From a photograph by Mora. Belasco’s Collection.
him. I sent the manuscript to Mr. Clemens, but not until after he had finished his play and read it to me, not one line of Mr. Densmore’s dramatization being used in the present play, except that which was taken bodily from the novel of ’The Gilded Age.’ These are the facts in the premises. Mr. Densmore’s play was a most excellent one; the impression it made in San Francisco was of a most pronounced character, but in no way [?] does it resemble the present production, which is entirely the work of Mr. Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain).
Clemens’ “guess” as to the worth of his work as a play was short of the truth: it was of no consequence, possessed practically no merit whatever, except as a vehicle for the actor. [The character of _Colonel Sellers_ is presented by the dramatist in only a few of the aspects available for its exposition and is attached to the play by only a slender thread. Raymond, nevertheless, by means of thorough personification, made the character so conspicuous that it dominated the whole action of the play. The common notion that words are indispensable to the expression of character is unfounded. Character shows itself in personality, which is the emanation of it, and which finds expression in countless ways with which words are not associated. Personality was the potent charm of Raymond’s embodiment of _Colonel Sellers_,--a personality compounded of vigorous animal spirits, quaintness, rich humor, amiability, recklessness, a chronic propensity for sport, a sensitive temperament, and an ingenuous mind. The actor made the character lovable not less than amusing, by the spontaneous suggestion of innate goodness and by various scarcely definable sweetly winning traits and ways. His grave inquiry as to the raw turnips, “Do you _like_ the fruit?” was irresistibly droll. His buoyant, confident ejaculation,--closing each discourse on some visionary scheme of profit,--“There’s _millions_ in it!” (which Raymond’s utterance made a byword throughout America) completely expressed the spirit of the sanguine speculator and was not less potently humorous because of a certain vague ruefulness in the tone of it. In acting _Colonel Sellers_ Raymond did something that was new, did it in an individual way, was original without being bizarre, and, possessing the humor which is akin to pathos, he could cause the laugh that is close to the tear.--W.W. in “The Wallet of Time.”] “The Gilded Age” was first acted in New York, September 16, 1874, at the Park Theatre.