. Players and plays of the last quarter century; an historical summary of causes and a critical review of conditions as existing in the American theatre at the close of the nineteenth century. beyond the attainmentof art; but let temperament run riot, andthere are in a performance a few greatnative moments, with dreary half-hours ofcommonplace and crudity. For temperamentalone sees only a few points that interest, andto these points all else is sacrificed; or it isbetter to say that when nothing appeals totemperament, then there must be a Mace-donian cry to art. Now, a woman like Janau-schek i
. Players and plays of the last quarter century; an historical summary of causes and a critical review of conditions as existing in the American theatre at the close of the nineteenth century. beyond the attainmentof art; but let temperament run riot, andthere are in a performance a few greatnative moments, with dreary half-hours ofcommonplace and crudity. For temperamentalone sees only a few points that interest, andto these points all else is sacrificed; or it isbetter to say that when nothing appeals totemperament, then there must be a Mace-donian cry to art. Now, a woman like Janau-schek in the detail always holds the attentionby reason of her art. The heajer is consciousof the approach of great moments; the cres-cendo on the stage is synchronous with thecrescendo of interest in the pit; there is nosudden, unexpected appeal that misses fire;art and temperament together enchain theaudience, and prepare for the final climax,which, when it comes, comes as though inevi-tably, and with irresistible force. Here is awoman that is the last of the actresses of thegrand style. JOHN MCCULLOUGH Edwin Forrest, less individual than CharlotteCushman, was the founder in a limited sense. JOHN McCULLOUGH The Last of the Heroic Actors 121 of a school; and, principally through the workof two heroic actors, John McCuUough andThomas W. Keene, the Forrest traditions re-mained on the stage for twenty-five years afterthe American tragedians death. McCulloughwas almost Forrests pupil; Keene pursuedwhat he regarded as the most effective formof acting. Neither possessed Forrests nativeforce, his scholarliness, nor his originality, —Keene to a far less degree than McCullough. Indeed, John McCullough (1832-1885) isworthy of more than the passing mentionof indifference, for when one compares whathe was with what he came to be, John McCul-lough stands forth as one of the most remark-able figures that the American theatre hasproduced. Born in Ireland in abject poverty,he immigrated to the Uni
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