New-York tribune., 1902-07-19

IRVING. BY Henry Austin Clapp Illustrated
with Portraits Octave, PIP. viii, 2fl Houghton'
Miftiin & Co.
Mr. Clapp has been for about thirty years the
dramatic critic of 1.-The Boston Daily Adver-
tiser" and in that journal has steadily upheld
the best traditions of the American stage. He
has seen all the great players who have visited
Boston in his time, and so We possess in his
volume the fruits of experience as well as of
sound thinking. AS believer in what is good,
he is necessarily enthusiast over what is old
In his province, and the pages before us con-
sist largely OF tributes TO players like William
Warren and Charlotte Cushman, Edwin Booth
and Adelaide Nelson, Fechter and Salvini. OF
these and of others he writes in very interesting
vein, and in a style that is, the whole, agree
able, though at times he INDUCES In language
that is shade too iowery. Surely it is better,
N aEuding to q line from "A Midsummer
Nights Dream to ascribe it to Shakespeare
and have done with it, instead of to 'the Dram
atist Of the World" in of his remarkable
expressions of doubt about the art of which he
was Prime Minister and Master" But affecta-
tions OF this sort are, fortunately not numerous
an Mr.. Clapp's "reminiscences.
In the taste of Boston to-day he has apparent
ly no great confidence. New-York. he admits,
sthough cynical and capricious" is not without
some fastidiousness and discrimination. while
Boston stays chidishly greedy, the pet of all
the theatrical managers with whom it ranks
as the first show town of America-the place,
that is to say, whose patronage for every form
of theatrical entertainment bad and good, is
surest, and, in proportion to its size, largest -
But he looks back with pride upon the record OF
Boston. where the support of that precious in
stitution the stock company, is concerned, and
wakes eloquent over the glories of the Boston
Museum. OF William Warren. the central SUM-
institution,
he writes in the warmest terms. He admits one
5aut in the style of that fine old actor, "a slight
excess in the use of stentorian toneS-a result,
/ suspect, of his early immersion in farce; and
he observes that Warrens gift of pathetic sug-
gestion though generally sure. did not always
have the deepest penetrative power. But 9TH
erwise, he maintains Warren was nearly fault
less, and rightly dwells with admiration upon
the versatility which permitted him to put an
extraordinary number of successful impersona-
sions 70 his credit. When his SEVENTEEN birth
day was celebrated, are told, "he had given
1886 performances. and had appeared in 5II
characters" To his criticism of Warren as an
actor the author adds some notes on his hero's
personality, saying:
His manners We're the finest I ever in a
man. With actors almost all things seem to be
tn extremes, TO be of the best or the worst. The
bad manners of the profession are the most
3ntolera ble manners in the world. On the other
hand. an experienced English grand dame
spoke once with knowledge when, observing at
a public assembly the rare charm of bearing of
a beautiful lady whose face strange to her,
she said: THAT person is either a member OF
the royal family actress" Mr.. Warren'S
whole -'style'-if the vulgar word may be per-
nitted-seemed 10 me faultless. His grace,
ease, refinement perfect nlodesty, absolute free
dom from affectaton, coupled with his swift
responsiveness in facial expression and in
speech, made conversation with him delight
and privilege. And to the traits which have
been mentioned is 10 be added a peculiar SIM
plicity, which appeared 10 be the quintessence
of the infinite variety of his life. I remember
hearing it said, at a time near the close of the
Great War, by some who were native here,
and TO the best Boston manner born. that Ed
ward Everett, A. B., A NJ, Ii. D., Ex-Governor
OF Massachusetts, ex-United States Senator
from Massachusetts, ex-president OF Harvard
orator. statesman, was in respect OF distinction
and manners In a class with but one other or
his fellow citizens: that other one appeared in
the local directory as Warren, william, CO.
lnedian, boards Bulfinch Place"
The critical estimates contained in this book
are generally as persuasive as they cordial,
and are often piquant in expression. Speaking
of Charlotte Cushman, the author says: The
beauties and all the other women Of the Ameri-
can stage were mere children beside her. Miss
Mary Anderson, perhaps the most celebrated Of
our other home born actresses, bore about the
same relation TO her that march of Sousa
bears to a symphony Of Beethoven" Mr.. Clapp
is delightful on Booth and Adelaide Nelson,
though, as he protests in regard TO the latter
that he does not pretend ito know the truth
about those portions Of her life which have
dubious aspect" it is, difficult to understand
why he should refer to those portions" at all
He is admirably appreciative of Salvini. and in
his chapter Fechter, We are glad TO note.
writes with uncommon sympathy and justice
The long essay on Henry Irving is perhaps the
least satisfactory part Of the book.