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THE PEOPLE'S .TOURNAL.
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29
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THE MISS CUSHMANS, IN ROMEO AND JULIET.
FROM A SKETCH BY MARGARE'l' GILLIES.
No. 29.
July 18, 1646.
u1uunu11uLe, many u1 wuum Wt're J.' rencn re1ugees,
whom she befriended, and even conce,lled in her
{t
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;·l�·
�30
Romeo falling ju l ov e at firs t
high- soule� Ion, rea dy to ;a/�ght
; th
or the wend-woman , M eg l\1 1 1 �c e a]l � eurl\
THE MIS S CUS HM AN S.
1
v oicu a n d 1i h ri v cl l cd ann s en d .� � 1H_ea, ,11 d\\�8l,
BY MA1{y Jiow t'l"l'.
Rou l all 1.i t·e al i k e t ru e an d ' 1.\n]l th1tike \l'{] J
11
ca t.
i:hl';· i t, (�1 1 1d 1 1 n 1t.11 IH gre at · l1ot o1i ly h gi
cnn)lc A Rh th
AccoRD I N G to our boli t'f, 11 1 l 1m:t;,lt t ,who
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' l ng, ,n• I1u :,1,, (
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be poetry mus 'i c pnmt
I an I '
,. lk I\ I '
c IH n et kn.,t i,� ffli h l! l nl(eK
t>f 1 tu 1 1�u1 v i e w o f 1er. ru·L,
tation is ' desi g,:ed II$ Im itt:-l.rn 1 1 1 t· 1 1 I: h·,V1
c eI W ith ,, 1\y
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at
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advan'ce and cul
11 t11 rll � 1 111r,�
1 1 c rc nce" tl CILH(!
tt ed l are on e, W i t } 1 t l 1 1• 1, <l'1 n-'
i nt
and pain ting· u1·c �0 1 il'l 1lt't•1 ty �ft'llCl'n. l ly aclnuhaken
sentutiv.e a1� d �n t�r p_retE;t of 'nat u,r;n 111 lh r, �� �rt
with regar d to t.hc st.up:t' , howe vet·, )�cads are s
imitativ e �cn �c b f l c:r 111:ti,t':
and dcnnws m·e 111Hdu , e ven by m mds d1ves te�l of n ot acttfig 111 its
nature, an d thc re'fo .ut . ac110 11 • �tt1
many popul nr 1ir0Juclices- -a11d, we mu.s t �0�1fe�s, v el'y action of
1 (' It •
'
with some show of teason . Bttt the obJeCh on hes true-o ften un c on v en t1011al , often <l i ft 1s 111 .,11 •
\1' 1
mode
of rend er in g th e hercn t to 1f
I
not in the m·t itsel f so much as in its abuse, which accustomed
ar
I
is, in fact, an arg;ument against the usti of so many always a gr1md and true co ncep ti b1 acte r1 h,\1
)t of God 's good gifts. Cotrupt passjons have �e which fills a�� sat i s fie s the in i nd. \ �nd !Jilt
graded the stage, arid made that 1h1pttl'e which eal'ne[jt exposit1011 of natu r� i s a di t'h is ,clear
i1
was not of necessity so l and consid�1·1ng Miss character,h itic of this gl"eat acttess :nid guisbing
Cushman as one of its regenerato l's, we tegn.rd ticularly insist upon its being nece;sal'y t \Ve Par.
n ess in all walks of art-for n a tu re a nd i �reat
het with honour, if not with reverence.
All art whatever, i n its highest and noblest ex:.. the same-not rough, coarse, una ssistedt u1 t 1 are
ercise, requites, as a. 0011. dition of its full develop but with every assistan c e of s tud y e xp �rtnre,
m'e nt, devotion of heal't, eal'nestlless� purity of cultiv ation, and self-d iscipline - � atur eel
s1 )
p�rpose? and purity of life-vittues enough tor a strong, unfettered, and f'earless n ature .
high-priest. We do not deny but that meh and
But we �ave saitl .mtH'e tha� enough,
women too, wanting many of these qualifications, by way of mtro.dtl<it�b!l tb t�1e htt!e me mo irp erha 8
' , have
still distinguished themsel ves nobly ih their gifted lady and h�1· ;b eautiful sister, w of,
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ob.
respe?tive walks oh.rt-�ut this we mulntain, that tamed fr.o m 1:1.��h�ttfac sources, we havhich
e much
knowmg how far they ha-ve got1e and how high pleasure m ln.ymg· bflfbre our readers.
they have risen, we know not still to what loftier
The Oushmfins are descended, both on their
heights they might have risen, had theil' natures fathe,·\; and moth�r 1 s side from the rilgrim Father
�een J?Ore faithfully sc\1ooled to the plli' P.ose� anq. The firsb who ett11grated to Amenca was Roberts.
mtent10 ns of art, The life of the ttue artist- rn all Cushman ) a Ptesbyt�l'ian, who, fleeing from perse
departments alike=ought to be a life of :amest cu_Hon lit home, \Vas one of that band of exiles
:
and sinc ere endeavour to achieve M rr1uch excel called Pllgdm Fll.the1.1 a, a.nd was himself the first
ler_i c e as it lies in his power to conteive ; and. to do of thosij who s-et f!Jo.t on Plymouth Rock. He also,
this; labour, study, and s elf-tle1fral ate n ecessary althouth nbt a mln1st�t, was the fitst who wrote
and very few, alas ! ate able to practise this last atld published a se1•1n ott ih the new colony. After
condition-the hardest or a11.
httving established his family i n this new land of
In n o wal k of artist-life are the t�tnptations so ))i'omise, he retuihed to tht} old country, to watch
strong as in that of the actor. There is some by fil.1 intolel'ant throne o vet th e interests of the
thing, so to say, mtn'� outward, more appealing, td ihfan t colony. It 1s a, singulai' fact that of all the
�he. senses in that than oth�rs ; he, hims.elf bodil ;r , Pilg·l'itn Fath�1·s Rob�rt Cushman was th e only
1s the tepresentat1ve of lus pbwer ; he appeals tt) Otie after _wrorrt neither toWh; river, D?l' la�e was
our souls personally, and in his own person he n�lled. H ts, howevet\ the laudable 1��ent10n of
which the hrs descelidartls to erect a monumen t to bls me mory
) receiv�s o ur homage, ttnd the homage
successful actot oi' actress receives is the m ost in on Plytnou th hock itself.
toxicating in the w orld. Ho1,v truly great, then,
Of the Pui'ifan, settlers tvh o came from E ngland
are those who remain unscathed by it !
to Amei'ica, the less dignified families fixed them
· As we said befor-e, all al'tist--life, and that ot the selves at an d about Plymottth ) while the m ore
actor atnong them, rl3quires for its full perfocling wealthy and aristocratic removed Mrthwatcl to
the hig·hest powers of human nature-the resistanc� Gloucester and Cape Ann. A111tmg thos e at th e
of temptatio11, selr-denial, and purity of life. The l at ter place was one family of the nam e of Saunlr �
time will cotne when the necessity for these vir
At the middl e of th e l a st centul'y a famil y o. � 1 �
tues-in which, we repeat it, great strength lies name; and directly descended from the ol'i gm
will b e acknowledged, and then, an d not till then, Pilgrim worth ies; still lived at Cape A n n . Amo;k!
will i t be seen what a truls divine thing is ge11 ius , oth er children th ��·e wete two daughters; ren!ll .,
and what it lies i n human rtature to achieve . It is abls handso m e wtmum. One of th ese m nrl'1ee dof..
