JOHN HARE.
Born 1844.
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R. 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 166 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.
