The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-05-14
A sketch OF Charlotte Cushman.

The American Actor Series" now pub
fishing by Osgood K Co.. would OF course be
incomplete without some account of the Amer
lean impersonator of Lady Mdrbeth, Queen
hdtiidruie. and MPO Meryilies. But tho short
biography prepared by CLARA ERsKINE CLEMENT
adds nothing Of value to the exhaustive biog-
raphy by Miss Stebbins and omits much that is
helpful TO clear understanding of the artist
and the woman. 1t deals exclusively with the
dramatic side OF her career-whch Limitation
WAS perhaps. appropriate enough to the pur-
pose Of the series of which it forms part-but
even within this field the author has no origi-
nal criticism TO offer and has mainly filled her
volume with excerpts from newspaper
notices, most of which might without
entaling any loss upon the world have per-
ished with the occasions that called them forth
Here and there. however the author cites the
opinions of actors who played with Miss Cush-
man. and whose Judgment Of work done in
their own calling is interesting even when it
fails TO commend itself on abstract grounds
chapter also is devoted to some reIninis-
cences by Mr.. w. Il. W. Bail. which were worth
printing. From some curious idea of the pro-
prietics which should be- observed by biog-
raphcr, no definite Information is supplied To
US regarding the pecuniary gains which Miss
Cushman reaped from her profession. We
should add that the attempt to Justify Miss
Cushmans curious prediction for farewell
engagements. which. it will be remembered
ran over a period of some twenty years. is not
successful and judicious reticence on the sub
jcct would have been advisable.
1t Is well known that in Lady Macbeth the
American actress departed widely from Mrs
Siddons's idea Of the character and tho relative
correctness of the two conceptions has been
very much discussed. Mrs. Siddons was In the
habit OF wearing a blonde wig in the part and
Of making the prompter Of Duncans murder q
woman OF delicate beauty and the softest feml-
nine charm. Miss Cushman. on the other
hand. in her dolineation of the role appeared
so to speak, in her own proper person. which,
whatever it's distinctive advantages. had few
vcstiges Of what was fair feminine or fragile.
In her view. Lazy Macbeth had governed
her husband. who although physically
brave was inilrm of purpose. by the force
OF superior will. rudely and domineer-
ingly eXcrtcd. rather than masked by blandish-
ments, personal attractions. and subtle accom-
mediation 10 his weaknesses. In our opinion
Mrs. Siddons's conception had psychological
verismilitude. whereas Miss Cushman's hap
pened TO be true historically, though we doubt
whether she was aware Of the fact. According
to the laws Of mind, they are generally in
hrpreted % rough, virilo man, accustomed to a
life Of battle and foray, would be most easily
manipulated by methods and manners To which
he was perfect stranger. by woman whose
secret design and essential consistency of pur-
pose were disguised by n simulated artcssness.
deprecating attitude. and Il captivating air Of
respect sympathy, and dependence. 1t is
upon this theory OF elective afrinitios that all
Great poets have acted with the exception Of
those belonging to n single race and era, and.
curiously enough. the latter described the very
state OF things which Shakespeare. had he
been an antiquarian, must have contemplated
when he wrote Macbeth" Alone of song writ
crs, the authors Of the Morse Sagas reveal to us
an equality in the relations Of the sexes which
seems to have subsistod among tho leu
tonic races in primitive times. Now, the
LOwland Scotch represent to this day more
faithfully than any other inhabitants OF
Britain the physical and moral tyyc Of the An
glian invader They are the lincal descendants
o. those North Angles who founded the warlikr
Kingdom OF Bcrnicia, and in the ninth or tenth
centuries OF our era the manners which they
inherited from the parent stock could have
been hut slightly softencd. Surprising then
that Macbeth and his wife were real person
ages, We can best arrive nj an insight into the re-
.."""... Between them by examining the position
OF woman in such rcncNcs Of early German and
Gothic life IA ARE afforded by Wagners Ring
of the Nibelungen " and Morris's "SiGard the
Volsung." It follows that il, ms a matter of his
torical truth, the wife OF Macbeth would have
comported herself like Brunhille, Miss Cuah-
man was correct in conception which was
probably imposed upon her by the conscious
ness Of her physical limitations.
The opinions Of actors. which. as we have