Year: 1875

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when his progress was checked by Wa


terloo. Booth has anticipated that age,


and has reached ruin at forty. Seldom


have any OF the sons Of genius travelled


with equal rapidity the road 20 misfor-


tune. Churchill was, as Byron said,


''the comet of q season, but this was 4


figure of speech. What Churchill was


IN the literature Of a past century,


Booth has been in the drama OF the


present age. Churchill eliminated and


died at thirty-tkree. Booth was Just


that age when he reached the highest


position, and had he died at that time,


his genius would not have been OBJ


scured by the misery which has recently


fallen on him. At the sge of thirty


three Booth had no equal in the dra-


matte world. As q performer he eo-


ehanted the public, and criticism only


became eloquent in its praise. For one


hundred successive nights be appeartd


in this city as Hamlet, his fee beirg
g, 600 q week, and when the role WIS
concluded and the full century was
completed, q gold medal was presented
amid the applause of a crowded house.
Booth was then considered worth half
million; now he is a bankrupt. His
beautiful seat al Long Branch has gone
IN the general wreck he has impover-
ished his friends his theater is out OF
his hands ard ell that is left is the
portion received with his wife and the
earnings of last years itinerRcy.


The scene of his ruin is corner OF
Sixth avenue and Twenty-third street.
1t is a theatre of enormous size, and is
built without regard to cost, and, being
of Concord granite, forms an imposing
feature in our architecture. 1t was built
with n purpose of exhibiting the best of
Shakespeare dramas, and this was done
with all the enthusiasm and genius Of
the great tragedian. Notwithstanding
the artistic show and the talent dis
played, the scheme was a failure, and
the theatre has of late been devoted to
melO-drama and farce. Rip Van Win
kle'' survives "Hamlet." This fate has
followed almost all attempts 60 restore
the drama TO classic dignity, and Booth
might have learned from the past, were
It not impossible for sn enthusiast 10
learn by ought save his own experiences.
Even Garrick referred to it in one of his
own prolOgues, and the lesson thus
taught q century ago has been recently
repeated with impressive force


Sacred to Shakespeare was the spot designed
To pierce the heart and harmonize the mind
But il an empty house-the actors curse
Show us our Lears and Hamlets losing force,
Unvilling we must change the noble scene,
And in our turn present you Harlequin.


If want comes on Importance must retreat,


Our first great ruling passion is-to eat"


When the theatre was finished, Booth
found himself in debt q half million.
For three seasons he endeavored to
keep up the ShakespeariGn dramas, and
he produced some Of them with gran
deur of style which has never been
equaled In England or America. It cost
fifty Thousand dollars to get mp King
John, and as much more for Hamlet.
No wonder the theatre failed.


After the failure, the property went
under the care of the tragedian's broth
er, Junius Brutus Booth, who is much
more of a business man. he is by pro
fession an actor, but is so Indifferent 10
histrionic genius that he is content to
serve as a manager, in which depart
ment he has had great success. He now
owns one-half of the Boston theatre,
which is a valuable property. Under
his advice the theatre constructed by
his brother was leased to Jarrett i
Palmer, who have plenty of capital,
and are able to pay q rent of 81, 600 per
week. Booth went starring through
the country, and had brilliant success,
bnt IL was evident that he did not like
this system. 1t was hardly the thing
for one who had held so brilliant q po-
sition, and then he could not adapt
himself to the ineOnveniencies of small
theaters. When last season closed he
to his residence. and there he
has remained, declining All efforts TO
bring him again before the public.


In Connecticut, snd not far from this
city. is a small stream called COscob
river, which is crossed by a railway
bridge. Here is a fine mansion, built
by the late Charles M. Barras, author
of the Bisck Crook. Barras died in a
very shocking manner. 1t is we'll known
that since the Norwalk calamity Con-
requires railway trains TO halt
before crossing a bridge. Barras was
in the habit Of using this halt as an OPP
portunity for alighting from the train,
which, If one is careful, can easily be
done with safety. One evening, how
ever, he was engaged in conversation
when the train reached the bridge, and
lost his best opportunity, but being IN
tent on getting of, he stepped while
the train was in motion, little thinking
that the bridge had no floor. The re-
suit was that he fell between the tracks
a distance of twenty feet, reaching q
rocky bottom. Thus died the author
of the "Black Crook" leaving an es-
tate worth S1O0, 1000. He had no wife
or children, and it went to a pair of
brothers, neither of whom he had seen
in many years and for whom he cared
but little. The Barras mansion was
purchased b B Doth. As his wife (fST-
merry Miss McVicker, of Chicago has
wealthy father, there could be no
difficulty in obtaining home, and there
the tragedian remains. 1t was supposed
that he would take a starring tonr this
winter or appear on the boards Of the
metropolis, but the public has been
disappointed. He could I'll the largest
of our houses with an admiring audi
ence, and his neglect TO improve such
an opportunity is a matter Of surprise
to those who do not understand the
reason. I cannot with propriety speak
on this point, except TO repeat hint
that Booths troubles have impaired bis
mind. and there is danger of bis shar-
ing the fate Of Hamlet. Every one will
hope that this be not the case, but
nothing short Of his temperance on
the stage viii abate the suspicion that
his retirement is due to such q cause.
The public now calls for BOoth.-M =.


Letter.