Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-06-18


"My Dear Cousin-I must give you a
sketch of my existence, if it is only for the
purpose of making you more content with
your own. ] must exhibit the stage to you
in all lis nudity, Invested of its presiiges, its
scenery, gay costumes, and illusions, that
you may entertain a just horror of its painted
women, its daubed canvass, its ugly and
WORKOUT men, with sallow compilations and
bleared eyes, who work ont the scmtlance
Of youth and manhood, with greasy black
wigs, vermillion, powder and burnt cork.
"My mother makes me rise very early in
the morning, and soon afterwards shuts inc
up in a room where there are IA table, a chair.
and a cheval glass-the last being an indis-
pensable article Of furniture to an actress
There, with a cup Of coffee, a sponge cake,
and a volume Of Moliere, ! may eat and drink
if | can, but learn ] must, for at ten o'clock
comes the Professor who torturcs me for
an hour in making Inc declalm, carry my
head and my arms, and dispose my feet, ac-
cording TO a certain set Of Vhespic rules
When | have been imprisoned for an hour
when ! have learned like a parrot, all the in
Elections of my master-imitated his gestures
like a monkey-acqnircd his peculiar caden-
ces-hjs notions of the sense of a phrase
and studied pauses, and rests, and punctua-
tion-in short, when | have played the pup
pet ill ] am tired, and run down like a clock
wound up to 20 for a certain time, he departs,
and | am equipped for rehearsal at the thea
ire.
"The theatre! You never saw a theatre
in the daytime! If you knew what it is
without an audience, without lights--eXcept-
ing some four or five dirty lamps, which emit
more smoke than light-with a manager. who
scolds if he is old, and makes love (Which is
worse) if he is young, you would compare it
TO a vast empty tomb. We'll | get to this
accursed place, where | am doomed to hear
coarse pleasantries regarding the mothers of
actresses, compliments to my beauty, which
even make me blush through my rouge. and
am witness Of scenes which display all the
worst passions Of the'human heart in full ac-
tivity. If the author whose piece we may
be rehearsing, enjoys but little celebrity, he
appears humble and submissive. He gene
rally carries a snuif-IoX, and offers a pinch
to the actors. If he wishes to hint a fault,
he does it with so %contrite an air, that you
would suppose him the culpit. On the 9TH
er hand, should the anthor stand high in
public esteem, he is Extensively proud and
despotic the actors then conciliate him with
their snuff, servilely petition for good parts,
anu even doh nun u uNiCts L HtIs lht u
thors themselves are so ridiculously jealous
of each other, that you would fancy they
were rival %sultanas of the same seraglio.
Talk of poetry, illusion, art the art of
the actor is a %chimera, poetry is non-eXistent,
and the Illusion is a transparent absurdity.-
The whole thing is prosaic to a degree, and
the traffic which springs from it the most
mercenary and most ignoble you can con-
ceive. Authors steal from each other, or as
sociate for the sake Of getting few IDEAS
Actors buy each others parts-yes, ] actual
ly hear them say to each other, You have
some good points in your part-sell them to
me- and they are sold accordingly, if the
poverty or c~upidity of the seller is greater
than his ambition. And the author is made
unconsciously a party to the traffic, for he is
required to fit to the one part the line origin
ally intended for another; and a perfect mish-
mash is the result of the commerce.. Oh it
is a sad tale of q%uarrels and intrigues, this
same actors life.
'Aflef rehearsal ia the large, cold dark
theatre, | 90 home to my little room, and
there | resume my studies, or have to try on
a dress and practise moving about in it be-
fore the glass, that | may not tread on my
train, or comport myself awkwardly. If you
were to see me all velvet and spangles, ad-
vanclng, retiring, and making all sorts Of ges-
ticulation before my Psyche, you would
laugh immediately at your poor cousin
while | cry my eyes out at the absurd
display. There am | obliged to be learning
10 smile without showing my teeth, which
unfortunately are not good-practising salu-
t%ations, indignations, fainting fits, ardent
passion-and all other kinds of mummeries.
1.-The day fixed on for my debut is near at
hand. My dress is quite ready-it is a we'd
ding dress, as it were, for ! an about to mar
ry my future lord and master-a husband a
thousand times more ~peevish, brutal, whim-
steal, arbitrary, jealous and impracticable
than any individual in the world-The Pub
lie! | tremble to appear in the presence of
one so memorable and flstidious, so contra
dictory and changeable. Alden to the plea
sures of domestic life, once hoped for, but
never enjoyed by the actress. Our happi-
ness terminates where yours ~begins-with
cur wedding. Henceforth, every night of
my life is dedicated to a precarious profess
sion."