New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-26
Mr.. MANSFIELD.

Mr.. Mansfield has ended his long and prosperous
engagement ct the Madison Square Theatre, ana Tor
time he will now present himself In other places.
He win not, however, be forgotten ana whenever no
shall please to return to New-York he viii ma HIM
self heartily welcomed by hundreds Of admirns friends
His success in the character Of Dean Brummeii has
been great. and II Is not disputed by any critical
authority Of importance. In better play his success
would have been sti more brilliant The subject and
the plan that were put into the hands OF MT. Clyde
Fitch the young dramatt who wrote this piece under
Mr. Manshelds direction were not as strongly 'reateo
as they should have been for the comeoy Is weak IN
character. sometimes psltry IN incident' ana
generally vnpid In dialogue But MT hahsneios
who introduced much stage business and many
lines of his own, besides providing the ideal
Of Beau Brummell has animated the whole structure
with intellectual dignity, force and significance ana
thus has invested the play with osuncuon ana
authority without this especial actor IN the central
part the would fall asunder like broken bundle
Of straws. All the more. therefore, Is Mr. Aansfed's
achievement . remarkable denotement OF his excep-
tonal faculty as an actor. The hrm belief In this
faculty that was long ago expressed ana mas peen
steadily reiterated in this journal finds support
and justification this personal success Mr. Mans
fields powers, however. are not on trial. The public
has accepted him as one Of It's favortes and the path
way before him is open and anspicious. toward the
highest eminence. An intimation has been vaguely
given that this actor is to become manager and TO
establish theatre in New.iork His enterprise
might thrive, but it should not be lightly
undertaken An actor who becomes manager must
bear . double burden and unless he Is . practical
man Of business the double burden will prove too
heavy for him. 1t proved too heavy for Edwin Booth
"a greater man than MIR. Mansfield. Whatever
plan he NAV choose to pursue. however, Mr.. Mansfield
has made an irdelibe mark upon the page ID theatrca
history and the leaf THAT will be turned with his name
upon 1t Is leaf Of god. He was hOnored last night
with a. large an audience as could assemble Itself
within the Madison square Theatre, and he gained
both plaudts and by his exquisite mpersOnation
Of a gentleman. For this Is what Mr.. Mansfield sets
before his audience under the name Of Beau Brumme:
now PROSPEROUS. nov brOken-but always the same
in the fibre of his The study vi manners Is
close and faithful ard fine but the victorious element
is the charm of personality Years OF thought and OF
OK perence may be dscerned through this creation into
which they have crvstall2ed. The stamp OF a high
and far reaching purpose Is upon his work, and behind
it are a strong character aid fresh and vigorous
mind. " .
The impersonston was given last night for the
l5Oth consecutive time. 1t Is precisely the same
identity but it OF course, grown In sharpness OF
outline and In positive precision. 1t Is clean cut
as a polished diamond and it sparkles with the same
inward lustre. The first scene and the last gems
of true dramatic the hands of this actor, and
they will always be remembered. The last scene Is
Mr. Mansfed's expansion of brief paragraph In Cap
tain Jes,es Lite of BrLmmeu' and ii cOnspicuOusly
Illustrates his hne dramatic instinct