The New York herald., 1875-10-20
Actors Are Born. Not Made.

Actors Are Born, Not Made.
The admirers of Macready used to say
that though he was homely and a physi-
cally Insignificant man he seemed, while on
the stage, to grow and to become something
different from himself But the great actor
explained this phenomenon by saying that
he did not merely simulate his part, he felt
1T, lost himself in it and really lived it,
When he was personating Macbeth he was
possible Macbeth; he was simply himself
This idea is true of every successful actor;
and the moral applies to the work of play
writer's They must, in order to be success
ful, not simply create an ideal, impossible
character, but, in the name of Hamlet or
Rip Van Wrinkle or Richelieu, reveal some
living man as bewitched scholar, q
jolly idler or a cunning statesman. After
all Nicholas Nickleby's master had humor-
ously correct idea of the drama when he
wanted play written so as to bring in the
pump. He was only at the bottom of the
ladder of which Shakespeare was at the top.
The latter was so shrewd and practical q
man that, needing money he would not
have created Hamlet unless he had con-
sidered it probable, if not actually true
that there existed in London some living
man who could successfully assume the role,
Those persons who are so fortunate as to
be acquainted with the private hfe of Mr..
Jefferson know that he possesses and daily
exercises the qualities Of mingled humor,
pathos, gentleness and simple refinement
which have made him famous as Asa Trench
ard, Bob Acres and Rip Van Winkle
Mr.. Boucicault's success as an actor de-
pends very greatly upon the fact that in
creating a character like tho Shaughraun he
does nothing more nor less than to give the
comico-heroic side of his own nature. The
Shaughraun is Boucicault and Boucicault is
the Shaughraun. The same truth may be
said Of the success of Mr.. Florence in ''The
Mighty Dollar" At first sight it might be
said that it is an impossible play, because
whoever should attempt the leading charac-
ter would make it ridiculous. But it fortu-
nately happened that when Mr. Florence saw
the character he saw a possibility Of himself,
as if in a mirror. So that he and the Hon.
Bardwell Slote may be said to have embraced
each other, after the most natural fashion,
on the public stage 1t might be invidious
to say that he who perfectly enacts Iago is
jealous villain or that Miss Cushman would
urge her possible husband to murder king.
But we must remember that in the days of
Macbeth the shrewdest intelligence Of woman
might be used for chicanery and ambitious
plotting with as urgent motive as it is now
used in the paths of art.
So it seems that every really natural dra-
matte character may find it's living prototype,
just as Poe's William Wilson found himself
constantly coming in contact with his second
SELF or as the Rev. E. E. Hale, wishing to
be represented at tea parties and town meet
ings, employed his 'double." 1t has been
said, with considerable truth, that every man
has within his life the elements of a good,
readable novel. With still greater truth we
may say that most men have within them
selves the capabilities of an actor ''Men and
women says Shakespeare, ''are only play
ers." If men would not abandon nature
when they essayed histrionics material could
be found every day in our public streets for
the equipment Of any play that the best
dramatist could write. How often, in do
mestic life, do we see placid Iago worming
his way into the confidence of gullible
Othello. There are scores of Colonel Sellerses,
every whit as good as Raymond, talking
every night to the haymow voters
in this State. Mr.. Conkling himself
might make brilliant Marc Antony
if his great master would consent to play the
role and wear the rent mantle Of julius
Caesar. One can find any day in the streets,
or in Congress-, better Polonius than
usually bewilders Hamlet on the stage; and
many damsel sits in an orchestra chair and
knows full well whether Booth or Rignold
plays Romeo as well as the young gentleman
to whom she is silly Juliet Shylock is in
Wall street; Hamlet walks Broadway,
vacantly and with downcast eyes, puzzled
whether to be mad or not. The dramatist
who would succeed may always find his
actor. The best characters have men and
women ready to assume them, just as in
fiction there are real men and women whom
we know. 1t is as true that Falstaff has ogled
the girls from the floor Of the Senate as that
Victor Hugo found his Jean Vatican living
man.
Governor Tilden's Letter.
Wa do not ouita md arotoDd tho naoaocif1,