Saturday

obliged to employ force to separate the dog from and amongst them be placed the defendant Ghis enemy.

| He then caused the grocer and his dog to enter. Amongst the witnesses of this terrible scene there At a signal from the Commissaire, the grocer said happened to be a commercial gentleman who had to the dog one single word, “ Cherche !” – formerly been intimately acquainted with the paper- "Find!” mercbant. Pale and trembling with emotion, he The clever creature went several times round the approached the young man, and inquired in a whis-circle formed by the persons present. Each time per, - When your father took bis unfortunate jour- he stopped in front of G- giving the peculiar ney to Toulon, had he this dog with him?"

growl which he had uttered when he found the * Yes,” replied the paper-merchant's son. « Bris- trace of the thief. tol even reached our house before the disaster which “You see," said the Commissaire to G ,"it has ruined us was known.”

is useless to deny it: the dog knows you again." During this secret conversation, Bristol, whom Completely upset by this singular evidence, Ghis master held in check by means of a rope tied avowed that he really was the guilty party, and was round his neck, made extraordinary efforts to get | left to be dealt with by the law. loose.

Poodle, - for such was his name, and it is curious "I may be inistaken," the other continued, “but how fond foreigners are of giving English names to it is just possible this man mav be your father's their dogs, -- Poodle was a dog of note in every murderer. Remain here while all these people are sense of the word. talking amongst themselves about what has hap- Frederick Schwartz, a merchant retired from pened ; I will run to the Commissaire de Police business in Darmstadt, occupied his leisure hours, for a force sufficient to arrest the man."

which were many, alınost exclusively with music. In a quarter of an hour he came back with a His passion for the art acquired such an intensity posse of men, who surrounded and filled the public that he required every one about him to fall in with house. The suspected individual was at once his musical predilections by either vocal or instruarrested, and conducted forth with to prison. On mental co-operation. There was not a member of searching him, they found upon him the paper-mer- his household who could not take a part in the farchant's watch and several other trinkets which were ily concert. Even the maid of all work, in case of identified as having been his property. The pos-need, could make out one of Schubert's melodies or session of those articles was a strong presumption of an opera cavatina. Poodle, the dog, was the only the prisoner's guilt; but it was also proved that, one sinable to render any musical assistance. on the day of the murder, he had been met by a As worthy Herr Schwartz feit the utter impossilittle girl as he came out of the forest of Cogniou. bility of making Poodle afford any practical aid, he Other corroborative evidence turned up. He was determined to train him to fill the office of critic in found guilty, and condemned to death. After his own harmonious community. He succeeded, too, strong and reiterated protestations of innocence, by an ingenious method. Whenever a note out of he avowed the crime to his confessor at the last inne proceeiled from a voice or an instrument; moment, as he was mounting the very steps of the every time that a musical fuult was committed by scaffold.

any member of the family, - and such faults were At the present day, dogs are not a whit the less coinmitted purposely, -- the rod was applied to Poocapable of indicating who is the culprit. A grocer dle's back, and be naturally began to bark and at Boulogne-sur-Seine, near Paris, M. T- , found howl. He was exactly in the position of the whipout that he had been robbed for soine time past ping boy, who pursued his studies with the royal without being able to discover the offender. As it prince. Whenever the prince made a grammatical was during the night that his shop was entered, lieblunder, the whipping boy had to smart for it. had it guarded by his dog, an intelligent aninial Before long, simple threats were substituted for why usually slept in his private apartments,

