New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-17
WHY SHAKESPEARE WAS NOT AN ACTOR.
To the EdifOr Of The Tribune.

To the EdifOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: That the Bard of Avon had genuine
drama tie ability aDundanIly shown in accounts of ais
performance miaOr characters and IS fair to pro
sumo acting more IN accordance with his t4ss
than writing There Is more glory IN acting, 10 say
nothing Of satisfaction for although the actors an-
deuce may never be large so intelligent as thar
OF the successful writer the impression made Oy ter
ling dramatic performance Ii far deeper than any 10 bo
derived ffom reading. We invariably reInein Der tho
acting OF great men. saw in our young days.
even when forget the best efforts Of classic ant0rs
We are at liberty to glide merely g.aDee
through great book, but there is no escape from no
impression made by powerful actor
II IL also evident from shakespeares habits taat no
cared very little whether his literary productions cut
lived his own generation. But there IL as rule always
sonethn distsstefu in theatrical life TO people Of 70
duement. The associations seldom coDgenia Even
in the best companies that been organ zed
there has been an OF eoarseness, which, from
its close proximity, is almost Insuhefape'
there Is only black sheep ia the nocF he Is ever
present He be rceogn zed and treated as com
pap,on. The star system" was but little known IN
Shakespeare's time. aud actors were not coming ana
going So rapidly as Indeed the whole th"aneai
profession OF Ell gland ike one family. And II q
scarcely worth while a OF gentle attriDues I'D
fight arainst arg. odds in the orm OF demOraizug as
soctations, when higher field is open TO MIN.
In stock companies there must be intimacy. The
other rehearsal and IN the green ROOM Inc uI.ssos
roOus for the most part are designed 10
actors Except IN large cl.tss hcors 49,,
are Obliged TO keep together IN boarding-h"uscs or
hotels aud their relations with the outside wOflJ lOcs
them into grooves At night they are together
again aud every VINO knows anything about ne
inner L. theatre knows how nee ssary II !. Ior
members Il company to be on GOOD terms Win 'acl
other individual success during ue peflof-
In 30 other pufsnii Is 50 Close coh'act h'c
sary. salesman remain tor years IN dry GO"ls
store without acquiring an intltiate hcIo "ht"h.@
with the measurer by bis side DHrlug s"s.n oL
five months was al editorial SItrf ia naiI p"l,rt
ofiee ia Chicago sOclabllty Il the RUE IA
tha uext room were hye of cur city reporters,
who had constant access 10 the apntinrnt "a
hur tiurIng the whole they nayer spoke
word to me, IA hem. We were never lnif"'nced
and other IN the street. IL ~oud %
impossible Tor such CONDITION OF tliugs 10 p,'Nt "a
theatre even day much less Shaks caf
time. Change VIII, merchants aud brokers are COM
PEELED certain ianiartes Ia e1pedtt pass,
IN theatre IL u tue hat IN Instances TIE rd-
Ing man NAV snuD the uily man throughout the Nois
season, this only makes matters worse all afuAd
Whatever dsagreeabie n man Is sdte 10 s1o" trc.l
aty aud stupidity the rule, % is Ia most the
panies IL heavy stfan upon man o. DllkeLc'
ter III they are persons culture they often 60 Win
reluctance rehearsal They encounter TRIALS thst
really ought not 10 exist In profession that Is p'ss
ably, noble one. therefore cOnciuoe' 40 pr"Dsoy
many others have concluded, taat Shakespeare s1at
doned nton, 81 becoming an actor per
manenty, because be Thought ~ sheer proits ",
with men he could elev lie Dy assoca.on put WHO
could drag MIN down. Like AL gentiscn'
courteous 10 manners an uisVoslaio , rsa. 80,
manded the r,cd rod OF discipline aud this, even 10
had been in keeping with Theatrical. NE, shsksspesrs
was incapable OF admnisterihs' ne cnosc W u'oso
nru,ent rart ascending 10 safe and eomlortanio
ps,,t"n 49, FELIX
Yetc- YORK; oct. IL, 1880.