New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-22
MR.. IRVING.
HIS ADDRESS AT EDINBURGH ON THE ART OF
ACTING-HIS VIEWS ON THE THEATRE
AND ON SOME DISPUTED ORA
Matte QUESTIONS

Matte QUESTIONS
London, November 10.
To talk shop passes for kind of Social OF
fence and brings the talker into social disrepute
This Is because Society is frivolous and clamors
TO be amused. There are. in fact few sorts OF
talk So interesting. and this is what Mr.. Irving
has seen. and il was this perception which led
him TO speak last evening to the Edinburgh Phil
osophical Society. on The Art of Acting The
lectures before the Edinburgh Philosophical So
ciety have fame of their own. and it is q klna
of blue ribbon in the lecturing business TO be
asked. as Mr. Irving was. to deliver the intro
ductory discourse of the winters season MI
Lowell once gave one. but did not set the example
of talking shop.
The Society might do worse than ask other
men. eminent 10 other arts OF life TO lecture
each on his own. so might we hear Lord WoiseieS
on the Art of War, Lord Salisbury on the Art OF
Ruling. Mr.. Froude the Art of writing. MI
Moberly Bell on the Art of Journalism. MI Glad
stone on the Art of Political Meteorolegy; and
Others The list might be extended to include,
let us say Mr.. Mccarthy on the Art of Leading
Party. Mr. Patrick Egan on the Art of Diplomacy
and Mr. Timothy lealy on the Art OF Politeness 10
Women. and its Consequences. The people OF
Edinburgh are not in Society: they form society
of their own of serious kind. and they would
smart people of London would think tiresome.
Mr. Irving, on The Art of Acting, is interesting:
he could not be otherwise lie has chosen.
however, to be theoretical. rather than prac
teal as il the dignity of the occasion and
his own position at the head of his pro-
fcssion required him TO take large views. lie
discusses some of the old questions about the
Drama and IT'S relation TO actual life, which have
been discussed thousand times before. or
course he holds brief for his art, but he thinks
for himself and he speaks from the inside and 50
is instructive. He represents almost teo faith
fully one side of professional feeling; It's i'm
patience of criticism. We hear him inveighing
against irresponsible writers who make misleading
assertions about the stage; against ephemeral
creatures of the mist and the swamp and the
night; against the buzzng of the nudge, which
diverts the mind from important things
1t is one of the points which all actors seem
TO feel alike; and are ALL I think, wrong. For
where would the stage be but for criticism; where
would the actors be- where would Mr.. Irving
himself be
What an actor wants, rather needs, rs not
immunity from criticism; net 1attery. lie needs
first, for his own ends, publicity, and secondly.
both in his interest and in that of his art and
of the public, the best critical opinion that can
be had If it be honest it must sometimes be
j
The writer who always praises or always blames
on all occasions the actor or actress can
have little influence OH opinion. Even if he al
lowed himself to be swayed by personal friend
ship he would, if he knew his business, censure
his friend sometimes Panegyric may not pail on
the actor il certainly does pail on the public II
it be continuous and if the reader knows that
whether does well or i'll, A is sure 10 applaud
him. Superlatves beget safety.
II bring YOU" said Mr.. Irving " the experience
Of more than thirty years of hard and earnest
work" No doubt he does and one only wishes
he had brought little more of it. He prefers
| think wrongly for his own purposes to be con-
troversial, rather than photographed. Con-
slider what store OF "reminiscences MIR. Irving
might produce if he would. 1t may be he is keep
ing them for publication in another form; the
fashion of the day is for "reminiscences and it
does not seem to matter much whose they are
if they embOdy sufficient number of spicy stories.
Mr.. Irving's would have real value But his
present attitude is defensive. He thinks it still
necessary to vindcate the stage lie will never
do 80 much TO vindicate it by argument 10 he has
by the practice of his art, both as actor and as
manager. He thinks it needful to assure his audi
ence that the art OF acting is worthy of careful
study and he cites Goethe and Voltare and many
lesser as students of it, They We're, and
his dislike of criticism far as sometimes TO
lay down proposition to which none of the
authorities he adduces would be likely to assent
lie says
All art is worthy and can be seriously
sidered so long the intention be good, ana the
efforts TO achieve success be conducted with
seemlness"
The doctrine of good intentions was long since
disposed of by DR.. Johnsons remark that He'll is
paved with them Long before DR.. johnson
the same truth appeared 70 George Herbert, who
announced, in the Jscula Prudentum. that Hell
is full of good meanings and wishes and long
before Herbert, st. Bernard had said precisely the
same thing That is not where Mr.. Irving wishes
10 land us. 1t is, If may be allowed to say so,
one example of the disadvantages which may re-
suit from taking q too purely professional view
Mr.. Irving has, TO his honor be it said a strong
feeling of comradeship with his brother actors
lie looks he inevitably looks, upon the stage
profession, livelihood Il trade, or business
Like other professions and trades great many
people 60 into it who have little aptitude
for il. There actors who cannot act, just
there painters who cannot paint, and Journal
lists who cannot write. They all have good in
tentions. They wish to earn an honest living
and their efforts to achieve success are conducted
in Mr.. Irving's phrase, with seemliness.
DO for that reason think their art worthy !?
Are we to say we think it worthy when we know
il is unworthy Are TO refrain from saying
that il is bad because the man has tried 10 make
il good and failed? Has the critic or the public
anything to do with intentions; or is art anything
but question of results? Am to say man
has painted good picture when know it is bad
and TO say it because he needs money and may not
get it il the truth be told? The critic has duty
20 himself, 10 the public, TO art, well as to the
curious to know whether Mr.. Irving would apply
10 other arts and artists the theory he maintains
in favor of the drama and Of artists-not that il Is
really in favor of either lie himself has said