was invited to come, if he felt confidence for the attempt, and was proffered Kemble's situation, if it should appear that he could suf ficiently satisfy the town. He accordingly went, but did not succeed in London equal to the expectation of his friends. His per formances were received with much applause, but the people there having formed their taste on the acting of Cooke and Kemble, or from his real inferiority to those gentlemen, did not consider him equal to their favourites. He then performed for a few nights at Liverpool, with great eclat. From Liverpool, he again returned to America, and appeared in New-York in the character of Macbeth. The best criticks of that city; and among them Mr. Colman, the intelligent editor of the " Evening-Post," stands pre-eminent, considered the histrionick powers of our Roscius to have been much improved and ripened during his transatlantick excursion; but they still wanted that finishing polish, which is absolutely essential to win the award of the rigid judge, to enseal his fame with the stamp of sterling excellence. Several innovations, which he introduced in some of his principal Shakespeare characters, for the thread-bare purpose of stage-effect, as it is technically called, missed of their aim in the representation, and after meeting some slight critical reproof, were entirely abandoned, and have, we believe, never since returned, "to plague th' inventor." Of this class of Mr. Cooper's splendid frailties, one is so remarkable, that we cannot omit to mention it here. In the tragedy of Hamlet, the fourth scene of the third act lies in the Queen's apartment, in which the ghost reappears to the young Dane. This scene is the most celebrated in the whole play; and is considered by Richardson, in his analysis of Shakespeare, as developing the apex of Hamlet's character. We cannot withhold from Mr. Cooper the very distinguished meed of praise, to which his admirable performance of the scene, except at the exit of the ghost, justly entitles him. But in this passage, as this visionary personage is stalking away, Why, look you there! look, how it steals away! My father, in his habit, as he lived! Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal ! Mr. C. fell, horrour-struck, upon the stage; and no doubt he fell in a great attempt at tragick impression! That he should remain rooted to the spot, and not, as many ranters have done, bruise the innocent shaft of the prompt-pillar, seems perfectly judicious; but that the second visit of the ghost should create an effect more terrifick than the first, is inexplicable; except, indeed, it may be contended, that for the first interview with his father's spirit, he was prepared by his friend Horatio, &c.; and that having buckled on "the armour of the mind," he was proof against any sudden alarm from this preternatural rencounter. But this argument must inevitably recoil upon the head of Mr. C's advocate; for if the apparition was ever to produce a temporary suspension of the animal powers, it surely would have happened at the instant of his unexpected re-appearance, and not at the moment of his departure. But enough, and "too much of this." Mr. C. has now relinquished this method; and we add, with strong conviction of critical truth, and without derogation to any other American actor, "No Dane, but his own, now remains on our stage." 66 From New-York, Mr. Cooper went to Philadelphia, where he increased his already large honours ;" and from that city he came to Boston, where his success in particular tragick characters has been distinguished beyond that of any other performer, who has ever appeared on the same boards. As a general actor, Mr. Hodgkinson, whose memory will be ever dear to both the tutelar deities, who preside over the drama, was decidedly his superiour. Mr. Cooper does not often appear to advantage in comedy; and even in tragedy, we think he excels more in exciting terrour, than inspiring sympathy. His "Othello," his "Hamlet," his "Zanga," and his "Leon," are the most finished of all his personations. In many other characters, he has successfully pursued the path to fame, sed haud passibus equis. Second to no one, however, can we esteem him, as a votary of Melpomene, unless indeed we except the individual character of " Macbeth," in which the late lamented Hodgkinson pre-eminently surpassed him. This, it is acknowledged, is the most arduous of all Shakespeare's developements of human action. The seductions of ambition, the gradations of vice, and the reluctances of yielding virtue, are here minutely deline ated, and form the master-stroke of that unrivalled hand, which had so often portrayed the features of nature in different views, and knew " every line and trick of her sweet favour." Had the writer of this article ever witnessed the Thane of Cawdor by Mr. Kemble, it is probable he might not have considered, as he now does, Mr. Hodgkinson's assumption, as touching the ultimate point of excellence. Although we are devotedly attached to correct orthoepy on the stage, and have no pagan objection to any son of the histrionick art, who may happen to be erudite in philology; we still consider ourselves not only too much the admirers of Nature to estimate these polished requisites as the sine qua non of the profession; but we also are not quite fastidious enough to be ear-tied, in defiance of sense and character. On these subjects we shall here be silent; and shall also preserve our taciturnity on a theme of higher importance the application of the rising and falling circumflexes of the voice-in the discretion of whose exercise Mr. Cooper is sometimes incorrect.. This, however, is a fault, common to the best performers :-We have never yet heard but one " Portia" who pronounced The quality of mercy is not strained, with the rising circumflex on the last word; and yet without this, the passage is scarcely sense in itself, and bears no relation to the preceding position of the colloquy Then must the Jew be merciful. But to disclose an offence of greater magnitude :-We would ask Mr. Cooper upon what authority, except the spirit of innovation, in Hamlet's scene with Horatio, when speaking of the stratagem of the play "to catch the conscience of the king"-he reads, "if he turn pale, I know my course." In all the editions, which we have seen, the original text is preserved; and in Johnson's folio Dictionary we find the whole passage quoted, under the word "blench." I'll observe his looks; I'll tent him to the quick-if he but blench, Two other extracts from Shakespeare are H...VOL. 1. |