Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-01-29
EDMUND KeAN.
aonns Of the Pecuiiarities Of the xamoes
English Tragcdian.

anrns Of the Peeuiiarities Of the Eamoes
English Tragcdian.
Edmund Kean was a man Of little or no
education. He was fond of low society ana
much brandy and water. During many
wears he was a strolling player and in cir
cumstances so needy that he often had 70
tramp from one town to another in search
of or to fulfill an engagement. On one
snch occasion he was tramping, with
Charlie On his back. and entered public
house and asked for half pint Of beer.
The landlord, suspecting his customer,
would not serve him until he had nrs'
been paid Years afterward while starring
in the west of England some OF Neans
admirers got up a complimentary dinner
at which he promised to preside, but when
he went to the place he found II was the
identical inn where he bad been SO grudg-
inply served and refused to enter, SO that
the dinner had to be eaten in the absence
of the president.
Iwell remember while the century was
still in its teens the furore excited by
Kean's performances. We boys used to act
Hamlet and the Ghost and other charac-
ters, and acted with considerable ap.
plause before a mixed audience portions OF
"Richard IIIs' and often quoted myself 10
sleep with long passages from Shakespeare
Kean had house in Dover street. ana one
night after the performance OF Sir Giles
Overreach he went home and told his wiie
that the whole pit rose at him in a state
of excited admiration. Mrs. Kean, who
was something of tuft hunter, sald,
"But what did Lord Essex thinkF,
"D- Lord Essex replied kean. ~
played to the intelligence of the pit, not
to that of lordling!"
remember many generous though I'M
pulsive acts being recorded Of Kean at this
early time, when he was the favorite sub
iect of conversation, such as taking OIL his
overcoat one frosty night to cover shlv-
ering wretch and emptying his pocket TO
supply the supposed needs OF professed
beggar A poor actor informed me that
on asking Kean to take ticket for per
formance that was to take place in some
public house Kean rendered a sovereign
for ticket, and when offered change
turned away saying. Cd the changev'
Other acts of his were less laudable. Aft
er a performance he would sometimes 60
to the Cider Cellar or to the Coal Hole and
order bowl of punch for the guests OF
every box or table This made him the
hero of the evening. and rs he became more
or less intoxicated he fell prey to rogues
and sharpers, who got him to sign checks
or indorse bills of exchange. At later
period he engaged minor actor to accom-
pany him to these orgies and on no nc
count to let him sign his name to any
thing. This guardian used to relate that
when kean began to quote bits of bad
Latin he knew that he was quite drank
and must be taken home. In spite, how
ever, of this precaution Koan never knew
the difference between siXpence and shii,
ling, so that he always remained poor ana
was never able to retire from the stage
with the dignity of a Young.
have often stood at the pit doors two
hours before the opening in order to Sc
cure good place in the best part OF the
house at modest cost, for as yet stalls
had not been invented. l saw kean in
most, if not all, of his characters, the last
being Othello, with Young as lago and
Charles Kemble as Cassie. Kean was Il
great actor of the natural school, playing
Shakespeare, as Byron put it, with flashes
of lightning surprises. Mrs. Garrick recog-
nized in him worthy successor to her
David and the only one fit to wear David S
sword. Notes and Queries.