Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-11-06
OLD RIPS BUMPS
chronological Description OF IN,
famous Actor, Joseph jefferson.

Cincinnati Commercial Gazette
True genius is always phenomenal,
but it may be either comprehensive,
broad and masculine, or partial, spec.
fic and feminine. The greatest char
scters move the werld by throwing
their weight against it; while the sec
on3 class, like Orpheus with his Tyre
by music and magic, sympathy and
subtilty, achieve in the end almost the
same results, The first are like scorch-
ing, torrid suns, and the second like
the quiet stars, subdued and serene.
Joseph Jefferson is remarkable, not
for masculine strength, bat for a
charming individual lily, uniqueness,
qaaintness, and a gentleness almost
wemanly. From English ancestors
on the paternal side, he inherlts a
predllec ion for the stage, and from
his French mother an equal love for
Pointing. He is q man of medium
weight, with head measuring twenty
two and quarter inches, which is
good size, but net large. However,
the temperament is favorable to the
highest order of activity. He has
dark blue eyes, fine silky bromn hair,
and rather small features, which in
dictate great sensitiveness of feeling
and vuickness of Judgement. He
strongly resembles his mother, and
possesses the feminine instincts and
intultIone in a marked degree. And
here lies the secret of his dramatic
power. He is the embodiment of
tenderness, and the whole character
of the man may almost be expressed
In the one word sympathy. He is so
EMOTIONAL AND RESPONSIVE
that with him to think is to feel and
to feel is to act, so that ne stands as an
Interpreter and mirror, rejecting ''the
face and form of natures perfect
self"
As in case of nearly all persons who
contribute anything to the world, Mr..
Jefferson's head is somewhat angular
more like bsechnut than an acorn
in shape-but, to his credit, it may be
said that his weak facilities are, for
the most part, of class that would
never be missed, For example, there
is decided narrowness just above the
ears In the reglen OF secrecy, severity,
and the sense of possession or acquls-
.,
top of his head, in reverence, is
amply compensated by his love of
good deeds Benevolence is very
strong, also irmness and conscien-
tiousness. But the impulse to protect
the young or helpless, and dependent
of any age, the fuculty of philopre-
gentiveness, located in the center of
the back of the head, is the domingnt
element in his social nature, and ex-
tends its influence even to his art, as
evinced by his fondness and singular
aptitude for the characters of
CALEB PLUMMER AND RIP VAN WRINKLE.
A lack of self-esteem, of English
pride, is also another popularity com
mon to Doth the actor and the hero of
the Catskills. In fact, Mr.. Jefferson
is quite as affable and unassuming in
private life as rip" himself, with the
addition. however, of being a scholar
ly gentleman. But his forehead is a
study. The lower part, the physico-
perceptive region, Is a wonderful de-
velopment. Tue eyebrows are high
and archer, indicating phenomenal
talent for facts, details, statistics, and
judgment of all the properties of
material things, such as shape, color,
dimensions, weight, etc. These are
the faculties which give him dexterity
ss painter. His memory of events
must also be remarkable The fore.
head is of the French type, triangu-
lar, broad at the base, exceedingly
wide in the temporal region at con
structiveness but sleplng latterally
from the center of the upper part,
hence he will be artistic, literary,
mechanical, scientific, and executive,
but not very theorical, metaphysical,
or abstract. Ideality is not large,
and he will not manifest much love
for beauty in the direction of imagln-
alton. As an artist, he will excel in
vividness of detail and warmth of
coloring. rather than in vague gem
arali:ies, and the key to his success as
an actor ia his naturall ess and sym
pathy, for he is not remarkable as a
mimic IN the ordinary sense.
In everything pertaining to hui
mainly, he is as sensitive as an
Holian harp, and, altogetnsE, he is
well worthy Of the fame he has at