New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-16

BafetL Es smnng othars have acted shylock and
much admirable power and sShoiarsnp hSvS
anS respiendent OF the old actors in TINS eher,
scter seems to have been see e.IeI Spec;al con-
dsratio, i had been With Est9b be On ew w8 Was
MS sT embodied protest against Christian intol.
Ms nance and persecution OF the Hebrew race: ana
that 6mesc patTarch the sorrowing wdowe and
ne protective sire. whose home never 1,e
was h snbodiment Of the jew is based religious
,snati.ism as well as personal haUeu.
rRyING's IDEAL AND METHOD.
ssvlock as embodied by Henry Irving, is intent
not only on feeding his ancient bc maen,ty the
ssershed inveterate resentment tne a, ipo ex
hate and the certain oStniqS % Sssson snd
p,,S massive pdency OF intellect; but mingled
with those veis5g Was an attribute OF
sacriAcial austerty. the suggestion nor alone Oh
impisGstI.e {ydSciaI vengeance When that Jew
came into the court L was apparent rnar ne Saa
aTrs!e a,isions rite All sign Of variable and dis
.racted passion mad disappeared ana npthlng re-
mainc99 sSSvlocks bereavcment of his daughter and
~ his wealth,--at that pathetic climax NO tears
o. hSs nv sheddng"-and al the forlorn yet ma
ou, ~ exii from the court Henry Iryings shylock,
n ruth and in power; surpasses al ENVIRONMENTS
~ ~ mart that have been seen. The jews oscil-
f,,on between specious kindness and open malice
is shown by him with admiraoie GERRY NY ana
,here is a moment in the trial scene Wheh the colo
s.nesfv baleful terrible look which the Jew fixed
upon the merchant concentrates me "hoIe norrl9e
nature of Shyloek into one nvihs1 SYNOD ana
npints II on the memory forever II is an awful
IDEAL OF evil that the d aSi0T of MISREPRESENTATION justice
I'D II is expressed with great beauty or proper
Ilo1b presence Of that refined and stately Hebrew
ne observer forgets that Shylock is not only
m mo- hat the bond upon which he makes his spe
sinrs pea Of right was obtained through a hypo-
e.iyDcaon that he would never the penalty;
- that for all his fine words, ne is nothing more
iegal murderer
THE TRUE PoRTIA.
The character OF Portia, IT stands In Shake
spesre was not fully shown upon the stage until It
presented by Esp Terry S1c inc and 9G aect o
,or in the sprightly scenes. and Of mannish strut
cared not for Bassanio, and her dramatic life had
SSsschsd It's full fruition when once she had de-
@ sd than on M Nss s was Elem sR Ta
cSme to embody Portia, the public saw-as II
ssr1Scissrtng beauty; an imperial woman, yet one
ssssnraiy womanlke. possessing deep heart and
Sog:sssed Of that arch buoyant gtterng piQuancy
and payfuness that are fluent from health innG-
isruT1 ''4 Her state is that Of princess All
ike her environment. is superb. Every word Of
@ Sss o shd Pr 6at Of d ssi be
made actual by a commonplace person Ene n
y Isy Is Portas scene with Nerssa Morocco and
ITrsson during the first half of the play, she con-
sSs'i bv nS condition she is incarnate enchantment
Her period Of active expression begins with the
Bur Portia is from the FIRST, lover, Her eyes
have tod 10 Bassanio and her heart has I9 aGrY
IN her assumption Of POrtia, with the first word
that she uttered ana that mas ever nee" '"0 e'e"t
felicity OF her embodiment
ELLEN TERRY's ART.
When love is at the heart every. object is hal
loved upon which the gaze OF the lover falls;
every experience OF life is tremuous win me
sion is ecstarie and il makes humanity in its finer
iypes celestial The consummate art Of Ellen Terry
;be personality that goes along with cardinal
emotion. She invested Poria with all the requisite
ssssjonate longing beneath smiles, banter and rail
y but also she made portia rqn oman S WSos
being with the sensibiity and the alurenent OF one
who loves In the sare on me 2srnS over crave
ana gentle preoccupation Her flluminatve bypay:
Sgrss ne ooGresy toward Morocco and ragon
disclosed words could ever DON the scene
snplsst potentiaiity of imparting bliss Portals
fertility q resource and expedition OF movement
Iovt Vst Il is apparent that her impetuosity is
speedily eurbed by the refinement and the perfect
few Of the women OF Shakespeare DENOTE so broad
vision Or such wide capscty OF aStsea tbe
shakespearian standard There was nothing puhy
S IN aad NJ he pain Of eo An imperial
ence superb mental fervor. and the absolute sin
certy which BELTS an occasion OF almost tragic
suspense constituted her. in the Trial scene an
image OF righteous yet mercfu authority; and her
Delivery Of shakespeare's beautiful verse.-which
often in this play ls at its best OF eloquence. mel
ody and meaning. made 1t still more beautiful
BY wise restoration OF the last act OF the eomedy
which in American stage custom, has usually
been dscarded-Portia IS shown IN her tri haar
discounted and her husband and his frencs are
assembled at Belmont The glee OF Ellen Terry Is
the sunshine Of a gueless happy heart ana II
made that lovely garden scene delightful THOSE
persons who care for The Merchant OF Venice
should see II as II il offered now for there is no
reason 10 suppose that they will ever again see
Portis so truly and entirely represented.
INCIDENTAL MERITS.
The incidental felicties Of the revival are adni,
rable-chief among them being the restoration OF
the scene with the Jailer: the clash Of Oriental Gym
tals for Moroceo's arrival and departure; the spec
tral gondoas the shadowy canal; Shylocks
silent grim return TO the deserted home which. In
Ms absence has been despoed; and the elaborate
opulent pageantry OF the Venetian court. w. W.