The Sunday herald., 1881-02-06
Helen faaru Mrs. Theodore Martin
nN uph ella.

She was one OF the pet dreams of my
glrlhuod-17gattly, perhaps, ftoth The mystery
OF Her tiadhesh. III hiy thildhbBd I wfs
much alcne-taken early away from school
because of delicate health; often sent tc
spend months at the sea, in the charge o
kind but busy people, who, finding me
happy with my books on the beach, left me
there long hours by myself had begged
from home the Shakespeare had been used
to read there--an acting edition by John
Kemble. This and the "Arabian Nights ~
how dear these books were TO me | Then |
had the " Pilgrims Progress" and Millions
Paradise Lost" Satan was my great hero.
l think knew him by heart. His address
to the council have often declaimed to the
waves, when surs Of beisg unotsefved. |
Had also tfanslatioh--f don't know whose
(poor enough, bit good enough for me them
of Dante's Inferno, some lines of which
sank deep into my heart. have not seen
the book for years and years but they are
still there.
vanquish fatigue by energy Of mind.
For NOT OH plums or canopied In state
The souls wins fame.''
How often since, in life's hard struggles and
troubles, have these lines helped me. Ny
books were indeed a strange medley, but
4
found them satisfying. They filed my
young heart and mind with what fascinated
me most, the gorgeous, the wonderful. the
grand, the heroic, the self-deny ing, the self
devoting Like all children, I kept, as a
rule, my greatest delight to myself. re-.
member, OH some occasions, after | had
returned loihe to my usual st,idies when
doubt arose about some passage which had
happehed to be III my little storehouse, being
able to repeat whole chapters and scenes Of
my favorites to the amused ears of those
about me. But never revealed how much
my life was wrapt up in them, even to nv
only sister, dear as she was to me. She was
many years older than myself, and too fond
OF fun to share in my day y-and. night dreams.
l knew | should only be laughed at or
quizzed. Thus I had lived again and
again through the whole childhood and lives
Of many of Shakespeare's heroines, long be.
fore 1t was my happy privilege to imperson-
ate and make them in my fashion my
own. During the few years acted under
Mr. Macready's management, almost the
first, as you know, in my theatrical life, /
was never called upon to act the character
OF Ophelia-I suppose because the little
snatches of song (merely what we call the
humming of tune) kept still alive the
tradition that an accomplished singer was
required for the part. l had my wish, how
ever, when in Paris, a little later, was
asked, as favor, to support, Mr.. Macready
in Hamlet by acting Ophelia. l need not
say how nervous felt-all the more because
OF this singing tradition. The performances
were given in the Sale Ventadour, on the
" of nights" of the Italian Opera. Oh how
difficult it is, however much you have lived
in thing, to make real your own ideal, and
give 1t an utterance and form! To add to
my fright, was told just before entering on
the scene, that Grisi, and many others of the
Italian group, were sitting in a private box
on the stage. But believe sang in tune,
and soon forgot her and all. could not
help feeling that l somehow drew my
audience with me. And what an audience
II was No obtrusive noisy applause, for
there was no organized clacgue for the Eng
lish plays; but what an indescribable atmos-
phere of sympathy surrounded you! Every
tone was heard, every look was watched,
felt, appreciated. seemed lifted into /" an
ampler ether, diviner air. s" Think, If i
This were SO In Desdemona, in Ophelia, what
1t must have been to act Juliet to them! l |
was III a perfect ecstasy of delight. | re-
member that, because of the curtailment of
some of the scenes in "Romeo and Juliet, +"
the brilliant Mercutio was cut out,) had
10 change my dress very quickly and came
70 the side scene breathless. said some-
hing to Mr.. Serle, the acting manager,
about the hot haste of it all-no pause to
gather ones self up for the great exertion
hat was to follow. He replied "Never
mind, you will feel no fatigue after this. +"
And he was right. The Inspiration of the
scene Is at all times the best anodyne to pain
ma bodily fatigue. But who could think of
'ither before an audience so sensitively
.iive to every touch of the artists hand 2 |
But to return to poor Ophelia. learned
'fterward that among the audience when
played her first were many of the finest
minds in Paris, and these found "most pretty
hings TO say of ths ophelia to which | had
Introduced them. Many came after the play
o my dressiDg-room in the French fashion,
o say them, 1suppose.-F Letter in