smitings of his (Poodle's) back; afterwards a look One night in February, 1867), being awakened sulliced to set the creature barking; and little by by furious barking, he immediately rose, went down little Poodle familiarized himself with wrong notes to the shop, found the street-door open, and search and other musical atrocities, until at last a mistake ing in all directions, could find nobody. He there could not be committed without his rebuking it fore unchained his dog, who soon hit upon a scent, either by a bark or a growl. He thus became, as followed it into the street, and then, after stopping far as music was concerned, the most impartial at a neighboring house, came back to his master, judge, the most conscientious critic in the whole gave a peculiar and significant growl, and then grand duchy of Ilesse-Darmstadt. returned to track the same scent several times over. Unfortunately, his appreciation of musical art was His whole behavior seemed to indicate that the completely and solely negative.. He bestowed no individual who had entered the shop had taken praise, but only blame. Sing with expression, perrefuge in that house. This circumstance confirmed form with talent, the dog would remain impassive the suspi rions M. T- entertained respecting his and cold: but at the slightest incorrectness of intonephew G- , who lodged in that house, whoin he nation he ground his teeth, lashed his tail, growled, presumed to be the author of the various thefts. yelped, and barked aloud. So long as he flourished,

Consequently, while acquainting the Commissaire - and he may flourish still, — not a concert or an de Police with the robbery, he at the same time opera was rehearsed in Darmstadt without inviting communicated his suspicions. G w as sent for Herr Frederick Schwartz and his dog, - but more and interrogated. He denied all knowledge of the especially the dog. If the prima donna made the matter, and was highly indignant at the accusation. slightest slip, the dog looked at his master with an There being no proof whatever against him, he was air of disapprobation. If the hauthoys came in too on the point of being dismissed, when the Commis late, Poodle pricked up his ears; if the clarionet saire had the ingenious idea of making an experi- burried the movement, Poodle fidgeted on bis ment which might help him to discover the trath. bench; if the kettle-drummer broke the time, PooHe requested several persons to come into his office, dle uttered audible murmurs. In fact, no piece was considered properly executed unless the canine render some service in return. To the dog's collar connoisseur remained quiet on his seat.

he therefore fastened a leather purse, into which Nor must .it be supposed that Poodle's instinct was when he put a letter, Capucin carried it to its limited to forming a judgment of the execution only. address. It was a petition for pecuniary assistance His intelligence, trained by hearing classical works, from some generous person of the old soldier's 20seemed to have penetrated some of the secrets of quaintance. composition. An abrupt modulation, a false reso- When the cupboard was bare, Sandolet opened lution, would produce symptoms of doubt on Poo- the door, and calling the dog, said to him, " Come, dle's muzzle ; consecutive fifths made him shudder, Capucin, you see the huteh is empty. You must set and a halting melody set his teeth on edge. Some- to work, mon ami, and try what you can do." times Herr Schwartz and his intimate friends, in At which Capucin mournfully bowed his head, the privacy of a snug little quartette party, would shook his ears, tucked his tail between his legs, and amuse themselves by producing discordant sounds, began to bark, - a pantomime whicb, interpreted, for the sake of tormenting the sensitive animal. On said, “I understand, Master is hungry, and so is his such occasions Poodle lost all self-command; his dog." hair stood on end, his eyes became bloodshot, and The letter deposited in its receptacle, Sandolet frightful howlings answered to the discord produced said, “Go'to such or such a place." The docile by the fiddles of the mystificators. Moreover, they messenger obeyed, and presented himself to the were obliged to keep within certain bounds. Poodle party indicated with a humble and submissive air. possessed only a limited stock of forbearance. If He then raised his head to show the letter. Often. the cacophony was too intense or too prolonged, while waiting for the answer, Capucin, to beguile Poodle, carrying out his sense of duty, upset every- the time, found his way to the kitchen, where they thing. Music-stands, music-stools, and instruments, rarely refused him a morsel of meat. When at last were strewed in confusion about the room.

he got the answer, always inclosing a piece of Finally, negotiations are in progress for the en- money, he returned to his master as fast as his legs gagement of Poodle - or, if he be superannuated could carry him, and would contrive to make ten and retired on half-pay, of one of his descendants — or twelve such visits in the course of a morning. to attend the musical entertainments to be given in | The collection ended, the master and the dog emLondon during the current winter. We shall see braced each other. to how many the four-footed critic will listen with Sandolet then made a grand display upon the placid and undisturbed attention.