b ecause we rccoghis'e in Miss Cushman an a1>proach R us s ian merchant o f great we alth, Utl ll 80•11\ id
a
to our ideal of the greatly pure in art that we her des cendan ts, by th e tHtme of Vetnon lH \tct·
d
g
a,
regard her as ort e of its noblest representatives. to be n ow J iving in W ul�. The othf r
�
She is, i t is tru e, singularly gifted for the great th e m at ernal gta n d 111 othe 1' o f the C us h mntfi �. wa�
her
artist. There is a natural breadth and grandeur i n not ruor e remarkaLl c for her beaut y �111' � / She
h er min d which enables her to take large vi e we, great abilities an d noble ch aract�r o t 1�l11� �t h by
1
and hence her impersouation of character i s wa s much admh ed nud courted m hj1 Yffic
e l's of
O
ie
broad
ontline,
with
a full the gen tlemeh of Cll.pe Ann an d by t
strongly drawn in clear,
witty
ness o f fin ish that �ives to i t that extrn.orcli n n ry the am 1 y nud n nv y. She was rem �r �abI1e with
comp leteness for which i t is remarkable. Besides and brilliant in conversation , was m \11� � n an d
this there is in het ow n character great truth a n d m�ny of the leading men in the Jte vo u Th;. ough
earrie s tness ; she is possesse d of sober judgm ent e nJ o y e d the acquaintance of Waslu n gt ob , in e ac
to
an d calm good sense, combjne d w.i th w on d erful h er sister's marriage, pr obabl y, sh e et�
1 d ed
e n th u siasm and force of passion , which enable her q uainte d with a young man wh o als oh e becain e I
fully to fee l an d faithfully t� deline at� everJ: cha Russia, of the name of Cutting . Surs. e of thi s
ract er she ass u mes, wheth er 1t be the 1mpass 1oned deeply attach ed to him ; and the c o
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THE PEOPLE'S J OURNAL.
true l ove, which ditl not run sn1.ooth, C'ast n cl o n d ,
an d ga v e a dark col oud11g t o t.h c w h o l o t' h e r
life. l<'rom some cause 01· oih t1 1·, l w r fo n d l y
thought w e l l t o put a n en cl t. o th , fr n l' q 1 1 n. l 1 1 t.11 J 1 1 c:.
The love1· 's I ttets w re il\ t.l n•ep1.l 1 d,, 1 1 1 1 t l lwr 1 1 i i 1 H I
was possesed w i th the.' bl 1 l i 1 •1' o f h i � iH · 0 1 1 f. L11 1 1 c y .
She was a.c ord iu 1·ly � l' l l ( !hnn homl', i n orcl cr tl l u t.
ch ange of ocll , ,Hl t lh1 W lH cpwi11 tnn ' , m igh t d i vert
her mind i\-om hrr n n h n ppy lov t'-a1lil i1·. H erc, as
usual, lov 1's w 't'c pl , n ty1 and mi1 0ngst them a
young· lnw)' l'l' nmn ,a Babbitt, whose brother, after
wa1·d: tlu' mo� t distinguished sntgeon in Massa
chussi?tts, had married her cousin and dearest
fri , n d . I t o happtm ed, however, that here also,
a ' in the former case, her f\ctrrtily put in opposition )
al though her wishes favottred him. Thinking it,
therefore, best to pl-ease hers elf, seeh). &· there was
, o little chan ce of pleasing them , s ll e matried
him against their co11 sent, and whilst she was yet
on A visit. The day of their mai·1·iage the y oung
coupl e set out on a tout of pl easme, an d stopped
for the night at a seaport-town on their way to th e
north. The house was in gteat disorder from the
!ate d�parture �f many. gt1.ests, an d the l a;ndlady ,
1 m takmg th em mto their chambet, apologised for
its. state of derangem eht, as it had been l eft, she
sa�d, but an hour b�fore by a yotmg 'rri erchan t cap
tam, who was on his way to Cape Ann to see th e
lady he dearly hnn�d, and to whom he hoped im
mediately to be martied. Th e bri d-e knew that it
was her :fi rst true lov e, an d the alfa.ir sank deeply
into h er soul. She n ever fotgot hitn as long as
she l ived, and in het oltl age the pre-c ious legacy
which she left to_ her favourite g1'and-daugh ter,
Charlotte- our Miss Cushman __:_ were the love1 e tters which had passed between her ah d het tin
fortunate lover. As for him, on discovering, on
his arrival at Cape Ann, the 1i1artiage of his mis
trE::ss, and the consequent dfaaptJointl11ent of all his
hopes, he return ed to Russia, whel'� h e died.
Not v ery long afte1· her 1na1·riage she removed
with h er husban d fro 111 Cape Ann to Sturbridge,
Worc·e ster County, where she lived fot some years.
The coun try, however, was p oor, an d furni s.h ed
very l i ttle employment fol' a lawyer ; besides
which, i t then being the ti me · of the struggl e for
i n depen dence, her husban d rais ed a bo dy of pa
triot soldiets, an cl devote d himself to the interests
of his co1;1n h'.f · In a worl dly point of vi� :-,v things
went on 111 with the in . S h e had two cluldren, a
son a h d daughter ; ah d it was necessary for het to
exert h erself for their s upport as well 'as her own.
She thei'efore commenced business as a. dtess
mak er and milliner, in which she was v ery suc
cessful ; but, ,vi th an e xcusable degree of ptide,
she for a long time conceale d from her family the
knowle d ge of her own exettions. Gre at were th e
di ffi cul ti es she haa to s ttuggle with, an d yet her
n obl e disposition ahd b enevol �nt h eart carried her
through a tl ; an d she had always a h otrte for the
unfortun ate, m any of whom were J?rench l'efugees,
whom she befri en<led, and even concMled i n het·
hous e ; an d it is rem arkabl e th at, even tht•ough
all her misfortun es, sh e n e ver lost her w i t ah d h er
bril l iancy i n con versation . �rrou bles, it is prov �t·
bially said, n�ver com e s i ngly ; an d th u s a th ird
child, born in the dark sMSon of her l i fe, wait M
feebl e constitut ion, a n d ul titrtately b. c\•ipt,1 . Aa
a� infant his sister, then gr6Wirtg, up, ten dt1d hi
with the { ove o f a. ��cond m oth er, a.nd h ete'\te
she went catried him with h er on I pUlo . Th�
early troubles and difficul tieA, h.� wtv
1i e 11 l
permit ted e\l'il, ha4 their ,�oa tfflfbt.
h
self-re lytn r spirit lfeW u
I in ·
and at the age of ie\r l m
ski!,
31
1·p1n o v r d 1.o Bmiio1 1 , where, y ou n g as sh e w as sh e
op<'11 1 rl n sc h ool, n n c1 w i lh th , most ad.mi rabl; de
l.t 1 1· ni i 1 1 ,1 t,i0 1 1 11.nrl eorn·ngr toll c cl on i n the path of
d u t.y . r 11 co11 rp,o of 1.i i n 1· H lHl m arried Mr. Cushman
o l' Ho�Ln n , 1t 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 m i d d l e l i fo an cl a widowe r:
' I ' l 1 c H< W l' l'O Lh o pnrn 1 1 I. o f' n u r nc(,l't! 88CH.
• M r. C iu-1 h 1 1 1 1u 1 Wfl.H 1 1, rnc:r · h n n t, i n good circum
sL1tn ccH, who Lrac k<l l'ro1r1 Bof1to11 Lo the coast
to wns, and th ir te en y can; o f' l i app i n �HK nn <l pros
perity succeeded th · ir marriage. I I c, however,
was one w.h o, singularly uprigh t a n d hon · Kt h i m
self, never suspected the contrary in ot.hcn1 ; a n d
i n the end h e was ruined by the dishon e!ity of
persons in his employment, in whom he ] 1 ad
pb ced th e most unboun ded confidence . Hia
troubles comA'letely broke his spirit ; he set ont Lo
look after a ] 1ttl c property he had ju the Eastern
country, an d there he died. His widow was 1eft
with fiv e children. But she was not one to be
crushed even by misfortune ; she had health,
strength, a noble courage, and fi ve children ; she
open ed, therefore, a boarcli� g house in Boston ,
where, if not affl uently, she l ived respectably.
Th e eldest daughter, Charlotte, our Miss
Cushman inherited from her mother, who was a
beautiful ' singer, a fine taste for music. As a
child, she was i'emarkable for her grave and
earnest character · she was not fond of playing
with other childr'en, but 1:etire� apar t, wh�re
she read tragedies an d practised srngmg. Seemg
her great taste for music, her rnothe�: wisely deter
mined to cul tivate it to the u tmost m her power.
