The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-27


called upon TO say few words as Edwin
Booth, he always was in fright, so that
IN the later years of his life he refused 70
dc any more than briefly TO acknowledge
in the words Il thank you public COM
pliment paid to him. lie suffered intense
ly from stage fright. When he had pre-
pared an address in the earlier days of his
success, he was sure to forget it when the
occasion came for it to be delivered.
Washington Irving was thus overcome
by the weakness of stage fright, and upon
the occasion of Dickens first visit TO This
country Irving was To preside at ban
uuet given TO Mr.. Dickens by many Of
the distin guished citizens of New York.
The great writer carefully prepared his
speech, but broke down after the first few
lines were delivered, whereas Dickens
spoke IN an easy, natural way, as though
he had been accustomed TO public speak
ing all his life.
The impression is that any one who was
won success as an actor ought to be well
trained in the art and well supplied with
the confidence which are necessary for
successful! public speaking. Yet it Is
fact that of all the greater actors of the
present day Mr.. Irving is probably the
al address before company of men
and women of cultivation and literary
quality. 1t was regarded as the highest
honor ever paid TO an actor that Mr.. Irving
should have been invited to deliver an adj
dress at Oxford university.
Recently in New York city there was
opportunity to compare four of the greater
actors of the day when appearing before a
great audience in their own proper charac-
tiers and for the purpose of delivering
brief addresses. The occasion was An aft
ernoon entertainment given for the benefit
of a club of women whose members have
won some distinction, many of them high
praise, for talents displayed either in the
field of literature or upon the stage. Mr..
jefferson was to be there with his com
pany and 20 play one of his most delight
full creations. Mr. Richard Mansfield had
also some part. as also Mr.. John Drew and
Mr. William II. Crane.
Each OF these actors had been asked TO
address the audience, and each Of them,
with some reluctance, consented to do 50.
jefferson and Crane it was known were
able in happy company of their associ-
ates, where there were inforInality and
good cheer, 10 speak with much Of wit and
gentle humOr, but it was not known how
they would appear when engaged in more
serious effort Mr. Drew had never been
heard, except when acting upon the stage.
Each one of these distinguished actors
either had stage fright or seemed 70 have
il. Mr.. Drew was graceful In his attitudes,
since il is impossible for him TO be I'M
graceful, but there came flush 10 his
cheeks and certain nervous mannerisIn
which revealed to the great company
whom he addressed the fact that he was
really agitated, and when he finished it
was with something Of relief TO him at
least and probably 10 that audience that
he bowed and went behind the curtain.
Mr.. Crane seemed not to be beset with
stage fright but he frankly told the audi
ence that ne was, and that he suffered
more upon that occasion than he did upon
the first night of play. Ii ne had com
United a speech 10 memory, he clearly for
got it, for his address consisted Of a few
random sentences, and yet the humof that
is in the man was suggested by bis words
and manner, so that he made the audience
happy and caused them 70 laugh with
him. Nevertheless IL was clear that Mr..
Crane only after much discipline could
succeed in serious speaking before the pub
lie
II was very hard 10 tell whether Mr..
Jefferson was really nervous or whether be
was acting part 20 perfectly as 10 suggest
that he was suffering from stage fright
He has shown himself 20 be a master OF
English, and his "reminiscences are ce-
EghtfUl not only for the anecdotes they
contain. but for the charm Of their literary
style Yet when lie Was speaking there
was little suggestion Of this power, and,
although he had slip Of paper In MS
hand upon which he seemed 70 have lotted
down some thoughts yet be scarcely look
cd a. II, and he vent q the stage leaving
his audience IN doubt whether they had
seen jefferson with stage fright or no.
Mr.. Mansfield was cool, sclf possessed, lad
plainly committed his address % memory
and was not DISTURBED by tie fact that b.
was speaking Is Richard Mansfield and
not a. an actor He q; all these actors lsft
the impression thas be would not quail II
be were invited - deliver such al address
a. Irving made 81 Harvard or az Oxford
one thing. however. was noticeable.
aud there v.ere some lawyers in the Hu-
Gicnce who received tie hint which may
hereafter avail them well That Tas that
each 81 these actors bad harmed how 70 1se
the voice The enuneiation was c!sar-
None Il Them spoke ~ The TOT n bis Toice
O. IN Inuffied t0n.-- and - there secFZs,z1
- be no effort. although ihe tones were
carried % the rgu1otest pa-t- o. toe hail
Tha; triumph Il Oratory was shArsa y
each d these distinguished actors and tie
arE was uDconsci5Csly exercised became IL
tsd been przcficed 20 long that = hSd Oe-
ooIas second nstGre y kr~ . ~