8o LITERATURE AND DRAMA 



whisper of horror, the scream of high-wrought passion, were given 

 less strongly, but as affecting as on the stage. 



The comic touches were light and pretty, but she has no comic 

 power. 



The graceful and sweet parts were quite enchanting. The 

 mellow subdued voice of sorrow, to give variety, she kept much 

 in whisper very audible notwithstanding. Her whisper is more 

 audible and intelligible than the loudest ranting of an ordinary 

 player. 



She read ' Hamlet ' and the ' Merchant of Venice.' ' Lear/ I 

 think, should be read by her, not acted. 



There is special mention of her manner when reading 

 Hamlet's speech beginning 



Angels and ministers of grace defend us. 



Mrs. Siddons in reading gave, by her look of reverential awe and 

 chilling whisper of horror, more fully the idea of a ghost's presence 

 than any spectral illusion on the stage. 



This was a whispered speech throughout, growing in energy and 

 confidence as other ideas took the place of the first startle of horror 

 and dismay. Kean speaks too loudly and boldly, not enough as in 

 the withering presence of a supernatural being. The first line should 

 be a whisper of horror, with a long pause before venturing to address 

 the phantom. 



It is believed that Sir Charles Bell made notes similar in 

 character to those now published ; but if so the books have 

 been mislaid. There is a curious passage in a letter from 

 him to his brother, dated the 10th of June, 1809, in which he 



says : 



Jeffrey saw my ' Shakespeare ' and liked it much, and talked to 

 Mrs. Siddons about it. I said I intended some time to take a good 

 play and make it so infancy. He said he should like to do so too. 

 He saw your pencillings in the margin : not knowing whether you 

 would like it, and not knowing what they were, I told him they 

 were all mine ; so perhaps his liking this kind of thing was owing 

 to you. Do not forget to pursue it. 



This appropriation by one man of another's work, reads 

 oddly, though it is an indication of the absolute confidence of 

 one brother in the other. We may all feel glad that Professor 



