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ADELAIDE NEILSON
belongs, and at the point of highest tension,
with a hundred deft touches, conveying
the strength of the tender passion which
could endure and smile at grief. But, aside
from the distinction and charm, the sub-
tilty and the depth, of the impersonation*
aside, even, from the completeness with
which the personality of the artist was trans-
formed into that of Shakespeare's heroine,
there was a quality in the performance by
which it was related to some evanescent
ideal of perfect beauty, to some vision of
supernal loveliness vaguely apprehended
but eagerly desired, through which it
touched the infinite. Other of Miss Neil-
son's assumptions had a like power; but
the manifestation through this character
was singularly clear. More than once I
saw scores of mature men and women
gazing through eyes filled with sudden-
surprising moisture at this slip of a girl,
as she stood upon the wreck-strewn shore
of the sea, in the midst of sailors, and
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