The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-24

my place to die on" The reply was: I'm
king, and I'll die where I choose; pick
out place for yourself Hamlet had to
die elsewhere.
The last night that Macready acted
Hamlet, having decided to leave the stage
forever, as he laid away the velvet man
tie of the prince, he was heard to say:
Good night, sweet prince" and then
added, "Ah, I'm just beginning to realize
the tenderness, sweetness and gentleness
of this dear Hamlet"
Harriet Martineau has left us her ap
probation of this great actor. She wrote:
"Macreadys sensitiveness shrouded itself
within an artificial manner; but a more
delightful companion could not be; not
only on account of his learning and ac-
complshments. but because of his un-
compromising liberality of opinion and
his noble strain of meditative thought
He enjoyed playing Jacques, thinking
that character strkingy like himself;
and 1t was so in one part of his charac-
ter; but there was besides the moralizing
tendency chivalrous spirit of rare Wig
lance and an unsleeping tenderness and
social beneficence, which accounted for
and justified the idolatry with which he
was regarded through all trials occa-
stoned by the inevitable temper with
which he manfully struggled
l shall give the reader a few extracts
from the diary of Macready. They illus
trate his many struggles against his tenn
per, and also, give US an idea of his de-
voutness of heart:
Yesterday I omitted to rebuke myself
for the petulance with which l rated the
man who carries my clothes. Why can
not l reflect before / commit myself in
word or action?" 1T begin to despair of
obtaining that mastery of myself, which
1 owe to myself to my children and to
society,"" ITO God Almighty 1 lift my
prayer, that may be enabled to subdue
this hateful and degrading vice of tenn
per- my theatrical life is ended. My
hearts thanks are constantly offered to
God Almighty for the share of good He
has permitted to be allotted to me In this
life. My home is one of love and of
comfort, and 1 look toward 1t with cheer
fulness and with delightful security of
heart, and most gratefully and earnest
ly do 1 bless the name and thank the
bounty of Almighty God, who has vouch-
safed such Indulgence to me, undeserving
as l have been and sinner as l am.
Blessed be His name. Amen"
e. l.. DAVENPORT.
When Mr.. Macready was about to make
his farewell tour through England, he
engaged the services of a great American
actor to support him. This actor was
e. L. Davenport. who by the many
graces of his handsome person and his
delicate art became most pathetic Ham
let. He was, perhaps, the handsomest
Hamlet since the days of John Philip
Kemble. excepting only one. that one
being Edwin Booth never saw him as
Hamlet. but as a child / saw him as the
ghost in that tragedy, and twice after
wards in other plays. He was playing
with that Economically handsome actor
James W. Wallack, Jr. 1t was mar
vellous combination, Wallack and Daven-
port. Wallack died of consumption
short time after 1 saw him. Davenport
lived until 1877 or 1873. / have two por-
traits of Davenport printed from ex-
quisite steel plates. One represents him
as Cassius the other as Benedick, in
Much Ado About Nothing" in which
latter character / saw Wallack
I have just turned to Davenport's por-
trait and studied it critically to see If
the impression of my childhood grew out
of the hero-worship to which l was in
clined in those days. l ind In my pres
ent years that he was all my fancy paint
ed him, beautiful in form and face.
Davenport was courtly gentleman an
accomplished musician and man of ripe
scholarship. His acting was character
lied by elegance and wonderful compos-
ure He Is said to have been better
Hamlet than Wallack, and after For
rests death, the best actor in the world.
I find the following estimate of Daven-
port in an old publication that appeared
in 1874. written after Forests death:
NOW that the master actor is gone.
who will rule the stage and sustain its
classic character? Who assume the scep-
ter? Who wear the crown? There is one
man. and only one. who, If he knew his
worth as we know and appreciate 1t,
whose name should now become the syn