ture of
this singular character; but when we hear a performer of our day, whom
the public has long and deservedly applauded, extolled as a perfect
representative of lady Macbeth, and find this part held forth and
distinguished as the pattern of her excellence, true criticism must
reject the fallacy of the assertion, and the injustice it imposes upon
that great actress herself, who in many other situations of the drama,
sustains an eminence above all rivalship; physical defects may often be
lessened or concealed; but they will sometimes be too stubborn for the
force of art, and thus, in the language of venal compliment, the poet
said "Pritchard's genteel and Garrick's six feet high" it cannot be
denied that the former was eclipsed by the easy elegance of Mrs.
Woffington, and the latter overborne by the majestic stature and
deportment of Barry. The first appearance of Miss Smith last night in
lady Macbeth, could not fail to conjure up, perversely to our mental
view, the comparative superiority of Mrs. Siddons's person; the effect
was strong, but it was momentary; a delicate yet powerful and distinct
varied voice, a pure, correct, and exemplary enunciation, guided at once
by a sound understanding, a correct ear, and a discriminating taste,
a frame and expression of features not inferior to that of Mrs. Siddons
herself, with action always just and frequently commanding, soon led us
to the forgetfulness of her moderate stature, though oppressed,
incidentally, by the towering dignity of her lord: It is the duty of an
artist to contemplate the works of a renowned predecessor or
contemporary with unaffected reverence, but not with servile devotion,
and Miss Smith occasionally varied, and with advantage, from the model
that was before her. When Macbeth, incited to the murder of Duncan,
interposes--"if we should fail," Mrs. Siddons with cool promptitude
replies "we fail." The punctuation indeed was suggested by Mr. Steevens;
but it appears much too colloquially familiar for the temper and
importance of the scene; a failure, which here must be ruin, is an idea
that could never be urged with temerity or indifference, and we heard
the words with more decorum and much better effect from Miss Smith "we
fail?" i.e. is it to be supposed that we, possessing as we do, the power
to overcome every obstacle, can miscarry? In the sleeping scene too, we
have generally observed that the candlestick was deliberately placed
upon the table in order