New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
THE DRAMA--MUSIC.
Erwin BOOTH.

IL vvas the pleasure OF great mulutuoe, iast
~ the star Theatre, TO see Edwin Booth IN inc
ssreer Of Rehesa, and TO greet him with an earnest
Sho,e.hearted welcome, worthy Of this great city,
- mo,thv Of the actor-foremost among Americans
has for 80 many years been the champion and repre-
OF all that and brightest In the spirit ana
flamenco Of tragic stage. Mr. Booth had not ac'oo
hare before for eighteen months ana his reehUahoo'
tberefore was invested with the freshness OF arscso
.oye,ty To the people of New-York his return IL lne
arrival Of an old friend. In whose wanderngs 'hoy a
and whose face they are always gaa 10
ace This was the meaning OF the paudits which, upon
his appearance as Reheea Durs forth, In glad VocHcI
tion az ain again. and were long In continuance ~
slow TO die awav In this was the puonc YOU
#. oerasion-that 1t ratified old Hiehuon,P
between this community and an actor VINO mas g., 80, % w
hest years and his best powers its service ana "hoSe
harpy fortune IL has been whether abroau OF d. hoo'
always TO do honor to the American name' I'm" u ~ p
forinance of Richsiieu there Is nothing uhiaH 'n
local audience He has acted the part mere nun'u 0
tirnea and the royal and splendid efeets haI nc
with Il are known and remembered ana apPieViaeu" y!
on hait,aI His work, In this instance Is not
oue for minute description and surely is ho' '' IN
himself last night the prime ana causins w
the public enthusiasm, aud therefore it the personal
even more than the artistic aspect OF the subject wc Is
now uppe1nost In the public thought Edwin Booth had
great reception NcwYors, because New-forK KNOWS
md values him for great man.
The artistic the personal aspects OF Mr. Booths
. acting, however. are closely interwoven' ana IL
1. scarcely possible TO consider them apart lie
Is an artist, indeed, who range torousn
inward OF the chief characters In dramatic
I,tnrature-touching Rae at one Of the chain
and Sir GILES OerreaeA at other He is the only actor
of this age who has greatly succeeded In both Adco ana
King Lear. The capacity of assuming and sustaining
diversified and coutrased identities Is one accordingly
which could denied to him by even the most ek
acting and Judgment Yet the distinctive quany
that stanps umnes his acting the personal one
f poetic Individuality He sets before us the crcanon
OF genius Ia literature; but In every instance ne sHseS
them with his personal charm. This Is pecuhar!
the case with his assumption of Rteheep because tne
par combues mauy OF the clements that are mtpso
IN the man; and above ALL because there Is now between
tho two such a deep and such an exact correlation OF
tenperameut Taking Rihiet Hamlet and LeT together
Che observer has, probably complete exempncatOh OF
Mr. Booth and OF his style and method He Is not
natural" actor the that he acts "a persons do
in common LIE; but he is "natural' actor IN mueh
higher sensebecause he produces the effects o nature
hy artificial means the legitimate exaggeIatons OF art
while always sustaining himself In an ideal region He Is
possessed superb abundance of those means
of 20 erul eyes the mobile lace the mex
e voice. the intense concentration OF eloquent
repose force and grace of electrical movement
which render acting only process OF the intellect
and tne feelings actual and adequate physical ex
preston OF what going In the human SOUL Given
the great uation-as i the fourth act OF "Rcheheu
Ort tle
explosive aud deracinstny frenzy in which Ler finally
breaks away from his inhuman children-and thls
actor fills It, as well for the eye and ear
as Tor the imagination and the mind This is to exert
poetic siiratOn while controlling and directing with
distinct mental purpose and answering skill all the per
sona impulses and auncts that constitute ths
machinery OF dramatic art Ana tns Is Whst mas haue
Edwin Booth great actor.
II We say but little Mr.. Booths specific performance
OF Riceu neither the public nor the actor
stands III need many words on tnis subject and be-
cause this journal many times before tyersed the
same ground MI the originator Of the stage
treatmenttbe general scheme ana dIlit oi arus.e ,us
talion-which this character now receives Wherever Is
either Macready or Forrest act IT, who were rrst
representatives the III England ana eoher IN Amer
lea and his ustriOus fathers attempt III II was failure
he Dut up to ysical structure, out 0i s own lh
aeination inveslingit with sublime monrniuiness oi
the light OF gr1m hunor and AN o14asiie, oid
SS SSt eSIp Of &a ss long been unique ae
play essentially theatrical; but TINS work OF Ms IN
trutn IL did 80 again last night ana called
before the curtain after every ac,thrteen times III tne
has been seen m any aew-loiK theatre for many
month. 1he tumulf OF applause aniiust the
siost Stopped the performance. Here, and indeed all
the way through tendency was percePnbe, In Mr;
BOolas acting deepen the tone ol simplicity, ~ discard
all aud all OF even tue JustlhaDle la dlIcai sur
pnses. 1t was round smooth narnonions lneho anu
Gradually cumulative representation, and worthy OI iho
pe powers OF Americas chief ragediAn ana ieicSeh'"
tive actor. ..
The mi sceaneo.s cast OF parts is given below, and II
cannot be extoed Mr. PiymptOn admirable Ia MS
elocution, less IN Ills action, and very
queer in his boots. Mr. ID. q. Anderson Is.
of course, good joseph. But Juie proved too much
for siios Afie Weaver, and BaIadds completely
noored Mr.. Frederick Book. IrdncOs however,
t.Diy well DONE by Albert koDerls, ana promising INST
appearance made 10y Miss Moran Bartlett lDls JOuns
Lady a good stage presence ana unusuaily gOOd
vOlceiupeded, yet, by awKwardness and Dy Lscx T
vocal training but tue indications are strongly IN her
favor Intelligence sen1Dihty and taste are col fanny
her merits. owen fawcett was agreeaOy droL, as ever
in All