The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-14
HENRY lRVING'S MACBETH
THE PLAY RECONSTRUCT ED FOR A
GREAT PRESENTATION.
Dramatic Traditions Set Aside-New
Readings-Favorite Lines Expunged
An Effort to Meet the Requirements
of Modern Scholarship.

New YORK, Oct. 13.-The HerdHs Lon
don cable says: am enabled to lay be-
fore the readers OF the Herald the first in
formation that has been procurable on this
interesting subject. They may thoroughly
rely on the absolute accuracy of every de-
tail now presented them OF lrvng's YER
sion. The play will be in material respects
totally different from that Of any preced-
ing actor and from most received versions
given by various Shakespearian editors
The liberties he has taken with the text
will no doubt be holly questioned and
criticised in many quarters, but ] must
forewan controversialists that for all
changes which may be discovered some
good authority is to be cited.
a MUCH IMPROVED SHAKESPEARE.
The text OF Macbeth, as printed in the
3 first folio edition, is one of the most cor
rupt of all Shakespeares plays, and it
would be almost impossible to act il before
the public as it was LETT by the admirers Of
Shakespeare, who first brought it out in
the collected edition OF his works, On the
very threshold OF the play Mr.. Irving
. makes significant alterations. The ordi.
~ airy description Of the scene is "a desert
place" Irving makes 1t "open place"
4 This place is introduccdby Theobald. This
alteration call significant, because il in
dicates the spirit in which Irving APP
preached his task He was prepared TO
take judicious suggestions from every
source without laying sacreligious hands
upon the text Thcobald's emendation
has been adopted in many editions. II is,
however, very significant compared with
the brilliant correction OF a corrupt pass
age i'm the hostess description of Fall
stan q death. All ioliOs make her say.
Ills nose was rs sharp as pen on q Ia
Die Of green fields" Theobald hit upon
restoration which every edition since has
adopted. Ellis nose was rs sharp rs a pen
and a. babblcd OF green fields" Nobody,
therefore, will be alarmed when they find
Irving Mt the very opening OF Macbeth"
following 1hoobald rather than the lirst
folio, which altogether olnits description
OF this as Of every other scene. In the
tragedy the Scrgeunts first speech in
Scene . is cut out, and seven lines of his
second speech also erased from IF ! say
sooth" down to ~ cannot tell" These
speeches are regarded by Wright and 9th.
ers rs spurious.
New stage directions are introduced in
Scene ,. While Lady Macbeth is reading
her husbands letter ordinary editions
give ENTER an attendant Irving makes
it Enter Seyton," who, be il remember
ed, il with Macbeth. can find no au
thority for the introduction OF SeytOn n
this place, but II Is entirely iusiiiiablc, fo
he is an officer Of Macbeth's. and il woult
be most natural that lac should carry {,
Lady Macbeth tidnes Of the approaching
visit Of the King.
FILLING THE nARD's CATS.
At the end OF Macbelh's speech In
Scene Z, "Vaulting ambition which DER
Loops itself and falls on the other, Irwin,
adds "side," Ms suggested originally by
Hammer. In popular quotations the blank
is always filled up thus. In Macbeth
soliloquy, Act ., Scene |, Irving omits tn,
lines: "while | threat he lives. Word
60 the sun 81 deeds too cold breatl
gives" These lines have always beer
regarded with great suspicion ns the worl
OF an inferior hand or the gag" OF an actor
In Scene 3, Irving cuts out almost tn
whole OF the cquiyOcnl speeches given &
the porter. After knocking at the gat
they are generally condensed IN acting
Irving includes everything but q lew nee
essary lines. In doing 80, lac can entrcncl
himself behind Cocridgc, who declares
that he was ready to demonstrate tn
whole passage "To be the Interrogation q
actors After discovery Of the murde
Macbeth saws "llad | but died hour
before this chance had lived a b'ess't
time" Irving changes the word before
20 ago" Certainly this Is o mistake
perhaps an oversight. which may be col
rccicd before the play Is produced.
FAvomTE IlSEs ExruNGED.
The whole OF Scene 4. Act 2. Is struc
out, by which undoubtedly the text su
fem, for some we'll known lines disappca
"And yet dark night strangles the traye
ing lamp" "a falcon towering IN h'
pride OF place was by q housing ov
hawked ut and killed" These and 9th,
familiar passages are not 10 DC heard {
the l.yccum.
In Act 3, Scene 9. Macbcth's convers'
ton with the murders Is much rcircnche,
From 1--WE are men, my licgc." down
(which in his death were perfect" q
goes by the board, 10 that Macbeth IL Il,
prvcd Of speech Of seventeen lines III
ginning with, "Ay, In the catalogue We Z
for men," Macbelh's address to his wifi
$50 shall love. etc, is also omitted. u
resumes ut the words, "Oh, full OF scorI
is my mind, dear vile"
In ordinary editions there Is n sceno III
tween the three murdercrs prior To q
entrance and murder Of Banquo. This
altogether omitted by Irving. Scene
the meeting between llecatc aud the lhr
witches, Is also rejected, and Scene q, b
tween Lcnox and another lord, goes u
same road Iryings third act, therefor
ends with Scene 4 Of the generally T
cciyed versions, Mncbcih'S concludii
words, eve are yet but young In deed
bringing down the curtain.
rsEryt rRvsiyG.
II must be- admitted that tire knife
applied freely IN this part Of the TRACED
but certainly not 10 III advantage, Tor {
purpose OF representation on the sial
The omitted scenes delay and embarrl
the action and are often curtailcd ey
now In actual representation. They co
tain few, II any, classic lines Of the ma
tcr's great work. lrying's opc
ing Of Act follows ordinary q,
tons, but In the line "llarpcr cries, y
time, It's time he changes the w
"harpcr" 90 "harpy," for which he
the authority OF Stevens Scene ?.
tween Lady MacduG, her sou and Ros
II struck ont, ~ ] believe II generally
when performed on the stage. scene
between Malcolm and Macdun, lc
scene usually considcrcd0 81 no imporian
h transferred from this place aud IN,