Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-01-07
Iro nE coNrIxUED.l
JOE JnrrnusoN AND rnn rAnsos.
The Latter Atks Several Questions
winch tho comedian Eloqusntiy

80 - "uuleuCe ht Nhltnoy's
Music Hall, Detroit, his subject being
Dramatic Art" The lecturer was
confronted with aclergyman OF Detroit.
the Rev. w. w. Carson, who, on behalf
OF tho audience, asked him several
questions which were answered extem-
porOneousy.
The hrst OF these questions was,
Does an actor feel or DULY simulate
tho emotions thu spectator sees?" To
which Mr. jefferson replied in sub
stance; "SoWe actors do feel and others
10 not. Different actors pursue differ
Ont systems. Tho question has been
iully discussed by CoQuclln. the French
actor, who contends that the actor
should not feel at all, and by Irv-
ing, the English actor, who contends
that the actor should feel his
part 10 real tears. IL possible.
While both these gentlemen arc
perfectly correct they are correct only
In reference TO themselves CooueIin
would disturb his art very much III he
lelt 10. IL IL his systam not to feel.
irving would disturb his acting N he
Ola not feel, according 20 his theory.
FOR my own part, | should prefer To-
streer between the two courses marked
out. always feel, but | an hes,
when the head ia cool and tho heart Il.
warm. Tho heart should be so warm
rs To Keep tho emotions nglow, and the
head should DO 80 cool that it should
not allow them TO depart from tho Emo
rules OF art Just a. genius Is tho steed
and art the drvor-the steed Just about
to go over the precipice and loso the
race with his great emotions III ho were
not kept back by tho driver. No master
or ono school can prescribe rules for an
other actor, although ho may teach
them TO pupil. Ana we get the answer
TO this question from Shakespeare, who
Is right upon this subject az he is usual
ly right upon everything no has ever
written. When he cautions tho frat
actor no says: Remember that In tho
very torrent and whirlwind OF your pas
sion you beget a temperance that may
give 10 smoothness.
To the next question, "Should n play
preach sermon2 IL tho object to edu-
cate or to ontertain?" Mr.. Jefferson
practically replied: "The stage should
DO both. IL certainly must entertain
tirst, for II 1t does not entertain IL can
not educate. You would not % to 500
bad aud clumsIly acted play because
10 contained good moral, and / am
Just as well satisfied that great
many peDlo 20 to see an inn
moral play because II is we'll acted.
Tho better plan would be to en-
tertaln to the fullest and let the educa-
ton be so subtle aud 40 unperceived al
the time that IL has deep effect upon
the audience. a man must not be
preached to when he goes-~Lo the thas
atre. flo must not be told how no f.
vote, or how much he Is 60 drink, or
do this. that or the other. The nc
should entertain and not degrade, and
altar TINT IN hn AZ "a fplln,.r mi
from which tho audience can make de-
ductlons afterward, his best will have
been accomplished.
ITO the question, what ought to be
the attitude Of my profession TO yours?
| am clergyman" Mr.. Jefferson said:
81 am sure, sir, that the attitude OF
your profession Ia one OF charity toward
all. j do not wish TO stand here and
champion my profession. 1t would be
better, possibly, for some one who was
not In tho profession to do that. 1 must
necessarily be- prejudlced, having been
brou1htuD In IL from a child. and stand
ing, i may say, four generations deep.
for my great-grandfather and great
grandmother we're actor and actress.
Thus 10 Is natural that I should be a
little prejudlced IN favor OF my profess
sion, and that should guard IL a llttle
jealousy. There is no ore who IL
known go publicly az tho actor. You
hear Of other men, but aside from hear
ing OF them you SEQ them. If you read
OF crime or scandal connected with
an actor, you having seen him, at
once the picture Is very vivid In
your mind. II you read
OF some ono I'm Chicago.
or New York, or somo other city OF an
other profession, let him be OF the law.
church or politics, you have not seen
him Individually, and tho conseauenceI
IL that tho picture Is not 80 vivid, SO
that everything an actor does ls clearly
marked and distinctly drawn before
you. II he goes wrong and transRresssa
10 is known twenty % one more than IL
would be OF any one else. We are
human beings, with our vices aud our
our good qualities and our
bad, as other people, and the pub
lie ought 20 be satisfied II we are az
good as other people. and not want US
TO be any better. We are no better and
no worse than the rest OF the world.
mean tho rest Of tho world In that class
of society Actors, while they may not
have reached. believe, the highest
point in social life. have never reached
the lowest. I say adyisedly, never.
You may 90 into the slums, and where
you Will End those from every other
profession, you will not find any Of
lurs. Search the prisons and you will
find few, n any. Men YoTIs Dramatic
HiJrOr.