Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-26
Aanraster :1ntelligenrer.
FRIDAY FvENING JAN. %. 1888,
The Prevailing Koss.ind.

In the atlantic Tor February, that ac-
complished Shakespearean scholar and
critic Richard Grant White, furnishes an
admirable Interpretation of Rosalind, as
the author intended her to be played and
points out how the actresses who under
take the part fail TO grasp the meaning of
the character, or even to satisfy the de-
mand of truth and proprety in the simple
matter of dress. The article was suggest
ed, evidently, by Mrs; Langtry's perform
ance, which Mr.. White declares to be,
has seen, indisputably the worst" In
a general way. however, he dsapprOves
Of all present day attempts to play this
arch aud sparkling heroine. not emitting
that Of Modjeska, which is probably the
nearest correct Of any of them, though
inferior in sUbtlGty and consistency Z"
several offers Of the characters in which
she appears.
Those who appreciate this most excel
lent Of all comedicS-and il is difficult to
imagine any sincere and Intelligent lover
OF ShakeSpeare who docs not appreciate
"AS You Like It '-must be struck at
once with the accuracy of Mr. Whites Oh
sorvation that the stage R0s0ttMd$ OF our
time uniformly cheaper and spoil the part,
and thus destroy the artistic integrity OF
tho whole play, by false habits of costume,
IN no other familiar character does so
much depend upon dress, since it is en-
ployed for The double purpose OF specify
ing and c0nccailng the personality OF the
wcaTer; and yet, - M. White points oat,
this very esaenti:,! fact goes unconsdered,
and both Shakespeare and common sense
are dciied in a way that would be ludic-
riOus if it were not 50 pitiablc. No man
L., "a SI,.,l,.
time. not only, "but 10 human creature
within the marrow seas" to quote MIR.
Whites words was ever apparelcd as aie
these whimsical Ganyiacdes of the modern
stage. vino instead of aiming to hide their
identity from the sonnet-poStiIg Orlatd0s
of the period, really seem bent upon put
ting disguise cut of the question, and
using their thin masquerade rs a mean!
of advertising their feminine charms OF
limb ami CutiirG after the fashion of ballet
dancers.
Not only is the central secret Of The
comedy thus 'givCn away before
word Is s!.pkcn, as it We're, but the com
mu,9st requirements %! historical fidelity
are violated ana bari spued The doublet
that our stage R0SaLndS wear is not Il
doublet at all. but an awkward sort Of /,
tunic, unknown 20 any age, and entirely
unmeaning. For hose, they enc.se their
suggestive lm!:s II long silk stockings, a.
a ruie thus CmphasZimG their sex, hen,
i'll fact. tn. hose Gi ShakSpearcS time
covered the legs TO the hip. and were
stuffed cat III Il way that forbade discovery
OF the wcarCr'H SCN. Nor were silk stock
ingS in vogue in England III that date
and i; they l:;,! been il is not likely that
they would have bccn worn among the
L.. \, q
Ardcn. Sill! mnr" ana"I,rnnistIc. not to
say t,It l;tn;isi! is i.c elaborate hat OF the
average f,HS5lind the like OF which, Mr.
White remarks. w"uld have been ho,iel
at by the street ulchimS OF those days
Then, ti:cy invariably carry in their belts
"A queer little AZ, too utterly wCodmaD
like, un:"! !mdiul Chat the Curtlc-aX,'
whicl. the tcNt Of the play implies, WAS
mulciv 4 common short swnr,l worn at
thn thigh like any other Swold aid they
refuse Ia soil their coiilp!"xiunS T;th the
Smircit Of unhCr' that denoted forest
cNlrSu!c.
An accurate description "f Ecsnlind AS
she appeared to :iakcSl cal*S inlag lila
tie? is wanting, tr nc sure. The great
dramat;>t is l,!oVufirgIy r,ticont about
the personal appearance of all his women.
He hints nioIc ia HAT respect concerning;
Eo$aiind than auy Of the others, except
InGgCn, however; aud it is pussiblc t.
conceive a t"l.rably distinct ideal of hc..
She was notably tall Mr.. White contcu,iS
fair as 10 complexion, with dark, lu"tl"us
hair, aud biuc-klack 0r uliye green eyes,
ana 81 las sin" b""ily vigcr, tempered
by riir hncucSS o.; mHv2mcmt. Though
i,e does l'r5 quite say SO, it may be safely
inferred thai in d purely physical
I, |
the n"S. satisfactory If all stage
Roxt3iMd~ aid this u,!y serves, We can
easily umai.l stand. 10 Ri4ke her Iutcliec-
tuaI ard ;iltsti" defects the more pro
nouncod and irritating. That Il wpnar o
well equipped il appearance for IN ideal
R0$"lind should he 80 poorly fitted for tie
mental and emotional r"rt OF lie task,
SEEMS little short of nn htfront, p..!tiCu-
larry when W. aic asked To overlook
AZ; i>tic dvirct., in consideration Of tie vcvy
advantages Of face and form which should
lrnt,ri artistic excellence tn more easy
and certain. Tx EoStJind Of Shakespeare
WIS beautiful, undoubI2dly, bus she WAS
very mulch more than that. ii.r charms
wrr% not c"n:isn"u ;n her physical struct
urr. a.r'l il is rra> Iuablr To assume that
she would tex, lave cxiih ted her limbs
after the ,nGIl,.yT al these AIR pcrn.'ua-
tors to hay" mun all the OJltHdr@ i. the
world certainly size could never, J.! Suc!:
garo, have carried cut ,lc d,cepti. that
so completely fooled not OridHd0 alone,
but her own father aud HAT Stlrcw,d 4 "id
S'u' ,LqNa&. S5iiI. We sii:I very likely
continue t. llav0 tlir coiivvm:iu.,.ti instead
Of the auticn: ic Ro&altnI. lot bucsili.c That
it is in amy SENSE deleusiblc. bus because,
rs Nj. White hi;lrtiy puts il, I" thu pui:iic
care more t. Sc Il pretty woman, with :,
pretty figure. princing Sauciiy aboIt the
stage in silk tights, and behaving lii O
neither man nor woman, than they would
t" see "a booted, doubleted, felt iiattei
Rosnii,sd, behaving now like Il zeal mai.
and now take a real woman."
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