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TOMMASO SALVINI
and sobbing; strong men being specially
affected.
I must not lose the opportunity to de-
clare the deep impression which was made
upon me at this time by the acting of
Signora Piamonti, who was the tragedian's
leading lady during his first season in
America. In none of the impersonations
which she presented was the highest force
required of her, and therefore I am not jus-
tified in pronouncing her the equal of Ris-
tori or Bernhardt or Seebach. But in the
large variety of her performances, which
ranged from Ophelia in Hamlet to Zelia
in Sullivan, — corresponding to Ada In-
got in David Garrick, — Signora Piamonti
exhibited such grace, adresse, dramatic
judgment, and vivid delicacy of style as
the world expects only from players of
the first rank. Her Ophelia was the most
beautiful and poetic assumption of the
character that I have witnessed, surpassing
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