The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-01
SOME NEW BOOKS.
mr.. winters LIrs OS Mansneld.

IN Two handsome volumes comprising
mogO than 100 pages and smbelliShed viii
ngraat number Of Dortralts and other Tins.
egaAlons Mr.. WILLIAM wTNTER furnishes
q vigorous and interesting work. Li''
ana Art Of Richard MaHsfsld (MOfst, Yard
and Company. The FIRST volume includes
mang lsttoTs written by Mansfield 70 hil
hl0gEaphsE. and thsss are abundantly
nl1sEspersed with description ana CON-
Inans The second volume IL a descrip-
1--we and critical account Of the plays that
Mansfield produced and Of the players
paEt IN them. Mansfield was a sensitive,
=. anbiti0uB and militant personality. He
ana not lst life fioW calmly.
Manaaald's father was Maurice Mans
nuld. an ERgliahmAn, and his mother
(, va EFrainia Mansfield ROdersdorT, a
r ulngsr Of distinction and a Russian Tho
lapalr we're On their travels when Richard
tWas born In Berlin in Germany in 1854.
fDuEing his boyhood he lived sometimes
Aan England and sometimes in Germany.
IN Father died In 1850 When no WIS IS
mlohArd cane 20 America. His mother
z Ind established horself in Boston and
kiAd bought a farm az Berlin. near Fitch
Hnrg. There aays Mr.. Winter, In Ian
~&umgo that deserves 90 b. saved from
ynsaphrase. "he passed his youth, some
klhnea at his mothers city home, some
= 49, - -. ,.,v.sI y,,,,,usrr, an l,SNn which
eAO singer had adorned with many works
, u art, the ganered TREASURES Of hOr
GaGlve professional Iifs. and sometimes
~ lodgings, whsn domestic discussion
had become unendufable
'NFnO. RudersdorR was unconventional
ana ahe had temper Habitually, Mr..
Wtnter tells US. she disregarded the social
? VlyNs and prejudices Of the community
~ which she dwslt 'She was. for ex-
ample, fond Of smoking and she would
/ mDcks cigars when driving In tho Berlin
roads. Her conduct toward her pupils
, Wab sometimes rude and severe. birt also
q was sometimcs afertionat0 and en-
dsmKfng. In some moods she was celight-
fun She had known much trouble and
sorTow. She was Incorporate and she
did not grow old gracefully, but she had
. kind heart and it h probable that she
tWas not less e-timabls for being unpopu-
Iar.' She had hns reputation "a a
, taacher Of music. Miss Emma Thursbv
was ono OH her pupils. Her rural man
SION on sawyer Hill was burned in 1881.
She died In 1857
In summing w Mansdelds character
Mr.. Winter tells Us that he was intensely
ambitious 10 excel in has art He entered
hnmE9 and soul upon tho struggle for con-
Quest and cminence. He never led a way
ward life pursuing pleasure. neglecting
opportunity. He was earnest. diligent,
faithful He improved every chance.
snFaed every laurel that was given % him.
the highest attribute Of his acting was
Imagination. and next 10 that attribute
came humoT. Ia which his mind was I'M
uum=0only rich. He had a kind heart.
and by nature he was magnanimous, Of
a sweet disposition. earnestly wishful 10
b. loved and exceedingly susceptible 70
Kindness. His temper. however. was
splanetic and impetuoiIs. and as his ner-
vOus system had been impaired by long
continued labor. many disappointments
and the annoyance consequent upon much
miarsprsaantation. he sometimes in his
day o9 ronoWn exhibited irritation. petu-
hncs. anger and mOrosity.
There h plenty in Mr.. Winters book 20
ahoW that ne was kind. thath had temper
and that he had humOr Robert Louis
Gtsvenson was In New York in the summer
a 1881. &C which time Mansfield was get
tins ready for the production Of -Jelyll
and hyde The author and the player
tTlsd 20 80 each other. but not sucCpss-
fully. Mansfield related in regard % this:
~tthAppened that he was not at homo when
called on him. and IL happened that was
net at homo when he called on mo. Az
Last one day was fortunate. as thought
: I ssnt IN my name and person whom
understood 20 he Mr.. Stevcnson's adopted
sou presently appeared and after the CHS
.aomMry exchange Of civiities said that
m. Stevenson wished 20 know whether
y had q cold. because II had he could
not venture 20 see the. told him 20 tell
mr.. Stevenson. With my kindest regards,
that / had an exceedingly bad cold. which
j should bs most happy 20 communicate
% him. and 30 took my leave We did
mas meet There seems 20 DO strong
iroason 70 suppose that both Mansfield
and Stevenson had humor on that occa-
saion.
lIAnsaeld. according 20 Mr. Winter.
Vrnp aiIilctsd with an infirmity Of the mind
lyy which he was bound 70 believe that
every misfortune that befel him was
fhD work Of enemies. In tho fall Of 1893
he was bitterly dissatisfied with the cir
C1matAnces Of his foTtuns; he considered
hAmsslk tho victim Of reprehensible public
msgleot; and he had become greatly IN
oanssd against foreign actors. and espe-
oially against Henry Irving He deter
mined % inturs Irving by playing an Oppo-
uiR&pn Shvl0ck. For this purpose be hired
thS Nttls upstairs theatre az Broadway
and Twenty-ninth street. which had been.
90 bolisvs. the rsvered home % Birch and
8aotus Onos upon a time. Mr.. Winter did
NJ bsse that be could for his friend. His
Rqnerous effort was not well received.
He aslls us at thia point. MY professional /.
dmly a. q dramatic reviewer was min I,
uAaly, thcughtfully and zsalously fulfilled. |
and Mansheld's acting Of Shyiock received
,sa ny hands a liberal measure 81 sympa-
fhstio recognition. He thought other /.
-gius, he decided that he had been treated I
win malicious injustice; deserted, neg
isetud.' 'persecutsd damned His let T.
cara % mo became insuferable. and at last
4 fslh constrained 20 request him not "
a,ursfa 70 ma again"