New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-20

| cred and many pilgrim, hOnorlng tho "o.''''
genius and virtue, will pause beside II. win ioNo'
ence and solemn thought, as the years DRIFT away
Mr. richards book is replete with lhteres.ne
! facts and significant critical opinions. AS !. !.
| now nearly half n century since Mrs Duh re'hou
from the stage there cannot bc very many poi
| extant who remember her acting iho7o "i -
will assuredy reoce to see IL co'h'ho ~, "
| this way and at this distance OF tilne' iho9o ""V
do not must construct for themselves the uesV iuoai
| that their Imagination can form out Oh tio "'''
monv that Mr. Ireland's pious devotion mas neio
! collected Mrs. Daft seems to nave oeen io''i'
mora than beautiful; strong in the soft aiectiohale'
Ii harms of wonanhood rather than in the
| rosolpte comm anding brilliant intellect; person
! Gtted IN embodv the herOnes that entice ana en-
! thrall by their irresistible tenderness ana giace'
magical with the glamour of romance sacred III 'ho
majesty Of grief fascinating IN tears; ana never 90
| entirely triumphant when overwhelmed WIN
| misery The character of the parts IN Whicn snc
was best would certainly seem to point al ths con-
| clusion HermioRe-no Shakespeares Dut the
| heroine of "The Distrest Mother" taken from
Racinos" Audromaque was great success III her
hands. Jeaaie Dems, Cordeiid, Mrs. Halter ana
Mrs. Beyerey were all perfect works as empodieu
| by her The dying scene Of Tntlid was one OF her
| most tremendous and narrowing efforts. Her
! Iodg RoudaIph was thought the best since MIS-
Siddons Her madness in BelrideTd was perfection
| These indications all accord with the ideal oil
soulful woman radiant with the essential spirit Oh
! bar sex She moved like queen. The outline of
her head and face was classic. She had dark, brill
liant eyes and voice that swept from the clarion
call of frantic passion to the softest accents Oh
| maternal love- The play of her countenance was
| incessont and wonderful; and in purity and
smoothncss her elocuticn WAS perfect music. Sucn
glorious creatures are seldom TouchsaIed ~ earth.
| If is no wonder that they are worshipped. 1t Is
lomentabIe beyond words to think of the wretched
fate that usually attends their steps and darkens
| round the CHASTITY tragedy of their closing hours
| Mr. Ireland offers his tribute to the memory OF
/ Mrs. Duff in the well-chosen words that follow
If it be due to prominent merit, guided and
| gorfed by the highest hstronic genius tnat lts
| career should be held remembrance anC ltS lalnc
! perpetuated by record II ore permanent ana ac-
| cessible than the mere newspaper notices OIL inc
day then debt has long been owing to the memory
| of Mrs Duff which all the resources OF her present
! bograpner however faithfully applied, VIII he
! quite inadequate to discharge. Acknowledgment
without dispute for many years as inc nIst trdg'c
actress of STAGE. it is certain that she ad never
been cquallcd by any predecessor. ana very uount-
full if She has been surpassed, even by hacDeI OF
| n R;stor among those who have succeeded her.
| She WAS endowed by nature with every mental
| faculty and every physical requisite Tor pure
tragedy and in that distinct line ana in that me
only education and experience raised her IN inc
opinion OF the writer TO the highest rank ever at
| tanned on the stage OF America. She possessed Il
| nerson OF more than medium height, and of the
| most perfect symmetry,-not so commanding, per
haps as'thatof Mrs Siddons, but far more available.
in her matuTer years, for the youthful herolneS OF
| the drama and tar more graceful ana pleasing 10
| the eve than Miss Cushman ever possessed. her
| face called beautiful IN her girlh0oq, throughout
life was irradIatet by eyes of the darkest hue anu
! most speaking intelligence. The varying express
| sion of her features has never been surpassed
! while her voice was as soft anu musical, IN us
| nniet tones as I'VE are told was that OF Mrs.
