Letter from Thomas Colley Grattan to Charlotte Cushman, n.d. [1843]

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from Thomas Colley Grattan to Charlotte Cushman, n.d. [1843]

Subject

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Macready, William Charles
Actors and Actresses
Actors and Actresses--US American
Actors and Actresses--English
Relationships--Networks

Description

The letter has no date on it but is addressed to Cushman in Philadelphia and talks about her performing together on stage with Macready in New York and Philadelphia, which suggests that the letter could be written in fall 1843. Thomas Grattan regrets hearing Cushman speak of ending her career as she seemed to have received criticism by Macready that threw her off balance. He also hopes to have misunderstood that Cushman is not going on tour with Macready in the South. The letter addresses the content of the false reports that Macready criticized in his diary entries in fall 1843. Grattan would appreciate it if Charlotte Cushman passes on his play Ben Nazir to Macready to hear his opinion on it.

Credit

Library of Congress, Charlotte Cushman Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Creator

Grattan, Thomas Colley, 1792-1864

Source

LoC, CCP 11:3351-3352

Date

1843

Type

Reference

Letter Item Type Metadata

Text

[3351] Boston Christmas Day
My dear Miss Cushman
Your letter of the 22d reached me yesterday. I was quite grieved & disappointed by its tone as far as it concerned yourself. What on Earth can have come over Mr. Macready's mind to make him less satisfied with you? He spoke of you to me on several occations on terms the most flattering. are you +++ yourself perhaps +++ by the sensitivesness you describe (you give it harsher +++ - but that is the true one) as common to the profession?" Beware of" - not +++, for I am sure you are above

[reverse] its reach, but of overanxiety to please those whom the ardour of your temperament leads you to overestimate. You talk of quitting the profession in a yar [year?]. I expect to see you stand very high in it indeed by that time. You must neither write, nor speak, not think in the mood that beset you three days ago. I have no doubt the cloud has passed over, and that the fine sunshine & bracing air of this very day are warming and animating you to the - top of your beat. (I wanted two or three words to finish the sentence & as usual found them in Shakspeare[sic]). Am I to understand that you do not go further South with Macready? I hope for your sake that I am not so to understand you. [last eight words inserted] But at every take I shall consider it a good wind that blows you this way. I hope it may be in my power to go over to Providence one day next week to hear you talk & see you act - but there is a matter of business

[3352] now going on here which occupies me so entirely & will do so for a fortnight or more of next month, that I fear I cannot be able to get away for a day. In case I cannot go I must hope that you willrun[?] over here, and I shall be too happy if my advice can be of worth enough to +++ for the trouble of +++ +++. Now as regards Ben Nazir, I can only refer to my former letter - if you have preserved it. My wish was & is that Mr. Macready should read it, if you continue to like it & that you still think it likely that he would like it. It was of course +++ to me whether he read it at New York or Philadelphia or elsewhere. And I had no notion whatever of having it reprinted, until it was decided that it was or was +++ to be +++ - for my letter clearly expressed (or meant to do so) that I would make alterations or additions that might be suggested by Mr Macready. The +++ therefore +++ +++ as it did a month ago. If you choose to take upon yourself to send the play to Mr. Macready to read

[reverse] I shall be very glad that he reads it & gives his opinion about acting or not acting it - but it must be clearly understood that his taking this trouble (if it is any trouble to him) is not to be considered in the light of any compliment paid to me. So the matter  rests. I send you a copy of the New York "+++" of +++ +++ which contains something about me in my former capacity as a +++ man. (I cannot find the paper.) +++ has been ravishing us all here. men women & children. I have heard the best violin players in the world, & he is beyond all doubt the best among the best. Many kind regards to your mother &sister and waiting for your next letter of advice[?] [underlined], ever faithfully yours

From

Grattan, Thomas Colley, 1792-1864

To

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876

Location

Boston, MA

Geocode (Latitude)

42.3602534

Geocode (Longitude)

-71.0582912

Location (Recipient)

Philadelphia, PA

Geocode Recipient (Latitude)

39.9527237

Geocode Recipient (Longitude)

-75.1635262

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Geolocation

Collection

Citation

Grattan, Thomas Colley, 1792-1864, “Letter from Thomas Colley Grattan to Charlotte Cushman, n.d. [1843],” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed March 28, 2024, https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/115.

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