She was not wealthy enough, however, to obt1;tin
th e first-rate masters for h er daughter ; but n ativ e
talen t is like love, giv e i t only breathing room, a n d
i t will struggle into day ; so was i t here. Her
first teacher was but himself at that time a pupil ;
but sh e progressed under his tuitio n . She sang in
the chapel, and at fifteen at a public con cert,
where she was heard by a gentleman of great
we alth an d taste 111 the city, who 1·esolved that
such extraordin ary -promise should not fail for
lack of c�ll tiv ati�n. Tbrou &f h his m eans, th erefore,
the best mstruct10n w as af orded her, and she was
placed as an articled-pupil for three y ears with
the master of her former pupil-teacher , an English
man of the name of Paddon, forrn edy an organist
in London. After two years, being· inv ited b y
some wealthy relations i n N ew Y ork t o visit th em
for a month ; she went there. H er rel ations w ere
delighted with their youilg and w o nderfully gifted
kinswoman, a n d�w ished much to adopt her, and pro
vide for her for life. She wrote for her mother ' s
consent or opinion ; ai1 d th ree months, i nstead of
one, w ere spent in deciding _th e su?j ect. The mother
w ould not coilsent to p ar tm g w ith her daught er,
an d Charl otte returning home, found that this long
visit had broken h er articles with Mr. Pnddou .
This cause d h ei· th e less regret as she had fOl�n d
th at h e could. give h er but limited in struction
which would not, in the end, qualify he1· for more
thafi a teach el· herself.
.
S obn after this, Mrs. Woo d, form erly M.1ss Paton,
cam e to Boston , an d �ith her she st�ng m a con•
cert. M . W ood 1 who w as as.tomsh ed an 4 de
i h b er oice, decla1·e d 1t to b� the fin est
l iJ'ht
c t al tb s : had e et heard, an d advise d her �o
�ingin.g on �he stage. Ilus
tt ntio 1
t 1•
'bat 1 kgainst the w ishes and views
d v c� wts
a cqnne ctioos. Bolh 1t former
i
of
, both ou her fathe1·'
'hfJ famil
ft:
J :t r tt
e y
lad. be t, Hgid pre\by tei-ians an d
1en�rations had often een
' a
t erefete, · n the mmd� o} all,
e stag ; i a.s to heir ideas
a
'°
re, complete h
,f ber mother c
1 his daughte1·.
vely in person ,
;herefore, of a p
1s n ot to be n
the hara sing
and placed in t
he lind in ease
id to render 1
ngement s eem
e, an d no enf
by an toward�
,wn himself th
:r, "- as j u t hl
ously ill of br:
.eath. At th
rother, and b
t, that in orde
:i to his prop(
:onsiderable
rhe idea wa
,:m g her real l
ly to secure i
1 otherwi e 1
idea wa, no·
�onsented ; i
ents weTe m<i
m e, howeve1
telEgence w
·m detenuim
1t of evil i n
arriage. l
\illingness e
\ler's counte
( The moth1
10thing but
Indy in a1
' husban d
{v er-ruled e
, ill-starred
'd recovered
ife howeve·
{ore not h r
�f e v i l whic
,ugeh:, migl
1\· husband
, g to N e w ·
(as h e gone:
d prosper
Em all side
t he had l,
(ce which r
l.;,
�g mad.e p,
�e.·peneu
S th e S\\C
SU('h pit
ull b 1
�u11conven ti on al. ni-: �,vre_,_ , ,._:;:-;-·.!9' ___,,... ..,__... _
ason. But the objec tion l.ies true -ot'ten
ea
m
stn
a
accu
wluch
buse,
much as in its
.
E'S JOU RNA L. �
nt against th(
• TH E PE OP L
.
,
_
.,
Corrupt p a( 82
d made tha,
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rron i11�. and
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a h igh , . cl ear rn l'
�
)
so ; and c�' All, th ere.J UI l;' o v e rc o me.n Ch arl o t t e Cn sh oa�1 ,llati.,re
ct i· a dat ion .
de
d
s
a
su
rn
n
i:
o a ainst s u ch a. n1 1 c
j ts regenel'a,
1
a pla ce of si•
th ey ,ire am o n g th e r, ob le s l of s o n e 'ill )
t with rever(1
stedfastl y set the n- t.fa c;,801.·tu�rn tcly ho we v er, the w h o iw id,r�11�th o n d truth
d
th< )
its highest 1
and abuse ·of talen tro n rr m lc1 e1· ·o;v n w i l {\i l n rs� ; 0 1 t t h y Lrr a l . Snch can ar e o nl YGtho e's11 irte��
no
s
s
H'r,
t
) exe rtio n was imm ens e ; and
b
wu
I
·
us
lll
0te t
s
ondition of i'
wn
1
y oun g gem
t
�llbtl,,
i
r
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s
.
ed
h e wen t i11 l o her bed , nn
)
: a g rea t .�n d nri·c �.c;o cl , h t 1 t . hilo{ ol tl'd 1 1 1 1 • 1u·nn tl 1 m1�l cn f' n n rl rr th e fl c, the \·er�
art, eatnest1
she felt tha
al1d, •
}T
· e
.
1
1
i •w o11 l c• l lnw ,, c:n1sh rcl 11 ;;,
;1ttnek of feve r was the con
e,.
1 nd :-1,
l
,•
a
i
wh
no
ed
1
fe
H
I
life-vi rtue
she
I
1·
1
1,
1
.
.,, canrr J lit
and
t1
)
.
1 1 cl :, , sr-,l ,o ol·'
ing �lon clay the then t:
. 1 1 1 H l tJ1 (' 1 1' 1 1 1 L (J 1 1 n m o rtn hcn.n ty wh ·1 h Weedr,/nfa.�. ) low
1ot deny bu
� lk·s l1 �Id n th eir 11 w
kms10
' l \ l wr n•iw l v c
k
i
t
grnn
cl
•1
.
nd, anrl with 1t pcri 0
cc
l
h
tc
trmp
e
h
t
for
u
o
i
�
�c
rn
ol'
c
�
t
t
p
u
tl
b
ahy of these'
ei ,
<
for eto ld ev1 l ;
1 w 1H 1 rr\ l� l� t' t nn H'd ba c k by co
wnr drob e.
d l'C W n. ea r w fl �
now
t'
e.
m
i
t
,os
t
The
of
d. themsel ,·e
one
t
(
no
.
"·
s
1
n .h
wa
. .
1
Thn� was she lcfL penn yl i
-but this we
sha dow s,,.,.
a yo ung a tr ia1 1n l i er new voc ati o n. 'l'o L h r. r.: 1W;\�
rncnt , on n hcd of sickn e�
\ I OYC l' W 'l t il her
n·}
1
1
t
ln•o
r
e
on
every
h:id
n
co
of
t
nec
"
1
11\ I i:s.
te d w i th. t
hav-e gotrn
OCll
.
::i.
rlcpen dcnt u pon h er.
1 im:m. 0f the n am e o f men
hr ;11tc
ow not still
mu sica l dir ect tn-, nu lns
' - her ·, was ann o unc e d for Lady Ma cb eth :� thth �i1tr'
• a F is
t
Cla
ed
rri
( To be co11l
ma
s
of h er frien d Mr . B l r, oc
1•e risen, Im� Maeder · wh o , nl't env ard
to n .
Cus lnn an wa s of the b enwefit
.
tte
o
·l
ar
.
Ch
care,.
lus
hooled to th�
th
for
atever
h
Sh e
e ch ar ac te
and n udN
m th e �har._ a cte r of no dress
ife of the ti·1
bro u�h t out us a pub lic smg�r,ge o Fzg a1 o. Sl1 e that if this w ere known i t wo ul d t� and f,
rria
if
:ht to be a
�
the Cou ntes s in the Ma
perabl e impedimen t i n the way sh e J? W an j
e ss wa� c �
:o achieve a,
d
�
wRs then jnst ' n in ete en, and h er succ
ver
the
until
�
not
r
l
f
g
morn
y
it
tion
in
s
�)
er
o
e first smo.
e le ar)
rvei· to coittl•
plete. She bad e fair to be one of tha n d she bem
h en �oo late to . make an y al ter ati
t
w
as
al.
