Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-16
ANO'EHEE ACTRESS TURNS LEO
TURER.
Miss Kate Reignolds, a NashviIl,
FavOrfte. On the rso4fr,nr,,.

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Miss Kate ReignOlds, a Nashville
FavOrtte. ON the ROstrun.
Miss Kate Reynolds, who spent her early
life in this city, made her first appearance
in Boston upon the lecture platform at Ire
mont Temple, few evenings ago. Fer
subject was "Charles Reade and his works."
Her previous appearance as an actress, says
the Boston Post, in which capacity she has
often appeared before Bosten audiences,wa
sufficient to prevent much of the trepida-
ton which commonly attends the debut of
novices; but, probably on account of the
radical change in her relation to her audi
tors and the absence Of scenery, compan-
ions and the other adjuncts of theatrical
representations, the lecturer betrayed a
small amount Of nervousness when she
first came forward. This, however, wore of,
and as she warmed with her subject, the old
dramatic fire, so germane to the charac-
ter of the writer of whom she
spoke, betrayed itself. The stage was pro-
vided with a scarlet screen as a back
ground, instead of the usual neutral tint,
and was tastefully furnished with busts,
flowers, etc. She commenced by begging
the audience to lay aside the prejudice
which some of them might have felt at the
appearance of an actress in her own proper
person before them. She wished to be re-
garded only as woman, and to be criti-
cised with justice. She could only say in
regard to MIR. Reade's last book, ga Terri
BILE Temptation" that she advised those of
her hearers who had not read it to refrain
from doing so, and those who had read it to
forget it.. She thought, however, that the
difference in the structure Of London and
American society made bis fault less heinous
in English eyes than our, own. After a
chatty and highly interesting account Of her
introduction to Mr.. Reade, and a sketch
of his appearance and manner,
she proceeded to read the famous de-
scription from the book Just mentioned
of Mr.. Rolfe and his study, which, she
said, was the picture drawn by his own
hand of the author, who had never allowed
himself to be photographed. This was fol-
lowed by the reading of ''Art," a dramatic
tale condensed but not altered. In this ex-
quisite piece of literary composition Miss
Reynolds powerful abilities in her former
profession were brought into full requisi-
ton. With delightful felicity of manner
and information she rapidly changed from
one character to another, and portrayed in
succession the fascinating actress, the en-
thusiastic lover and the hard-headed old
father. Her voice and gesture were admit
rabiy fitted to each other and TO the text,
and few elocutionists on or Off the stage
could excel her. Frequent applause inter
rupted its progress, and followed its termi-
nation. The Scotch accent which was
introduced, of course, into the ex-
tract from "Christie JOhnstone,' which was
next read, was not quite perfect, though in
most respects excellent. Mr.: Reade is too
''meaty" an author, and his excellences in
these earlier works are too subtle to be fully
appreciated by general audience, and the
last mentioned piece was perhaps a trife
too long. At its close Miss Reynolds en-
tered into somewhat extended delinea- |
ton of the feminine character, and Incl |
dentally alluded to the popular idea at the |
present day, that woman is able to and !
should not be prevented from doing almost |
any work which man performs. This she
secuted. physically" she said, 81 sol |
EMMY protest our incapacity. By the force |
of nervous energy a woman may do more |
than a man, but it is a strain and cannot |
last" She spoke well and earnestly of the |
problems which women who desire the sui
frage have proposed, and held that love was
the answer to them all. There is no woman
in the world but would make a hero Of
man he would give her a chance.