table of six, twelve, and twenty-four-sou pieces, and Begging dogs are far from rare; we find them at sometimes even of three and six-franc crowns - all every fair and every market; but they are beggars of which now are obsolete — Capucin looking on of low degree, and if not poor (probably often the with an approving air. The veteran, slapping his contrary), at least professing poverty. Genteel wooden leg with his only hand, would exclaim, beggar dogs being more uncommon, we produce a “ Bravo, Capucin ! bravo, my dog! You have good specimen of the class.

| brought me Balm of Gilead this morning." Sandolet, Chevalier de Saint Louis, after serving The rack was stored and the manger filled with for nearly forty years under the greatest captains of provisions for several days to come. the age of Louis XIV., found himself forced to hang But dogs will cater for friends of their own species up his sword upon a nail. “Forced” unfortunately as well as for human protégés. was the word; for he had grown old and feeble, A butcher and grazier, named Drouhin, residing without reckoning a score of wounds, the least of at Semur, is the owner of a capital setter called which, now, would procure his admission to the Blaireau, i. e. badger. Blaireau, very handsome Invalides. One of his contemporaries has sketched and thorough-bred, would make a first-rate sporting his portrait: “ His wrinkled face is that of a mum-dog; but his master prefers to intrust him with the mified frog. He lost his nose at the battle of custody of beasts which he turns out to grass and Fleurus; his right eye at the passage of the Rhine; afterwards sells in the environs of Paris. At a siga an arm on the field of Steinkerque; the left thigh from his master he sets off alone for the pasture at Malplaquet; and his lower jaw, carried away by where the bullocks are grazing. On arriving, he a ball at the siege of Valenciennes, has been re- first runs quite round the meadow, then stops, looks placed, more or less efficiently, by an artificial sub- at the cattle, and seems to count them. That cour, stitute."

he lies down at some distance from them, but always It would be difficult to find a chevalier of any in such a way as to keep them in sight. Atuk, order more completely dilapidated, and at the same Blaireau quits the pasture and leisurely trots hotne time continuing to exist. It appears that, in spite again. of his defective jaw, Sandolet had an excellent One day he found along the road another log, of appetite. Unfortunately, he has only a franc and about his own size, who lay behind a bush uiterorng a half, or fifteen pence, per day, to supply his wants. plaintive cries. Whether through curiosity ar a

That moderate income was insufficient; and it often more benevolent motive, Blaireau halted and examhappened that he had neither roast meat in the ined the stranger, whom he found quite worn ook cupboard, nor bread on the shelf, nor a sou in his and frightfully thin, and who had, moreover, a purse to keep the Devil out of it.

large wound in his thigh, which appeared to have Nevertheless, Sandolet had a dog who answered been made by the blade of a scythe. The on! to the name of Capucin. History not having re- had ceased to bleed, but it was covered with clotteri corded why this name was given him in preference blood and caked over with dirt and dust. It had to any other, we are obliged to do as history has been inflicted three or four days ago, and, according done. Weary of fasting and of waiting for the larks to all appearance, the poor creature during that to fall into his mouth ready roasted, Sandolet came time had taken no nourishment whatever. He to the logical conclusion that, since he had a dog, evidently suffered quite as much from fatigue and which dog helped him to consume his revenue, it exhaustion as from tbe effects of the wound. was only fair that the said dog, for his part, should On seeing another dog approach bim, the invalid

appeared to take courage and revive. He probably did not make him neglect his duty: he watched the had dragged himself to that spot in order to die be-beasts in the pasture as usual, only he returned hind the thicket; and now, when he believed him-three or four times in the course of the day to make self completely abandoned, there arrived a friend, sure that the invalid wanted for nothing, and that perhaps a savior! He fixed on Blaireau a suppli- he was not turned out of his resting-place. cating look, and then, with a groan, presented his In a week the patient was nearly cured. It is wounded limb, as much as to say, “Only see what a right to mention that the good-natured butcher pitiable, state I am in. Try what you can do to | hastened his recovery by washing the wound. The help me, there 's a good fellow."

