New-York tribune., 1895-10-26
4 TALK BY MR.. JEFFERSON
HE ADDRESSES ALUMNAE OF THE Non.
NAL COLLEGE.
NUMEROUS TOPICS TOUCHED UPoN AND sEvERs
QUESTIONS ANSWERED

NUMEROUS TOPICS TOUCHED UPON AND SEVERAL
QUESTIONS ANSWERED..
An address, by Joseph Jefferson was the leadiss
feature of the reunion OF the Associate Aumnae of
the Normal College yesterday afternoon. There
were other exercises at the meeting. which he'd
IN the hall OF the college, at Park-ave and Sixty.
eishth-st. including addresses by Mrs. John I
Northrop. the president Of the aumnae. and Thomas
Hunter. president Of the college. and music by Miss
Minnie r. Lounsbery, William J. Fak. Miss Maud
Morgan and Augusta J. Granitza, but the real TO-
tcrest Of the occasion centred in what Mr. JET.
ferson had to say In beginning his address. NJ
Jefferson said:
Your president has remarked that this hall has
been altered and that at the other end platform
has been removed. where a. speaker used 10 bs
concealed from four to five hundred w1. peoEs r.:
change had not been made. II Is possible that my
voice and manner may remind you OF some OF the
characters that I have played on the stage. beg
Won 70 remember IL they have afforded you enter.
tainment, that I was then surrounded py a com:
tins ine efYect. Now mark the difference: am here
unsurrounded by actors or scenery, dssussa only
as a gentleman. unprovided with the DrIIlsaht re-
marks of Sheridan or Boucicault or Washington
Irving. and thrown on my own resources
In distinguishing the functions OF oratory and
acting Mr.. Jefferson said that the orator was i'm
nressve and the actor impressionable. that TO- the
orator must make certain effect on MS hearers
MIA the actor must rath show what effect sorne'
ching has on him. In comparing the require
nents of comedy and tragedy. he spoke OF Or
Joshua Reynolds's picture OF David 0arr'ck stand
ing between the two muses.. Garrick was asked
whether comedy tragedy was the more o'mcu'I
"yvbethcr am III or WELL" he answered, "whethef
am In low spirits high spirits, always ieel
equal 10 playing tragedy; but COMEDY Is ssr'ous
matter" Mr. Jefferson illustrated the serious de.
mands OF the acting Of comedy BY the speeches OF
Dogberry and the gravediggers scene, OF "nlcn & he
recIted nearly the whole. In touchihB on 'ns suo-
amin nd al
Genius is a little apt to look with contempt on
Art but think Genius makes & very s sIes Ss cnm m1s
binsd. Genius produces. but Art reproduces See
how important art Is to drama In propGr0n 20 any
thing else for In drama the same tning Is Always
repeated. The painter may paint ne" . Ianoscsps
or subject every time. but me actor HI hs hsdg sg
night after night the same "ords' as Il ne haa
never said them before.
After a few words in defence OF the starring
system Mr.. Jefferson came to the point OF an
swering questions that had been prepared for him
by persons in the audience. 1t was noticeable that
his reading Of the questions often caused as moch
was: What Is your favorlte role?' That de-:
he said Rn R, wheh o moHh 0ef' prefer
Acres; II | have been acting Acres prefer ZIP
On the whole. suppose my real favori'e Is h'p
what led you to take up RIP Van o wlnssr Sa sIa
the next fn9 n iEa anS how ss
desired to play a representative American ,: cnas:
f. had oceurred 10 him that this one just what
he wanted what difference do you observe n
pos,on NawYork Philadelphia and Chicago audi
ences shs next pTszlsd ~ Course e say
that Ike New-york audiences best. II we's
in any OF the other cities | should say , 'ns, rsa,lv
liz ed the audiences OF that city best. But reaiy
T cannot choose for 7 have met with equai KIND
ness in all the cities of the country; ,oaor "rv.
..f,o YOU believe that Hamlet was mac. I've
.een a great many mad Hamets." said me actor
.but should say net; | should say tha' ne Us
sumed madness for a purpose -. ch.L.
The last question was: why are hos 30 '"eu "
speare's plays more popular In New forA. VT: Mr:
IeTsrson declared in reply that they were hlo,s
nonuar now than before az any time ~ ssns s
that IL was difficult to act Shakespear1 Wei, oIt v
that when we'll acted and produced his plays wouia
aIwavs be popular Mr.. jefferson closea ms Ss ~
course with a few words on the Shakespes'e ''''
Of the Shakespea re-BacOn controversy