Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-04-24

/ great sni ultimate .accsss IA The promotlon
| If human happiness on vast scale. as Mrs.
| kcmble herself had. under any circumstances,
permitted herself 10 retire from the field on which
| hr earliest md greatest honors were won.
| aud for which her end pwments suit so admirably
ON her Now beliye that there are a class If
persons who meant to be actors aud
/ actresses, md that their natural endaw-
nents and procfylties form of themselves II
right and a duty. aud that that wonderful
gift is not to be looked upon by it's possessor-
ns any arbitrary or cnprlcious endowment. which
they have night 10 abuse or neglect. which
il not to be held among the serious and resposl
bile gifts which the Almighty has conferred. !
believe, gentlemen of tho dramatic profession,
that II you would regard your own calling as a
high vocation, not merely IN n worldly sense but
in the high sense IN which any other serious com
mission from the Almighty is regarded. you would
elevate vastly your profession. not only in your
own eyes but in the eyes Of the world-you
would fling from II whatever il unworthy. what
ever is unbeconing- IA position SO dignifed
aud grand and you would prove soon to the
world that you belong not only -as we sometimes
tippingly aud with n little stranng. say-to the
artists, but that you are artists III n- high
a- the sculptor, the poet, aud the painter.
never could see, gentlemen. why the dramatic
profession and my own profession should be at
such serious ogserhcads. Applause and ls".. h
l'T.J 4 hfFef cnuil see WHY tue friends oil
ality aud religion should not be tho friends of the
enjoyment OF This high art. | do not zee any
proper grounds for this immense aniipaihy be
tween you aud "a. ! believe that you have yet
to do Justice 10 well we have to do JUS
tice 10 you. | assure YOU that il the clrricnl
profession, 81 far | have the happiness Of
knowing it, members in all orders aud Glasses,
were only unembnriasscd by their position to
wards the laiy YOU would find more liberal.
lhfger aud trerr Justice done to your profes lion
by that very class of men than, perhaps, by any
other class of men IN the whole community.
know WHIT it l. to labor with brain and with the
voice. know, too, little what it il to act.
fact that all belong 10 the talking proies ion,
and that we have somewhat the same responsible
~ for the use of the tongue and derive our lvpli
hood from the swinging of that little but very i'm
porlant member
Now, | believe that from the energetic and rs
thellc culture which belongs to most of my own
profession, they must feel IN their secret hearts
that your profession cannot be the light and friv-
"lous one which 1t Is commonly thought. | hive
learned TINT 1t IL Nh immensely laboriou- profes
sion--thn II suvery methodcal profession. TINT
II requires time aud tradness fhnbii-, great care
aud discipline. which ought 10 free from that
light estimation IN which it il held by many un-
thinking persons. la this respect, it to me--we
who live by our brains, aud who nre obliged 10
live nl-o by nur hehrt-. rs well as you-a are fitted
u some drgfee to do justice I" your profession.