The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-17

JOHN HARE.
statement boldly, even though 80 excellent
q lady and distinguished an authority as
Mrs. Kendall disagrees with me. In a re-
cent contribution to an English newspa-
per my fair compatriot and countrywoman
says anent stage life: "It is n most terri
BILE, q most awful life for woman. To
succeed in it she must have the epidermis
of a rhinoceros, the strength of man and
the feelings, say, Of n craven image.
Then the good lady goes on to say that she
speaks strongly upon the subject and feels
strongly upon it because she knows what
she Is talking about
In view of the singular success Mrs
Kendall has achieved upon the stage this
seems remarkably strong language for the
lady to employ and may have deterrent
effect upon many likely yonng woman
with histrionic ambition. Mrs Kendall is
the soul Of sincerity, and have no doubt
means every word she says. She is ex-
tremely sentative, and occasional and un-
expected criticisms have apparently deep
" wounded her. / doubt very much,
though, II the lady could get another suc-
cessful actress in the world, unless 1t be
Eleanora Duse. to agree with hor. am very
sure Sarah Bernhardt, Ellen Terry, Fanny
II.
They really love their profession and have
deservedly basked in the sunshine which
follows courageous and persistent effort
Acting is like any other profession. Con-
slant study and constant practice are abso-
lutoly necessary to success. Innate talent,
oomeliness of person or natural elocution-
ary power alone will not suffice. Work,
persistent work, is the indispensable ad-
junot Of any and of all Of these
"Is the legal profession overcrowdedi"
ionoe asked timid student at the Harvard
Law school of Daniel Webster. "No, my
boy" answered your great statesman and
jurist "therc's plenty Of room at the top. "
So with our profession. There is plenty Of
room at the top, and next to the top and
at the middle and even next to the middle.
The faithful, industrious worker Is as
sured Of good living, even if he or she
has not great talent, and II he OF she be
any way thrifty something of a compe-
tence for old age
The plaint which Mrs. Kendall makes
about women being compelled to buffet,
man fashion, TO win success upon the
stage is probably true enough, but the
came rule will apply to any other oocupa-
tion in life. Let n woman strive to gain
renown In tho field of literature, journal
ism, art, law or medicine and see what a
time she will have of IL.
She will need all of the pachydermic
qualities my fair compatriot speaks Of to
snatch success and the golden reward
which follows in Its wake from hard heart
ed publishers, obdurate editors, unsympa-
thetic judges upon the bench and from an
unfeeling world generally. 1t is not upon
the stage alone women are compelled &c
battle for gold and glory Indeed, upor
the stage woman has an equal chance with
man IL she possesses talent, something she
has not In almost any other profession
know of. Rachel, Patti, Bornhsrdt and
Dase havo won as much II not more endur
ing fame and substantial monetary recog
milton as any four male artists know Of
Who ever heard Of lady journalist law
yer or doctor faring a. well with thei,
masculine compatriotsf
/ am frequently asked by friends upor
this side OF the Atlantic that IL my tenet,
be true how 1t Is that In America there II
no longer a Forrest, Booth, . Davenport
Mccullough, Barrett or n Cushman.
reply simply because the people do not IA
vor tragedy as OF old. They probably think
they see enough OF that In dairy life They
appear to prefer what II Light and buoy a II;
WIN" oPfc<sAo w ohoof uno nOt Ocvrt88
Virile melodrama Is about as strong a,
they care 20 go. Hence actors Of the risine
generation, with few exceptions rather
avoid the Legitimate and take to tha
species Of drnmn which seems to catch th,
popular taste and accordingly yields TN
best financial rcturna There have been a,
iron age, an age of electricity and a fe,
other important ages, but this is pre-cmi
nently q gold or silvsr age, according Z
your politics, and everybody, actors ir
oluded, appears TO be doing their best (
get their share Of either precious meta
That In measure accounts, think, for
falling on In tragedy talent
The old law Of supply and demand al
plies here as well as I'm other cases Il
there be pronounced and continued ca
for Shakespearcan drama and tragedy ger
erally, and you would soon raise anoths
Edwin Forrest, another Edwin Booth, M
other Charlotte Cushman To facilita,
chat happy result 1t would he well TO ha,
b dramatic conservatory suoh as there IL 4
Paris, or one or two great training scboo
such as there are In London. That, to m
mind, 10 almost as essential as u is 20 bav
military and naval schools at West Poir
and Annapolis 20 bring forth trained q,
my and naval offlcera The ambitious The.
pian may have plenty Of talent and mal
lsir progress upon the stage, but the COZ