Part 3 (1/2)

God bless you all for your great assistance in my behalf; even dear dick aided me in my extremity, did he not?

Give e

I do not think the feeling is so strong in my favour in Philadelphia as it is here and in Boston I am not known there Ever yours

TO MR NAHUM CAPEN

[In response to an inquiry regarding his brother, John Wilkes Booth]

WINDSOR HOTEL, NEW YORK, July 28, 1881

DEAR SIR:

I can give you very little infor my brother John I seldom saw him since his early boyhood in Baltimore He was a rattle-pated fellow, filled with quixotic notions

While at the farh the woods, ”spouting” heroic speeches with a lance in his hand--a relic of the Mexican war--given to father by soood-hearted, harh at his patriotic froth whenever secession was discussed That he was insane on that one point no one who knew him well can doubt When I told him that I had voted for Lincoln's reelection he expressed deep regret, and declared his belief that Lincoln would beof America; and this I believe, drove him beyond the limits of reason I asked him once why he did not join the Confederate army To which he replied, ”I promised mother I would keep out of the quarrel, if possible, and I amy house, except to see his mother, when political topics were not touched upon--at least indisposition, very boyish and full of fun--his --and his deed and death crushed her spirit He possessed rare dramatic talent, and would have made a brilliant mark in the theatrical world This is positively all that I know about hi left him a mere school-boy, when I ith my father to California in 1852 On ements, which kept him mostly in the South while I was employed in the Eastern and Northern states

I do not believe any of the wild, ro hied in politicalAll his theatrical friends speak of him as a poor crazy boy, and such his faht on the subject Very truly yours,

ADVICE TO A YOUNG ACTOR

[TO WALTER THOMAS]

NEW YORK, August 28, 1889

MY DEAR MR THOMAS:

I was surprised to learn that your engagement with Mr Barrett is terh I believe the result will be to your advantage Your chances for promotion will be better in a company that is not confined to so limited a repertoire as mine, in which so few opportunities occur for the proper exercise of youthful talent A frequent change of role, and of the lighter sort--especially such as one does not like forcing one's self to use the very ut requisite for a mastery of the actor's art

I had seven years' apprenticeshi+p at it, during which entleman,” burlesque, and low coedy I did my best with all that I was cast for, however, and the unpleasant experience did ood Had I followed edian”

I will, as you request, give you a line to Mr Palmer, and I hope you may obtain a position that will afford you the necessary practice

With best wishes Truly yours,

EDWIN BOOTH

CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN

[Charlotte Cushman, a native of Boston, died in that city in 1876 No actress ever excelled her as Meg Merrilies, Queen Katherine, and Lady Macbeth On theher death, Mr William Winter wrote in the New York _Tribune_:--