KEAN, Edmund, a distinguished tragedian, was born at London about the year 1787, but, from the obscurity of his birth and parentage, the exact date is uncertain. His parents appear to have been either actors, or in some manner connected with the theatre, to which young Kean was introduced at a very early age. After appearing in various juvenile parts on the metropolitan boards, particularly in pantomimes, he joined a strolling company in 1804, amongst whom he became actor of all work, and with whom he visited various towns of England, and also Waterford in Ireland. He gradually began to attract attention in his profession, both by his histrionic powers and by his agility of body; for it was very common for him to perform the part of harlequin in a pantomime after he had personated Richard the Third or Shylock. He quitted Ireland in 1810, and became a wanderer on his own account, visiting Dumfries, Carlisle, York, and other places, and by his recitations earning a very precarious livelihood. We pretermit that chequered part of his career which he passed as a provincial actor, and come to that period of it when, having attracted the attention of individuals capable of appreciating his remarkable powers, he was engaged to appear at Drury Lane. This took place early in the year 1814, and the character in which he made his debut was that of Shylock. This performance was hailed with great applause, and he repeated it with increasing success, and also added Richard the Third, Hamlet, Othello, and other characters, to the list of those which he personated. Objections were made to the peculiarity of his style of acting, for it formed a complete contrast to that of Kemble, being less dignified, graceful, and elaborately finished, though more impassioned, fiery, and striking in particular parts; but he was very generally recognised as the most brilliant and original tragedian that had appeared for many years. His subsequent career is chiefly marked by a succession of appearances which increased his reputation; and, after the retirement of Kemble from the stage, he was considered as indisputably the first tragedian of his day. By many he was at all times esteemed superior even to Kemble in all the higher walks of the art. He gradually widened his range of characters, but those in which he chiefly excelled were the fine creations of Shakspeare already mentioned. He visited Scotland and Ireland, and in 1818 went to France. A few years afterwards he paid a visit to the United States of America, where he was received with the utmost enthusiasm. After his return to England, a private affair in which he was involved induced him to relax in his professional exertions, and retire for a time to the Continent. On his re-appearance before the public he met with considerable opposition, and failed to reinstate himself in his old position, so that the offer of an engagement in America was gladly accepted by him. Two seasons elapsed ere he again exhibited before an English audience. By the exertion of his rare talents, he acquired vast sums of money; but his prodigality kept pace with his fortunes; and his irregular mode of life having induced a premature decay both of his physical and mental powers, hastened his death, which event took place at Richmond on the 15th of May 1833. As an actor, Kean possessed great pathos, vigour, sarcastic power, and the faculty of creating terror in the highest degree. His intensity in expressing all the passions was extraordinary, but he was often too abrupt, paused too long between his sentences, and occasionally exhibited the bright points of a character instead of the whole. But his Richard, his Shylock, his Sir Giles Overreach, and his Othello, were performances as matchless, and as much his own, as were those of his great rival in Coriolanus and Cato. His figure was diminutive but graceful. His eye possessed remarkable brilliancy and force of expression; and the tones of his voice were highly musical, and capable of the most tender and pathetic expression. His life was published in 2 vols. 8vo, London, 1835.