Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-07

lives u 1885 with those now in Use and
there is s0ne ground FOR hoping With Mr..
Flammanon "tbst the present aerOnau,ies
may lead 10 ariatiOn.'
----np----
TIE hCTORS HARD LifE.
ILondon SiaBdaTd.I
Every ore who .dmirss genius and ecu
rage will hear with regret that the most
gifted and nost energetic actress in Europe
il on The sick list. Nle. Sarah Bernhard
has been ordered hy her medical advisers
10 quit for time her beloved stage. aud to
seek IN the ozone aE3 iodine OF the seaside
: soothing medicine Tor her OycrwOrkcd
nerves and kindly ,uslenanec FOR the phys
icsl weakness that il l. said mas for some
tine hern gaining upon her. SIC is accord
mgly in retirement in her villa at ~.
Aprt.sc, near iiavre. and Pari'Ians are
beginning TO fear that "ThGodOri.' the
ncw play written for her by NJ. Sar1ou,
will have 10 be postponed There IL such
regularity, sHch punCtuality, such uninhr-
mii,cnt activity M the lives ~ popular ac.
tors and actresses. that ii hIrdly ever occurs
70 anv one to think that they can possibly
be cut Of health. Their being unable 10
perform appears - mach beyond the range
oi probability r conception as the stOppins
Of the Westminster clock, or even the
emission Oi the sun ~ make its appear
ancr Il the appointed time. Vet, when
We think Ci II, il IL the most natural thing
in the world that sttOrs. and actresses still
moro. should be- not occasionally, but pretty
often. out Oi gear. Their life. though an
interesting. is an arduous one. II j. lie
II genuine. downright hard work. Even
4 their lahoTs consisted only OF the hOurs
IA Nhishthcy appear before the public these
would az themselves represent no small
amount oi physical and mental energy. They
entail long spells of Standing. mOstnI which
are passed i'm icats oi accurate memory and
attention, and exercises OF skill sld pas
sion. But il rarely happens that All act
or's or actrcSs's work Is confined within
the limits Of the piece in which they have
before them the encouraging gaze OF the
audience. Nhilc the evening is spent In
acting one piece the morning IL devoted 10
the reheasDK Of another. II is seldom
that p,y las so long and 80 secure run
hat il Is set necessary Ia have another IN
rV,eTve. TO the mere physical eXcrtion
involved in the lie II player must b.
added tue disappointment that periores at-
tend IL.
Yet. asa Tact, setor. and actresses are q
heilthy and long-liNed race. How 10 II:
The answer. perhaps, may he discovered by
The cCnsideration Of other features In their
InaGs 81 existence. When once people
luow that they cannot Afford to be nj they
yen6Tslly 80 conduct Themselves that they
arc not ILL., Nothing IL comm0ner than 10
Leara nan .av. " have cot :. speech 60
uake tomorrow" or e haYs . hard week
before me and therefore | must be pru-
dent" kven women of fashion, who
Sie not given to lay too heavy
bu!dcn upon Themselves, rtIl OH
serve. IL have got 10 taSe . long jour
ncy tomorrow, 50 | must fake care o'
ENsClf this afternoon But actor aud
sctreHeA have "thcir speech 10 make -
every evening, hsye their " hard week be-
tore them F." nearly all the year round.
Conscious oi this. they husband their re-
sources in other ways, are careful and alb
Htmious in thtiI diet, take good care to
ecl pleuty II sleep. and reserve the Use oi
their legs for TIE time when they cannot
90 without them. Another great "pull .
that th, ' have over othcr people IN this re-
spCct is that they cannot possibly DIM
out more than once week. Lon
don dinners have mere to answer foI
than is commonly supposed. They may
net iniure the person who leads 4
more or less idle life. But the man who
sends the blood TO his BRAN duiins manv
| hour. oi the dav by concentrated work, and
| then finds the dlnner-hOur too pleasant T.
be able to resist lis temptations. is burning
| the candle at both ends, and in the middle
| OF il too. Compared with his. the life Oi
an actor is one Of exceptional wholesome
noss. Moreover, the actors liie must be
| regular, because his work is regular. In
| deed, ~ far a. male players are concerned
we should perhaps be throwing our pity
| away i; We offered them compassion or
| the score Of the hardships peculiar Il
| their profession. But the women, as be
! irg physically weaker and more subject t'
nerve 1erangemeni, may well excite mol
only our sympathy, but our aIszement IL
| this respect. The explanation OF their ih
curing such ri.ks. and incurring then
with comparative impunity, is TO be foun.
in the fact that their profession, while eX
posing them to some trials, provides then
with two great cOmpensati0ns-oecu
and interest. How many semi.inyalids dee
one see among women who are suilern.
only from want OF occupation and want o
motive in life: They need that bes
tonic in the world-reasonab. AM
cheerful excitement More than once ha
! il happened that woman anxious to z
| upOn the stage has been told that, II n0thin!
else untitled her for it. she was disqualifie'
| by physical delicacy. She has brayed IN
danger aud become strong. why: Be
cause the boredom o! lie, which produce
dyspepsia, megfims, and Countless DIS
orders was suddenly removed from her
She has an object in life, and her nerves
called into pleasant and useful activity. sc
upon the rest OF ner constitution, and civ
her the tone which alone WAS required L
make her strong and .ealthy.
Al The same time tonics may be taken !
excess. aud though high nervous action !
probably indispensable TO thorough v
taliiy. the nerves may be called upon 10 Il
too much, and, after spurring the rest Q
the system to excessive exertion, ma
themselves begin TO flag under their Ow
too generous energy. The amount .
nervous energy required by an actress lax
Nile. Sarah Bcrnhardt TO carry her throus
her roles must be enormous. Proos
bly, she kuows how, as the phrase i
to "spsre herself" when il is neee'
sary 10 do 80. But At any momen
she may be thrown of her guard, an
led either by sympathetic or by a
spaihetis audience TO ding herself WI
perilous vehemenee into her part. Sudde
applause or prolonged indifference ma
rouse all her dormant fervor, and the prlc
has TO be paid for this livishing OF power
that should have been economical. AgaiI
there l. the wear and tear Of falsined es
pectation. The company player Is actln
in may be incompetent, the audience ma
be cross or cold. points that ought % 'e
nay pass usnoticed. II Is all very vel.
lorg ss everything goes smoothly. Inc
nei'na must be, 10 some natures, an unaau
ieiatsd delight. But there never Was sn