first visit the companions paid to the pasture was a Blaireau in his way responded to the appeal. He scene of irrepressible frolic and gambol: Blaireau first smelt at the patient's wound, and then set to was the happiest dog in the world. work to lick it. The operation finished, he tried to The rest of the story is very soon told. One dog lead his friend away. The poor creature could just could not live without the other, and the butcher manage to stand, but walking was quite out of the did not care to separate them. Observing that they question. After trying to set a step or two he fell had abandoned the kennel because there was not back on the grass with a stifled groan. What was room enough for them both to sleep in it, he had a to be done now ? Blaireau seemed to reflect for a larger one made for their accommodation ; and it moment, and then set off for the town as hard as be was in this that M. Drouhin showed M. Richebourg could go.

the canine inseparables sleeping side by side. His first care on reaching his master's house was Our last anecdote is only a twelvemonth old. to visit the spot where the remains left after meals Monsieur De S- and Monsieur P- , country were set apart for his use. That day there happened gentlemen residing in the neighborhood of Borto be nothing, which was not enough, and Blaireau deaux, are great sportsmen and great friends. The was not the dog to be satisfied with that. He first has two dogs, the latter only one; and as dogs therefore boldly entered the shop where the butcher soon fall into their masters' ways, they also are inand his man were cutting up the meat for to-mor- timate acquaintances and passionately addicted to row's sale.

the chase. He had formed his plan; to carry it out he began One day they came to the understanding that by treating his master to an extra allowance of ex- they would have a little hunt all to themselves, for tra-fond caresses; and as soon as he judged the their own particular pleasure and profit. They moment propitious, he placed his two forefeet upon started a wild rabbit, which ran to burrow, as the the stall, selected a piece of meat, and took posses- most prudential move it could make. One of M. sion of it.

De S- 's dogs followed it so far that he could not “ Blaireau, sir! you rascally fellow !” said the get out again. There he remained, stuck in the butcher. “Will you please to leave that meat hole, unable to move either backwards or forwards. alone ?"

After scratching in vain to get him out, his two The dog, instead of running away like an ordi- companions returned home overwhelmed with grief. nary thief, humbly approached his master, wagging They were depressed in spirits, dead beat with his tail, and still holding the meat in his mouth, fatigue; perhaps also their consciences pricked seemed to be asking his permission to keep it. them a little. Their masters remarked their wretched

“ You are not squeamish, ma foi !" said the butch- plight, but had no means of accounting for it. er, laughing, “ to take a slice of beefsteak that The next day the two dogs disappeared afresh. weighs five or six pounds."

At night each returned to his respective domicile, The dog kept looking at his master, but without worn out, with bleeding feet, their coats covered loosing his hold of the meat. The butcher then took with earth and sand, and completely off their appeit out of his mouth, and returned it to its place upon tite. The same thing continued day after day. M. the stall. Blaireau gave a look of despair and De S— , uneasy at the absence of his first dog, turned to the door with a melancholy howl., and surprised at the strange proceedings of the sec

“ There is something strange in this," said the ond, mentioned the matter to his neighbor, Pbutcher to himself. “It is the first time he has ever who then told him that his own dog had been doing touched a scrap of meat in the shop. He must have exactly the same. a reason for doing it. I should like to find out.” He Early next morning M. De S— was awoke by recalled the dog and gave him the meat in ques- several dogs moaning and scratching at his door. tion.

On going down stairs to ascertain the cause, he was Blaireau jumped round the shop for joy, and then astonished to behold the missing dog escorted home bolted headlong into the street. The butcher fol- by his two companions, but weak, emaciated, and lowed him with his eyes until he disappeared in a reduced almost to a skeleton. Suspecting what narrow lane that led out of the town. Blaireau, might have happened, he caused search to be made, like the good Samaritan, was soon at the wounded and soon discovered the rabbits' burrow, in which wayfarer's side, inviting him to partake of the sup- the poor creature had been imprisoned for six ply, to which the other did not require much press- | whole days. The narrow mouth of the burrow had ing. He ate, or rather devoured, three quarters of been transformed into an open cave, evidently owthe beef, although underdone, after which Blaireau ing to the intelligent labors of the two dogs that finished wbat was left. The two dogs spent the remained at liberty.. night together, sleeping side by side.

