Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-09

Nor can It be said that his way was more beset
with dln1culy than that of many man who, in
the hard encounter with the obduracy OF his lot,
has known how to throw into the doubtful scale
against the odds OF fate the sword OF persistent
Will Payne had all that was needful to start him
fairly-frst and foremost, q boys best blessing,
tuous manners; home, we may well believe, i'm
bued with the "plain living and high thinking"
OF that early day; Outside Of his home he was a
cociously fond OF the stage. Partly, It may be,
rp Wss th hs ongns desk IN
friends Of the bright boy, won by bis charms,
resolve that he shall have the advantage OF a col
has loved him. And now We have the
o old story Of natural parts and aptitude
i nn is .. Of restraint and admonltlon,
pe Wns dst fe5
corners of his fathers house blew him the aues .
tlonable good OF reluctant permission to pursue
side, the busy and the beaten track, a life OF
labor possibly obscure, at all events monotonous;
and On the other life OF pleasing activity and
variety before which spread itself the applause OF
multitudes, perchance the smile of fortune on her
favorlte. The muse Of his fancy was the muse of
satisfaction was to become his serious life. He
entered what was for him a garden OF enchant-
ment The plaudit OF friends from the gallery to
the ground was there to welcome him.
1 am told that Mr. Jos. Jefferson, than whom no
one Is more competent to speak, says that the
best thing which can befall a man. who has the
making OF an actor in him, Is to fail at the out
set 1t seems to me saying worthy OF accepta-
ton on more stages than one. For man Is thus
brought face to face with his own deficiency
which fronts him and will front him till it sub
dues him or is subdued. In a word man is thus
forced to front reality. which surely should be
" hol Tor fc Outn 40
the imitation OF reality. Many a man has been
stung to the victory which favor never could
for Payne If. at this time, adversely had been
stirred more freely in his cup and from its dregs
the primer OF greatness in every school. he had
wise. Life betrayed him with its kiss.
Let US not underrate, then, as possibly Payne
did, the career which he now set before HIM
dowment- AS 1t was said OF Leibutz, that he
drove all the sciences abreast so 1t may be said of
the stage, that all the arts are tributary to it. To
shall be the successful mmcry OF the great and
universal theater; to picture these in miniature
ias and he's ana passions Of mans life his
wealth of tone and color, by the illusions OF sense
and sound, the poets the painters, the musicians
ture, to throw upon the stage form which shall
be the glass OF life voice which shall be its echo;
sas o Of a6 body wide to figure fay
widest, and the widest has labored in it
The greatest word ever spoken in English
literature foated swan.ltke from the boards or the
Globe Theater. To be the poet of representation
Is not small art, but a great one. 1t Is the art
by which the word OF genius is made flesh. With
upon his side. the chasm OF the social circle, the
prodigy OF the Intellectual, with an engaging
manner and person, bell-ike voice, good ear,
sailed forth to- sway the scepter of the stage
Fondled by the fond, many from Boston to
Charleston In his native land his hatve land grew
WI rb ofp
The ampler theater OF the English stage, he might
snatch nobler laurel. He arrived in time to wit
1t seems to me. with a wiser discriminate saw In
America, rather than in Europe, the f1eld for
rising genius He was present the first night of the
return OF Mrs SiddOnS TO the stage and beheld the
majesty OF those powers which. even in the dry
tree, We're challenged solely by the glorious bios
ton Irving obtained swift access to the first lite.
rary and dramatic circles. With no undue diff
dence he flung himself against Kean and Kemble,
each "a stately hieroglyphic OF humanity" He
achieved laudation. the promise OF distinction,
not distinction itself, and not success. Other
things In this uny1eld1ng world go to the make I'D
OF success besides the most sweet voices and the
most applauding psalms Payne never did COM
mand, but had always to concltate his theater.
ALI credit should be given him, however, for the
celebrity and CHEEKY heart with which he now bent
himself to that series OF TRANSACTIONS, adaptations
compositions dramatic. operate, tragedy, comedy
and farce, numbering some forty ne In ALL w hch
consumed the best years OF his life.
1t is always pathetic spectacle, the conflict OF
taste, talent and sensiDity the striving and pur-
suing OF the beating heart and proul honor OF in
genuous youth with the iron world OF business;
the encounter OF the porcelain with the earthen
vase In that flood OF destinies which we cali
human life. 1t Is so hard Tor the endowed and ad-
mired one to realize that over against him Is the
Jealous eye which is ever turned on insecure and
unestabltshed strength; that his house, like the
temple at Jerusalem, must be bulded With the
troWel IN one hand and the sword in the other:
that his various gifts and graccs are scanned as
coidy as ever slave upon the block by the spirit of
trade, which stands there not for sentiment, but
these years OF disappointment, deception and I'M
deception is to me the flutter OF the bird against
Its bars, trying them all in turn, and all in vain
Thus 1t came to pass that middle life stole upon
him, and found him not unfriended, indeed, but
undemanded and unavatling. In all that made
HE beautiful and noble to him failure was his
familiar voice. He was one who had crossed
swords with the world and had not overcome. The