In 1868, Signer Salvini visited Madrid, where
his acting of the death of Conrad in _La Morte Civile_ produced such
an impression that the easily-excited Madrilese rushed upon the stage
to ascertain whether the death was actual or fictitious. The queen,
Isabella II., conferred upon the great actor many marks of favor,
and so shortly afterward did King Louis of Portugal, who frequently
entertained him at the royal palace of Lisbon.
Signor Salvini's recent visit to America I need scarcely mention: its
triumphs are still fresh in the memory of the public, and the only
drawback to its complete success was the unhappy fact that the eminent
artist did not appeal to his audiences in their own language.
I know of nothing more remarkable than the difference which exists
between the Salvini of the stage and the Salvini of private life, the
one so imposing, impetuous and fiery, the other so gentle, urbane, and
even retiring. He is a gentleman possessing the manners of the good
old school--courtly and somewhat ceremonious, reminding one of those
Italian nobles of the sixteenth century of whom we lead in the novels
of Giraldo Cinthio and Fiorentino--_uomini illustri, e di civil
costumi_. His greeting is cordial and his conversation delightful,
full of anecdote and marked with enthusiasm for his art. When I first
became acquainted with him I was of opinion that his interpretation of
Hamlet was based only upon the translated text, but in the course of
a very long conversation on the subject I discovered that he was well
acquainted (through literal translations) not only with the text, but
also with the notes and comments of our leading critics.
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