New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-13

chorus of approval from the dramatic critics. l
DOUBT whether Mr.. Irving will find fair measure
of reward for all the labor, care and money III
vested in the piece. People will 90 TO see it be-
cause it Is Shakcspearean revival at the Lyceum,
ana for while every one will be asked, Have you
seen " Lear? Bat there will be no steady rush
such has followed on the earlier adventures
This arises primarily and necessarily from the in
herent character of the story. It's sombre lines
from first to last unrclicved. The Fool is there
and has much 10 say, but he fails TO raise a smile
In the presence of the unspcakable woe Of Cor
delia's father With Mr. Irving the woe is lit
orally uuspeakable 1t Affects him in the direc-
ton of exaggerating his worst mannersms of
speech. / do not believe that any one unfamiliar
with the play caught the sound or guessed at the
seTse of ten lines Of the long procession inartcu
lately gurgled by Mr. Irving. For all practical
purposes he might as well have acted the part III
dumb show
Mr. lrNings conception Of the old King was. as
might have been expected, entirely original, radi-
cally differing from that rked out by Kean or
Phelps or Booth Salvini The key to il is
found in Lear's description of himself a foolish,
fond old man of four5core years. ] was told by
one present on Thursday night, who remembers
Kean in the part, and has seen all his successors,
that none of them made Lear quite so old. Mr..
lrvi1g's makeup was marvellous, almost ghasty
in lis realization of extreme old age frnil body
finally breaking down under the wrestling oil a
fiery spirit. In respect his presentation OF the
part recalled famous critics description OF heans
acting 1t was Hazlitt who wrote Of unmlxet
rage or mere dotage. Thus Mr.. Irving altcrnatcl
through the piece. though with many subtle
touches that relieved its monotony of qucrulous
impotence On the whole, he was more domestic
than kingly, more Daddy Lear than King. In
the mad scene where he danced on to the stage
with straws in his hair, pluckng at the blades
of grass which lie held in his hand, he came
dangerously farcical conception OF an
elderly male Ophelia.
An added pity of the piece is that COrdelia has
so little to do with its going forward. Miss
Ellen Terry was, as usual, charming. Her too
brief nterpositions more grateful TO the
audience because they heord from her lips the
music of Shalespcares sentences, hopces'y mum
bled whether in the anger or the dotage OF MI
frving's Lear.
There seems Just now fatality among Dukes
Onlv the other cay His Grace Of Sutherland was
removed after a brief illness. Now the Duke of
Marlborough, going quietly to bed on tuesday
night was found stiff and cold III the morning
with his right hand clutching at his heart that
after a frantic effort had ceased to beat When
the subject OF conversation is deceased DUKE
il is difficult for tie truthful tongue to preserve
the Injunction as to saying nothing but good o'
the dead In its public aNpects the character OF
the Duke of Marlborough has less
fair record even than nhat on
the Duke of Sutherland, but 1t IS
pleasing. at least to be able record that. TO all
outward appearance, the latest dead DUKE h"''
adiurcd sack and begun to live cleanly. Both
oC lar
,ion with their immediate heirs, tdle Marquis OF
Stafford resisting the attempt the part OF the
Dnkc of Sutherland u turn the family forests
into hard cash. while the Marquis oil BIanoioEu'
,brorgh his mother-the neglected and nnhly |
abandoned wife of the Duke OF MarlooToush-
soupht 10 make his father meet the charSc7 OF
bis maintenance and education. Apart from tni'
.e,isode the late Duke was living at peace WIN |
man and woman kind. He had OF late ycars o'el
much attracted by the p1tentiallty oi ciecurlc
LIGHTING. and was connected with several com
panics formed to spread it's use. He developed
remarkable business qualities showing that ha"
he not had the misfortune to be born INTO
Dukedom he would have earned handsome
livelihood by his own efforts
Shortly after his first wife, sister of Lord George
Hamilton. late First Lord Of the Admiralty, sue
ccedcd in obtaining divorce the Marquis Of
n,andford as he then was turLcl his attention TO
nolities Since his brother Lord Randolph |
Churchill had in accordance with family tr'-
ditions. ioincd the Conservative party. tie Mar
ouis of BlNldford naturally turned his steps tow
ard the opp site camp He made formal ap- |
olicotion TO a Liberal whip to provide him with
a seat that he might fight under the ta4 oi MI. |
Gladstone The overturcs were 20 coldly met |
that he withdrew them and did rot thereafter |
Ike O. further systematic effort to embark upon I
nolitical life Since lac came into The Dukodom
bo has made no figure in the House Of Lords, not |
having AS far as | remember. once broken thc |
silence he imposed upon himself. There arr some |
knew him well who affirm that he was |
clevcrer man than his more renowned BROTHER
Lord Randolph. Certainly no one could DC
in his company ten minutes without recos-
nizing his keen perception, his WIDE kho"Ieuse
of Affairs and the charm OF his conversation Inc
worst thing that ever happened 10 him was that
he should have been born at Blcnhcim Had lIl'
father been something in the City, or even an
artisan or Geldhand, &c rye Charles spencer
Churchill would have made greater name tiiah
that he leaves as the eighth Duke Of Marlpor-
ough.
ATTACKING THE TENANTS COMMlSSlON