The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-23

handsome presence round which poetic per
fume hangs his brilliant eye his sad and
thoughtful mir his graceful carriage and
gracious mnu. seems to us to realize more
than any Of the HdmlC,S Of our time or perhaps
even except Devrent OF the past. many mems.
aud especially womcn's. fancy Hdmlet.
His RicAel.ea. his second revival, was fine
perforrilncc. marked b. splendid but 49,
ural bids for applause When. for instance.
deserted By all his mlniona. he invoses the ter
riblc power OF the Church. Mr.. Booth forgrts
that Rcl,elie1, whose temper was ever sonchod
by that unrtlin2 grace 81 manner which was
the most seductive attribute Of his order.
would never have 40 far forgotten his dignity
as Ia break into such ~ mad fit of rnnting Jury
STILL "a II piec, Of Stage conilrinS, II is cfIuc-
tive and brings down the house
His ShyiocE. his third revival. was very
feeble performance Those who have seen
Koan. DIV I'll with the most soitsned and de-
lighted memory on the strange and beautiful
sadness with which he stopped and said in the
midst of his passion. Leah gave it me when
| was "a bachelor a. tho recollection 81 his
young love came to him. Mr. Booth was told
Of tho eject but could never approach it.
There Is no tenderness in his nnturc.
Mr.. Booths first two acts OF OHHUo arc fine.
As he entrrs thcrc hangs. around him much OF
the yoluptuols ease and grace Of motion which
God gives TO the Moor ~ compensate for tho
sears Of the sun. Oheio Is a child of the desert,
When. in the third act. the blood PUSHES TO the
heart and sentiment leaps into passion and
the man Is all On fire. and rs though struck 10y
an c!nctr,csaock. the frame shakes and quivcrs.
Mr. B)Jth has not the power to struggle with
tic sea II passion which swells and RACES round
0Ie'io's wild nature. Ia3o Is his best Part. Mr..
al nf,tN
tenderness. or rage. His InJO is cold and shin
ing as Z Damascus blade. His area of excel
lenec is ciccumscribcd While Fechtor. Les
ter Wallaok and Boucicdult have created
many new parts while Forrest created JACK
Cads. Spa tdcuS, and MetdH0rd: while Lawrence
Barrett has created two or three. and John
Mccullough has shown the spirit tn create
many Mr.. Booth has not oyen attempted one.
The three years of Mr.. Booths connection
with the Winter Garden were full of striking
events. The theatre had given two very prof
liable benefits in aid of the erection of the
Shakespeare statue. in one OF which. " Romeo
and Juliet" the late Edwin james figured rs
Fri1r Laurence Mr.. Booth proposed to give a
third. Of Julius Cesar" in which his two
brothers should appear with him. Al first John
Wilkes declined. objecting. as he said. to be
used for his brothers selfish ACKNOWLEDGEMENT;
OF Mare Aatnnv, the eldest brother. Junius.
choosing that OF Cassius. which his father
played, and Br,pas falling to Edwin Booth.
The benefit was given. Tho usual price Of adj
mission WAS doubled. Tho house was densely
crowded. The mother of the Gracchi was in n
private box. and might we'll have exclaimed
with the pride of the Roman metron. These are
my jewels" In the performance Edwin Booth
shone out with brilliant light at the side of his
brothers. John Wilkes played with great ply
steal energy. and drew much applause but he
had no conception Of the mental characteristics
OF the parts.
A few months uftcrwnrd and tho assassina-
ton Of Lincoln horrh!ed the nation. Mr..
Booth retired for several months from the
stage but roarpeared early in 1866. and since
then has been pretty regularly before the pub
lie. In 1858 was erected by the AID Oi Mr. Rob-
ertson, Boston capitalist. that beautiful
theatre. Twcnty-third street and Sixth
avenue. which was opened ON the Sd
Of February. 1863. and which will be closed
forever TO its present uses ut the coming May.
The opening piece was Romeo and Ju-
let" 1t WIS sp!endidly placed on the stage
but 1t was. like the revivas which follow
ed, q failure. Mr.. Booth 4, incapable Of cx-
pressing the passion Of love. in which Fechter
was so powerful! and beautiful. His attempt
one night TO play claude M'noHe WAS one Of the
most amusing exhibitions the stage has seem
The theatre w,ra wrrtchcdy managed. and he
was glad TO abandon what he af,srwrrd charac-
teri.'ed rs "QuiYotlc fancy"
Since his rctircncnt from Booths he has
played through the country with great success s.
and in this city with varying fortunes. His on
Ea-cmrnts ut the Fourteenth Street and Fifth
Avenue theatres were failures. That ut his
own was a gral' 5ucrcbS Last seas On h Vi .iird
England for the second time and found a diff
fcrrn; fat from the first He achieved victory
al tho rriu esscs which became more decided
whom he played with Irving at The byccum, TO
which lie returns this spring. At the same time
such London critics as Clement SOFT and
Dutton Cook class Mr. Bootl.'s as Il cnnvcn-
tiOnal actors triumph adorned with In, ILL.,
goncr bat unonlightcned witt inspiration.
Shortly after his frat wiie'~ death Mr. Booth
became nrsrls"d to \ young lady OF groat pcr-
sonsl attractions aud largo fortune in Phila-
dc'plil, and Oh time was fixed fer their mar
riHEo BIT whom the misfortune of his broth
or : crime came 10 HIN in the hour when true
w"rnuu's love would have chung tho closer. she
broke or was prevailed on To break hor lea!ty
Later on h, married Miss MvNiakcr who has
recently ji"i. very brilliant ard accom-
plish 4 girl. who will be rem y-nl red as having
played J'',t lis Romeo Will grace and sweet
ness They We're separated before her death.
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