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R. HERMANN VEZIN was born at Philadelphia, where his father was a merchant, and was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, where he took his degree at eighteen, at which age our first portrait represents him. He was intended for the legal profession, but, desiring become an actor, he came to England, and made his first appearance in 1850 at the Theatre Royal, York. His advancement was so rapid that a year later he was playing leading parts in the provinces, and again a year later made his appearance on a London stage, under Charles Kean at the Princess's. Since that time his triumphs on the stage have been innumerable, the most conspicuous being, perhaps, James Harebell in the "Man o' Airlie," Percy Pendragon in "Married in Haste," Macbeth, Iago, Dan'l Druce, and Dr. Primrose. As a declaimer of English he has no superior, and his acting always appeals to the most cultured portion of his audiences.