New-York tribune., 1910-06-04
EDMOND GOT
The French Actors Memories OF
J. Wilkes Booth.

Paris, May 70.
The second volume of the Journal Of
| Edmond Got, OF the Comedie FRANCHISE.
! published by Plon-Nourrit, covers the
period from 1859 to 1898. Got, after
| fifty years of active service, retired from
| the stage in 1895, and died six years
afterward. The concluding volume of
the journal shows that a great comedian
can also be a man of remarkable COM
mon sense Got viewed events with
sound judgment and a. broad philosophy.
He had a well balanced mind, and his
comments not only on theatrical mat
ters but on politics, literature and art
are incisive. terse and almost always hit
the nail on the head For instance. it is
noted in the diary, on January II, 1862,
that the Archduke Maximilian was to
become Emperor of Mexico. Got de-
nounces this as an "outburst Of sheer
folly" He asks whether the Emperor
Napoleon had consulted the soothsayers.
for such nonsense may bring about the
fall of his dynasty. 'The Tuileries.
which is secessionist at heart, thinks
that this Mexican move will be coup
North" Got thought, on the contrary
and events afterward proved that he was
right-that it was coup de Jarnac" for
the Second Empire.
In 1867 Got writes that the empire
seems to him like the captive balloon at
the exposition that has the appearance
Of dominating all about it. but which
may collapse at any moment owing to
the pin pricks of ever increasing oppo-
sition every time that the rope pulls it
nearer the ground. In June, 1869, he
met the ex-Father Hyacinthe, who pre-
sided at the League of Internat tionaI
Peace" which he characteriZes as a
wild dream After talking with Hya-
cinthe Got found him to be "a bit of a
crank, but an eloquent advocate of
cause that must remain always and
fatally lost" In December, 1869. COM
menting upon the Inauguration of the
Suez Canal, Got wrote: This is a grand
thing for the maritime world, and Eng
land will probably find some way before
long of getting hold of it." This was
written six years before Beaconsfeld
purchased the Khedive Ismairs shares.
which gave England the control of the
canal. After the session of the National
Assembly at Versailles in January. 1875.
Got wrote: This republic. with its dis
solvent factor Of direct universal suf
frage, must gradually slide away from
the hands Of the moderate men who now
hold it to blaguers like Ganbetta. Ranc
or even Clemenceaun' What a pitv Cot
could not have lived to see Clemenceau
Prime Minister. On June II, 1888. Fred
erick III is succeeded by William II.
Almost every one here feels that there
will be war at short notice. I don't
think so. The young Kaiser is far too
wise to plunge Prussia now prosperous
and content, into a war where THERE'S
nothing to be gained" Got refers ITO
Boulanger as "a general with a barbe
fleurie. capable of leading France into a
sort of political and moral St Vitus.
dance" Had not Got been a consum-
mate actor he might have become 4
nasterful statesman sss
The assassination of President Lincoln
is recorded in the Journal" on April
80, 1865 Strange to say writes Got,
II knew the principal actor of the ira
gedy- He then relates that three
months before the crime a fine looking
American with distinguished manners
called upon him at his house at Auteuil
and sent in his card, with the name ].
Wilkes Booth. The card was accom-,
panied by a letter of Introduction from,
Cots friend and fellow actor. Charles
EyIn
York. Fechter presented Booth as
tragedtan Of brilliant talents, and recon
nended him as an excellent conrada
who would thoroughly appreciate anv
attentions that Got might show ni,7
He mentioned also that his friend was
very desirous Of becoming acquainted
with dramatic authors, artists an5 noen
of letters. Got asked Booth to stop with
him as his guest until he found an apar.-
nent that suited him and private car
riage and coachman He writes,
Booth remained with me three davs He
was wei educated and full of energy bI,t
spoke French very inperfectly mr. ~
duced him to my friends I remember that
several times when chatting over our cigars
and Brutus-of Brutus especially 'sSVhat
o, 90 you think IN France of Brutus?'' he
o@IHSd- 4epliSo LHdt we ADMIRED MIN at
college, especially after reading the Greek
versions OF Plutarch. But, after ali. BrutiIs
vas at heart nothing moro than an nm
gr2term, sinister dreamer, and selfish
sophist DID he not pass Judgment on
himself when he said. Virtue is merely a
name? At this Booth seemed durnfouind
ed and nervously changed the subject
when booth took an apartment | continued
TO meet him frequently. He used to 60
often TO the theatres. and made rapid prog
ress IN Partisan life. One evening at
supper party at his request I introduced
him TO young actress who was PLAYING in
Les FHbustieTS de Sonora" at the Porte
Saint-Marin. Some days afterwaTd | met
her and she said: What q queer man YOUR
American friend is! He must be crazy He
time l got frightened and went off to
Nice without bidding him goodby as the
best way OF getting rid of him" Soon af-
terwaTd Booth came TO see me, and in a
most courteous manner bade me farewell,
saying that II was absolutely imperative
for him to go back to the United States
ii faut que te retourne" were his words
Next thing / heard was the terrible news
that he had murdered Abraham Lincoln
lie Is a "Saillsrd' who win never be capt
] understand him. He mad his fixed idea
To commit the crime when here in France
He fought il In vain. Upon his return TO
America his frightful obsesson overcame
him. and he committed his long premedi-
tated crime.
Cots appTcciations of men who after
ward made their mark in the world are
always accurate. In September. 1860.
Edmond About brought to luncheon at
his house "a stout youth named Fran
cisque Sarcey, rather provincial, and
p,.rira in ~ NH che NON, de