The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-11

This Is the Jew that Shakespeare drew.
This remarkable histrionic incident took plsc
on May7. 17S0. and Macklin survived 1t nearl
eight years. There is q tradition that Will
the coffin was being lowered into the grav
q packet arrived containing the registry O
Macklln's birth. which proved the cor
r%ectness OF what he had always statet
on tho subject. viz. that 1t occurred tw'
months before the battle OF Boyne in July
1850. No actor has hal n moro romanti,
career than Macklin's. In a ft OF passion III
Killed a fellow actor in tho green room o
Drury Lane Theatre because he had possess
ed himself Of q stock wig which Macklin In
tended to wear himself. He was tried fol
murder. and. though acquitted. was BRANDED
In the hand. He also had n desperate auarre
with a baronct who insulted his daughter. ant
was very near taking a life on that occasion
also. He survived his trial for murder sixty.
three years. and It is worth noting that one OIL
the hygienic processes to which he attributed
his vigorous old age was that OF sponging oil
over at night with warm gin.
Such knowledge as our author has OF Mrs.
Siddons comes to him additionally from his
father. who saw hor for the first time when
she was acting in n barn In Willis. Mrs. Sid
dons. 1t seems. whether seriously or In a hu-
morous spirit. was fond Of introducing sudden
and startling quotations or re-
marks In the commonplace current OF every
day talk. At q dinner once. when a salad had
been handed and she had been inadvertently
passed over. she turned upon the butler. and
in tones of command. appalling in their Sc
verify. said: Give me the bowl!' The man
was too terrified to obey. and hurried out OF
the room. We are also told that Lady Grant.
having taken her little daughter to visit the
queen OF the stage. that she might remember
having seen her. Mrs. Siddons took the chlds
hand. and with questionable taste said: Yes.
my child Look Mt me well. for you will never
see the likes OF me again"
Elliston also would have been little moro
than a name to the author had he not been
taken to tho Surrey Theatre one night in 1881.
where the old actor was to play Street William
in BLACK Eyed Susan" 1t was Elliston's
farewell benefit. and at the close OF the per-
formance he came before the curtain still in
his sailors costume. which greatly aided his
naturally youthful appearance and intimated
that he had something to say. He then hui
morously "apologizcd for the liberty which
no. a mere boy. feared he was taking in ad-
dressing the audience. but he desired to thank
them for the many tokens OF favor with which
they had honored him. and he hoped they
would. now that he was about to part from
them. continue to think kindly Of him for the
sake of his old grandfather. Mr.. Robert Ellis
ton. between whom and the public the pleas
ATTEST relations had so long existed" Some
Of the audience were taken in by the gravity
OF his tone and the humility Of his appearance.
and wondered IL he really was a grandson Of
their old favorite who had taken the latter's
duty for the niGht-his own grandson. in fact.
or Frederic Lemaitre we find an anecdote
which We do not remember to have seen
before in print. 1t is we'll known that the
actors habits Of intemperance were incorrigi-
bic. One day when he was in rather moro cle-
waited spirits than was quite sRfe for the stage
he observed a utter go round the house at
some incident OF speech or manner which be-
TRACED his condition: he was sobered in an in
slant. and. speedily taking offence. he 30 far
forgot himself as to eSclaim. addressing the
audience: "AlleZ: vous 6tes des mules" The
audience also had its susceptibilities Though
it could take a great deal from Frederick and.
greatly inccnsed at this insult. demanded an
instant apology. An cutlery for Des excuses!
dos excuses was heard on every side. Fred
eric stood sulkily in his place. In no way in
clined to give in: then he tried to 60 on with
his part. but the public were not to be appeased.
and they shouted the expression OF their dis
pleasure more vehemently than before. The
comedian was equally incensed. but, finding
the piece could not proceed. he said in a con-
tumacious tone. and with pauses which served
to mark his meaning: "J'ai dit quo vors
ctiez des mufes-c'est vrai-Je vous fais des
excuses-J'ai tort" This ~cleverly ambiguous
speech. uttered. however. in a tone and with
an accumulation by no means ambiguous. was
accompanied with Frederic's own special
"geste" which added to it's point: this "geste"
was a tic he had Of lifting n lock of hair (which
hung over his foreheadl and hinging it over
the back OF his head. and he could give to this
simple act various expressions. all perfectly
well understood. Frederic's public winked at
his impertinence In favor Of the wit Of its form.
for after all they knew his unique value.
".
From the $50 pages OF this book which are
devoted to Some Atelicrs Of the Past We can
find room only for an interesting anecdote OF
Turner and a brief reference to the authors
recollections of Rosa Bonhcur. In Turner's
life. which was to be so solitary and ultimately
SO cheer!ess. there was. it seems. one roman
tic incident. We are told that when young he
formed an attachment for n very pretty and
attractive young lady. and they pledged their
troth to one another in spite Of tho opposition
oftheir parents. who prudently enough con-
sidcred that the circumstances of tho two
young people did not admit Of their con-
templating marriage. Turner. however.
had confidence in his talent or his
star. and. persistinG in his suit, went
to Rome TO advance in his profess
sion. after making a compact with his
ilancie that they would maintain n close cor
respondence. BY way. moreover. OF a parting
gift he painted his own portrait giving him
self the most beautiful deep blue eyes imagin-
ablc-and left it with the lady lest she should
forget him iL his absence. Time went on and
mails travelled backward and forward be-
tween Italy and England. but In vain the
separated lovers waited. and In vain they
wrote. for not a word of communication
reached either. At first both wore surprised
and then hcartsick. and finally mutually in
diGnant Mt each others iaithlessness. At
last the lady. mortified Mt tho supposed SD'etg
injnia J,pmn. behaved as ladies' often
have behaved before. under similar
provocation. Guilelessly unsuspicious OF
fraud. she gave too ready heed to her parents.
when. working upon her wounded pride. they
urged hor to favor the suit OF another and
Weather lover. She yielded to their persua-
sions. and In due course married the man they
had selerted for har. Turner. when he came