New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-17
. the COMMONPLACE, ennobled

,rnrossed. elevated above the commonplace, ennobled
and benefited, aad In that way III mage sSs P ieeaarc W was nan an
aanneal TO the better feelings and the nneT lacuiteS OF
a ! Imnan mind. and il was made with taste, scholar,
hin and refinement. The vOtary OF the stage c0uld
soIIrow IL without loss OF selfrespect, and could see ana
i, ~ . a pIay without modification and disgust.
The mental associations that were formed with actors
we're fruitful Of fine fancies. gentle thoughts and loveH
iae1 hin in !" The present theatrical time more distinctly
marks this change than the general acceptance ana
rorbid. artistic eccentricity as sarah Bernhard con.
,nInuaiiy shows herself to bean actress who habituaiy
appears in dramas that are mostly nlghthiIe,, ~
~ho scarcely ever preseason even tries u present.
tvpe Of wOmanhood that can be seen without shame OF
hesitation in speaking plainly OF such a matter
not the annaliSt Of tse pai,inS I rs who OF oG'r4 Tne9d Tp9g
sen S Toscss and ClcOpatras, The diseased dcform!tieI 9la
isNWess fancy, "a perverse Ingenuity aha a SLIM
Ind II is the public performer who Introduces these
,binss to the public knowledge, and VINO compei, le
consideration Of %em-tha public, performer who IRON
Professional progress with skeletons. and collins; ana
monkeys, and tiger cats, and snakes IN "a, iengtm LED %
actress, and which. as such. it would be a delsat 10
hSnSr; GaI Se'S Sfect Al and fantastic folly.
The assertion that the person and the allisi wv ~ ~
one. is a part Of The feeble and mawkis,h critical 5"f NJ
of the present day. and it may always bg eHpest C,irSt
those laws of beauty which ought TO govern ana pfh 6
tect the stage. a work of art. mos. oeF'dIiHi " oise
INT the ~artist-in Whatsoever line Of art he may. opetd1e
who expects to create an artistic WORK WithDui pusom a
his own soul into IL, ana "itloGt uteenecctnni nature. IS
;rnorant of even the first elements and simplest laWs
Of life. The acting is the actor: Through me one co "
soc The other-fOr it steadily shines upon Won ana eVuiu
not conceal itself II it would. You MAY, II You my.
ostensibly ignore it in the discussion OF the pST ruS no.
artistic achievement but the man Is always behlhu .no
workt and YOU will find. upon analy SIS. that yOlr |rrmn
If ANYTHING that has been made invariably 0cpeIu uIU Uc
nnr nerceptIon Of the being that made IL. the acllnn
- sarah BernhaIdt cannot be separated from h9r poi,
sonaiity. The moment she tries TO depart ron nnt e -
sbe faiis-as she cOnspicuously did In the clussac
Phaedre. and as she inevitably would in siich q pSiu %o
the woman-like lmOgen or The divinely majestic %rS
Catherine of shakespeare. rms may ne a Ibo 90 chosen
the distinguished French actress adheres 10 her o n
course IL is not a reason why her professional pIooUJbun
incs should be admired and eXtOlled by tlose VA
think, and who are conscious of an inteiectHaa anu
moral responsibility to the public IN whaI dnea a 20 70 was
Tho representation of Sardou's play on oIeopa'ia w. w
accomplished with the customary delays anu a. rom " -
attended with the customary popular. appEuso n [Onn
ereat audience. chiefly composed of French people,
b" u-ora distrihnted As follows: