The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-03-11

ually there is = visible wire or a squeaking
wheel or a glimpse of coatless supe to spoil the
effect, and when Irving put on a play dealings so
entirely with the supernatural he challenged
failure. But he is an invncbe general and his
victory over the refractory forces of theatrical
nature is absolute. Before coming to the
great scene on the Brocken want to write of
one or two incidents in the preceding acts.
Mephisto's first appearance in Faust's study is
very quietly accomplished. A cloud of vapor
obscureS part of the room and suddenly you
the Fiend standing there, his smooth color
less face illumined with faint BLUSH light,
and his eyes by some marvellous process of
''making up" seem wide open and vet appar-
emily they have no eye-balla most ghastlv
and horrible countenance and wicked humor-
Gus sneer curling on the lip. When he shows
Faust what may be his future enjoyment, the
back wall of the study mes away and a
multitude Of lovely female forms float by fad
ing again into darkness. In the Nuremberg
market place the Fend draws Wine for group
of rcvelers, and when by chance one of them
spills a portion of his cups contents on the
ground, column of flame shoots into the air
from the spot on which the liquor falls. Of it
had been American whskey the result would
not have been so surprisingly During the duel
between Faust and Valentine where Mephisto
interfereS with Internal aid for the formers
victory, every time his sword touches either of
the other steelS spark of dazzling blue fire
leaps out. But the Witches Sabbath on the
-
home and dream of ghosts. Try and imagine
the top of a mountain all huge rocks, with here
and there dead tree, where suddenly appear
Faust and the Prince of Darkness, at whose
approach tlocks of huge birds flap their black
wings and fly away. Then one by one come in
sight myriad of ghosts and goblns rising up
out of the rocks, whose bodies look like wreaths
of smoke, waving their arms and uttcring
uncanny cries, the number increasing every
moment until the immense stage is crowded
and ones blood chills at the uncarthy sight.
The tiendish noises become at last almost un-
bearablc, when at Il command from their ruler
they disappear as though a gust of wind had
blown them away. 1t is simply dreadful in
idea but marvellous in execution. The wild
cries of the CHASTITY fitting spcctrcS, the waving
arms and apparently substanceleSS bodies form
picture one does not forget. OF another sort
is the apotheosi> of Margaret in prison. As
she falls at the bottom of the stone cross in
death, the wall Of the dungeon seems slowly to
dissolve and there. extending on and up far ont
of sight, is a broad ray of intense white light
crowded with a host of white winged angels.
and angels that fulfill ones ideas of such beings
too. Beautiful, shining faces and snowy wings
and robes, such aS Jacob might have seen in
his dream in the desert. As | have said it is
impossible to describe these things and | can
only assure YOU that one cannot conceive what
the play is like until they have witnessed it.
Unqucstionably ii is. taken as whole the
greatest thing in the theatrical line ever pro-
duccd in London or perhaps in the world. and
YOU may Judge of the interest it eNcites. when
tell YOU that nearly all the seats are booked
four weeks in advance. and every evening as
early as SiN o'clock there is dense crowd in
front of the theatre waiting for half past seven
and the opening of the pit doors.
IUORNDIkE,