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not because of its novelty； not because of its many scattered beauties； but
because of its perfect consistency with itself。 As the animal…painter said
of his favourite picture of rabbits that there was more nature about those
rabbits than you usually found in rabbits； so it may be said of Mr。 Fechter's
Hamlet； that there was more consistency about that Hamlet than you
usually found in Hamlets。 Its great and satisfying originality was in its
possessing the merit of a distinctly conceived and executed idea。 From the
first appearance of the broken glass of fashion and mould of form； pale
and worn with weeping for his father's death； and remotely suspicious of
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its cause； to his final struggle with Horatio for the fatal cup； there were
cohesion and coherence in Mr。 Fechter's view of the character。 Devrient；
the German actor； had； some years before in London； fluttered the
theatrical doves considerably； by such changes as being seated when
instructing the players； and like mild departures from established usage；
but he had worn； in the main； the old nondescript dress； and had held forth；
in the main； in the old way； hovering between sanity and madness。 I do
not remember whether he wore his hair crisply curled short； as if he were
going to an everlasting dancing…master's party at the Danish court； but I do
remember that most other Hamlets since the great Kemble had been bound
to do so。 Mr。 Fechter's Hamlet； a pale； woebegone Norseman with long
flaxen hair； wearing a strange garb never associated with the part upon the
English stage （if ever seen there at all） and making a piratical swoop upon
the whole fleet of little theatrical prescriptions without meaning； or； like
Dr。 Johnson's celebrated friend； with only one idea in them； and that a
wrong one； never could have achieved its extraordinary success but for its
animation by one pervading purpose； to which all changes were made
intelligently subservient。 The bearing of this purpose on the treatment of
Ophelia； on the death of Polonius； and on the old student fellowship
between Hamlet and Horatio； was exceedingly striking； and the difference
between picturesqueness of stage arrangement for mere stage effect； and
for the elucidation of a meaning； was well displayed in there having been a
gallery of musicians at the Play； and in one of them passing on his way out；
with his instrument in his hand； when Hamlet； seeing it； took it from him；
to point his talk with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern。
This leads me to the observation with which I have all along desired to
conclude： that Mr。 Fechter's romance and picturesqueness are always
united to a true artist's intelligence； and a true artist's training in a true
artist's spirit。 He became one of the company of the Theatre Francais
when he was a very young man； and he has cultivated his natural gifts in
the best schools。 I cannot wish my friend a better audience than he will
have in the American people； and I cannot wish them a better actor than
they will have in my friend。
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Footnotes：
｛1｝ Cornhill Magazine