The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-10-25

which she devoted her life to her Bible
studies. II she had been trained to au-
thorship she would naturally have been
aided by the unexcelled models of
thought and expression which it con-
talns. Sir William Jones left his re-
corded opinion that "the Bible contains
more true subimity, more exquisite
beauty more pure morality, more impor-
tant history and finer strains of poetry
and eloquence than can be collected
from al other books in whatever age or
language they may have been written.
The most famous untaught orator of
America, Patrick Henry, said: at is a
book worth more than all other books
that were ever printed" Among phil
osophers we have the same testimony
from JOHN Locke, who prepared with his
own hand Common Place Book of the
Scriptures, and in his meditations on
their wonderful wisdom, cried out, go
the depths of the riches of the goodness
and the knowledge of God" Poetry
and philosophy might draw LARGELY upon
the Bible, but what benefit would an
actress get from intimate acquaintance
with the book?
To understand the influence of the
Bible upon the life of Fanny Kemble. we
must keep in mind that the profession
was always distasteful, positively re-
pugnant, to her feelings, and this. was
the uniform testimony she bore through
out her public life. She regarded it as
personally humiliating and demoralizing.
She expressed to Washington Irving her
dislike OF it. She wrote in letters to her
friends IN strong terms of her aversion to
the stage as profession. And Madame
Craven, French novelist of the better
class, testifes that the records of her
life by Fanny Kemble demonstrate
clearly enough that the thought of ele-
waiting the theatrical profession to the
ideal height which many propose must
be ranged in the category of chimeras;
since this profession, practised with the
greatest success, and in conditions the
most favorable to the realization of this
dream, has always inspired in Fanny
hemble an estrangement for which she
can eloquently account" What Madame
Craven infers is taught in the history of
the stage from its earliest period. 1t al
ways was what Fanny Kemble found it.
She tried her best by example and pre-
cePt to make it otherwise. She left it as
she found 1t, or worse. And at this
moment in London, Paris, and New York
1t presents attractions to the public from
which the soul of Fanny Kembie turned
away with disgust. And her convictions
inspired Madame Craven to despair of its
being reformed and elevated. FANNY
Kemble held that the nature of the cali
ing is inherently degrading. She was
never IN the hands Of her firing women,
undergoing the transformation into a
character which she was to personify,
without being penetrated with a sense of
the hollowness and mockery of the bust
ness in which she was engaged. If she
had strength to withstand the evil in
huence of such pursuit, she is one of a
thousand, and her testimony ought to be
held in honor when the vexed question
OF the moral influence Of the stage is dis
cussed. find in her early study of the
Bible the secret of Fanny Kemble's udg-
ment of the profession, and her. own
noble preservation in spite of it and her
surroundings. That there are others in
similar pursuits, like Abdiel, faithful
where others fall, is not denied. But if
there are many who have stood firm in
the midst Of danger, and have declared
their Indebtedness to the Bible, have
not met with their names
Fanny Kemble's eliminate knowledge
of the Bible" (those are her own Words
was obtained by committing to memory
selections from its pages to be recited
morning and evening. She had a great
memory. She held in it ready for use
vast treasures of the drama in other
languages than her own. And in the
midst Of these riches of the masters of
the art, creations of human genius, she
held in solution, as dew distilled from
heaven, the wisdom and knowledge of
Gods holy word. This is the very best
of all ways to learn the Bible. Get it
by heart. Commit whole chapters, whole
books of it to memory. 1t is easily done
in the spring time of life. And it will
abide in old age, JOY and defence, all
the way along. This great tragic actress
startled and entranced the play going
world by the wondrous power she had Of
deiIneating by her voice and action the
passions Of others. But.deep in her own
soul was the living word that she had
drawn out of the oracles of everlasting
truth, and long years afterward she de-
| clared it had been Of more benefit to her
than all else of her school instruction.
These are FANNY Kemble's impressions
of the Bible and of the STAGE She ovred