Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-11-01
The AMERICAN STAGE.
Jennie luns Expresses Her Opinions
About II.
Mary Anderson as She was and as She is
Margaret Mathew, Iudic, Nevada
and Others Criticised.
Copyrighted 1851

copyrighted 1851
SpsciGI CorsDondasos q ~ SSHSey R>gissS.
NEw YoRK, October 27.--Wtst Is the
secret of the hold that the drama has upon
minds of people sveryEhere' It is mate
deprayity, ~ some would have Us believer
| Is it the love of art which finds its gratih-
cation in q series of stage pictures, or Is it
the desire to get away from ones own COM
mon place and morotonous selves, and be-
come absorbed in the portrayal Of strong
emotions on the part ofothsrs-sn exercise
which is altogether plessurable, and leads
to no evil consequences? The final mo-
tive may be aided by others, but / am In
chned to think it the strongest, and itseeus
to me an infinite pity that it has not been
used, made an important factor, not only
in providing amusement for oVertasked
populations, but made an influential ele-
mept in their religious life. The was Wis
dom in the old miracle" plays, in the noted
scenes, the tournaments and the dramatic
representations which made part OF the old
public life, and we're Instituted more for the
Amusement of the populsce than the glcri-
fcation of individuals Certainly the love
of scenic splendors, of mimic contests, Of
tragic incident and emotional display has
been sufficiently exhibited through all the
centuries, and it would be wiser in those
who would control or influence the popular
mind to recognise than to ignoris. Thea
tres are crowded at $3.50 for 9 seat while
pevs 20 begging, and the eyes of the min
lister wander drearily over the empty spaces
The only clergymen who crowd the places
Of worship are those who pcssess the
dramatic instinct, the element OF surprise,
of variety ard selfAsserton.
1t il rarely that even New York has com.
bined 90 many and such strong dramatic
attractions as have been gathered here st
the opening of the present season; and 1t
is significant too that the most important
are young. belong 10 the new school and
are wholly ana essentially American
When Mary Anderson made her hrst sp- (
pesrsnce IN New York some seven or eight !
years $50 as Pauline in the "Lsdy OF
Lyons" she exhibited all the possibilities Of
the Mary Anderson OF to-day. She was
young, she was beautiful, she WASH earnest /
and exhibited true dramatic Telling and /
power. aided By q rich voice capable of ex- /
pressing every shade Of emotion. Blu; she /
hsd not learned how to use or control her I
graceful, plant body, and she was badly
dressed. In those days the critics abuse
her Westernism and called he vulgar.
This was q mistake. Crude abe undou6t- .
e1ly was, but never vulgar. Miss Ander-
son ia an inately refined woman with noble
aspirations. She could not be vulgar (
She was q student of poetry and declams- .
ton from her bsbyhood, and she went to
the house of q neighbor and friend, the
wife ofa well known editor, to indulge her
passion. Here she would read passages
from Shakespeare which struck her tsnc!
and de- lain them with extraordinary viRor
and force, to the great Amusement OF the
family. The instinct in Mas Anderson
could not be kept down, aud Ter advent (,
upon the dramatic stage was preceded by
continued exercise Of her faculty, If not
by the severe training considered necessary
for the proper traditional presentation Of
her roles. Bot, after all, it is not certain
that she could have done much better for
herself or the public BY submitting TO q
cast-irou routine which must have cost 10
her individuality what she gained in coz
ventional art. The historic names of wom-
an in the drama were trained by the stage
itself, and the routine Of school, or co.,
serystoire, while it teaches mediocrity the
mechanism OF art, and thus makes 1t res
pectsble, often represses, II It does not des'
troy, genius. But Miss Anderson does not
now show any lack of early or hard train |.
ing. Her mastery Of herselfis as complete
as her embodiment and portrayal of charac- |.
ter is strong, and her versatility illustrates !
the syety of the quick witted Rosslind as
admirably rs the Innocence OF Parthenia /
or the heroism Of the Daughter Of Roland.
Ii must De q very csFtious critic who find
pretty faults in this beautiful sui gifted ,
American girl, wGo.e spotles career abroad,
tree from exhibition Of vsnie'y or craving /
for no;oriety, ought to be smuch q source
of pride as her splendid gifts She may
not be the best that ever lived, but she is
good enough to take pleasure in ard be
thankful for, and will doubtless grow into
something better than she is poy, for che /
has msrYellousIy advanced in her art in
Eve years, and if she can stand the wesr
and tesr other hard life will certainly make
further advances.
As for her personal appearance she does
not seem to have grown day older since
she veut aOrcsd-nor any stouter. She is
still slender in the rounded outlines Of