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A DRAMATIC CRITIC
was capable of either achievement. In
the Biblical play his highest point was at-
tained in the fourth act, when he discov-
ered the loss of his hair and his strength;
and here his cry of agony and his frenzied,
vaguely grasping gesture, accompanying
the words, " Gran Dio ! La chioma mia
la chioma!" were indescribably thrilling
and awful. His Samson was in its differ-
ent aspects as closely human as the Ajax
of Sophocles, as heroic and unhappy as
CEdipus, as remote as the Prometheus of
yEschylus.
Salvini's skill was as high in comedy
as in tragedy. His impersonation of Sul-
livan, in the Italian play of which David
Garrick is a replica, was ideally perfect,
even surpassing Mr. Sothern's perform-
ance in grace, vivacity, and distinction.
He played Ingomar occasionally, in the
Baron Munsch-Bcllinghauscn's drama of
that name, and filled the part to overflow-
ing with humor and virile gentleness. His
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