Early the next morning Blaireau returned to the house, accompanied by a dog that limped on three

CHARLES KEAN. legs, and whom he invited to take possession of his It was generally understood that the late Mr. kennel. He then collected bones and scraps in the Charles Kean had in contemplation a formal leaveshop, after which the friends enjoyed their break- taking of the public at Drury Lane Theatre, — a fast together, one lying inside the kennel, the other farewell engagement, in the course of which he without. Nevertheless, Blaireau's care of his patient might go through a series of his most famous repre

sentations ; but it was not to be supposed that the judgment can be formed upon the merits of players actor designed any fresh experiments in his art, or wbom modern generations have had no opportunity counted upon enriching his repertory, or adding to of appraising. And this, without reference to the his reputation by new creations of character. Mr. period in which Mr. Kean was called upon to dis Kean's career as an actor virtually closed when he play his capacity, and even, in some respects, inde lett England in 1863 for Australia, California, and pendently of the artistic abilities and instinets which Canada. From that time he could only have had he unquestionably possessed. Mr. Kean had to in view a repetition more or less frequent of his struggle against grave difficulties. Constrained. most snecesstul impersonations. He had ceased to owing to circumstances which need not now be be a manager, and could hardly have attached him-recounted, to appear upon the stage a raw, ULselt permanently to any existing London theatrical skilled lad in his seventeenth year, his name earcompany, lle had become a "star"; appearing in ried with it a prestige which, seemingly valuable. a prescribed round of parts, and content to rest his had yet about it the quality of a most perilons inschance of future fame upon the success he had petus. There was great sympathy with him unalready achieved and might renew under those con- questionably. But the public curiosity was morditions,

bidly excited. Expectation bad been roused to a From his own point of view Mr. Kean had fallen most un wholesome pitch. The bor-actor could not mpon uvil times. He first stepped upon the stage satisfy bis auilience. It was certainly not his fault in 1827, when the legitimate" drama flourished that he, an Eton lad, with little preparation, with and the patent theatres enjoyed peculiar privileges only an accidental kind of acquaintance with the and were protected from the rivalry of the minor stage. hardly a regular playgoer even, — for be had houses. He has been called the last of the "legiti- certainly nerer seen John Kemble, - coald not mate” tragedians. He lived to see the decay of prove himselt on the instant an Edmund Kean. that poetie drama, and that school of ambitious The disappointment that ensued was unreasonable acting, which had seemed so firmly founded half a enough. . It subsequently became almost mereiless century ago. Ile saw the patents abolished and in its manifestations. The aetor farled; and his the trained companies of the great houses dispersed: failure was exaggerate), viewed extravagantly on Covent Garden changed into an Italian opera- all siles. It was only after many years of prere house, and Drury Lane used as a cireus as a prom-/ work and unremitting application, that Mr. Kean edade concert-r00m), as anytbing. It is not surprise I was even tolerated on the London stage. Few ing that in theatrical politics he was an extreme players have ever hall hardt & task before them. Torv. He considered that the drama bar decline! He hawl to receiv his future, and to extort success owing to the Legislature's removal of protective ander peerliar difficulties. The physical beaute of restrictions. He would not admit that the period, the Kemble mce - the personal charm they had was one of transition even. He saw no hope won' never tailel to give to every charaeter they esthe borizon. The ebange is going on every savel - was fresh in the remembrance of the night," he said, before the Parliamentary Committee public. Mr. Kean's lismirantyges in this respect on Theatrical Licenses in 1860; we are going were remarkable. He was eminently tnpictudeeper into the mire." Yet at one time be was, in rexjue in appearance. He was low in stature, awka measure, willing to accept and to make the be warii in figure. plain aml espressionless in face, ot the altered state of things We can't now," hel - even bis eves only seemed brilliant by contrast said, soon after he had become lesste ot' the Prin- with the poverty of his other teatures; while bis cess's Theatre, ** we can't now be bound by the old' voice was at all timus harsh. monotonous, inbarmo rules, and keep on troubling ourselves about what nious. Moreover, he was alarmingly overshadowed John Kemble didn't like, or Vacreally wouldn't do. bv bis father's grnits Even taking the most favorI've thrown away the dignity ot' a tragedian. I'm' able view of Mr. Kan's achievements, it will hardprepared to yo on now in any part. I'll play low lv even now be contended that he enn rank amongst comedy if neel be. I did appear as a tootman at the few - only two or three men ot' genius who the Haymarket only a little time ago." The foot have adorned the English stage. man part was in a comedy by Mr. Bucksione,' is time went on Mr. Kean worked hard, generacalled " Leap Yeir." Mr. Bean appeared as Wil tions grew up who krew not the Kembles, and his liam Walker, answering a bell; wearing a livery, tathero crentness ceased to be within the actual er. coat, and bringing on the scene a seuttie ot' (Odis. perience of living audiences, and became a tradition If memory serves us, however, the footman ulti- of the stage, fondly cherished, but still less and less mately proved to be a lover in disguise.

