Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-14
TIE JERSEY LILY'S LIFE.
tory-Why she Entered Theatrical
LIfe-Her American Engagement.

LIfe-Her American Engagement.
Americans, Ike the English, and indeed
IKE most people, desire to be entertained,
amused and interested. The cost is secon-
dairy, yet no one likes to pav too much for
their whistle, be It in the shape of a pretty
woman or an Rsthetic Bunthorne. Hence
when we import our curIosltiSs, our dra-
matte bellies or knee breeched donkies. we
like to make q complete estimate Of how
well and how fully they contribute to our
tastes, and get qasfd pro quo for our pay
mentS. Mrs. Langtry is coming to America In
public capacity. In that way it is that
We shall view her, and as to what she can
do we shall speak. Her private history as
lady, lowering for brief and painful pc
riod TO her on the edge of what might be
called "the kingly court circle, " akin to that
OF Charles H., is an oft-told and oft-exsg-
gerated tale. AS an actress Mrs. Langtry
comes amidst American critics, professional
aud private We shall see how well or how
III she carries on the stage the refinement
OF department and demeanOr she was
marked by In the drawing room. That she
should impart the excellencies OF a refined
social bearing to ''the boards" is an event
devoutly to be wished. We have too much
stiffness, constraint and exaggerated emo
tionalism In most Of our Actresses vast
school OF maidens and marrons on the
American stage. More is given to bones and
muscles, nesh and figure than TO brains,
modesty, grace and ''fair SOUL" The mus
cular school Of dramatic females Is becom-
Ing large by degrees and frightfully big.
Passion is represented by physical force, and
that charming eloQuence OF facial express
sionis rarely studied which Mrs. Langtry can
indicate marvelously well for an amateur.
Rra
not beautiful-face, and her ease7abIe of
earnestness mark the future actress as well
as the present amateur-for the latter Is she
only. 1t will be a sad day for the American
dramS-as 1t is already for the English-if
we have to depend upon popular patronage
when 1t is merely stimulated by q morbid
curiosity to see only q talked about" woman
for lady holding the mirror up to nature
In an avenue that Is to elevate and to In
struct, as we are told the theatre is.
Mrs. Langtry completed her first season
on ghe 1Sd OF last month at the Theatre
Royal, Nottingham, England, after pro-
Vincial tour OF three months that was sue
cessful beyond expectation, her reception in
the principal cities having been more like
royal progress" than anything else.
Mrs. Langtry's personal history, though
by no means as romantic as It has been
represented, is not without fits interest. Her
father is the Dean of Jersey, and the head
OF the ecclesfastics In Jersey, and the Oldest
Dean In the Church of England. Her
father, grandfather and great-grandfather
were all deans. She was born and
educated in Jersey, and was the only sister
of six stout brothers, but two of whom
are now living. Her brother, Clement LIE
Breton, who is barrlster In good standing
in London, married Lord Ravelagh's daugh-
ter, and 1t was through Lord Ravelagh and
the painter, Frank Miles, that she was first
introduced tniO London society. This was
after she had been married for some years
to Mr.. Langtry, who at the time Of her mar
riage owned property in ireland worth
about "a, ,OOO year, but which is now not
worth more than 4800. Her life in jersey
had been spent almost entirely In the open
air, and as Mr.. Langtry was fond of yacht
Ing, she became an expert yachtswoman,
ana was very fond of all sorts of outdoor
exercise, but she longed to see something
more of the world.
In srecent interview she has given an
engaging account Of her arrival in London
and her introduction to the fashionable
world. Among the most enthusiastic of
her early London friends was Frank Miles.
the artist. II learned afterWard," she SAYS,
"that he saw me one evening at q theatre
and tried in vain to discover who was. He
went to his clubs and among his artist
friends declaring that he had seen beauty.
and he described me to everybody he knew,
until one day one Of his friends met me and
was duly introduced. Then Mr.. Miles came
and begged me to sit for my portrait. con-
senteo, and when the portrait was finished
he sold 1t to Prince Leopold. From that
time was invited everywhere and made
fgafif AL" thg H66Hty.H ilhe--n -nHsbaSdWSs
delighted at my social success-whjch he
did not, however, care to share-and sun
Piled me freely with the means ot going
about In English society. The painters
completed the work of making me popuIar.
They raVed about my classical head as
they called It, and declared that thev dis
covered In the shape OF my neck rare Zines
of beauty"
CATER the painters the photographers set
TO work." she continued. 7sI became so
famous that the people stood on chairs IN |
I he street to see me pass, and the shop |
Keepers named their goods after me. I |
really wish you had not made me talk 40
much about myself. Let us get to the |
theatrical career How funny It is to talk of |
my theatrical career. Why, do you know | |
maoe my very nrst public appearance on any |
stage last November? That was at the Town |
Hall, Twickenham, and we PLAYED sTbe Fair
Encounter Then next [ appeared at a /
matinee performance at the Hsymarket /
Theatre December Is, plavfpp in tsShe
Stoops to Conquer but my professional 1
career did not actually begin until January |
~, when the present tour began at the Hay- |
market" Mrs. Langtry, unlike the aesthetic /
Mr.. Wilde, has the frankness to confess that |
she has taken to the stage to make money.
Fashionable life had added SO greatly TO her
expenses that she found It necessary either /
to increase her income or retire from society
The latter was not to be dreamed Of. |
so that when some OF her friends /
suggested the stage she accepted the |
idea as an inspiration. Americans will |
OF course be delighted to hear that |
the the Jersey s beauty has already made up her /
nirpo .erba Ina' . snS will like them intensely
erous," she says, ''thSl. he EOSiish G1U Th
Americans have met seem 10 6Sus uuzI 'tsu. =" 1ne
BILE the French In regard to politefkl0S Lesem
that is why I like them, suppose; for, 1Fpo Fu
know, am French. We ali speak French
In Jersey, and can talk easily In the Jersey
pGtOfs, but at home we generally spoke
English, because my mother was Scotch
woman. am now looking forward anx-
iously to my first appearance in New York,
three mon hs hence. Till then do not
play here except for two weeks in London,
when we shall do 'As You Like IT, and l
shall make my first appearance as Rosa