Anthony Trollope to GHL, London, 1 November 1875
Title
Anthony Trollope to GHL, London, 1 November 1875
Title
Anthony Trollope to GHL, London, 1 November 1875
Sender
Anthony Trollope
Recipient
George Henry Lewes
Date(s)
- 1875-11-01
Place
London
Letter Content
Anthony Trollope to GHL, London, 1 November 1875
MS: Yale. Published: The Letters of Anthony Trollope, ed. B. A. Booth, 1951, pp. 343-344.
Montagu Square.
November 1875.
My dear Lewes.
I have just completed my second journey round the world, having returned home on Saturday night. I was greeted by your volume on actors and acting and write to say how pleased I am by the book, and by the compliment. 309 I have never studied the science or theory of acting as you have done, -- but in almost all that you say you carry me with you. I sometimes find myself differing from [you] as to trifles in regard to character. I have always fancied that Shakespeare intended Hamlet to be, not mad, but erratic in the brain, "on and off" -- first a little ajar, and then right again, and then again astray. In the scene which you quote 310 as displaying want of reverence it has seemed to me that the language has been intended to ape want of reverence, -- to pretend to Horatio and the others that he was at ease etc. etc.
Your admiration of Fechter I cannot understand. To me Macready was a man of supreme intelligence, but with no histronic genius. 311 He never moved me to tears. The greatest actors I ever saw were E. Kean, Rachel, Mars, Got, Lemaitre -- a French lady whose name, beginning with B, I forget, and Mrs. Yates, -- yes, -- and a Frenchman whose name I also forget still alive, beginning with D, and I would add Robson. 312
I will come up next Sunday, hoping to find you. 313 Yours always with best love to your wife
Most affectionately
A. T.
MS: Yale. Published: The Letters of Anthony Trollope, ed. B. A. Booth, 1951, pp. 343-344.
Montagu Square.
November 1875.
My dear Lewes.
I have just completed my second journey round the world, having returned home on Saturday night. I was greeted by your volume on actors and acting and write to say how pleased I am by the book, and by the compliment. 309 I have never studied the science or theory of acting as you have done, -- but in almost all that you say you carry me with you. I sometimes find myself differing from [you] as to trifles in regard to character. I have always fancied that Shakespeare intended Hamlet to be, not mad, but erratic in the brain, "on and off" -- first a little ajar, and then right again, and then again astray. In the scene which you quote 310 as displaying want of reverence it has seemed to me that the language has been intended to ape want of reverence, -- to pretend to Horatio and the others that he was at ease etc. etc.
Your admiration of Fechter I cannot understand. To me Macready was a man of supreme intelligence, but with no histronic genius. 311 He never moved me to tears. The greatest actors I ever saw were E. Kean, Rachel, Mars, Got, Lemaitre -- a French lady whose name, beginning with B, I forget, and Mrs. Yates, -- yes, -- and a Frenchman whose name I also forget still alive, beginning with D, and I would add Robson. 312
I will come up next Sunday, hoping to find you. 313 Yours always with best love to your wife
Most affectionately
A. T.
Signature
A. T.
Citation
Anthony Trollope, Anthony Trollope to GHL, London, 1 November 1875, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/91707