Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-12-09

/ c0sld not u6lp hdfiuEt huN Cau
YOU exert yourself thus to please so
few people? There were scarcely 400
oe.sons assembled to witness this sub
limo performance. HeansWored with
honest simplicity: They have paid
their money and are entitled TO the
aest | can 90 for them; besides that,
when | am on the stage, l forset the
world and all that is in it, and live the
character l represent" You will,
said I, make a grand Lear" Yes,
he replied, Il think l shall be able to
make something out of the old king
[ have be- reading the tragedy iof
some time; but 1t will still take me
two years TO study it thoroughly"
Salyini related to several anecdotes
which show how quick he is to master
cd. difficulties accident throws in his
way. Once l bought" lie said, "a
play of a poor young writer which I
thought | could make something Of,
but when we came 10 rehearse it for
the last time before representation il
seemed to nc utterly fat aud %unproft-
able. The piece was called la Su-
onatrice d'Arpa' C"The Harp Girl"j
The &C ors all said the last act was SO
stupid that We should make a 6asoo
I at last hit upon an idea. We had.
hugeyer, only a few hours to execute
lti IN. / changed the story, Instead
ef the play ending happily, | made the
father Kill his daughter accidentally
md then die of grief. All the dia-
logue had to be %improyised by the
leading actress and myself. | played
The father and signora PismOnti the
daughter. Such was the success Of
our invention that the piece was play
ed eight nights in succession, and 8
rival actor, hearing Of the triumph
achieved by The Harp Girl" brought
rom the author, for a handsome sum,
the privilege Of acting it IN certain
districts which we're not included in
my purchase Of the DRAMA. Not being
aware Of the alterations We had made,
and performing it according to the
letter Of the text, be made an fasco
s0anne-a dead failure"
After the first performance Of
naire," | took the liberty Of observ-
ing to Salyini that a superb piece Of
business which marks his acting in
the last act was not to be found in the
next "0h," he replied, Il will tell
you the origin Of it. / was playing at
Naples, and one night, when | threw
he body Of my murdered wife upon
the ottoman in the la9t act, my bur
mouse fell off and fixed itself to my
waist Ike q sail. | saw at once that
lil ! was not careful should provoke
laughter, aud instantly imagined that
the clinging drapery was the wounded
Zsire grasping me behind. | appeared
10 dread even to look round lest !
should enesuntes her pallid face.
hesitated. | trembled, and when witt
a supreme effort | az last grssped The
burnouse and cast It from me, still.
! lacked tie courage TO ascertain what
it really was. aeA stood shiyering be-
fore the white heap upon the noJi.
Finally, just as | thought public curl.
osity 10 know what / was going to do
began to grow weary, | stopped down
aud, seizing the white mantle, dashed
it from contempt, showing by the ges
ture that | had discovered what i
vas and felt angry that such a triar
should thus alarm a bold man who
had committed murder" This panto
mime obtained for Salvini at the New
York academy Of music one Of hi
greatest oyations.
When asked why be did not lear
English, All, he replied, ~ am to,
! old: and even if | mastered it / eoul,
not control my knowledge of It
When excited / should be lapsing int,
Italian, which would be very absurd
You asked me other day why / do no
play 0restes. 1 should make a quee.
Young Greek with an Apollo Xix,
6gure nowadays. The time was whel
| looked the part nd played it well
and then | liked 10 play it. / mus
cave it, with many other good things
10 younger men," Speaking abou
eloeution he said: "The best methoI
is obtained by close observation @
nature, and above all by %earnestnes.
II you can impress people with Oh
COMPLETION that you feel what you ca
they will pardon many Shortcomings
And above all, study, study, study
All Of the genius in the world will no
help you along with any art unless yor
become q hard student. It has take
me years TO master a single part."
Salvini's visit to America was fruit
iul Of a double good. He shove
forth the splendor Of Italian genius
even revealing 70 US new maryels i
that mine Of wealth, the works Of th
greatest bard Of the English speakiD
= race, and he went back 10 Italy TO te.
. her people Of things be has seen In IN
r new world which his great compatric
discovered-as wonderful in their wa
e as any related by 0thello to Desdemc
= mas willing ear.
IN ISL al