,
g
se,
a
c
0
;elf-d enial a1
of the age. This bein g the
m great dismay and an ger s e \and �
e able to iv·' brought out und� r Mr. M a edei: , the ?ld mast �r, manager,
Clo zel, of th e F;en� er 11':(
Madame
to
ote
n
,
a
il
p
1f all.
Padd on , n ow cl aime d h er as his articled-pu
appearan ce sh e wa Theatt,
personal
whose
with
All
e.
q':enc
�onse
the
ite ru·e the
t p aper-war w as
violen
a
and
quaint e d. S h e took the n ote, reque sti�:�1tl ei
e actor . T
th1� wac; painful, a nd m any difficu lties arose, ac
a d r ess for Lady M a cbeth,
elf Sh� "'ase\Gal
ltlrard, mor,
which were enough to h ave d au n ted any one less of at th at time v ery slender ; hers
cou;·
of
and
se th e ,ta!i
her
,
owever
h
thers : he, h
,
h
courageous th an herself. At lengt
his power · 1 horizon seemed to bright en ; an engagem ent was she imagined that the _ l a �y whos e dress 'she ���t�
sumlar to her own . He · '
id in his �,
made for h er by Maeder, in which, as prima donna, wear was of adfigure
ma.y be imagine d, ther:fo�:·
dismay
an
on
sternati
d the homE
to
she w as to accompany hims e lf and his wife
recei Hs is
New Orlean s, wh ere a new th e atre h ad b e en when we say that Madame Clozel was a rn,..J ·h·l,li·
e1 y st ou t woman, wh os e wa ist nloi,
•
How trul·
erected, and h ere she bec ame acqu ainted with an d immens
�cat hed by /
r own, th e b r other would measure nearly two yards round. Holi:
B
Frederick
Mrs.
and
mp,
a
Dec
1ttist -life , ai1
e ve r, no lio n s, real or imaginary, ev e r stood m
a n d sister of Mrs. Ch arles Kembl e.
·es for its fu
At New Orle ans, however, a misfortun e befel Miss Cus h man 's path. Nothing could e qual t�
an natm· e-1
our youn g si n ger, which must inevitabl y ha ve r eady good n atur e of th e kind-hearted French
and puri ty' crush e d any spirit less buoyant than her own ; woman ; and, by dint of taking in huge seams. and
ne cc=ssit y f
and, but for her own scope of un tried powers, letting down broad hems, a dress was manul:11··
; it, gr e at s C which, as it wer e, l ay i n reserve for the evil day, tured, i n w h ich the new aspirant for tr agedy fam1
.
d then , a n d )
she must h ave sunk un der it. The chang e of m ade a ver y respectabl e appearance 'fhe thta·
y di-r- ine thi
e first h el d up their haul
t}1
from
had
severity
e
h
t
south,
the
to
th
nor
e
th
from
e
t
a
clim
corps
trical
n atur e to al1
of pr a ctice requisit e , an d th e unwise a ttempt to an d for e told d efeat, and many a one camr to
iss Cushmad
overstrain her voic e from a pure contr alto to an l a ugh. But the perform an ce was a complet1
.tly p ur e in)
available sopr an o, cert ain l y destroyed it. No triump h ; the most unanim ous a.ppl ause showered
nob lest rep1
situation can be conc eived more distr essi n g, o r upon h er, and the r e n o longer existed an y doubt rt·
rly gifted f(
1'!11
more calculated to drive to utter d e spair. Th ere gardi n g her b eing a great tr agic actress . wit�
Jread th and)
sh.e was, i n a str a nge cou n try, away from her own piece was repeate d many nights, and the n, wa:
he r to take ) frie n ds and family - dis appointed, rui n ed, as it
her fame estab lished as far as New Orleans
riatio n of 9
seemed, by the step she h ad taken against th eir concerned, she retm!ne d to New Y ork, happYd!
·oad outlin e)
council. What was to b e don e ? Sh e could not the p oss e ssion of a new path to fa� e an� 1( n
�o i t that e
retur� to her moth e r a beggar, afte r h aving l e ft p e n dence, and thinkin g, in her y oun g im a gma 10 '
is re m arkab
her wit� a fortune, as
believed, in her voice. that she was about to s e t the worl d on fire. sbi
1arac t er gre.� Wha.t, mdeed , was to bshe
e 8�ell'
e don e !
H owever , all was not as smoo th ande tas�
;;sed of sob
Wi th a nob l e r e solution n ot to sink she took had
re 1:;a�
t�
a
l
a
ip
P.rinc
nbined witl
hear t, althoug h she k n ew not th e n �pon what Y anticip ate d. A t th e ible t? obtalll an egeJllent
ork sh e found it imposs
ssion, whicr( pl.ank she was t? be
saved . She had one true ment without fi rst acting on trial . An en�a fridt
to deline au
fnen , howe ver, m the tragedian of the th eatre
a
a mi� or th e a t�d�ratio�
l
ir it be the �I
t e�an
arned Barton, now a professor of elo- · was at once offered her by ecuntary c
��� o
warred against it · but p
be W e t of Eng land
? as bv sO
, a nobl e-he arte d induced her to acc�pt it ; more esp e cia st to htr,
�
man :n�t \i sch ol ar.
!
ro !Il him .she asked ad doing s e w as enab le d to assis t tho de a�ga
eui.et\1
vice in h�r di �c�l t a n d Fpam
h
e
J
e
ful
.
H
circ
ums
tan
ces
r thiS Ulll' .
a n d who IlOW needed assistan ce.
and. he' apprec iati n g her yet
I
u.ntri e d t a1 en t 1or
)
� ' here was for three years ; an d duri��utatiO
I'.;
actmg, rec om mc- nd d th
a pro fes sio n . With she
su ch 11 ie ter nts �
lish
I him , therefore Rh: r a� as
stab
e
determined
to
)
Prese7:ved, Ma� bet h , : . such pla ys �s Ven ice shoul d enable h e r to ma ke h_er owfoi· her fa1' �
u as all this w as in
opp osition to the will&oi
or
,
:
M
'
� e , ho woul d hav e any theatre. S he sent ac c dmtY he entere:1
d1s �ounten an ced an y ntt
cel
t
.
scar
'bet
sattocked
ha
y
New
o
but
;
York
)I
ob l ig ed to keep al l s e m I>� o f the km d, s h e w as h �r eng agement w h en s h e w as rostrate� red
ecr et fro m 111· , an d
8
't
u
es
a·
}I
her v i o lent illn e s s, wh ich co m ple t e ly P She S1ll' ble
m
s i were c arri ed on m
· a .
t
t
i
l
e
l
g
ar
o
at .le ast, she co uld
ret, wh er e
.
t e ngth, and b rou ght her verf l �·sh e was und jJ)
th i s 1·ittl e m ean roomen sure pn acy ; an d he re, in, sexrtre
)'
mel y b oth in body and m 1 hde 'b ad indutupoO
sh
e
;
ie and con cei ved
I
all tho se gre at trag ed
t
to
ful
fil her engagemen t, an d s s. to d ep ell soOo
y p art �m
, h she has so
ic
)I
er
r ark ably dis t in g uish
th
e
ed
certai
n h op e of suc c e ss, o t� ·ned· ABd \lP�
�
i
ers
e
. An y o ne but
shm
e must have be en
af� e11ter� b��,
)I
e
h
b
er.
da
un
x
may
er
H
an ieties
by e
c mstan c es that s urr
)I
ound:1 t er ; tut out w ard cir as she w a s at all c on v ale s c en t done th 19 i,��1
f eal
e
t�e str e ng
hasd
gr e atn ess
r
0
fhe unt ow ard an w J.s in h er, . an d fe w in de ed ath her the atrical duties · b ut sh e o on e \\'b :f'
)I
d adve rs"e c ircu
re h e r s tr e ng th w as e qdal to it . F rh cbar&C
ms tan ces which
).
s he ac ted, and every n ight a fr es
n
______
1
:::i
f
'
")
...