Cibber-wild and plaintive in its CALCULATIONS Oh
distraction and despair yet resonant and thrilling
! fnHgn n II
| adapted to the sorrows of the rustic herOines OF
| domestic lfe-such as annette IN The Maid ana
| Maqnien or Ndig IN The lnnkeereTs Daughter =
i as we'll rs to the tOuchng and exquistely natural
madness of OpheiG, the stormy greet OF Constance,
the grander suffering OF Lazy HdcJeh, ana inc very
| tempest and whrlwnd of contending passion EN-
| bodied in her unrivalled HcrmiOae.
Pronounced by the elder Booth to be the best
| actress in the world rebuked by the elder kean
| for attracting from him his proper share of the
| nights applause; cOmpllmented by cooper anu
| Forrest ~ the most desirable cOadiutress with
| whom they had ever been associated; playing with
| the elder Conway, to be proclaimed his superior;
| honored by Horace Grecey's printed opinion that
| her Lady Macbeth has never since been equalled;
| of the I'uion-Mrs Duff possessed higher testl-
mOnals of ability than have ever been awarded ca, to
any other actress the American stage; ana these
have been reinforced by the testimony OF that
| glorious artist and thoroughly conptent JuGge,
| John Gilbert who at the present day, asserts that
| she was without exception, the most exquisite
| tragic actress he ever saw
| FxceDt as her professional duties required her
81 the outer world and III rural retirement sought
! eniovment congenal TO her taste. Her hours of
| leisure were cOnsecated to the care and lnstruc-
| ton of her numerous children, and her devotion to
them aud TO her husband was the constant theme OF
remark and admiration among her personal friends
| Her supremacy OF intellectual ability and
| wealth of personal endOwments, her clear concep-
tiOn of character and extraordinary executive
facility, were freely ana universally auinltteu 10
| be beyond all cCntempOraneouS competition. lier
exquisite Taste and classical correctness In costume
| also won unlimited admiration, and her dresses
| Wal
time models of elegance and propriety.
Many reasons have been ASSIGNED for the com
narrative neglect she experienced in her profession,
even while she was acknowledged and proclaimed
by all American critics to be the fist ACTRESS of her
| I'm Boston and Philadelphia she had become
| familiar to the audiences long before she became
highly distinguished, and the general public OF
both cities had "A stronger craving Tor novelty tnan
| for excellence. IL NewYOrk. although the desire
for novelty was equally strong, dramatic aspirants
in her day must bear the stamp Of foreign approval
ere lev could be cordially welcomed to its boards
| and it must Ue remembered that the theatre-golng
| nonulalion then did not amount to much than
| One-eighth of its present number. 1t may also be
suspected that her art was almost TOO perfect TO be
| pleasing to persons OF quick senSlDlIlty' arucnt
| sympathy and tender feelings, and that the anguish
| she so closely simulated was by many found too
painful to be endured. They eXtOlled unapproach
able but avoided seeing what they really shuddered
A lady of Boston, widow of distinguished Hticrd-
! tsr writes that she was always impressed WIN the
idea that Mrs Duh must have endured great
sorrows IN her private life, or she never could have
| been SO great in her sphere, and that she was
| PERFECT III every tragic character she undertook.
| Mrs Dun unfortunately was not "a business
! woman. She knew not how to turn circumstances
| 20 her own advantage, but allowed herself 10 be
| governed and controlled by them Nor did she
TractIse those little polite arts frequently found
| of service in advancing ones pecuniaIy interest.
She did not 10 be aware OF the professional I'M
| portauce OF influential personal friends Unambl-
| tIous of social distinction, she never courtcd the
| acnuaintance of the wealthy and fashionable
| whose patronage would have been the sure means
| OF attracting numerous ready followers. She relied
| solely on her own wonderful professional powers
the means of pecuniary She Is said not to
| have appreciated her own value, and by accepting