The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-31

1aHE interpretations which Sal-
 lCD vini and MT. Booth have given
 to "Othello" form great, con- trasted pictures of that tragedy. They show the different results which artists of different temperaments and training frequently produce, although they have labored under the same inspiration. Both men, acknowledged masters in their pro- fession, came to the text in the prime of life and with equal enthusiasm; but here the similarity ended, for out of these equal resources each man, pursuing the ideal after his own method, created an Othello as different from the other actors as night from day, or fire from water, or the carnal from the spiritual
 Booths Othello belonged to that chiv- alrous race who built the Alhambra. He was a Moor skilled in the arts of peace as well as of war. He spoke In the senate chamber with all the graces of elocution, and the senators paid him the deference due to an equal. His long continuance in the service of the Venetian state had edu- cated and refined him, and had human ized and softened his stern heart. The
  civilization and art and architecture, had all entered his soul-for he had soul and sharpened his moral and intellectual perceptions
 Booths Othello loved one woman out Of all the world, who so twined herself about his affections that even after he thought her false he could not quench his love. The wonderful agony in which he seemed when he examined the circumstances Of handkerchief, the love that came back to him on hearing Desdemona's innocent an- swers, betrayed in his gesture such va riety and vicissitnde of passions as would admonish man to be afraid of his own heart In sorrow, tenderness, or resigna- tion he much surpassed Salvini, whose Moor seemed not to know the meaning Of spiritual conservation.
 Booth struggled grandly ana often suc- cessfully with the jealousy of which he was ashamed but which he could not hide. Inferior as he was in stature, presence and all material attributes, his mind and culture more than made amends. His port was regal. his thought was broad, his spirit strong and sweet. You pitied him, not less than Desdemona, from your in- most soul; his agony wrung your heart; his tragedy was yours and that of all hu- manity Salvini's Moor excited no sym pathy: his violence and virulence for feited all esteem.
 In the killing of Desdemona. Booths Otheno was more influenced by principle than by passion; for his Moor and the medieval monastic view of physical chastity in woman. Having offended against one article of the decalogue, she might as well have violated all. Deceiv- ing her lord, she had no right to nve' the good of mankind demanded that she should die. In some sense he was an idealist: he wanted his spouse to be as Caesar wanted his, and not having her ,o ba could he content only with divorce of death.
 sbakespeare shows this haunting thought:
 Yet she must die. else she'll betray more men.
 When Desdemona wakened and stoutly denied her love for Cassie, Booths pititui tone was highly expressive in Thou dost stone my heart, And mak st me call what intend to do
 A murder, which I thought sacrifice. Oh, the tenderness and sublimity or it all! In Salvinis hands this precious sweetness, this spiritual depth, was en- tirely lost.
 The final and distressing chamber scene could not be more differently rendered than by Booth and by Salvini. The Amer ican entered like minister of fate; ten derness behind his grim and fatal purpose. The Italian walked into the room like one having bloody business to do and bent on doing it promptly Booth had a hard fight with his soul and at the final moment stabbed himself to the heart and died like a man. Salvni ripped open his throat and floundered like a brute. From first to last Salvini was faithful to this animal conception of the character He looked upon Desdemona as the newest one of a hundred or thousand wives. His rendition was powerful and awe-in- spring It was full of great, salient Anints which took hold of the imaEina-