S
1j1
I
i
i
If
�---- - -- ----------�
�
: th llot
eat ese.
. e l\tes,,
ca11
nd,
li�<l
Pl"es �e
fash�llte
1
es a d_ll.s
e..
to h
ston1�"e
h
atre sh ..
s
>ccas·loll.e
Sh e h a.:i
fear·
'l
. lng
an ins\ ..
l
lOt 1n e
·sal l:J.aua. thIte
ile r Wi th
rheatre
o t even
the loa
n
Was tall
Lerefore'
e Wast�
Ier con
terefore
iry short
st alone
· How
:;tood in
iual the
French
Lms, and
1.anufac
dy fame
ile thea
ir hands
came to
:omplete
howered
:loubt re
�s. The
en, with
eans was
happy in
nd inde5ination,
,y as she
! in New
en gage
:ageinent
e. Prjde
le rat ions
as by so
st to her,
rag ement
�his tillle
t ation as
rrns with
e r fainil [
tt ered 90
ed bf �
�a ted �
:l suffe r�
as un�
duce n,.
end u
As
red
bis b'
11ole
�ctet',
)
THE PEOPLE
)------------) exertion was immense; and on the Saturday night
)
she went ill to her bed, and a violent and long
attack of fever was the consequence. On the fol
lowing Monday the theatre was burnt to the
ground, and with it perished all her theatrical
wardrobe.
Thus was she left pennyless, without an cnga1,p.i
ment, on a bed of sickness, and with he1· fonuly
dependent upon her.
(To be conti1111fd.)
----+-
b=::=::::::=::;::::::::::;:::::::::;;:::,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::=::::::::::::::::::::::::.::::::::=:::::::::.:::::;::::::::;::..;::;'-�:::::-�
THE PEOPLE'S JOURNAL.
THE MISS CUSHMANS.
BY MARY HOWITT.
(Concliidedfrom page 33.)
AT this sad til!le her sister Susan, then l1ardly
more than a cluld, was sent to Boston to visit a
relation; her elder brother took a situation and
her younger brother, a boy of twelve, to �horn
she was tenderly attached, and with. talents and
character equal to her own, she sent to school at
Albany, in the full belief that better days would
come ; and then. as soon as she was able to travel
taking her motl1er with her that she mio-ht n�
longer be friendless and forl�rn among strtngers,
she accepted an engagement which was offered
her at Albany, and there she acted with great
success for four months.
Nothing c_ould be pleasanter than this sojourn
at Albany ; 1t was as the clear sunshine in the in
terv�l of a storm, and she greatly enjoyed it. The
Legislature were at that time sitting there· and
she, not being· in such prosperous circumstances
as to afford for herself a private lodging, met daily
in the public room of the boarding-house many
members of this - body, intelligent and well-in
formed men, and music and conversation made
the afternoons pass delightfully. In the midst of
all this pleasure and success, again the storm
gathered, which fell like a sudden blow, and at
once dashed all delight out of existence. . Her
beloved young brother was killed by a fall from a
horse, and this so sudden and violent death ;i-lmost
overwhelmed her. She stayed to see him buried
and then left Albany, unable longer to endure a
place which had cost her so dearly. After this
terrible blow she travelled for severnl months in
the country, taking temporary engagements as they
offered; and then, with a mind somewhat calmed
and submissive to the sorrow which God had
appointed, she came again to New York, where
she resolved stedfastly and with renewed energy
to work upward in her profession. She accord
ingly accepted a humble engagement in the prin
cipal theatre of New York, determined that
nothing should prevent her rising to the inninence
at which she aimed. For three years she remained
here acting in every play, whether trag·edy, comedy,
opera, farce, or vaudeville; playiug old women,
young women, girls, chambermaids, waiting-
maids, and all eccentric characters whatever.
This gave her a wonderful range of power and
experience, and still she persevered onward, deter
mined through all difficulty and trouble to reach
at last the highest _point. One thing, however,
she had not calculated upon, that by making
herself so generally useful she was in reality only
impeding her own advancement in the theatre;
beca,use managers with a selfish policy, generally
keep useful peopi e down, lest they should feel
their own strength, and thus the managers be
obliged to employ two or three people instead of
one, or else pay them at a higher rate.
We must now, however, return to the time spent
at Albany, during which her sister Susan married.
The circumstances of this marriage were peculia1·;
and we are enabled, without violating private con
fidence, to make the public so far acquainted with
them as is necessa-ry for our little narrative.
At that period of Miss Cushman's theatrical
life in which misfortune seemed to have. over
whelmed her, a _gen�leman of B0ston1. in middle
life, an.d :a friend of t;he family, came torward and
ofere4'tot&ke 1 het·sltter: 1 SUsan, then very young,
�
;;;;.
47
entirely under his care, complete her education
and, if the consent of her mother could be ob�
tained, adopt her as his daughter. Suaan was
delicate in health, lovely in person, and ti.mid in
character ; this offer, therefore, of a permanent and
comfortable home was not to be rejected. She
was removed from the harassing cares which
pressed on her sister, and placed in the house of a
half-brother, where she lived in ease and comfort,
no pains being spared to render he1· education
complete. The arrangement seemed altogether
a most satisfactory one, and no sentiment but that
of gratitude was felt by all towards the man who
had so generously shown himself the friend of all.
When Susan, however, was just turned fourteen
he was taken dangerously ill of brain fever, and
lay at the point of death. At this moment he
summoned her half-brother, and besought, as the
prayer of a dying man, that in order to give Susan
C11shman a legal claim to his property, which was
believed to be very considerable, she would con
sent to many him.' The idea was a startling one;
but he had been so long her real benefactor, and
now meant so sincerely to secure independence to
her at his death, when otherwise she must be un
provided for, that the idea was not to be rejected.
Her brother-in-law consented; and, after some
little delay, arrangements were made for the mar·
riage. In the meantime, however, the mother, to
whom this singular intelligence was sent, hurried
to Boston with the firm determination, .from some
nameless presentiment of evil in her own mind,
utterly to forbid the marriage. In Susan's mind
too the greatest unwillingness existed, and she
only needed her mother's countenance resolutely
to refuse her consent. The mother came; but the
relatives, who saw nothing but the utmost ad
vantage to the young lady in an alliance, which
, even supposing the husband lived promised
wealth and station, over-ruled even the mother's
unwillingness. This ill-starred marriage took
place and the husband recovered.
Before the young wife however was fifteen, she
had occasion to deplore not having listened to
those presentiments of evil which, like the whis
perings of guardian an�eh:, might have saved her
from bitter woe. Her lmsband one dav informed
her that he W..!}l '.;Oing to New y ork on business;
scarcely, ho,,'!!V'er, was he gone when the whole
bubble of his wealth and prosperity burst. Hungry
creditors rushed in from all sides, and it was then
found to be too true that he had left Boston to avoid
the personal annoyance which mnst accrne on the
state of his affairs being made public. .For his wife,
however, young and inexpe1·ienccd as she was, and
to whom this came as the sudden crnsh of the
earthquake, he had no such pity. Slrn was left to
bear it all. Nothing could be more appalling and
dist.ressin� than her present state. She had n�ar
ried him m the first instance not from affection,
but from n sense of gratitude and duty to a kind
devoted friend, who as a dying request asked but
her hand to provide for her through life. Whe�
he lived, however, and thus when the responsi
bility and duty of a wife was suddenly thrust up<?n
her she like Jenny in the ballad of " Old Rohm
Gr�y " bad literally vowed with herself to be a
good 'wife -to. him who had been so kindt. and who
she sincerely believed had meant so 'kin<11y by her.
