The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-30
ADJUSTMENTS.
The Player. Of tho wseh.


enormous ono that has always existed between
unframed impulse and perfected art.
When ModJcska walks upon tho stage you
feel tho presence Of the artist in whom resides
the culture. the taste. and the selt- possession
which are IN great part an inheritance. There
IL no lowlcssness in herspeech or action. Every
detail OF her task bctrays that functional per-
lection which. alas. never startles anybody.
When Anderson appears you great eifts
inquiring OF occasion what they shall do with
themselves. You perceive that this magnificent
instrument is trying to play itself
Modlcska-not so divincly strung-is played
upon 10y the masters.
Her methods are Psychic and subtle. Oh
serve. for instance ddrienne's love for Marshal
SdJe. What n gentle illum nation In there OF
the whole womanhood OF tho character Ten
thousand little acts Of affection. OF modesty. OF
anxiety. OF solicitude weave themselves into nm
amorous melody without our detecting anything
but the result.
Asercnity Of faith and dignity OF innocence
give an exquisite majesty to simple love and
exalt the parsonage insensiply in our cyce.
See II as many times as you may, you will
mover he able to discover the art Of It, Tho
whole scene flows too smoothly and lmpidly
and reflects too clearly the forms and colors OF
nature for you to trace the eddies and currents.
To me the effect OF Modjeska's acting was
curiously like that produced by an exauisitely
wrought symphony. II seemed to have awaked
In my mind thousand airy songs.crs Of sug-
gestion that kept carolling long after the scene
had disappeared.
recalled the llssome grace OF tho ar,iet much
as one tries to reproduce phrase OF music. and
found that | could not particuarize the beauty
OF action 1t did not reside in limb or an en-
deavor. but was the general effect Of the whole
organization. asked myself What was II that
invested her slightest gestures with an inefable
charm2 Why did little wave Of wonder and
delight sweep over her audience when. as her
lover was about to kiss her she turned away2
II you have seen the play you have asked
| yourself that question.
Can you not guess the answer7
Was 1t not because Modjeska expressed in
perfectly Ineligible manner by one simple ac-
ton more than you or can put into half score
OF pages Of wrting1
To be sure this Adrierne Ia entirely unlike
Rachcl's. That was passionate. tragic. de-
camatory. This is emotional. epic. poetic. One
was electric. The other is magnetic. One was
| objective. The other is subjective. One was
terrible. The other is beautiful
| don't III ink Modleska makes any great tragic
| flights. Hers Is not the robust eoul TO breathe
the fierce atmosphere on those lofty peaks OF
passion.
Iprsier to regard her as a nymph OF the val
! ley.
We sbau rovor 90, from, bo- tho villa vail -,
tho rae. thu, u,,ars i,s,,lf ,brou,,h ,h. uns =,
| Morris Wa n,..d no, o,noc, h,,r % s,rida ,,;,h
tho co,hi, ir,poriousnoss ~ pr,,,,Iilis mr., ha
Spectre Of the Brocken along tho ,cv hei,h,s ~
| Teuton mythology. Nor need we look for the
| girlish intrcpldity and sensuous waywardness
of Anderson.
The magnitude and momentum n, her on.
| deavors will never move us. You cannot carve
the Sermon on the Mount. nor mt the Seventh
Symphony of Beethoven into n bottle The
texture q, her art ia So nne 40 cleon and doli.
cate. tina, even her rud, admirers break il 70
pieces in trying to find out what il il made Of.
For this reason do not think that Modi.skn
will delight the ayerare American mach vderm
who holds that the duty Of the drama ia 10
| tickle not To teach and who needs nroddinp
| with such rlavs "A " The Two Ornbansn
I believe that he goes to the Fifth Avenue
Theatre and cxperien ,cs the same disappolnt-
ment that would overcome him II he could visit
the restored parthenon, and find TINT IL yas not
az large AZ the Grand Central depot
lam reminded here that Mr.. Coghlan. at the
Union square Theatre, h travelling a similar
road to Modjeska's He recently gave us in
sardous Seraphine" portrayal Of character
that for fidelity. balance Of details harmony Of
color. and even consistency Of expression. was
70 my rainl one OF tho most mertorious
achievements Of stage art that have ever seen.
remarked at the time how admirably he had
presented the gentleman sailor whose natural
characteristics were modified by the circum-
stances Of a seafaring lie. A salt flavor blew
through the whole scene without our ever sus-
pecting how it got there. for there was nothing
10 call attention to il. Somehow he managed To
impress US with the will OF the quarter deck.
against which there is no protest.
II you go now and see him play Rdo'l Mont
joye in Feuillets drama you will be I'D TO
observe how completely he has changed all the
characteristics and habits Of the man. II you
sit through the six acts Of the piece you will Ind
that the impersonaton impresses you much AS
II you had met and become acquainted with a
strong individuality in actual life.
The picture Of the obdurate. practical. method
zeal. and unconsciously selfish man OF sue
cess" who is ashamed OF his emotional nature.
and tries 10 sis his cons fence is, so far AS the
art OF the actor can make II so, creation.
Mr. Coghlan's embodiment OF the idea is a
60 laa. tff ttst.i .alk