ted by Benedict De Bar and by
John Jack. The latest Falstaff in America was that embodied by Charles
Fisher, who first assumed the character on November 19, 1872, at Daly's
theatre, and whose performance was picturesque and humorous.

On the English stage the historical play of _Henry IV._ was exceedingly
popular in Shakespeare's time. The first Falstaff, according to Malone,
whom everybody has followed as to this point, was John Heminge
(1555-1630). After him came John Lowin (1572-1654), who is thought to
have acted the part in the presence of Charles I. His successor seems to
have been Lacy, who died in 1681. Next came Cartwright, and in 1699 or
1700 the great Betterton (1635-1710) assumed the fat knight, acting him
in both parts of the history and in the comedy. Genest records
twenty-two revivals of the first part of _Henry IV._ upon the London
stage, at five different theatres, between 1667 and 1826; fifteen
revivals of the second part between 1720 and 1821; and sixteen revivals
of _The Merry Wives of Windsor_ between 1667 and 1811. Many English
actors have played Falstaff since Betterton's time, an incomplete though
sufficiently ample list of them comprising Estcourt, 1704; F. Bullock,
1713; J. Evans and J. Hall, 1715; Mills, 1716; Quin, "dignity and
declamation," 1738; Berry, 1747; Love (whose true name was James Dance),
1762; Shuter, 1774; John Henderson, one of the greatest actors that ever
lived, 1774; Mrs. Webb (once only), 1776; Ryder, 1786; Palmer, 1788;
King, 1792; Fawcett, 1795; Stephen Kemble, who was so fat that he could
play it without stuffing or bladder, 1802; Blissett, 1803; George
Frederick Cooke, 1804; Bartley, 1812; Charles Kemble, 1824; Dowton,
1824; Elliston, 1826; and Samuel Phelps, 1846. The latest representative
of Falstaff in England was H. Beerbohm-Tree, who, although a man of
slender figure, contrived to simulate corpulence, and who manifested in
his acting a fine instinct as to the meaning of the character and
considerable resources of art in its expression, although the
predominant individuality and the copious luxuriance of Falstaff's rosy
and juicy humour were not within his reach. Upon the American stage the
part is practically disused; and this is a pity, seeing that a source of
great enjoyment and one of the most suggestive and fruitful topics that
exist in association with the study of human nature are thus in a great
degree sequestered from the public mind. Still it is better to ha