New-York tribune., 1905-11-14
NEw.YoRK DAILY TRIBUNE, TUESDAY NOVEMBER H. 1905

The spectator was made almost to see the phantors
that before his haunted mind. These signs ;ndi
cate quality OF imagination in the actor-the in
dispensable. imperative quality requisite for
performance of Macbeth: yet this superb actor
could the outward aspect of his impersonation
by putting on a aowered chintz dressing gown,
his armor in the that Immediately fol-
lows the murder of the king. KembIe was the first
actor to discard the actual apparition of the muir
dered Banquo. in the OF the solemn supper,
ana 10 signify by his acting the presence Of a
spectre in the vacant chair, invisible 10 all eyes
except his That example was followed in
recent times, by Edwin Booth, and by Henry Irv-
ing, both Of whom excelled in the imaginative in
depreciation OF this complex character. Edwin
Forrest appeared as Macbeth. but his performance
or 1t was ndifferent-vod of ina gination and only
effective in afiuence of physical One piece
of his stage business, though. felicitous just
Macbeth had vanished into the chamber Of
Duncan. to do the murder. the Weird Sisters rose
above the battements of the castle. stealthy and
ominous. and. to the excited fancy, they seemed
as II floating in the air. With Forrest, the ghost
OF Banquo always appeared, pointing TO his bloody
throat. which had been cut and which was copi-
ously smeared with gore This is in accordance
with the state direction, printed in the Folio:
Enter the ghost Of BaEquo and sits IN Macbeths
place" 1t has been suggested that the second
appariton in the banquet scene might well be that
of King Duncan Take any shape but thatF' is
Macbeths frenzied adjuration. In all these mat
ters the essential result can only be obtained
awe and terror When Dr. Forman Macbeth
acted, at the Globe Theatre. in 1910, the Weird
Sisters were impersonated by men who huge
periwigs Let US not too much respect the usages
of the Past. Science and art, in time, have
joined hands for the practical illustration of poetic
ideals. and such illusions be created as
are not unworthy of the rarest imagery that has
been shaped into words.
Character is despotic. Destiny is inevitable.
The tragedy of Macbeth darkly freighted with
those Ingredients and with many other terrible
truths when it actually comes home to the heart.
strikes upon it with appalling shock ana thrliis
it as with the trumpet of DOOM Time is rushlhs
on and with it opportunity.-the great oppor-
we must elect 70 take direction from without,
and be swayed by every blind impulse that agi-
tates our being or must choose to obey that
unerring 1nonition Of duty which is the voice OF
God IN the human soul. As is the character SO
will be the decision and, either way, the rapid
river hears us onward with incessant velocity and
iunpet,1ous force whether for safety for ruin.
MANY things NAV be learned from Macbeth;
the awe and terror of preternatural surrounolhssi
the deceitfu transitory splendor which, win
specious Internal malignity, attend and tantaIlze
the brief hour of successful wickedness; the COM
plete sterity Of every victory of evil; the colossal
force OF insurgent human nature when abandoned
to active depravity and confronted with death;
and the gloomy magnihcenco OF the courage thas
is born of despair. More than although no
precept was ever Intended, In that grand epic Of
spiritual rufn-we may learn from II TO anchor
upon conscience, and thus to stand h'1n ana 1eaf-
less amid the distraction of circumstance, the
storms of passion, the havoc OF chance' ana all
the seeming disaster Of inscrutable fate