New-York tribune., 1905-11-28
KING LEAR" AT THE GARDEN"
Robert Mantell.

Mr. Mantell, at the Garden Theatre appeared,
last night as King Lear. The performance can
not at this moment, be carefully considered here.
Inc tragedy while not, technically. the greatest of
nhakespeares plays. is the greatest creation of his
poetic genius, and revival of it offers opportunity
of beneficial study Analysis of the play and Of IT'S
central character has been made many times in
this place and present comment can but flow in the
old course. Lear emerges an old man who is be-
ginning to break, but who is not yet broken. his
aspect is majestic and venerable. He still wears
dominion in his countenance. He is tender in heart
and n1agnanImous in disposition. His age is that
of simplicity and goodness but his mind is bndly
suspicious of its own decadence, and he will prove
exacting, irrational fiery, and caprfcious. In the
fibre of his character however, he is spacious and
noble. He is not common man grown old. lie
must all his lfe have difused the magnetic allure
ment and domination of great and charming nat
ure; he must have captured hearts and ruled mlnos
by something beautiful and strong in his fate. he
does not hold royalty by lineage alone but by divine
endowment He is born to the purple He Is
mountain iii the midst of plain. and the crumbhng
of his mind and fortunes is like the fall of an ava
lanche. Vitalized with this charming excellence
endowed with innate majesty and invested with
personal grandeur. he becomes the most colossal
figure that was reared in the pantheon of the
human Imagination; and his experience,-bend-
ing suffering. frenzy. senile insanity, and the
whfrlwind Of agony in which he dies,-becones
tremendous and overwhelming. He goes mad IN
der the strokes Of unkindness, the wear OF
age, the ravages Of tempest ana the woes of hui
man life: and when this awful presence totters'
with streaming white hair and blazing eyes across
the thunder-riven heath, under the night ana
through the storm. he breaks hearts, not alone
with affecting sense of the torment into which he
has fallen, but of the stately, Iovable nobility from
which he fell. King Lear is august and splen-
did personality and he bears the authentic sceptre
of sorrow. We see him torn from all moor1ngs anu
driven out upon the gale-swept ocean-wastes OF
human misery; but # is less for what he suffers
than for what he is that pity, love, reverence
and depIore him. The highest elements of human
nature are felt to be combined III that wo1ul'
terrific image of shattered royalty; and so ms
misery comes home to US with keen personal force-
There are many denotements Of this imperial las
cinetion which is the characteristic quality OF
Lear and which has enthroned him in the love
ana pity of the world It is the soul of the CHAR
acter It links to the ruined monarch all the VIZ
tues that surround his time and person It holos
the heartstrngs of the celestial Cordelia 1t holds
the devotion of the wise and honest Kent. Nothing
indeed, can be more significant of Lears character
than the passionate fealty of this follower. who
''frorn the first of difference and decay has at
tended his steps. and who viii not be left by him
on the brink Of the grave.
have Journey. sir, shortly TO
My calls Ine-I