Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-14
The Younger snd the Elder Booth.


From an early age Edwin Booth was asso.
c1ated with his father In all the wanderlngs
and strange and often sad adventures of that
wayward man of genius and no doubt the
many sorrowful experiences OF his youth deep.
ened the gloom of his inhe fitted temperament
has great tenderness OF heart, and abundant
playful humor: that his mind is one of extra
ordinary n7eliness, and that he sympathiZe3
keenly and cordially with the joys aud sor
saturated With sadness, Isolated from COM
partnership, lonely, and alone. 1t Is this tenn
permanent, combined with sombre and mel
aLchOly aspect OF countenarce. that has helped
to make him so admirable in the character OF
Hamlet. OF his fitness for that part his rather
was the FIRST to speak, when on q ntga5 many
years ago, u Sacramento, they had dressed
for ST. Pierre and Jaftier, In Venice Prese,red.
Edwin, as Jaff1er, had put On close fitting
robe OF black velvet. you look like Henlet,"
the father said; 'why don't you play is?'' The
time was destined to come when S1W!n Booth
would be accepted all over America as the
greatest Hamlet OF the century. IN the season
OF 1s64-G5, at the Winter Garden Theatre.
New York, he acted that part for a hundred
nights In succession, accomplishing thus a
feat unprecedented in theatrical annals. Since
that time Henry Irving. In London, has acted
season; but this latter achievement. in the
present day and In the capital city of the
world, seems less remarkable than Edwin
Booths exploit was, performed in turbulent
q
civil war.
TIE elder Booth was short, spare, muscular
map. with splendid chest. symmetrical
wonderful compass and thrilling power, dark
hair, ard blue eyes. Edwin's resemblance to
him is CHIEFLY Obvious IN the shape OF the head
and face, the arch and twist OF the heavy eye
broWs, the radiant and constantly shifting
light OF expression which anlmates the counte-
nance, the natural grace OF carriage, and the
ceierfty OF movement. Edwin's eyes are dark
nd IN f1vrn hi AZ in ,,R
excitement, and they are capable OF convey
ing, with electrical effect. the most diverse
meanings-the solemnity OF lofty thought, the
lorn sorrow, the awful sense OF spiritual sur
roundings, the woful WEAKNESS Of despair, the
mockiDg glce of wicked sarcasm, the vtndictive
menace menace OF sinister purpose and the
range Of facial expressiveness his counte-
nance is thus fully equal to what his fathers
was, and to all that tradition tells US of the
saw the elder Booth but once, and that In q
comparatively inferior part-Pescara. in Shieps
ferocious tragedy OF The Apostdte. BE was
terrible presence. He was the incarnation OF
smooth, specious, malignant, hellisn rapaclty.
His eXultant malice seemed to buoy him above
the ground. He foated rather than walked.
His glance was deadly. BIS clear, high, cut
OF hideous cruelty. He was acting f1snd
then, and making the monster not only posi-
BILE, but actual. He certainly gave greater
lLuPItSslon oI overwhelming power IMAM Is
given by Edwin Booth, and seemed mere
formidable and tremendous man. But his
face was not more brilliant than that OF his
renowned son; and in fact 1t was, II anything,
somewhat less splendid In power )f the eye.
There Is useful book about him, called The
7ragediar, written by Thomas r. Gould, who
also made noble bust of him In marble, and
those who never saw him can obtain q very
good idea OF what sort OF an actor he was by
reading that book. 1t conveys the image OF q
greater actor. but not more brilliant one.
than Edwin Booth. Only one man of our time
has eQualled Edwin Booth in this singular
great New England orator Rufus Choate. Had
Chcate been an actor upon the stage-as he
was before 1ury-w1th those terrible eyes of
bis, and that passionate Arab face. he must
have lowered fully to the height OF the tradl-
ton Of George Frederick CoOke.-Wultanl Win.
Ter IN Harpe5'S Magazine for Tune.