New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-20
THE DRAMA.
,,p MANSFIELD AS BEAU BRUMMELL-f

energy-oualities that ought to insure for nm great
career and for the public great ENJOY mehI Oh IT, Ills
rtistic proceedings accordingly, whatever they may
hoppen to be- are viewed with uncommon interest
Last night, in the Madison square Ihearc' before
numerous and refined audience, he represented, for
tho first time I'm his Ilfe the part OF Beau Brummel
and I'm 81 doing he placed semblance OF that MS
ortc fine gentleman" for the first time upon the stage
His performance picturesque " the eye, pleasing
To the fancy ard once, at least touching to the heart
II UNI militant fgrre that he disclosed. and IN the
dream. scene he was an image Of desoatcd splentor
The embodiment will take It's place among the distinct
vey original creations Of this dramatic period II Is
pure work Of the Imagination, and In THIS respect IL Is
seen TO be worthy of the best powers ana the best
tendencies that have perceived in the exceptional
acting OF Mr. Mansfield
Tho element in the story Of Bean BT1immell that
attracts the Imagination is the element Of pathos-ths
beng deducibe from contrast of the brilliant sayety In
which he lived with the squalor and penury IN which
he died There is story that once, after MS mind
had begun 10 break and when he lived no longer In the
actual world but in a realm of confused memories,
he was observed TO be greeting with the most elab-
oate ceremony guests and speeches. vsitans
rho courtlv lords and gorgeous ladies OF his younger
and better days. This ready made situation provided
the closing scene Of the play that was prodnced
last highland obviously this situation depends
wholly on the actor who Is its central point
human wreck is always pltiable; but it becomes pa
thctic only when halowed. through poetcal assoca-
ton with suggested Renaissance OF its former glory
Mr. Mansfield denoted by strange touch OF via huhor
and in a strain of ghasty significance not alone ue
haunted ISOLATION Of broken mind, but the Impressive
reality of It's vanished power.
George BRYAN Brummc was the Beau's full name
uis father william BrummeIl. was private secretary
to Lord North from 1870 TO l752, and when he ded'
in 1904 he left 10000 to be divided among Ills thie'
children George was his youngest son, born June
= 177s He was imperfecty educated at Eton ana
at oxford but not long remain at either the scool
or tho cooce-for when only sixteen years Old ne
'ras ,rado cornet in the 10th iGssars, then com
manded bv the Prince OF Wales, aftcrward the Regent
and finally King George w. AT Eton he was called
Bucl Brummell." At oxford he was chiefly noted
for idIeness comcsl mischief and good fellowship
with men Of rank. In the hussars he was deemed
an original wit and a good story teller From earliest
vouth his manner self centred and assured, HIS
temperament COOL and his speech sa'irical ana
punrent He left the hussars in 500 and In the next
wear he came into his inheritance OF $4,000 ana 'er
that time he lived in London or az country seats ~
a man OF fashion, visiting at great houses hequehuhs
fashionable clubs, dressing dancing, flirting, ganDit
tccning on terms Of intimacy with the Prince Regent
and with prominent nobcmen Of that period ana 90
,,,tr, himself exclusively fashion and pleasure
I'm Nav 1-l6 being overwhelmed with debt he sud
denly absconded from London and set up MS residence
at Calais where he remained and managed 10 exist III
straitencd circumstances, untl l7"V' "heh ny '''o
portl. he was conveyed to Paris and aiterwad %
c,cn There he was Imprisoned for debt ard he
dyrclt nearly three months in jail His last days
were inexpressiby vrctchcf. lie became slut'oh
and an mbece, and IN this condition he was commiteo
10 the care OF the charitable nuns In the hospai u
the Bon Sauveur In that retreat he died on Marc 81
IstO In the sxty-secoui year Of his age. lie d
hurled IN the Protestant Cemetery Of Caen. It IS said
that during tie closing period Of his existence ne
DESTROYED for fuel, many valuable books and letters
that he posses,cd-the letters being rehcs Oh ui'
tngushed persons whom lie had known among tlen
sheridan. byron. Nine. de otael ana the Co"''o
d'Artois. afterward Charles X
Byron said If Brummen that the only thnS TO
narisable about him a certain exquisite propFiety'
There Wac no extravaganza IN his dFess, nc me-
Insisted having clothes thtt Wrre pe.ie' ~ 80
appear, - have lived chiefly ivr me pulP''e "a Tr
int them lie had Il Vell shaped head, coley
face, gray eyes. far complexion nng &
in Oppression. Ills counlenance was flexible IN eA.
