February 18, 1876.

Charlotte Cushman may assuredly be accounted an actress of genius in
right of her originality, her vivid power of depicting emotion, the
vehemence and intensity of her histrionic manner. Her best successes
were obtained in tragedy, although she possessed a keen sense of
humor, and could deliver the witty speeches of Rosalind or of Beatrice
with excellent point and effect. Her Meg Merrilies will probably be
remembered as her most impressive achievement. It was really, as she
played it, a character of her own invention; but, in truth, it taxed
her intellectual resources far less than her Bianca, her Queen
Katherine, or her Lady Macbeth. Her physical peculiarities no doubt
limited the range of her efforts, hindered her advance as an actress,
or urged her toward exceptional impersonations. Her performances
lacked femininity, to use Coleridge's word; but in power to stir an
audience, to touch their sympathies, to kindle their enthusiasm, and
to compel their applause, she takes rank among the finest players. It
only remains to add that Miss Stebbins' fervid and affecting biography
of her friend admirably demonstrates that the woman was not less
estimable than the actress; that Charlotte Cushman was of noble
character, intellectual, large and tenderhearted, of exemplary conduct
in every respect. The simple, direct earnestness of her manner upon
the mimic scene, characterized her proceedings in real life. She was
at once the slave and the benefactress of her family; she was
devotedly fond of children; she was of liberal and generous nature;
she was happiest when conferring kindness upon others; her career
abounded in self-sacrifice. She pretended to few accomplishments, to
little cultivation of a literary sort; but she could write, as Miss
Stebbins proves, excellent letters, now grave, now gay, now
reflective, now descriptive, always interesting, and altogether
remarkable for sound sense and for force and skill of expression. Her
death was regarded in America almost as a national catastrophe. As
Miss Stebbins writes, "The press of the entire country bore witness to
her greatness, and laid their tributes upon her tomb."

* * * * *

The following letter of good counsel from Miss Cushman to young Mr.
Barton is reprinted, by permission of Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co.,
from the "Life and Letters of Charlotte Cushman."

"I think if you have to wait for a while it will do you