Now, ·however. and this was perhaps the saddest
part of this sad knowledge, his character appeared
m an entirely new aspect; he was a selftsh, cruel,
and false man. Her heart almost broke under
this dreadful disoo-.ery. A Y.ear or ,two,, durinr
which no better hope revealed litaelf; ·went on, ad
� :;r:..::7*'
ma
e- :e :sr::
;=:
......
�,e r
o1 1gh t o,ar
c1 h a d br
rri
sh
i
lr
n
a
-o ctol' , q ards 1n m'I
LO . aften.
C h arl ot
h LS care lic s i,n g�)',
as a pu bl ]l(arri<J,fJ
is,. i. n th e , ancl b e
it ni ne te en be one
bade fair to
g th e er
Th is b einr,
M ac d
M
r
; un de d her as
e
m
w c lai ar wni- th 1
t pap er-w 111 n 11 )
ti n ful a n dha ve cl n
en oug h to f. A t l ei
J1an hers el h!cn ; �1 (/
ne d to b rig n 1. w h 1 1})
by M ae der, hnn sr ,\
ac com pan y n rw ,{
�s, wh ere :i bcc:in,
d he re sh e ri�k 1)
d M rs. Fredc h. t'l1.\
� Mrs. Cb arks n'r. '
)rle an s. ho we nn
sing er, wh ich o�·a
i
>' spiri t lc�s hnpe
r h er o wn scoeser�\
were, b, in r
1ave sunK un der it)
n the nor th to the
requisite. and th
1er ,oice from a �
opran o. c ertainly
n be concei ved r)
ated to d,· i,e to U)
a strange country,)
l fam ily - disa ppo
the step she had )
1hat was to be d)
�r moth er a begg f
fortune, as she be!
·ed, was to be dona
oble resolution nG
ough she knew r1
was to be saved
re,er1 in the trage1
named Barton, n
the West of Engl
fine scholar. Fro
r difficult and pc1
lpre.ciating her y,
ommrnded that a
:fore, she read s
Macbeth, &c. · bl
to the will of 'Ma,
anced any attemp
keep all secret
re carried on in
�e could ensure l
nean room she s·
rea� ti:age�y parts
'f d1stmgu1shed h
iave been daunte
s that surroun ded
�atne ss w .is in he
ard and adve rse
�
1
E'S ,T O CTRN A JJ;
'rTm PE O PL
18
'tr mi n cl l i e r
. Itl l. �v
---------ns -clnrlc
h i c h m 11 y
JT-'.:i fr,o w
_.
.
l
·
un
1
o
l
l',
ther
o
. 1 1 1· 11 ,..,0- ten 1 .i t1 cR, '1 1 t 1 H 1 ,n 1 1 r l ' K rf'll,H< HJ ,
Sho w· o.1s a 1!'lcrus
er
nn d fn 1
e l oH A o f h
1 1 l i o 1'H j Y' , 1'
be m. rnt ?1 o n cfc1 (I.thJ )' fo c , 1 1 1 b,· An c I e,l t• r 1,!i•nn f:h o 1 1 f,i n m1t
I ,
O
N o I ns t o H J I P W,•1 H• h ' 11 11 H' ' l ·H• � , ti I ) (
•
a
.
h
y
1
1
ug
11
c
ro
th
f'1 1 l ri l h l'l' '.1w n o n 1 < •11 1 1 H o l' , n 1 1 1 1 1
1
1
·
'c
o
1
.
n
t
l
o
v
cn
en c] ·
ot 1 L l i , o n
, w h o 1 i.1i r I l l '
H r1 l 1 11.s hn n dl t l1 ·' c h d d , s1 , c > I J ' f.o i,l t c • S ' h em
Lo
1
<
11
1
l
cf't
,r
I
l
•
1
�
l 11 1 1
t111• 11 ·1 ng 1i , , 1 i wr
,, II l i 1•c 1 1· 1 i ont ' H I 1 c< j'] i ct' l wc1 1 L t o
l
t 1 1 r . P I '. '11 ,<l f :<i\\'l i"( h lH' I' ] 1' ( t i ' HOi
]1 y
.
t h r1 r 1 :l l t •
c n g f'o· r· l' b at i:iy rn pat t o
· ( . ' rcnrrn
1
1
d
ure
s
h
r
W!1S
1•r
n
;i
m
'
11u1t
r'-s
{'
h l
th th e s h e
1r
.1 et ,.lso to d o so m e th 1 1;g to r� n
:111 <l k i 11 cl11 1'ss w m
rm
lr
Ih
ti n d. n n d ih'
fo1\- hers elf an d ch1 l � . of ct?
sn n· i 111k p c n d c n c o
ish
gu
an
the
d
an
r
e
ev
�nd n ess of her lo t, l
hea�· t ' had cau sed a d eep
rrn sbc d an d w oun e.or1 her 'm i nd. She was not
settle
to
JJ1el a n chol y
e d to hav e J ost
·
ex1s ten c e seem
t h en t wen. ty, y1::t
.
.
.
d ch e erfu 1 pu�an
t
brigh
eve ry cha 1,m c101 h ei ' th e
for h er child s
till
s
t
e
y
;
e
n
o
g
'
were
life
l)ose s of
f·
l
l
e
Jers
,
exert
o
t
sake , s1ie. '"as w i1Jing
liear t bled t o wi tness th e
Her sist er' wJrh ose
•
s 9rr o ws and suaermgs of on e s O y oung an d. so
forth th e �alen t for th� atncal
all
c
to
d e ar, resolved
representa tion which she bel.i eved her s�.,., t eh . to
possess. Her s trong, energe t ic, and unfl:nc mg
ch ara c ter was of the greates.t benefi t . to he1 . The
most beautiful fea ture in this narrati ve, p e�·haps,
i11 the affe c tion o f these two noble-h.eart ed s1� te rs.
Charlotte 's was a charac ter on wl11ch her sist er ,
disappointed an d heart-b�oken , could l e an a n d
fr om whi c h she c ould denve strength. S h e was
her tea c her · they w orked bard together, and, as
was natural; the si c k heart1 i f it grew no t well, at
least grew stronger.
Mrs . Merriman, or Miss Susan Cushman , as s he
was theatri c ally c alled, made her first appearance
before the publi c in a manuscrip t pl ay called Tlze
Genoese, written by a young Ameri c an , in which,
to en c ourage her sister, Miss Cushma n t ook the
par t of the lover. A n d here le t a few w o rds be
sai d on a subje c t wh ic h has excited s o m e r e marks ,
and as we think needle ssly, to M i ss Cushm an ' s
disad vanta ge-w e mean on her tak i ng male par t s.
We c an asser t it as a fac t , and i t is
of gen erosi ty and beau tiful affec tion, a fact full
solel y o n her sister's a c c ou n t tha t sh t hat i t i s
e has done
so. . By taki ng herse lf th e m ale
char
ac t er, for
.
w hich she was m man y case s adm
irab ly sui ted
she was �na ble d t o obta in the fi1•s
for her s! ster ;, the r� bei ng, as t fem al e cha rac te;.
is . wel l kno wn , 110
p1a ys.w n tten m wh ich tw?
pr
omm en t fem al e cha
racte1s are found. Affec tio
n for o n e wh o
if
n
o esse o f her
t
s tron g, o 1·igi nal m
'
t a�l,.Y e t t eau
ty, gr ace, te nd ern ess, asc ulin e t ale n�
and ma n re�
q u1s_i tes for a �uc cess
to gi v e. hc1• every su ful actress, m a de her w1�l'm g.
eve n wh ere sh e her pport and ad,.'ant ag e sh e c oul d,
· n·
' " d, as i t s e ern ed
ou t o f a wo m an , s prself
to st ep
'
o
.
