New-York tribune., 1906-03-18
THE DRAMA.
richard MANSFIELD,

s.,. night AZ the New irSte-dau The
On % .r,u-ring event OF the New-York theat1,-
sire ., will occur when Richard Mars6eId
cal 90 - re-entrsnce here. in SchiIer's TRACED,
7lsh@ carlos The advent OF this actor. the
o' i ,,.r stage. and in many ways the hone ~
So IS suspicious and menora ble-hrine-
rt' ---.--,,sl benefit and pleasure to thousands
ns rv q series Of diversified remarkable
s,-re cases, g-eat impersonations An IN
arc ~ NJ melancholy significance TO the Theatre
fne she public has recently been given OF Mr.
sN sf5-s Intention soon 10 cease acting and to
Na''. -. stage u IS unfortunate that the farewell
fe' = heen 50 often used device 10 attract
is- - and Increase business. Mr Mansneld's
cd purpose has. OF course brought forth
t'- ,.,or,arv imputstions OF insncerfty There
t.uerer only too much reason 10 believe that
..,-'s resolution 20 retire Is finally taken II
.-rvrtslnr that a man OF sensibility. artistic
and Intellectual character should wish to
-.s-s,r from the conflict. tumult vulEarity and
.sst are 80 widely diffused through the con-
.|l -s-1 theatre Nr. Mansheld's struggle for en-
- e ended his position is assured the public
'ss-,o- O. him IS general, earnest, sincere and
-. been manifested. all over the land by
h-,.,us practical support. To Mr.. Mansfield the
- n freedom. while at the summit OF his
- s-6 ir the meridian OF his powers. must in
- - 6elCrtful- To the intellectual lovers OF
p Theatre the thought OF his retirement cannot
= o,herVise than sad
,,f7st.or Of the American stage-in certain
,s-~ial respects contsnding more actively than
= warsAeld is but this actor Is the dominant
s,r ard his withdrawal will. inevitably weaken
=. -.esrrp and retard the advancement OF dra-
.. art n this country. for MI Mansfield is al
-, The only actor whose popularity and power
= -,eh that r- can conduct his own business IN
=. -zr way. producing what he thinks best and
- be thinks best. and acting wherever he wishes
. a.. independently Of the edict OF any theatrical
,,,t4,r aEenc-. Il Is through the actors who are
~, managers that the emancipation Of our theatre
rs- rome. Al actor Is, Of course. as much amen
.rs 70 the AL .-=ment OF such financial prosperity
!. ra1 ls gat-.5 10y sacrifice OF high motive the
..-stnsss man who embarks in theatrical enter
,ss OILY fr- whatever pecuniary gain he can
-rs bur .t commonly and fortunately hap
ms the se.f--rspectiag actor possesses a guiding
-i--7is almost unknown among theatrical man
..ss n The present day-artistic appreciation OF
y possibll-ls- Of his noble profession and sus-
s--s-ity o. The influence Of inspiring example.
p sss lorg been the custom 10 regard as impos-
she he conrirauaa O: artistic principle and ex-
Avge business talent" in the control OF theat-
rrI sfaluL The average contemporary manager
-stgraly considers tha. combination impossible
sr5 50 pluurs hIgnsoH the excellence OF ex-
saaF srra1g gclleu-s: hut the great achievements
-' he stage have. a rule. been accomplished
t- managers who were also actors-such as
ssksspsare Bur5age. Aneyne. Cibber. Garrick.
Esnse Macresdy. Charles Kear. J. ". Wallack.
E5Ft1 Booth and Henry Irving. Assistants can be
--si by actors. easily by the individual who
-vsgs capital ir the business and directs the
policy of the theatre on the avowed plan OF get
c-g every cent that the trafic will bear The
shCgksep.nE manager IS merely d sort Of janitor
end q this tine IN America il IS the shop-keeplng
manager T-0 for the most part. controls the situa-
ter. There have been managers. not themselves
s-rs 'such men as Dunlap, Stephen Price. Ford.
z5yle1Te Maretzek. and Augustin Daly). who have
liarstoo5 the theatre and the OF acting: whose
-51sncs has been right; and whose ambition has
be-, high. and there are a few Of that kind nov.
vr are earnestly. and with considera ble success.
t-EiHg In the footsteps Of Simpson. Wood, War
.E Barry Wailack and DAILY: but. in general the
lssrs Is ir the hands Of speculative traders. who
distinctly av~w that their sole object is the ac-
.r-aioI uf money Some OF those persons are
alnVu 70 be Enorant OF the drama. deficient of ex-
rs1elos and Il technical knowledge, incompetent
m l1tge The merits Of a play by reading It. 70
d.re~ o. ist actors IN a dramatic rehearsal or
I-o5-cton u Is against such forces as these that
-s influence - Mr.-Maasfeld IS operant both by
stevsment and example; and therefore 81 is earn
sz'v 10 Re hoped that HIS retirement from the
SAGE VII be Ing deferred
Persistence H. great work IS ever difficult; moth
q g~est was ever accomplished without sef-sacrl-
- u have rov served my country forty years"
sad ne old Duke of WelllagIon. twenty in the
L-- zen 7 more, n I-e L6D-let5 nile
Ilrs shall te found wanting. wherever 7 may be-
= is go75 u milton. That was the spirit which
s-s-si1ed He- Irving 70 the last of his illUstrious
1-Esss Plying comments have sometimes been
-zds as 70 ---lR's decline" Nothing could be
19-s absurd. Ee had no decline Slightly TO slte-
70 beautiful words = Byron.
q, ~, - s z.,hogt GUS: cloud u "a, Ea' gSst
FT r--sEe1- deczye1
lT-1g held ne destiny OF the English speaking
Eags II The hollow Of his hand for more than thirty
tsa-s He had everything Of afluerce that could
o desired he went everywhere; he saw every
iF1E- be had e-ytn.ng; he did everything That
70 ID lo- luass a great fortune. far greater than
-aat n Frr-a-- rr Jefferson, was only because he
Atsr-ec ~ spend his money and not 70 save Il:
because ha lived only for the purpose Of noble
s-lstmeE. and that purpose he accomplished
-.' ms sCt.e.ene filed 70 the brim. and over
1oFed tie greatest measure Of success, in every
WY and z1-1 I'D his sorrows. he had many things
-la- 10 UC-er and no treasure earth could buy.
is sleep -la- comes, after Iife's ftful fever, is
-+ sane n -.I. Continuance on the age may
- h--d.- 2 toll. grief and patient endurance:
- 10 kinder sr could be felt for Richard Mans
- han tla -h that. after q long. eventful life,
--yatirg r.a stage al his DAYS and eXerting
mays s7 a.ad influence 10 promote everything
- is noble a-l lovely. he should sink al last
-o9 ne f. cave of eternal night precisely as
= g7eat rre -s5r and exempar did, serene and
'co1itad'e - r-o end W. ".