The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-20
SEATTLE. SUNDAY. SEP. go.
PUBLIC ART VS.. PRIVATE LIFE.

There is nothing filthy or indecent IN
Bernhardt's dramatic business. She is the
mother of son born ont of wedlock many
years ago. Maurice Bernhard. and yet she
has been woman enough 70 acknowledge,
educate and support her child, which is a
rebuke to many men and women, posing
as respectable today, who have disowned
and deserted their illegitimate offspring.
Byron's private life was not as good as
that of Bernhard, for he made no provis-
ion for his ilegitimate children, yet no
body but a fool would refuse TO read
"Childe Harold" because Byron was way
ward and dissipated man. II nobody ever
went TO see great dramatic performance,
to hear a great opera, or read great
poem, to view a great painting,
until he secured proof that the actor, the
singer, the artist or the author could show
clean bill of moral health, there would
be no theater or opera, and few books of
imagination worth reading. The test of
a play, an opera or book is the bene-
fcent or evil quality of the play, the opera
or the book; not the private iniirmitles of
Wagner, Mozart, List, Byron, Burns,
Afieri, Heine, Goethe, Edmund Kean,
Rachel, Adelaide Nelson, Ellen Terry,
Irving or Bernhard.
Shakespeare was poacher in his youth,
and his first marriage was necessary; he
married Anne Hathaway as an act Of
justice, even as Burns did Jean Armour,
but because his marriage was not free
from antecedent moral cloud We
do not damn the plays that live
under his name. The dissolute char
acter of Edmund Kean and the
Elder Booth did not damn their noble
histrionic performances, and II would be
utterly absurd to refuse to view noble
and fine dramatic delineation of great
character because the private life of the
actor has not always been correct. Be-
cause we condemn the weak or wicked
side of genius we cannot therefore In
reason treat with contempt or aversion its
best and noblest expression. Because
Wagner ran away with Won Bulow's wife
would sensible man or woman refuse to
listen to the great music of "Lohengrin 2"
Because Raphael, Titan, Turner, Thor
waldsen and many other great artists were
men of loose morals, would sensible man
turn his back on all their art. No name
ought to be splendid enough to give
currency to evil work in art or
literature, and no name can be
bad enough to Justify neglect ofgoorwork
In literature or art. If an actors PERSONA
tons are in themselves essentially of evil
influence, personal good character would
be no reason for tolerating them, and If
they are elevating and inspiring, personal
irregularity of life is no reason for treating
decent professional triumphs with con-
tempt or neglect. An orthodox Scotch
man might as well refuse to hear Colonel
Ingersoll speak the truth eloquently oil
Robert Burns because he is an agnostic,
as to refuse to see great actor personate
noble part on the stage because he has
not always played noble part OFF the
stage.
Gladstone is OF Scotch stock famous for
strict piety and purity OF life; he is de-
voutIy religious man and an orthodox
churchman, and yet Mr.. Gladstone at.
tended Bernhardt's reception in London,
sought personal introduction to her and
conversed with her for some time in the
presence Of as fine company of cultivated
and upright people rs English society can
furnish. Mr.. Gladstone made no excuses
for his conduct; and he was not criticised
for it by any church or church journal; il
lost him no votes among the Scotch Pres
byterians who form the bulk of the HON,
Rule party in Great Britain. Why
s,,s ali
impropriety in Gladstones conyersina
with great dramatic artist, whose private
career he might not altogether approve
than il he had visited the studio of some
great painter. like Turner, whose private
life was not always chaste nor temperate
Robert Browning and his famous wife
called frequently on George Sand without
reproach; she was a woman of genius, tn,
author of "Consuelo." The actress AIDE
laide Nelson was q person OF depraved
origin, but the poet Longfellow welcomed
. call from her rs he would visit from
Rachel. who, like Bernhardt, had been
mother when she was not $
wife. Mr.. Longfellow, like Mr.. Gladstone
did not behave like certain New York
ladies who invited the actor Irving and
the late Lawrence Barrett to spend the
day At country place near New York.
The actors wrote 10 inquire if the ladies'
meaning Mrs. Barrett and Miss Terry
might accompany them, and that the
answer WAS that they might come. but
that the ladies Of the house would no. be
at home.
This distinction between Mr.. Irving an
Miss Terry. who were "both in the same
boat" impelled a bright New Yorker "a
write the New York Graphic as follows:
For my part must ssy that, II received NJ
Irving. would receive Miss Terry don't be
iieve in making fan of one and hesh of another
II Miss Terry Is not = person 20 receive into
ones household, then neither Is Mr.. Irving II
seems 70 me IN this particular instance, where
10th parties are before the public and arc
equally talented, and are sought after sor n
same reasons, that as much eleneuey should be
shown 20 the woman as Ia the man.
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