History of the Philadelphia Stage, Between the Years 1749 and 1855. By Charles Durang. Volume 3. Arranged and illustrated by Thompson Westcott, 1868

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[a drawing as unequalled as any portrait by Kean - is as true as any fact can be made evident; and that his fame is based upon that one exhibition of art, may probably be also admitted. But to rest John Sefton's claims upon so isolated a base, is not true nor just. Mr. Sefton's acting, in most things, is quiet, chaste. He has but little grimace, and still less indulges in the sin and vularity of exaggeration. If he had so minded to have carried these legitimate qualities into comedy as they should be, he might have fairly extablished his claims to be a perfect comedian. But he seems to have eschewed theatrical fame after the Jemmy Twitcher achievement, and to have devoted his time and attention to the office of entrepreneur to managers of theatres. He officiated thus for Niblo for many years, with success, as we learn. he traveled over continental Europe as a sagacious conductor, and is now engaged by E. A. Marshall, Esq., as the stage manager of the Walnut Street Theatre. Beside this, he has had the foresight and prudence to save those means of life that may fully support himself and family when the decay of animal functions places us out of the sphere of labor for maintenance. This is the result of a long professional life, that at least bespeaks for Mr. John Sefton honor and commendation.

Mr. Wells was a dancer of merit and a clever ballet-master. He danced this season in the rustic ballet of "Jamie of Aberdeen," in conjunction with his sister Miss Wells, who was a very pretty woman, of excellent petite figure and of brunette beauty; they were from England. Wells early retired from the profession and taught dancing in Pittsburg and other localities in the West. We heard that he died in Mexico. Miss Wells returned as a married woman to England in about 1846, and there died. What strange mutations attend our fleeting lives! The errors of our life afflict us here, and, in the memory of our friends, live after us. Our good apportionment of humanity (and all have some) is often forgotten and buried with our clay. It is as good sometimes to remmeber as to forget, to allow virutes to balance usual faults.

But, William Henry Smith, commonly called "Harry Smith," was the attractive flower of this corps. He became an immense favorite, and very deservedly so. His variety of thespian powers was unquestionable, and at once seized the sympathies. His tragedy, or serious parts, did not so impress. The depth of that quality was not felt, but, as a most impressible light comedian, in all its collateral branches, he performed with all the truth of nautre in eccentric character parts. His fops and Frenchmen were excellent. Indeed, as a general artiste, few excelled him in his variety of illustrations of either the modern or the older drama. He possessed a very handsome figure, was above the medium size, had a handsome and vividly expressive face, in short, possessed all the fascinating qualities of physical appearance that are so apt to please the eye and cultivated taste. Smith is thoroughly bred to all the professional details, and combined with qualities so genial to the dra matic muses, we may safely aver, without the risk of exaggeration, that he has no superior (or had not) in his peculiar walks. Perhaps it would be safer to speak in the past tense now. His foibles and weaknesses have been many and deplorable, says busy rumor: with them we shall not deal in this category, as we cannot speak by the card, and are ignorant of their causes. Hamlet says in his cogitations, "Frailty, thy name is Woman!" May not the same line apply to Man? Yes, we believe, just a truly. Mr. Harry Smith, on his debut, gained at once the most enthusiastic applause, and secured hosts of friends. His voice is smooth, powerful, and his features are expressive of marked keenness and variety of light humor. In his manner he has much of the suaviter in modo. These results were of a flattering nature to the management, as this actor, as well as all the others, came unheralded, and without a name.

At Boston he is a great favorite, and was instrumental in introducing the drama in a regular form into the Boston Museum, where it is supposed that sancitity and pious thoughts may not be offended through the recitations of the muses. When will the world get rid of hypocrisy? Smith has been for many years the acting and stage director for Mr. Kimball, the proprietor.

Mr. Smith made his first appearance on any stage, in England, in 1822. It was said that his real name is Sedley, but on embracing the profession he adopted the name of Smith. He was not very romantic in his choice.

He married Miss Sarah Riddle, of Philadelphia, one of our best native actresses, and a great favorite for years of the Boston public.

Mr. Michell played the comic old men; he was also an artist, but he was in ill health, and died soon after his arrival at Baltimore.

Mr. Cowell produced, on the 4th of July, 1827, the new nautical melo-drama of the "Flying Dutchman." The business had been very good, and continued to increase in patronage. This production introduced Mr. Jervis to our audience in the double capacity of actor and machinist. He made his first appearance at the Park Theatre, in New York, as Vanderdecken. He produced "The Flying Duchman" in new York, for the first time in America, in 1825. This was the piece which Gilfert, during the first season of the Bowery Theatre, procured clandestinely out of the library of the Park Theatre, copied it in twenty-four hours, and then had it reconstructed by William Dunlap, and thus altered, brought it out at the Bowery in a very novel and beautiful manner. The scenery, by Coyle, brother of the Chesnut street manager, was very fine, and the machinery equally great. It was near failing the first night from the mistakes made in the changes of the illusions in the several appearances of the phantom ship.