Swmn Cmi h m an 's act vin ce W 1 th r egaru3 t o M1s
s
in
tha.t, spi te of the a dvan it se en1.s to us, h o we \r e r,
,
g
t
�
ug
e
s
l
1e
ac t,mg w i th her
. m ay de n. · v e fro m
er th Cl.e is
b alan cin g di8 ad v iisist
�hso a co un
n
tag� ' b cc
a1.1 se i t forc es, t e l·
w ere, her acti n g whi
as i t
ch h
ex tr e me d e lic acy of fc�{i� tJ o, . nn d r e mm•k n b l e
gi rn to c otn pn
with h er sis te r's,
marke d an d po werf\.wh. i c h is •t W ny s l:!O stroris on
il
n gl y
But our i n te n t
n here is. n ot cr1. . .
therefore, r e turn ioto
. t1 c1s in ; le t us
se c ond. . se as o n i n P th e n hint i v c.
n g h e;
hil
adel;
m et with some
a, , M. rs .D1u•i
M errim an
treate � h er wit hof her h :b 'd r el ati ons
, wh o
the u tm�: t k d
.
re �e� tm g h 1s
base c on du ct to h1! n e ss ,. an d w ho ,
obt(lm a . divo
ad v ise d her to
rea!$ o 1' s e� i ste rc e, Afor w h ich th '
d.
t their ow n eh mo& t abu n da nt
c arge the y co
m...
,·r
l
a.°a
for
m e n ccd tl, e n cc•cHl:! nr
vorC'c wrJ H ob t n i n <·d , ,.Y1 tic1 ':J.pd l>r,,<
.; l•c1 .1
Wil l'( J H t J I f' t l C!WH r1f } I I. 1 j, r I <.!l!I!· :,.t}�
· 1 . r1�,...
(, I I (' f.11,I' .W (•Ht. 'l' l l l l H t� r r"'; i tJ' I rr:&1,j11 11 •1 y
·
· ·',' rltn 1 r111. 1 ,.< I ,.,- 1"; !1 11•
n 1 1 c l KorJ o w ,. 1 > 1 1 1' r' 1 1· ig
1.,, d :i.w 1 1 , fi n d t h e : ytm r I r;r l11 n"!l w1 1
• . 'K i,. ctri,
t1'<.! '·
• .
U 1 1�1. 1 11 l 1 f't' p. rc> f i. · iHw,
1 1 rl, l 1 J 1 IJ f n 11 ri,;w '1 IH •�-'
(I.r j,l 111i_; }· . �'llt 1,
HI.O re I•0 1' I I ( ' )',•
i ,1·,
'J'I 1c f·,WO HlHlc n1 n
o w 1.,) ,) 1', A, •
•
h
1
,
f•
:.:
I
a n cJ 0 1 on. e K<�UH<m
U H··•y pr;r f',, � n l. h··r1!1·
.
1
a 1 1 t I 1c p r m c 1 p a l ch aract
<•r 11 t! r1 i n P r}
1
r e turn ed to N e w Yo r k · f). u• • · h<: r1 1:x t ' •
ri n
W h J' ] � t } wt celcln:ated corn ea 0 tJ 1 ·1 , "'i,
was m v ogue, m wh ic h t{ f,,rr,rJ,,11 ,1
e
n i n ety n jgh ts, M ifls C u s h m y actf·d up
c on troverHy with
P
ark Bcn �an .had a 1'11:
·
son n e t- wr1· t er m W h ·JC 1 1 n'�Teat·J um in! an
' - ,,A
oe
at <1'
h e r b y M r. B e n n ett, of the An1cc W
e
who bad e v e r been a thorou,,h ,h } ,,,/, ii,,
g r eat an d ori gina.l talen t, and whic1 hV£:r ·
o n c e to place h er 111 her true posj tio ae
Th e foll owing se ason sl1e assum e{th
m e n t of the Ph iladelph ia Th eatre' \!•·' h e
· e d un t !· 1 M r. M
. acread y came ere
mam
to r\
when h e , b emg so much sat isfie d with th
an c e s!1 e _ren�ered h im, solicited her toe
pany lum m his engagements to the �orth
Soon aft er . th i s a d esir e which had long 0�
upon h er m m d too k a more detem1inate 1
an d she resolved to carry it in to effe r,t ; ti;
n o other than th e coming t o England, and
her powers b e fore a higher tribunal than
w h i c h h e r n ative country could afford
Throughout the whol e of her career a noble
b i tion h a d ev e r urged her onward ; she n
sa t isfied t o c om e short i n any �ay of that ex��
lence at which she aimed. While yet youn
her art sh e aspired to s t and side by side with M
Siddons. Mrs. Siddons, or rather the fame wni
s h e h ad l e ft behind, was the grand ideal aft
which she s trov e . But supposin g she equalled,
even , wern such a th i ng p o ssible, surpasse� �
S iddo ns, i t would hav e availed her vt>ry little
hav e fame a w arde d to h er by .Ameri ca alone. T,
E ngland sh e must come . I t was an idea th
h aunted her night a n d day. To be loved and
ap nreciat ed by E n o·land , that was her gre-' a l alD'
�
b i t10n, and n o thing short of that w ould �at sf btr
tbt
o
's great steps m
L i ke all Miss Cushman
,; was des ti n e d to b e t aken alon e. It was �
also
oat
com 111�nc e m en t of winter that she set out dift
f
Y
�
.
t
dan
e xc�p t ing for on e fe�:n ale atten
� at tit
.
c ul t1 es an d pamful
c1rcumstan ces c on spher def":
last m o men t s to throw a gl oom u p ob
t\lfl\c&
t ur e . A ti mid, doubtful min d m u st
'\UI to
eso
b a ck e v en thP. n ; bu t with her, t o r
of
st
n
v
act. On th e voyage, howe v er, tl�e ful li:: ha cl
8
ch
'nd ,
bol d , uncerta i n v enture on w lu
z a rd ed so mu ch , fe l l h eav ily O!l her 1:�,n
w as depressed a n d unha pp y. fhe '1
e ver, o f h er mel anchol y t h oughts .
d i ve r ted b y th e k i ndness of an Amtrl�i� b
h er fel l ow- v o yage rs n n cl from t hem, '\f))t
arr ival i n th at vast �vorl d of Lo u don, lil\'11
o
fr ie t�dl ess fe el fr ien dless i� dl'ed, 8
i
W
reoe 1 v e th e u tmost n.t. tent 10 n,
'cl
n !'t�r hor al'l'ivul in thi s co un tr y, sht
v 1 s 1 t to Scotla n d a nd Ptl.l'iR, b eing \· s '°"a...,.
ttll'ul l y anxious to see some th i!l � of t �
old w orld , with its fam ous c1tl8 6t &ll t'
ra
p oet ry an d 1·om a n c e, while h er .m 1 n1ulJt-J
ll
s
s
ta ked, an d fr e e to e nj oy al l thing $b a1
k n e w , as who w oul d n o t hav e k n o w.n.2'1 , •. ·
o f failur e i n h e r g1·eat tri al w i th th
s h� wo uld be di&heiutened an d d epr
•lirrl
f
1}e,'
r:
\i/�
Jit •:
�'
�
a1•
'll.,
e1n_ aftel',
,
ftoll.
. Of tt
�ginh. i al
··lll}
�
l �o
lnlleafitict
it1
ogeth
e
ctdeI h·\',
��art:ph ta
:on, e,
a11�
Ssitra'tee
1Ta1·ds of
'Wsp�Pe:r
rne r1ca ll..
done to
.lfe,.<!,ld
in he;
�rned at
nanage...
she�
merica,
assist-
accom...
perated,
shape,
nls was
trying
m any
d ·her.
>le am
rns not
exeel-
THE J> EOPLJ<�'
tho power of enjoyment. To Sc0Llnll1l and Pu.ria
therefore, i:;ho wcut.· n11cl pn.rt.ing f'rom her kinfi '
country vooplo n.l. d1c1 lu.t.trr plM·.0, Hhc returned
nlono to Lottdon, l.n p11I. hr;I' rnrl;1111,, Ht ()11(;0 Lo
(,hn (.1·i11 I.
n wnti LIH� dopt,h ol' wintm·, ll,lld IL l'CllOflJ'lrn.bly
�l�corlcirn, gloomy so1t:,;on too i. she WflFI ill, not ouly
with �everc cold but from anxrnty and tmccrtainty.
