[Illustration: AGE 28. _From a Photo. by Messrs. Elliott & Fry._]
[Illustration: AGE 40. _From a Photo. by Barraud._]
[Illustration: AGE 44. _From a Photo. by Messrs. Elliott & Fry._]
Mr. Hare, as most people have the pleasure of knowing from experience,
is the finest actor of old men at present on the stage--if not, indeed,
the finest ever seen. It seems strange, as we regard the strong young
face of our first portrait, that Mr. Hare was then, or very little
later, acting _Sir Peter Teazle_ to the very life. Mr. Hare as an old
man is old all over. Yet no two of his old men are like each other; no
characters bear less resemblance than _Lord Kilclare_ in "A Quiet
Rubber," and _Benjamin Goldfinch_ in "A Pair of Spectacles," but which
is the most life-like it is difficult to say. Mr. Hare, indeed, prefers
his present part to any of his _rôles_, as may be learnt, with other
facts of interest, by a reference to page 182 of this number; and
certainly a more delightful piece of character-acting it is impossible
to conceive than that which represents the dear old gentleman whose
faith in waiters, bootmakers, butlers, brothers, friends, and wives, is
so rudely shaken and so happily restored. At his present age, of which
our last portrait is a speaking likeness, Mr. Hare is a familiar figure,
not only on the stage, but on horseback in the Row, or, more delightful
still to his acquaintances, talking from an easy-chair as no one but
himself _can_ talk, or rising after dinner to make one of his inimitable
speeches.
For permission to reproduce these portraits we have to thank the
courtesy of Mr. Hare.