edly, and that, now that he was thrown forth out of that
period, he had no firm standing-point that he could get hold of. But
how marvellously did this man astonish us when, having become
thoroughly at his ease, and free from constraint with us, he spoke the
speech of the Ghost in Hamlet, as given in Schroeder's version
(Schlegel's translation he knew nothing about), with a power of
expression which touched our hearts; and we were all moved to
admiration at the manner in which he delivered several passages from
the part of Oldenhelm (for he would have nothing to say to the name
'Polonius'), rendering them in such a way that we distinctly saw before
our eyes the courtier, in his second childhood now, but who had clearly
not lacked worldly wisdom in former times, and still showed distinct
traces of it. This he brought before us in a manner very seldom seen on
the boards. All this, however, was but the prelude to a scene which I
never saw the parallel of, and which I can never forget. It is
here that I really, for the first time, come to what, during this
conversation of ours, brought to my remembrance the old actor in
question, and my worthy Serapion Brethren must pardon me if I have made
my introduction to this somewhat too long. This man was compelled to
undertake those wretched subordinate parts which we were talking of,
and thus it chanced that, some days after the occasion I have been
speaking of, he had to play the part of the 'Manager' in the piece 'The
Rehearsal,' which the _Impresario_ had altered to suit himself,
thinking he particularly excelled in it. Whether it was that the
conversation with us has stirred up his inner, better self, or that,
perhaps (as it was rumoured afterwards), on that day he had reinforced
his natural power with wine--contrary as that was to his usual custom--
he had no sooner come upon the stage than he appeared to be a totally
different man from what he had been at other times. His eyes sparkled,
and the hollow wavering voice of the worn-out hypochondriac was
transformed into a clear, resonant bass, such as is employed by jovial
characters of the old style; for instance, the rich uncles who, in the
exercise of poetical justice, punish folly and reward virtue. The
beginning of the piece gave no indication of what was to come; but how
amazed was the audience when, after the first changes of dress had been
made, the strange creature turned upon the manager with sarcastic
smiles, and addres