ot a tangible obstacle in the path way to theatrical This was before Mr. Bean, as manager of the 'veeeds Gradually the publie lented towards the Princess's, had hit upon the device of illustrating great ruan's son, and began to conceive more favor Shakespeare by means ot the most belly sellers bly of his merits. His personal disarantages and decorations. These superb revivais greatly, were less ciwelt upon lle was spen to have thor attracted the town, and though upon the whole ongiin mastered the business ut his professim. they were 110€ perbape vers remeritive, vot Mr.' Tir #shs kiled in all time aeromplishments. He Kean obtamed in them sulbicient permet de hand the the most of luis means Hu possessed to determine him to be petity Ilonelt utani numerable physical force, and could indulge in class of randed in which he had made his tirit i reben zal aprision of it with only oceasional risk peal to the favorite pien. Nie's the localitate din

Lion into rant. He was adroit in attion of his 12.bdk dat die huis your ideal to all out ther andando Pelatiul iner. Moreover, he was * legitimate" ins leyfi) for, inferil m e tody Carelui in al je did: he took the exbeliau be made me cachon ut un bal foi liitti, Madade tudo justice in every line and detail stock of pauls.

Julle hekktur he represented : he was full of Mr. Kean is to be enabend by the looks that lona har udienceand it was plain his art "levitimate" 114 lins, it in Boleslade this la Ima n in dom. In fine, he reaped the due also be said to be that lebt on that is a lot toiminnot be tou sad triumphed. He gained the

highest position the stage and the play-going public of his time could give him.

