The Portland daily press., 1868-06-19
Miscellany.
A Word for Actors.


Many people, misled by the word 'amuse-
ments" as applied to theatres, and mised also
by their own vulgar and insolent notions as
to the morality OF the theatrical profession,
fail to understand that acting, to the actor. is
az much business as law to the lawyer, or
preaching to the parson. Sick or well, the
actor must be at his post of duty. Death
may be in his house and anguish in his heart.
but his smiles, his laughter, his imagination,
his wit, and his mental and physical alacrity,
must be ready, all the same, since the de.
mands oil his business are imperative and in
exorable. And death and anguish do come
to the homes OF actors, just as they come TO
the homes OF dealers in dry goods, Goldfish,
pickles, and Erie. There is no difference. as
to this point, in the common lot OF man.
Very often theretore-far otener than many
spectators know or imagine-the actor, who
rattles gaily through his comedy, and is
thought 10 be the happiest OF men tif by
cnance ne is not thought to be the wickedest
oil Lotharlos,l Is, Ia sober truth, bowed to the
very earth with atfliction. Who cares, how
ever? Who pauses to Think What kindly,
human consideration is needtul, towards
mere mummers, who live to amuse? Let the
lights burn, therefore, and the music sound
We must have no sad-faced clown here! so
cries the sagacious multitude-'the dramas
patrons" sometimes the actor flags little in
his work, or breaks down altogether; and then
they THINK he is drunk. There was a case of
this kind not long AGO. at the Broadway
theatre, in this city. An actor named Good
man was on the stage, in one of the pieces
produced Dy MIR. Chanfrau. But he happened
to be dying, with the consumption, and he
JAILED TO do Justice to his part. SO he was
deemed drunk, and got Kissed. Two nights
afterwards he was dead. OF course he should
not nave tried to act, when in such i'll health
oniy, strange to say he happened to be poor
as well as sick; and SO it was needful for him
10 work.whlch he did, till he came near fall
ing dead 10 his tracks. There are some minds
that regard this sort of conduct as heroic per-
formance OF duty. But that is not the popu-
lar view. Instances OF this sort of experience
are by no means rare. And the moral we
urge is-justce TO the players. There are
countless idle, ignorant and offensive theories
current IN society about the stage Thousands
OF ISLANDERS Pass from mouth to mouth
throughout herds of vulgar fools, in reference
10 many OF It's professors. Drunkenness is
not the least of faults imputed to them. We
are, for our part, weary of such triviality and
Vileness. Actors and actresses are human
creatures with the same merits and defects
that marx our common humanity; and their
profession stands on precisely the same
ground as the other learned professions
recognized in society; whereby they are enti-
tied to just the same human consideration
and respect thai is accorded to other workers
In the honest business of the world. Not
every poor player, who chances to stagger on
the stage, does SO because OF champagne. Of
ten be is not half SO well acquainted with its
taste as the people who sit in judgment up
on him. Not every poor ballet girl is the
wanton that she is thought to be, by yonder
country merchant, who expectorates blended
profanity, morality. and tobacco juice, a; he
denounces the New York stage, and the
wickedness OF this dreadful city. There
may be black sheep in the dramatic profess
sion, but SO there are in every walk OF life.
Let US judge one another gently; or rather,
seeing that none of us can see clearly into
human motives and conditions, let us not
judge at all. Of the care inal virtues, ST.
Paul preferred charity.-Ihe Tribune.