Cowell had a circus performance on the day of the 4th of July. "The Flying Dutchman" was performed at night.

The prices of admission were - orchestra boxes, 75 cents; boxes, 50 cents; children, 25 cents; pit, 37 1/2 cents; gallery, 25 cents.

Mr. Placide, of the Park, came into this piece on the 11th of July, displacing Cowell in the character of Peter von Bummell.

As the ring performances had dereased in public attractiveness, Cowell deemed it best to detach the equestrian troupe from his dramatic corps, and sent them on a traveling tour.

The house closed to make alterations July 25th. Converting the ring into a spacious pit, and otherwise altered, he opened the Walnut street house under the name of the "Philadelphia Theatre," on the 29th of August, 1827, and offered a fair working company and many stars. The first night was played "John Bull" and "White Lies." An address was spoken by Smith. The company consisted of Grierson, Michell, Porter, Meer, Smith, Hallam, Hernizen, Greene, Cowell, Kelly, Lindsley, Wells, Blakely, Kinloch, and others; Mrs. Green, Mrs. Michell, Mrs. Roper, Mrs. Cowell, Miss Greer, Mrs. Kinloch, (formerly Mrs. Lane,) Miss Wells, Miss Stannard, Mrs. Blakely.

On the 3d of September, Hamblin commenced an engagement, appearing as Macbeth, Rolla, Tell, Virginius, Othello and Jaffier. Mrs. Hamblin played Belvidera, and Harriet in "Is He Jealous?" for her husband's benefit.

Booth played on the 6th and 8th of September, and renewed his engagement on the 19th for six nights, during which appeared Mr. Ansell from the London theatres, first time in America.

Hamblin was re-engaged for six nights after this, and Mrs. Hamblin went through a round of characters.

On the 6th of October Mrs. Hamblin played Young Norval, Mr. Hamblin Glenalvon, and Booth Douglas.

Mr. Sefton, at the joint benefit of himself and Mr. Greirson, gave imitations of Kean as Richard, Macready as William Tell, Du Camp as Ben Backstay, Matthews in "The Trip To Paris," and as Othello, Yates as Iago, and Liston as Paul Pry.

Cooper acted a farewell engagement prior to his departure for England, commencing on the 22d of October.

The house closed November 3d, Cooper acting Pierre, Hamblin Jaffier, and Mrs. wood Belvidera.

The following new English pieces were brought out during the summer and fall: "The Secret Mine," "Meg Murnoch," "The Mysterious Stranger, or, The Revenge," "The Flying Dutchman," "Luke the Laborer," "White Lies," "The £100 Note," "Comfortable Lodgings," "Love in a Mist," "Giovanni in London," "The Dumb Girl of Genoa," "King Robert the Bruce," "The Young Widow," "The First Settlers in America, or, Omala, the Red Indian."

The only american piece was "The Pilot," dramatized by a gentleman of Philadelphia.

Chapter Thirty-Sixth. Season of 1827-'8 at the Chesnut Street Theatre Importation of a new dramatic company from England, by Wemyss - First appearance of Southwell - Mercer - Hutchings - J. T. Norton, (trumpeter) - Sketches of Southwell - Miss Eliza Emery - J. Brown - Henry Lewis, machinist.

At the beginning of the season of 1827-'8, although Cowell & Simpson were in active operation at the Walnut street house, and vast anticipations of brilliant success were most sanguinely entertained by the managers of the Chesnut treet [Street] Theatre - an idea fostered, and justly so, from the promised results of Wemyss' new European engagements - an entire corps dramatique had been procured, with a full and new foreign orchestra of solo-players; a first-class band, so complete, had not been heard in America. These were sounding flourishes to awaken attention. But, unfortunately for poor Mr. Warren, the attempt proved to be "a mountain in labor," which brought forth, not a harmless mouse, but a genus mus, a species of rat, that ate the management up, flesh, bones and all. Mr. Wemyss, with the advance corps of the army, did not arrive at Philadelphia until the 16th of October, from Liverpool, in the "good ship" Montezuma, Captain West, with the following numerous reinforcements to the stock performers. The stars came a few weeks after, in the Algonquin. Others, again, made up a tertian arrival. Before the coming of Wemyss, Mr. Warren, thinking it best to employ the theatre in some lucrative manner, (as it was lying fallow,) leased it, for a time, to Mr. Davis's French compnay fo operatic comedians, who occupied it during October, just previous to the opening of the season. This was]

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[W. H. Smith, of The Boston Museum.]

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[Drawn by T. O. Steeden. Engd. by J. Rogers.]

[Mr. Liston, As Tony Lumpkin.]

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[Mrs. W. S. chatterley, As Marguerite, in Raymond and Agnes.]

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[Galerie Dramatique Theatre Lyrique]

[A. L.]

[Lith. Destouches - Paris. 666.]

[Mme Colsan, role de Michelma, dans La Moissonneuse. 2[?] Acte]

[Paris - maison Martinet., 41 rue Vivienne et 11, rue du Coq.]

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