King Lear, 1879: George Edgar (1841-1921) as Lear

"Mr. Edgar won his audience and his most thoughful hearers, not by impossible efforts to reach the summits of the character of Lear, but by thoughful and delicate work, which never overreached certain fixed limits. The result was that the heart and the imagination of all were touched, while the general effect of the performance was strong and distinct. The two chief merits of this performance were the manner in which the lines were read and the perfect sympathy with his subject shown by the actor. Mr. Edgar, it is plain, has studied conscientiously the text of the part, for his readings were, in almost every instance, melodious, natural, and, what follows as a matter of course, poetic. One passage in the second act - that which begins, "O, reason not the need!" - was delivered with such beauty of flow and emphasis that all familiar with it must have been highly pleased. It was evident in this act that Mr. Edgar could not hope to reach the sublimity, while he could realize the pathos, of Lear. The tender emotions which belong to the character were fully expressed by him; but the fearful intensity of the curse scenes was weakly given." New York Times, 29 January 1879.