The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-28
A SCHOOL or lEXPRESSION.


A SCHOOL or EXPRESSION
Mr.. Henry Irving, departing from the
routine he has hitherto observed in his |
visits to this country, gave a reading at
Huntington Hall, in Boston, recently, for |
the benefit Of the School OF Expression,
which some appreciativepeoplc are anxious
TO have endowed beyond any contingencies
OF change or caprice In tho public. This
reading, as described by the Boston papers,
was revelation 10 nearly every one
present, because OF the utter simplicity
and unaffected naturalness with which
Mr.. Irving delivered his lines. For in
stance, he read passage from DR.. Doran's
"Annals Of the Stage" in which that
genial writer treats of Edmund Kean MS an
extraordinary genius, orratic and Eighty,
but full OF fire. and force, and kccnly sensi-
tive Of his own capacity TO get inside OF
some Of ShaKcspearcs great creations.
In reading this narrative Mr.. Irving put
away anything like staginoss or dramatic
manner. and was quito contrast TO him
self in reading IIamlcts advice TO the
players, or Edwin Arnold's Feast OF
ljelshazzar," or Calvcrley's "Gomini ct
Virgo" which runs in jnglng rhyme
that il IL difficult for even good readers to
observe without becoming sing-songy. In
making these selections, and in introduc.
ing Miss Ellen Terry to read tho second
scene of the first act of "rhc Merchant Of
Venice" which she did. OF course, charm
ingly, Mr.. Irving deferred 10 the pur-
pose had in view by Mr.. Curry, the ioun-
der OF the school, who, though a South.
erncr, has met with kindly greeting and
the unslinled help OF the enlightened peo-
pie OF Boston, among them Mr.. llowells,
Mr.. Aldrich, Mr.. Clapp and Mr.. Lang
maid, who have helped TO secure $50, 600
OF the amount needed for the endowment
The reading was pronounced success
and was very gratifying to Mr.. Curry, OF
whom The Boston Traveller says "that he
was formerly Methodist minister who
has for ycan been completely taken by
the attractive science OF expression, and
has devoted his life to It. Equipping him
self by elaborate study abroad, with Lam
peril, Shakespeare Shakespeare H., not
Shakespeare ~, Rcgnicr and the rest, he
returned and founded this school here in
boston, and has worked against trcmend-
Gus obstacles TO make Il a success" Mr.,
Curry explains tho purposes Of the Schoo
Of Expression 10 be- "r
To establish COURSES Of training such A. would
obey the law sof physiology laws of mind and Of al
true education. All technical work was ioundct
upon the principles Of nature. all exercises wen
made simple aud specific II has ever been th'
fundamental conviction Of the tcnchon that al
manifestation like natures growth Il from within
out. that tic body aud voice n,ciyc all manlcstv'
power from the mind, and that no one faculty q
power be deyclorcd out q harmony with oihc
1
mon IN all men, but the highest development, @
every Kind 81 manifestation or Language Is The ~
suit of drcct specific and harmonious tralning an
cuituc. Tho ordinary clocutionnry method
tested by such criterion. were found lncomplcts
initiative, artificial. unnatural and false.
The truth Of this last sentence was nd
mimbly reinforced by the mono,onous dc
livery Of Mn. James Brown Potter q
"Loyd Love-" ON the stage Of our cit
ihcatcr last week. She was m stilied "a
she WIS a survival Of the old French stag
before Victor Hugo had rcvolulionizcd
, into something like naiuralncs aud womc
like Rachel aud Bcrrhar,lt had show
, what can be done In that school To max
the stage the mirror Of the great worl
which Il II ils mission 10 mimic wit
accuracy and In truth. Tho Bosio
School Of Expression proposes 10 d
for Ia students what the Thcat,
! Franchise las done for the French stage
keep them by steady training within N
| uucH w uhAHiWh'H' ~ iN'Ahk IFN'' =
poetry, whether serious or comic, tragic
or iarcical This Is good mission. nm
one that nigh, with larger results be 81
tended into the greater field Of social u
TO educate people ont Of habi, Of trick
unnaiuralncss that seems 10 be on the Il
crease, in the exercise Of which they pr
tend 10 bc what they are not and TO kno
, what they do not, taking solitary and poo
comfort In the osIrich's philosophy
. conccalmen,, In the belief that there nj
none In the world wiser than they, or wi
have had opportunities for solid aiiail
mcnt and the thoroughncss that IL trut
rs nature itself Is truth.
= Tur cSHmbus hguinrr.Sun Il hereby lnfoml
that ne Chaiianeoga Tiao takes no do.cs, brokl
I a a.. 40 = IA