LONGEVITY. Though at no time an actor of versatility, Mr. An amusing article in the new number of the Kean occasionally diverged from the strict limita- Quarterly Review carries on the long controversy tions of tragedy and gained marked success in mel as to longevity originally started by Sir G. C. Lewis. odrama and comedy. Yet it was in a measure by The Reviewer believes that his incredulity was carrying into these walks of his art his original gradually giving way in the case of women, although method of representation. His manner was cer he still maintained that no male bad ever lived to the tainly never that of the usual run of melodramatic age of a hundred. The argument can only be effectactors, and his comic effectiveness was usually the ually closed by producing some case resting on thorresult of the contrast of his own perfectly self-con- oughly satisfactory evidence. The Reviewer is intained gravity and intensity of expression with the clined to believe in Old Parr and the Countess of situation in which he appeared. He rather lifted Desmond, but he must admit that there is enough up melodrama to tragedy than sank down to its of the fabulous mixed up with their stories to justify inferior level. He was able at times to grasp and any one who takes the sceptical side. The strongimpress an audience in a really remarkable manner, est argument in the negative direction appears to be and had often at command much of his father's ter- that on which Sir G. C. Lewis relied, that, since the rible earnestness. Thus, in the “Corsican Brothers," Christian era, no case has been alleged of any perthe portentous stolid calmness of his acting gained son of royal or noble birth having reached the magfor him far more distinction than the somewhat ic limit. It is not quite sufficient to reply that such flimsy fervor of Mr. Fechter, his rival in and the persons are exposed to greater risks than those of original representative of the part of Horace de lower rank ; though there is, of course, some weight Beaupré. His Mr. Ford in “ The Merry Wives of in the consideration. The case is as if we should Windsor” was one of the happiest of his comic im- find that, wherever we have been able to measure personations, elaborately studied and completed, accurately, we have never found men above (say) and most ingeniously blending appropriate serious- eight feet in height, but that the alleged stature inness with a becoming regard for the natural quali- creases in proportion as we listen to travellers from ties of comedy. As the Duke Aranza and Mr. remote districts, or examine prehistorical records. Oakley he was always effective, and, although he Such a result would necessarily follow if travellers could not look the part, his Benedick was full of despise a servile adherence to the truth, and if popintelligence and animation. His Hamlet has been ular traditions exaggerate. Seen through the mist generally the most admired of his Shakespearian which obscures distant ages or remote countries, the performances, and had certainly much to recom-giants appear still more gigantic, and we should natmend it. It was singularly careful and polished, urally infer that the ten or twenty feet monsters, and in a way thoughtful and impressive. But it when brought into clear daylight, might shrink to was essentially the Hamlet of the stage. As Rich- | the dimensions of accurately recorded cases. Now ard the Third he simply followed his father point the cases of longevity are in a similar predicament. by point even to adhering to Cibber's version of the If we are never told that kings and nobles have lived play. In Wolsey and King Lear he fought success to a hundred, the reason may indeed be that they fully with nature and became picturesque, and a lead more perilous lives, and therefore could not be certain chivalric fire and indomitable energy always said truly to have lived to a hundred. But it may carried him successfully through such parts as Hot- also be that, as the dates of their births and deaths spur and Henry the Fifth.

were notorious, nobody had the inpudence to assert * As an actor, Mr. Kean will probably be chiefly falsely that they lived to a hundred. remembered by his Louis the Eleventh in Mr. Bou- In short, if in all the cases which admit of an cicault's rather bald version of Delavigne's tragedy. easy test centenarians are unknown, there is at least In this part Mr. Kean seemed - a difficult task a presumption against the obscure centenarians who considering the individual peculiarities under which generally grow up in places where the system of he labored — to abandon bis own identity. Rec- registration is unknown, and where scepticism is ognition of him became difficult, and in certain less common than a love of the marvellous. This scenes of the play, - notably the death in the last presumption may, of course, be rebutted by one act, he impressed the audience even to striking clear case to the contrary. We cannot say à priori them with awe, as few actors have ever succeeded that no man can live two or three years beyond the in doing. The character may be described as age of 99, of which there are numerous well-authen"one idea-ed," and therefore remarkably suited to ticated instances, any more than we say dogmatithe display of that absorbed, concentrated fixity of cally that no man can grow to a height of 8 feet 2 manner which invariably distinguished Mr. Kean's inches, after several historical giants have already histrionic efforts, and enabled him at will in certain reached 8 feet. The Quarterly Reviewer produces characters to hush the house into stillness, or to two or three instances which appear to rest upon a rouse it to uproar.

fair amount of evidence; but we cannot point to any In his luxurious revivals of Shakespeare Mr. Kean conclusive and crushing blow to the sceptic. One was blamed, as Garrick and Kemble and Macready of the best cases probably is a Mrs. Williams, who had been before him, with over-embellishments of died at 102, in 1841, and who made a speech to her his subjects, and with sacrificing his author to pa- tenantry, upstanding, on ber hundredth birthday. geantry and upholstery. The usual excuse was of This story is told by her great-grandson, and has course to the effect that unless the pill of the legiti- the advantage that the lady was in a position of life mate drama had been thickly coated with gilding, in which the date of her birth would probably be he could not have induced the public to swallow it. easily ascertainable. One or two old incumbents, The worth of Mr. Kean's private character, and the a class notorious for living, are still better authentihigh estimation in which he was held on all sides, cated. gave lustre to his profession, and have moved the The whole controversy is a rather curious instance most cordial regret at his untimely decease. 1 of the importance of round numbers to the imagina