The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-23
ard the second in low and mournfnl tone;
az II sounding the requiem OF deper'eo
friend.

tho great comic hctor, Nhilbln ~. p", xt.t
appeared in his best character--that OF WI
l,ns M;cawber in the play of David Cop
perfeld. which was made up OF humorous
horizons of Dickens admirable novel OF the
Same name. IL Is of this laughable character
that the novelist. William Il. Thackeray; who
had keen sense Of the ludcrous. said; VINO
does not venerate the chief OF that illustrlous
family who. being stricken by misfortune
wisely and greatly turned his attention 10
GOALS, the accomplished, the epicureah' tue
dirty the delightful Micawberl"
Burton on the occasion mentioned harmon
lied his costume TO suit the character taken:
He had on O blue coat. with broad veiVo1
collar and double row OF large brass buttons.
He wore q high stiff collar. almost to the tops
Of his ears. his wristbands reaching 20 his
knuckles and his capacious shoe-buckies, OF
an unusually largo size shone conspicuously.
Burton's countenance was very mobile ana so
comically expressive YOU could almost antici-
pate some Of his humorous utterances. bur-
ton excelled in many comedies. but tninK L
voice public opinion In tho asssr'ion
that his comic genius reached its
clinacteric lin the character of Wilkins Nj,
cawber. The scene in which Micawber and
his wife have adifficulty and agree TO part ana
divide property and endeayor to solve the i'm.
practicable problem OF an equal division OF
their Ave children. convulsed with laughter
his large audience of several thousands. Inc
recalling 10 nina OF DuIlOu Gus
eests in me "reminiscences OF another great
comedian-Joseph Jefferson. In their gay
these two ruled with despotic sway the realms
OF comedy.
JOSEPH JEFFERSON.
Tsav Joseph Jefferson act in a number OF
comic characters. but ! thought he especially
excelled in that of Rip Van Winkie, 10 Do
found in play Of the same name, the leadlnG
incidents Of which are taken from the cele-
Il, oh ntt MQgl-
ington Irving heard him in the character mem
toned before the late war, IN our Federal capi-
tai When Charles Dicknes was IN this country
he saw Jefferson i'll Rip Van Wrinkle and re-
marked 10 some person present: HOW natn-
raj" This criticism was just as might have
been expected. coming as IL dld rom t4e
great master of humor. An entire ao-
sence of affectation. freedom from oyeract-
ing. style conversational. but not undig-
nlfied. were characteristics of Jefferson. The
scene where Rip Van Wrinkle returns home
drunk with the tell-tale bottles sticking out
Of his pockets. and confronts his terrnlgant
but industrious wife at the wash-tuo, was
acted TO perfection. She turns her trifing
husband out of doors, and returning TO her
work solloquizes that Rip would break, her
heart In this scene Jefferson displayed ms
rare ability in pOrtraying the pathetic and the
humorous In his old age he has retired from
the stage. leading life Of refined sociability
and OF literary culture
MRS. ANNA CORA MowATT.
Some thirty years ago Anna Cora Mowstt
won great reputation in our Northern cities
in a certain class of stage characters those
in which refined sentiment and the softer pas
sion required delineation. ! heard her IN New
York in her most celebrated character, that
Of Pauline, in Bulwers play OF the Lady OF
LYONS" The conflict between love and pride
through which the heroine passes. the numer-
Gus love scenes in which she participated. eX
actly suited the style Of acting OF Mrs. Now
att and were admirably portrayed by her.
The bold and somewhat masculine characters
in which one Of her great dramatic contempt
raries Charlotte $. Cushman, exeelled would
not have suited her. She was best adapted TO
such characters as Juliet and Pauline ana
would have failed as a Rosalind or Meg Mer-
rifles She was a widow when | heard her,
but subsequently remarked.
CHARLOTTE S. CUsHMAN.
7 sew Charlotte S. Cushman act in Wash
iugton in the earl y part of the decade before
the civil war. She was native of Boston,
never married and died in 1876, aged sixty.
She appeared then in her two most celebrated
characters that of Lady Macbeth and that Of
Meg Merrilles in the play of Guy .Mannering.
These characters are daring and clearly de-
fined. with much of the masculine and there
fore suited to Miss Cushman's style of acting.
| heard her when she was IN her thlrty-thlrd
year, when she was in splendid health and
IN the height of her professional fame. She
was tall, we'll proportioned. muscular, had
long black hair and dark flashing eyes Her
countenance indicated great will power and
enthusiasm of character. She held herself
very erect and her presence at once challenged
attention, her look drew audience. She was
to the tragic drama what Jenny Lind was to
song think these two had the strongest,
most distinct and most musical voices or any
females | have ever heard. The scene where
Miss Cushman represents Lady Macbeth
walking in her sleep and endeavoring 10 rub
the blood of of her hands was one of her best
renditlOns. Seine actresses IN this scene hold
the candle in the hand. but she like Mrs. Sid
dons setit on table. SO that her hands could be
rubbed more energetically. Another scene IN
which she particularly impressed mo was
when, as Meg Merrilles, she appears with a
branch of a tree in one hand and denounces
vengeance against Harry Bertram's foes
While thus denouncing she raped on the
floor of the stage with the lower end of the
tree branch vigorously. the rapping making
excellent emphasis upon her words. The
effect Of this on her audience was electric, and
there was very great applause. She well un-
derstOod the advantages Of proper pauses and
of lust emphasis. In her day she reigDed as
Queen of Tragedy and that by an undisputed
title.
The forms the aspects of tho great actors
and actresses whom | have endeavored TO de-
pict loom up i'll my memory from the years
that are past with almost startling distinct
ness. They have had many eminent success
ors. but yet among those who have greatly
distinguished themselves in tho histriOnic
art they will always hold place in the very
front rank. DAVID S. G. CABELL.