preston. lie moved WIN .leSa'SG n nS a maj, mean
them. lie had nne hands HIS taste ia arvs, W.
color, lie thought and said that gentleman eNtt
attracts observation by his appearance. ne "as
Sas moi ignorant Of u.usic he sometimes turned GU.
a neat copy Of gallant and complimentary verses, anu
harmless fondncss for bread and cheese lie Va 9I
hard drinkcr, he wac not pf0hlsale' I4 M
ca,ns were generally we'll directed, and he coud use
The weapon of rdicule quietly ana WIN eHect'
do, not meet with due return IL AZ least leaVe'
you In tho most crcditable position. lie hau mo
passions aud The story oi his car~e Is uublehi',gu
vIfn either rlucor. meanue>-. malcnity Mr..
Nan,n.d's embodiment of Tie Bean gave abundant
fonnLtinAeld. so trait was sighted, whether OF
Character or costumo-althoush The nrst drs' seemed
little nord and although the nonchtAnt ai thnu-hVul
va, German rather than English. Bui the ldrr },
or would be- II Mr.. Mansfield were not ,tudent-iIit
I'm play which contains - little, the actor should ue
HcCau.c man IS fond Of drama it does not follow
sh.sr,f ltf.N ~
be- can make "A play because he vaguely OF even 81,
unctN knows how a play ought TO De- Made' iSr
too generally overlooked. For one dramatist who
luycnt7 such situation a. that Of the telegraph
scene IN Mr.. Bouccaults play OF lie Lohr >tIihc,
there ar, nifty who invent nothing. The real dramatic
aJtaD. Is always AN exception. 1lo't oi the plays oi
T is specially true OF lie majority Of the plays Of
The ll,i twenty Years They are composed 81 ta4A-
clu,.tcN in words which i, narrative or You may
cu 10 exclusively In action. which is pantomime but
| II YOU want To make play YOU must tell il IN an
artistic blending OF both. rhe faculty to DO this Is
not possessed by ono man I'm ten thousand, and
certainly il is not possessed by Nj. clyde Fitch who
,,. under the guidance Of Nr. Mansfield composed
put iqr things aud In winch ihc nearest ryah 10 tho
| That covered il.
Lean Erumiuell, indeed, although he is pictorial
! person, Is not dramatic Nothing IN his life ahods
| material for play. lie was very lar from being a
fool uut also he was very lar from being hero. lie
did no striking deed that wa, conNpl'uon,N cithtr
good evil. lie borc uo part, except II were either
/ ornamental or dcplorahlo. ma any ''enc Whatever
| lie was simply character. No drdmau-t should be
ccusuIcd. therefore, for not al ttc same time being
! true TO BrummclIs hi,ton, record ami maAus him
dramatic figure The task B., impossible. Another
aud q different man may be called by Bmmmcli,
name put IN hi, place. Invested with Ia. attributes,
and enVlroncd With Il plot, aud uut OF the invented
| proceeding, Of that fictitious individual the fabric OF
| play might be constructed. such effort has been
| made in this Instance, but obviously ana lncompc-
| cnty made, aud with feeble result. An expert
dramatist having ample know ledge OF human nature
minute acquaintance with society, and gNat reading
well digesed IN short, having the ripe fruits OF
nlaturcst experience at his command could perhaps
portray with adequate effect the spectacle Of English
character and manners under the Regency ln circles
Fox Lord Holland Lady Jersey the famous Duke OF
York, or the beautiful Duchess OF DeVon,h Drawn
10y the hand Of crude. experimental YOUTH the picture
IL futile. Tho sum OF merit In this piece Is mechanical
utility Mr: Mansfield wished to impcIs0natc a
picturesque old beau. with a death scene and he hu,
| l..n.I.. H..