The death, last week, of Mr. Sothern, the great creator
of the conception of Lord Dundreary, excited far loss attention than the enjoyment which he had given to the public would have led us to expect. For that character was not merely acted, but, in reality, invented by Mr. Sothern, and was so unique, and iu its way so subtle, that he deserved to rank not merely as a considerable actor, but as something of a literary genius also. It was no small feat, by adding speech to speech, tone to tone, and gesture to gesture, to have created a nearly perfect picture of the extraordinary effect which might be pro- duced by at once inherited, personal, and deliberately acquired indolence and pride, on a mind otherwise wanting neither in shrewdness nor courage. Among the pleasant humours of the century, Lord. Dundreary, as presented by Mr. Sothern, will remain next in importance only to Dickens's most delightful inventions,—to Mrs. Gamp or the Artful Dodger. Only, un- fortunately, while Dickens's creations will live as long as the language, Mr. Sothern's must die with him.
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