New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-09

MR.. JEFFERsOYs NEW BILL.

human heart can feel In these two characters he
touches, In his own true and delicate manner. the
hidden springs of tears and laughter. The choice OF
these contrasted types for simultaneous reyi-
val has proved exceedingly fortunate. There
are. indeed, resources in the comedians nature
upon which neither Of them makes any de-
mand. His deep sympathy with whatever is
wild, weird, romantic and picturesque remains
untouched by these characters. His sense Of
spiritual sublimity is not awakened. HIS magma
ton rests Yet it would be difficult If not In. pos
sbe to select two parts more commodious moro
apt for the exhibition of his humanity and bis
humor
In Caleb Plnmmer, an infrm old man, oppressed
with poverty but sustained by bis own inherent
angelic patience and goodness. the attribute to be
exempfed is the possible unselfshness of human
nature under serlO-comic conditions. In Mr.
Goliqhtly-which the comedian makes gem OF
comedy in setting of faree-the spirit is that OF
joyous animal mIrthfulness shining through
comic perplexity Mr. Jeferson's acting has
always been remarkable for precisely tns
qualities that here indicated-for tho
tenderness of heart which 10 man can express who
does not possess it, and for the spontaneous droll-
cry the condition of being an amusing person,
which comes by nature and which never can bs
taught His invcstiture with the Municipalities
ne mas now reaSsuIneu was, Accordingly WopoiV
of easinessD He can attain and often has attained
to lofter poetic height than Is reached In these
works. His GROWING excellence as a comedian IS.
that he can sustain himself IN tho realm Of tho
ideal-that he does not stop short at being o
Photographic copyist OF the eccentric the rustic,
the ludicrous, and the grOtesqne in human lie.
His scene with the ghosts, In Kip Van Winkie,'
his night-talk in the empty school-house OF 'Ihe
Parish Clerk" his letter-scene with Mary Meredith.
in " Our American Cousin" each in different way
exempifes the power of the actor. when feeding
the heart from the fountain Of the imagination, to
sublimate human feeling and to create and per.
sonfy splendid ideal. The level upon which,
however, he more habtually treads is that OF our
common humanity. in its laughabIe. nournful al
mixture of weakness, suffering, patience amiabil-
ity. dependency, hope, and endeayor.
Simple, tender, pensiye, bright, and droll, the
comedian takes on, with perfect readiness. the
guise of nature kindred with his own. And, after
ALL nothing is more clearly proved by all that is
known of actors than the truth that ali actor makes
his most palpable and substantial success IN
character that duplicates his own es'
sential Individuality He may display ma
chanical versatility in hundred types.
but into this type he VIII pour the golden lfe-blood
Of bis spirit. Mr. Jeferson's achievements OF tho
imagination have never been appreciated as such,
except by a few persons. Hia ZIP VdR Ulnkte, IN
most observers. is young man merrly tipsy and
ali old man wretchedly desolate and 1t makes them
laugh and cry-and there is end of the matter.
They do not consider that poor Rip, WHEN confront
ing the beings of another world-the gbOstly spec
tres that encircle him on the lonely mountain top
and in the depth and mystery of the nights in
position analogous to that which. in Hamlet Is
awful beyond expression. They are aware. indeed,
that the illusion is sustained: but they take no
thought of the profound exalted tremulous. poetic
sensibility which sustains it. Mr. Jefersons
achievements of the heart much more obvious.
and these and his humor have always been UNDER
stood. In this way, doubtless, he Is content to
be taken by the public. and in this way. we have
no manner of doubt his memory will live in tho
years to come. Many of his warmest admirers long
ago regarded his Caleb Plammer the best of MS
works. Our own method of arriving at the full
stature of an actor would be to deduce it, not from
ono of his works. but from all of them. This per-
Torrance meanwhile is surely wonderful exem>
plicatOn of dramatic at in the of simple ten len
ness of human feeling.
Mr.. Jefferson acted, last night with truly pas
sionate sincerity, and showed in a very remarkable
and splendid manner what resources and what q
felicity of art are at his command. 1t would be do
ing tie comedian grave injustice to imply that his
Caleb Plumer is mere gush of personal emotion or
that no dependent his situation for the effect
that he produced Caleb Plummer, III him-
self, is much pathetic person
to think about than to You cannot
read the story of him without crying. But the mos
nent you make him a visible identity you run the
risk of absurdty of tediousness in your result.
You must make his personality amusing, and you
must make his self>sacriice beautiful. The audience
must he made to laugh at hm.-and to love him
they laugh Mr.. Jeherson's absolute sincerity
was not more obvious than his consummate skill.
He lived in the character He never for a moment
lapSed out of the feeling of 1t. He kept, with
lures precision, the wofu face and the forlorn,
bllghted fgure,-a being sequent Oh years OF
penury. lie sustained, in vein Of lndescribabe
pathos the artificial, jocuar manner 1t easy
to see that the whole of this nature and experience
was developed by him from within--that IN the
infrmity and the grief of this heroic old man it
was the heart that trembed, and not merely the
fingers. Aud yet back of all this spontaneousness
of Identification, the actor must have held
his mind and will ia complete vigilance.
repose and command. There was not
false tone. a wrong gesture an excess any other
flaw of form III the work, and it held its audience
spell-bound to the close. A tragedan may some-
times reach this effect with his subject; comedian
never reaches it except with his soul.
An account of the story of 1.-THE Cricket on the
Hearth" will scarcely be expected in this place.
Mr. Jefferson has made neat little theatrical ver-
sion of it, in three Using the text of Dickens
and braidng deity together the affairs of Dot aud
John Pe,7ybinJle, Caleb PlmmT and bliud Bertha,
the returned sallor-boy. old graf Tackle
ton and lilly Slo,cboy. In the second
act occurs the pious deception If
Bertha and the poor old man makes merry, with his
quavcrng soug-an effect produced with sweet and
Touching quantnrss by Mr.. Jefferson In the third
act The cigbteous decet OF Catch is coniessed-wth
"a pahOs that even surpa the recognition scene
Of" Rip Van WInkle" long peerless among scenes
OF domestic tenderness unoD the modern stage.
Conelia Jefferson made hit IN 1Uly Sl0lcbOy-pre-
sentng. without undue extravaganza and wit houG
marrng the situations OF the piece las Mr.,
Wood often didl, image of amiable nelples, neSs