Nothrng could exceed the depression of her mind
as she looked round on the va.st multitudes of
L�ndon, herself as yet friendless there-and yet in
this !ery London lay her fate, and from these very
multitudes she had come to win love and admi
ration ! She had, it is true, brought some letters
of introduction with her, but it so happened that
they were not addressed to persons willing-or,
perhaps, able- to serve her. Ill and alone, and
oppressed with anxieties of various kinds, those
melancholy first weeks in London will never be
forgotten by her.
But she could not afford to waste time in brood
�ng oyer her own sad thoughts, even if a natural
Impatience to know the worst, or to enjoy the best,
had not urged her on to make the trial for which
she had come. She received offers from the mana
gers of Covent-Garden Theatre-then open, from
St.James 's, and one or two others; but here, again,
a difficulty arose, which made her additionally
unhappy. She J.{new not what was best or wisest
for her to decide upon or do. She wanted at that
moment a friend and counsellor; but she had
none. However,;the circumstance of Mr. Forrest
corning to England afforded her an opportunity of
performing her own peculiar characters with a
b.etter chance of success, and in the end she ac
cepted an engagement at the Princess's, and
resolved to make her debut before a London
audience in the character _of Bianca, in Milman's
tragedy of Fazio. But here, a new difficulty pre
s�nted itself in the unwillingness there existed on
the part of the gentleman to take the character of!
Fazio, which is considered inferior to that of the
lady. At length one more self-forgetting than the
rest was found in the person of Mr. Graham, who
admirably supported her in the part. Her success
was great and unquestioned; nor must it be for
gotten that at that time she was not known to a
dozen persons in London, and no means had been
taken to prepare the press, or dispose the public
mind to her favour. All depended upon her own
merit and original power; yet only one opinion
prevailed regarding her.
One engagemant at the Princess's succeeded
another until she had acted there eighty-four
nights, during which she appea1·ed as Emilia to
Mr. Forrest's Othello, as Lady Macbeth, Julia, in
the Hunchbaclc, Mrs. Haller, Beatrice, Lady
Teazle, Meg Merrilies, Rosalind, and Juliana, in
the Honeymoon-a range of characters which
req�ired extraordinary ability and power.
.
her siste1· to
Her success in London induced
hope that the same audience which received with
st\ch distinguished favour her efforts to please
them, would also receive hers with kindness.
She accordingl y , accompanied by her mother,
joined her sister in July of last year, and made her
first &J>pee,rance before a. London publio in the
following December, at the Haymarket, in the
character of Juliet.
.
all the
Since . then they have visited togethe1·
pripci p ft.l towns,in the three kingdoms, and ev�ry
whe.-,, whilst their distinguished talent is ackn.ow
l�ged. 'by the publi� at large1 their personal
a:�eomplf,bnientt, aud th�ir qualities �f heart and
mind, wm for th.em the fi?Qlest fri,pd,.
I
��
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cushmania
Subject
The topic of the resource
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882
Gossip--Published
Gossip--Private
Relationships--Networks
Italy--Rome
Description
An account of the resource
<p>A collection of archival material (letters, diaries, articles, auto/biographical accounts) collected from different archives (cf. <a href="https://www.archivalgossip.com/sources/archives/">list</a>) that showcase the life of Charlotte Cushman, one of the most successful US American actresses of the nineteenth century.</p>
<p>We invite you to either look for specific items via the tag cloud at the bottom of the page or the search function at the top, <a href="https://archivalgossip.com/collection/items/browse?collection=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">browse all items</a> in this collection, or explore thematic compilations of selected items in our "<a href="https://archivalgossip.com/collection/exhibits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Exhibits</a>."</p>
<h6 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://archivalgossip.com/collection/files/original/c4226e025914fe32ca1542c728bd11cc.JPG"><img title="Item Locations" alt="Item Locations" src="https://archivalgossip.com/collection/files/original/c4226e025914fe32ca1542c728bd11cc.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="349.5" height="237.5" /></a>(<a href="http://hdlab.stanford.edu/palladio/">Palladio</a> visualization, Dec 2021: location of items in collection, size nodes)</h6>
<h6 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://archivalgossip.com/collection/files/original/44bccce1e23bf9efe34d0078d3cc97f0.JPG"><img title="Item Locations" alt="Item Locations" src="https://archivalgossip.com/collection/files/original/44bccce1e23bf9efe34d0078d3cc97f0.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="349.5" height="324.5" /></a>(<a href="http://hdlab.stanford.edu/palladio/">Palladio</a> visualization, Dec 2021: letter correspondence for items<br />that have values defined for "location sender" AND "location recipient," size nodes)</h6>
<p></p>
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Library of Congress
New York Public Library
Philadelphia Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1816-00-00/1920-00
Article
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Text that is part of a magazine or newspaper. The article may include other formats such as images.
Participants
Names of individuals or groups participating in the event
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Muspratt, Susan Cushman, 1822-1859
Howitt, Mary, 1799-1888
Text
Any textual data included in the document
THE MISS CUSHMANS.<br /><br />BY MARY HOWITT. <br /><br />[...]<br /><br />It is because we recognise in Miss Cushman an approach to our ideal of the greatly pure in art that we regard her as one of its noblest representatives [...] there is in her own character great truth and earnestness [...] we are enabled, without violating private confidence, to make the public so far acquainted with them as is necessary for our little narrative [...] And here let a few words be said on a subject which has excited some remarks, and as we think needlessly, to Miss Cushman’s disadvantage—we mean on her taking male parts. We can assert it as a fact, and it is a fact full of generosity and beautiful affection, that it is solely on her sister's account that she has done so. By taking herself the male character, for which she was in many cases admirably suited, she was enabled to obtain the first female character for her sister; there being, as is well known, no plays written in which two prominent female characters, are found. Since then they have visited together all the principal towns in the three kingdoms, and everywhere, whilst their distinguished talent is acknowledged by the public at large, their personal accomplishments, and their qualities of heart and mind, win for them the firmest friends.
Location
The location of the interview
London, UK
Archive
archive that the resource was found in
NYPL, Stead Collection
Geocode (Latitude)
51.5073219
Geocode (Longitude)
-0.1276474
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Howitt's <em>The Miss Cushmans</em> (1846)
Description
An account of the resource
In this biographical article, <a href="https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/32" title="Mary Howitt">Mary Howitt</a> recounts events from <a href="https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/1" title="Charlotte Cushman">Charlotte Cushman</a>'s life and emphasizes her personal virtues, her talent on stage and the struggles she faced in her career. She describes Cushman's long and painful struggle to success, defending her for the choices she made, and admiring her as an actress and an individual. In London, the "letters of introduction" did not help Cushman in the beginning.<br />Apparently, Howitt felt the need to comment on CC playing male roles: "And here let a few words be said on a subject which has excited some remarks, and as we think needlessly, to Miss Cushman’s disadvantage—we mean on her taking male parts. We can assert it as a fact, and it is a fact full of generosity and beautiful affection, that it is solely on <a href="https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/16" title="Susan Cushman Muspratt">her sister</a>'s account that she has done so. By taking herself the male character, for which she was in many cases admirably suited, she was enabled to obtain the first female character for her sister; there being, as is well known, no plays written in which two prominent female characters, are found."<br /><br />The article is sold as a memoir at the theater where Cushman is performing.<br /><br />A full text is available via <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015025949721&view=1up&seq=43&skin=2021&q1=cushman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HathiTrust</a>.<br /><br />
<h3><strong>Credit</strong></h3>
<a href="https://www.nypl.org/about/divisions/berg-collection-english-and-american-literature">New York Public Library</a>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Howitt, Mary, 1799-1888
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<em>The People’s Journal</em>, Vol. 2
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1846-07-18
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Reference
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
0041
Subject
The topic of the resource
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Muspratt, Susan Cushman, 1822-1859
Howitt, Mary, 1799-1888
Family
Gender Norms
Gossip--Published
Praise
Reputation
Social Acceptance
Language
A language of the resource
English
admirers
gender norms/bending
gossip--published
press coverage
public image (active)
publicity
respectability