon the stage.
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