The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-27

capacity, yet he has ever borne his honors
modestly. One cannot think of Mr.. Booth
as Glowing any one out OF the way. Actors
have set out to dethronc him, but he has
held his position without effort and without
fear. He has never been accused OF cmpiri-
cism for moneys sake and he has therefore
been a most hcalthiul presence in the dra-
matte world. lie has demonstrated that the
artist may win without concessions to vu-
garity, for the boxes and the galleries
have ever We'd in doing him homage,
He has been an educator by
force of example and few actors have exer.
ciscd, among their contemporaries an inilu-
cnco that counted so much for good When
the war was at IFS fcrcest, Mr.. Booth was
giving magnificent productions of Shake
speare in New York city. Subsequently
! when, as one Of the consequences OF the gen
cral disturbance from the normal of all
things social and political much that was
mcretricious was flooded upon the stage, Mr.
Booth stcadfastly continued TO be the appeal
ing cxemplar of an art pure and UNI
defled and grew in strength and
potentiaity, n cause Of good in others
Fault, indeed, has been found with
him. because he has given latter-day
dramatists no consideration; but II was not
incumbent upon him that he should have
done SO. 1t was task enough for one actor 10
preserve TO the public the classic roles which
have engaged his attention 50 exclusively.
Shakespeare would have suffered seriously
in America the past twenty-five years had
IL not been for the monumental
work OF Mr.. Booth. When he
first came upon stage, Forrest, Lucius Jun
ius Booth, Macrcady and Brooke kept Shake.
spcarc in the public mind; but Forrest died
twenty years ago, the last Of that illustrious
company, and for years Edwin Booth alone
spoke with the fire of true genius the poets
lines aud kept the lamp burning. We do
not wish TO be understood as saying that at
any one time Mr.. Booth was the sole oxpon.
cnt Of Shakespeare on the American stage,
for one may not forget winsome Adams, rug
gcd Mccullough, scholarly Davenport and
earnest Barrett himself, but these while
playing Shakespeare found favor chiefly be-
cause Of successful impcr,onations Of char.
actcrs drawn by other dramatists. To say
that Mr. Booth, ns an interpreter OF shake
spcarc, was easily chief among them, II TO dis
pamgc Ia no whit their excellence as act
ors aud to accord Mr.. Booth special honor
as an upholdcr of Shakespeare is not 10 dis.
praise them in tho slightest degree. But,
except Mr.. Barrett, even these have passed
away, each leaving q void Tint has not been
filled. There is no one TO play Enoch Arden
since Adams, no one 10 play Virginius since
Mccullough no one 20 play Sir Giles Over.
reach since Davenport. And who will there
be 10 play Hamlet when Booth shall have
gone, who to play Iago2 Some one will be
found, Of course, but the light has not yet
appeared in the American ornament
IN thus attempting TO define the place
which Mr. Booth holds In the dramatic world
and we may have at another time, some.
thing to say Of him by way Of comparison
with Salvini and Irvng--we have robbed
Mr.. Lawrence Barrett OF no lhurols Mr..
Barrett came into theatrical life as a oall.boy.
He had no family prestige to guarantee him
an cntrcc or public consideration. The dis
tinguishcd position lac occupies today has
gradually been won, and by the hardest
and most conscientious work. He has had
lessons 10 learn aud has learned them, one by
one. While Mr. Booth was born great, 50 10
speak, Mr.. Barrett has had TO achieve great
ness. lie has played Shakespeare assidu'
ously aud acccptably. II his limitations In
Shakespeare were well marked, yet there
was 10 much Of accurate scholarship In all
his work, aud such pleasing pcrso nility
that his auditors have always experienced q
lively satisfaction with his impcronaiions
lie has constantly gained In popular favor
Tor each new season has found him better
Hamlet n better Richclicu, and beitci
Cassius. but Mr.. Barrett has special olaim'
. upon the public gratitude for the true art
ist's zeal he has shown In the matter Of play
, framing aud stage mounting In the effort h'
p has made 60 restore 10 the stage great play
. which had almost been forgotten
. and in the production 81 entircl,
( new dramas Of superior order. lie ha
. given the playwnghis Of his day opportun
1 iiy aud has not hcsitaicd io spend his mean
g literally In these directions. A NOTABLE
4 manifestation Of this admirable spirit wa
4 seen last year In his brilliant revival Of Mis-
q Miiiord's "Ricnzi, IN which he himself as
n sumod the title role, the impcrsonniion 70
|. IT, dignity and power astonishing even HI
;. most devoted admirers, and amply justify
A ing them In the belief that Mr.. Barrett !
n entitled to nink with the very ablcst actor
- Of his time. Those who hold 10 the theorl
p that genius j. simply capacity for hard worl
? find cxcmplincation 81 Il M Mr.. Barrett AM
n bis success. Mr.. Booth has been preserve
4 Of worthy traditions; Mr.. Barrett has bee
y q developer and . promoter Of new enter
4 priscs Tho stage moves, and moves w
a ward, because Of Mr.. Barrett and u villa
a he has done within the last half dozen year
Ir be an earnest Of future effort, the America
q stage will rest under incalculable Obligation
!. 10 him. In enccting the present combini
n ton between himself and Mr.. Booth h
Il has shown In n striking degree the true 81
70 lowshlp Of art, and earned for himself no'
!. honor aud credit. lie Was doubtless awar
n there was some hazard 10 hisown rcputatlo
"a ~ an actor Ia thus cncountcring Mr. Bootl
r yet he has assumed all such risk very cheer
=. fullyand " he suffer any loss there u no que
Is tlon Of the public's gain. Ycan ago Mr.. Barrel
IL was thought 20 be, In some sense, the pup
N Of Booth. his performance being rather clos
IA copies but rs lac grew more confident Of b
n own ability, aud Of the accuracy Of his ow
10 perceptions, his work acquired a distinct Il
10 diyiduality, 40 that 10 see Mr. Barrett now
n 10 sec, In whatever he may essay an impc
r.. sonation which has all the charm Of origin
~ Interpretation and wholly Barrctts. And
a PLAYS wherein comparison with Mr.. Boot