The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-09

OF countries and hges other than tneif own
what insight have they not thus obtained into
facts and vicissitudes Of human existence. into
passions and sorrows and ambitions outside
tho narrow scope Of their own livcsl
b II.
Now. let us see what Mr.. irving has to say
about the paradox OF Dlderot, the assertion
that not only does an actor never feel the part
he is acting. but. In proportion as he feels 1t,
he will net It badly. We regret to say that the
author OF those lectures does not meet the ar
guments OF Diderot: he evades them. For in
stance. he recalls that Talma knew that It
was possible for au actor to feel to the full n
simulated passion aud yet retain his con-
sciousness OF his surroundings and his pur-
pose" II the passion Is simulated" this
Of course 10 evidence for Dlderot and not
against him. MIR. Irving proceeds to quote
from Hamlet's advice to the players. For in
the very torrent. tempest. and. as I may say.
whirlwlnd OF your passion you must beget q
temperance that may give 1t smoothness"
Tho effect OF this quotation Is to array
shakespeare on Didcrot's side; for. unless the
"whirlwind OF your passion" be simulated.
how. amidst 1t Is II possible to "beget q temper
ance p All that Mr.. Irving adds on his W
part to these ambiguous testimonies Is ON
bodied In the following sentences: Arc we
to take 1t for n moment that in the art Of act
Ing. OF which elocution Is an important part.
nothing is to be left to tho individual iden Of
the actor7 That he Is simply to declaim the
words set down for him. without reference to
the expression OF his fnco. his bearing. or his
action2 1t Is in the union Of oil the powers
the harmony Of gait and utterance OF emotion
that conviction lles." We presume that Mr..
Irving means the power. OF enforcing. ~convic-
tton on an. audience. 1t Is manifest that the
nnfhnF NJ fIaas In hArn Nh m HI tr n
man OF straw for whom Diderot is In no wise
Responsible. Dlderot never. dreamed Of de-
Is immensely concerned in the Interpretation OF
his role. IL. never thought Of asserting that
Just because he insisted that defamation
was but one. OF the methods OF dramatic OK
p%osition; and that an actor must also pay the
heed to the expression Of his countcnance. HIS
bearing. and his action. that he affirmed the
ton OF feeling ii tho feeling we're experienced.
these lectures OF Mr.. Irving are concerned.
1t is we'll known that Mr.. Irving differs from
Mrs. kondal with regard to the morals OF the
stage. In a lecture delivered on THE Stage
as 1t Is" at Edinburgh. he touches with ex-
treme llghtncss on this topic. and with no
large measure OF success. He AYERS. for In
stance. that the old days whom good for
nothings passed into the theatrical profession
are Mt an end" Is this truep is not rather
the revorse true? Do not social failures or
o~utcasts look upon the stage as a refuge. and
would it not be easy to name Mt once half a
dozen conspicuous examples2 Elsewhere Mr..
Irving points out hat a sort OF deccncy sets in
upon the coarsest person in entering even
the toughest theatre. That is true enough.
Tho SPECTATORS are decent because they
are in n public place and feel the
from an audience that. exhibitions. of inde-
cency are expected. A little later Mr.. irving
AYERS that scarcely ever has either drama
fist or manager wilfully biassed the. effect OF
stage representation In favor OF evil" This ia
quite beside the question. which IS not whether
n respectable writer or manager deliberately
1t is possible for immoral men and women to
act without impartinC an uncon ,cious bias in
favor of evil to their personations.
In the lecture on -Four Great Actors" Mr..
Irving dwells with particular interest on the
figure 81 Garrick. who occupied in the history
OF the English stage a position analogous to
Irving's own. It is suggested that Gnrrick's
the charge concerning the degrading associa-
ton OF the actors profession. Garrick was
only II highly. educated person. a univer-
sity mnn like Marlowc. but he was us stendy
and thrifty a man Of business rs was Shake
speare.- Garrick wns born and reared In the
Of respectability. and he had no
to deteri9rate through 2 long term Of
His. n~cvitiate lasted about two
months. after which he appeared under his
own name. and his career thenccforward was
one long triumph.