The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-15
The Debutante's Opinion Of Herself
and Her Critics.
A FAILURE BY NO MEANS ADMITTED
The Gentlemen Of the Press Shown
Up In Detail.



Miss Anna Dickinson, who made her debut
authoress and actress last Monday evening, is an
nounced at the Gobo Theatre for another week. The
curiosity and Excitement which preceded and attended
her opening performance only OF momentary dura
ton and during tho balance OF the week she played
comp lratively mcagro houses the audiences being
composed generally of personal friends Of tho new
pirant hstrionc fame rather than OF the general
run OF patrons Of the She has, OF course,
many Of the defects aud shortcomings which were
visible OF her first appearance and the
belief unreasonable that she will yet become ia
In tho line OF which she has selected at such
advanced period Of her life.
SYMPATHY AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
During the week Miss Dickinson has becn the
cipient OF much sympathy and encouragement from
those OF her personal friends who believed that she
too harshy criticised by the press To all of these she
returned thanks their Kindness and assured them
In the most positive manner, that she still
daun,ed by what had been said She processes to be-
he,c herself a success, both authoress and
actress, in spite OF whatever olse the critics public
may believe.
DICKINSON HERSELF.
She recently said 70 an intimate lady friend:-'I
cannot tell whether shall always write my plays
not may play other characters, but l shall not
abandon playwrting. Ny first attempt has been too
much Of . success and when am too passe
for acting l do not intend to abandon acting,
| for l feel that l have tho root OF tho
matter within me, and not going
TO give up l will show what l do
and am sure that my enemies accredit me with some
power, since they crticise me not debutane, but
actress with assured position. l TO
make them all retract their words, and think can
| do It IN time l did not accomplish my nrst night
what wanted to, nor did In my most sanguine mo-
mcnts ever 1atter myself that should. suppose
this not after ALL very different from my platform
experiences l always felt the first night OF lecture
that should not like II or myself judged So used
to select small country place and give there for tho
first time, and not until had IL filed out and perfectly
rounded would go before large and critical audience
never wrote lecture IN my life. selected my sub
ject, made few no,es-cnough, possibly, TO
cover half sheet OF note paper-studod tho
matter thoroughly, that felt knew what was
talking about but did not know until had tried II
what its real merits were always found something
to cut away other things TO add, and generally. when
had II to my satisfaction IL boro little resemblance
tie first display OF it, Now, with my play each night
SEQ where Improvement DO made, where dialogue
be introduced and where certain situations DO
changed. knew that this would BIO the case, and or
conrse dsliked having the first night both of It's rep
resen.ation and my appearance tho Judgment night;
but SO twas 10 be- Il Inevitable and SUBJ
mitted..
When asked II she considered her debut q failure she
\ answered.
i "By no meana II believed all that saw In print
/ might but, unfortunately, have habit Of being
guided by my own judgment am sure It was
failure. have had sufficient experience tell tho
feeling OF my audience, and know that carried them
with me to the very end. They were my friends In
| spite OF themselves was nervous, but my nervous
ness takcs different form from that Of most people
4 l.~... .A.l+..
and every Is kccnly alive. II affects my voice
and makes sharp and high quite unlike my natural
| voice, which is neither tho other, tho
public will find when am fairly at my easc.n
When told that she evinced perfect seEposscssion
she said: -
.Oh, yes, but did not feel II l Ind nothing like
stage fright. and my audience did not trouble
am too well used TO thcm But my findings
SO strange. my clothes were and had such
sense OF them; them when lecture have everything
my own way, tho platform Is clear and go where
will But here Il different. wbpld start on some
quick impulse and suddenly lind a human opposing
my way or would become painfully OF a chair
/ or table. and II such
SHOCK TO NY ENTHUSIASM,
like cold water plunge. When l get accustomed to
other presence and to tho stage accessories shall BIO
much free in action. Then, too, tho first night
was nothing moro or less than rehearsal 1t
agreed when made tho engagements that should
have eight rehcarsals and q dress rehearsal But
through some Misunderstanding wo had only four
| hcarsals and dress rehearsal at all, which was
scarcely fair to me when 80 much at stake. How
cvcr that all now, and did not do badly
l fearcdn
.'How did tho criticisms the next day affect your
.The New York oncs more than expected
II foregono conclusion with the New York scalp
that 70 fail, and they were determined to
make mo seem to do So II lis
PET THEORY
with Mr. Winter that nobody bred the stage ever
did, ever could, ever ought, should succeed.
Power and genius goes for nothing with him.
Automatic drill and knowledge OF technique are all
that requires evidently that actress should pos
scss.
sHow did you rcgayd the other criticisms?n
s'The TAes brutal as tho Tribune was nalevo-
lent The World was kinder to me than had any
to suppose IL would bc Tho HERALD was mix
turc CT Misunderstanding and an endeavor to deal
justly The Sun was fair. the Graphic generous and
tho Boston papers-weli with q laughL think I'D
better keep opinions TO myself l don't know ono OF
the gentlemen 81 tho press and don't like to SIT In
Judgment on them. will say, however, think with
possibly ono two exceptions that the critics here
were honest, unprcjudiccd and showed disposition to
bc fair. Possibly the fact that Winter and Schwab
both wrote their articles In the same ofco In this city
may have, unconscousIy OF affected tho ami
mus OF that particular paper. am heartily glad that
these gentlemen OF the Boston press going have
m opportunity Of seeing mo Ms grow familiar
with my profession. have always found
tesy prominent element In Boston journalism, and
though have been severely upon by o. them
this week there has been with the exception mon
toned. nothing malevocnt discourtcous in their
treatment"
.Then you arc not annoyed At your Boston crisl-
cismsSn
mo. expected criticism. am not perfect in my
art and wish to be told my faults that may cor
rect them. hate fusomo and indscrminatc praise
moro cordially even, than do malicious abuse. Il s
moro harmful
HoxEAT CRfTIcISx