Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-01
EDWIN BOOTHS ILLNESS.

Edwin Booths private life has been
one Of many and sharp sorrows. AS .
boy he was the caretaker OF q brilliant,
eccentric and finally insane father. just
as success dawned for himself, there
came to him the tidings OF that fathers
lonely death. A few years later. almost
directly after the death OF his idoliled
wife, Mary Devlin, came the blasting,
blighting blow which almost ended his
career and has been the cause OF his
avoidance OF general society ever since
April, 1865. But the tenderness, gen.
tleness and nobility OF heart and nature
were never permitted to be emoittered
by it.-Serdnton Truth.
When Hamlet dies his friend Horatlo
exclaims:
Now cracks noble heart; good night,
sweet prince;
And flights Of angels sing thee to thy restl
The words, so often repeated after
the mimic death OF Hamlet. are not In
appropriate TO the mortal illness OF Ed
win Booth. -PhiLddelphid Record.
Our belief is that when the whole
field OF English and American acting
come to be calmly reviewed, the field OF
the legitimate, we mean, as distln-
gushed from the ephemeral, Edwin
Booth will be placed second TO no man
who has ever played Hamlet.-BrooklW
Cttizen.
A marvelously gifted genius, he was
On ideal interpreter of the masterpieces
OF the king OF dramatlsts. he did not
seem to be acting, but to be the living,
breathing. speaking embodiment OF the
poets ideas. -TerTe Hdute Express.
The profound student and the ardent
devotee Of the drama has completed
his work, and, crowned with the glory
Of the highest achievement, awaits the
summons to the final exit which sooner
or later comes to all.-Omdhd Bee.
He will rank as the first Of dramatic
artists of his day; a man OF honor, dig
nifty, conscience ana genius; great In
many parts; excellent as himself, and
the ideal Hamlet and Richelieu.-Brook-
I'm Standard linton.
Edwin Booth has been dead to the
stage for two seasons. The actors
death would be personal grief TO his
Immediate friends. The public has been
mourning for two easons.--Kdnsos
City Times.
His instinct was unerring and his
sense of art was perfect. Nobody ever
detected anything imperfect In any OF
his impersonations. We do not think
we shall ever look upon his like again
Memphis appeal UGldncke.
His genius is as unquestloned as his
art is perfect. When be goes down TO
life's final curtain drop he will leave
none behind who can measure up to the
standard he created. -NdshUilLe Amert-
can.
He had no time for authorship and
social life, like Burton, Henry Irving
and Jefferson. He was wholly on actor,
as O'Conor and Choate were wholly law
yers.-NelD York Commercial Advertiser.
No actor has ever had such hold
uuon the American heart as Booth. His
departure from the stageis mourned by
the nation, and his death would cause
universal sorrow.-St. Paul Globe.
Edwin Booth deserves a place In the
list of great actors because In an age OF
temptation to betray his better instincts
he was constant to his art.-Brooklyn
Eagle.
With the death OF Edwin Booth.
! which now seems probable, the last
really great American actor will disap-
pear from the stage.-IuiIlots State Jour
nal.
Edwin Booth will be loss 10 the
stage because be was gentleman. He
was not advertised by scsndals.-ProUt-
dence Telegram.
He is one OF the very few left OF the
rich old school OF snte-bellum histrieD-
ic art.-Ddyton Times.