The times., 1899-07-10
lowing is the account given by the London

and the high standard of artistic capacity and
training that was demanded for success were
dwelt upon eloquently amid general applause.
And then, when discussion was invited at the
close of the reading Of the papers, no one in
the whole gathering had word 10 say in criti-
cism, which was a curious contrast 10 the other
meetings OF the congress- where speakers of di-
vergent views come forward freely.
For one thing the meeting distinguished
by the splendid elocution of the ladies who read
papers, which made great impression upon
those who had heard at the other congress meet
ings badly-delivered addresses. frequently inter
rupted with cries of "speak up" Here there
WIS no need for such call. Mrs. Kendall made
an excellent chairwoman. Her dramatic by-play
and 'asides'' put the meeting in great good
humor Her first sentence to announce that
silence must be preserved, and then she added,
in her own inimitable style, Fancy that among
4 lot of women" with pause for the laughter
that succeeded. Coming to business Mrs Ken
dal was thankful that her profession had achieved
the progress it had in recent years. As to the
burning question OF the stage as profession
for women, she was somewhat enigmatical. She
observed that the stage great test for all
natures, and. as a gifted writer said, it WAS hard
TO keep straight in world that was so rough.
Aiterward Miss Genevieve Ward, the worldfa-
nous actress, and lady of great culture, read
the first paper, playfully commencing, Mrs.
Chairman" She said:
SIS The stage career for women? That ques-
ton answers itself Numbers OF women have
found and are finding, an honorable place IN
the world and the means OF livelihood in the
practice of the dramatic art. That it is not
career for all women should go without saying.
Yet, in view of the failures-iar more numerous
than the suceesss-it may be well to consider
the essential qualifications for success on the
stage" =
First among the qualifications Miss Ward placed
soundness mental and physical. Next in impor-
tance 10 good health came good looks There
was a laugh among the ladies at this. Good
memory, good temper, and a faculty for work
also required The idle, i'll, complaining,
nervous (another name for bad temper, said Miss
Ward) woman valueless on the stage. Here
is what Miss Ward said about personal beauty:
Personal beauty sometimes makes brief sue
cess, with little else TO build on, but personal
plainness never, unless the dramatic aspirant
possesses genius, or that potent force which we
sometimes call charm, but which really involves
the possession OF many gifts and attributes That
temptation must be inseparable from profess
sion in which personal loveliness exercises such
a commanding influence is obvious; but the pos
session Of beauty is less a source OF danger than
might be supposed Vanity without safeguards
finds its way TO pendition more rapidly than
vanity which has occupation outside OF itself,
and acquires a certain amount Of sef-respect with
the power Of earning livelihood"
Proceeding. Miss Ward remarked that
she knew of no career open to women
which presented so broad d field for the
exercise OF cultivated power in almost
every direction as that of the stage. But
she presented such a career as an art-not
as an arena for the mere display of trim
kets and fine clothes. To woman who
possessed the necessary attributes there
was no field more hopeful or whose prizes
were so equally shared by men and
women. The competition was terrible. but
moderate success was always within reach
of the persistent and painstaking worker.
A paper was read in fluent English by
handsome young German actress, F'raulein
Nina Mardon, whose artistic dress of
black silk with Eton coat faced with hand
painted pink flowers and brocaded silk was
the admiration of all the ladies. She ex-
planned how towns in Germany possessed
municipal theatres, which were just as
much part of local institutions as schools
and churches. But she complained that
German actresses were not so well paid as
the actors, and were liable to dismissal on
getting married.
Blow TO Spiritualism.
Spiritualism, in the ordinary acceptation
of the term, has received q heavy blow in
France. NJ. Camille Flammarion, its most
prominent leader and best known medium,
has renounced it. He afiirms his belief
that the phenomena of spiritualism are
due to suggestion and not TO the in
fuence Of the spirits of the dead. Strange
| ly enough his conversion is due TO Allan
/
posed to be written at the dictation OF the
late NJ Gale, the discoverer OF Neptune,
I through Flammarion himself as medium.
/ Flammarion now declares that, although
/ the book was produced in a series of
/ frances in which he was the innocent and
( honest instrument, it is impossible that the
| illustrious astronomer could have dictated
the blunders contained in "Genese." That
work states, for instance, that Jupiter has
md w
it is now known that Jupiter has five and
/ Saturn nine. When "Genese" was written,
however, these discoveries had not yet
been made and NJ. Flammarion concludes
! that the Information transcribed by Allan
Kardec was merely the reflection of his
own on. Flammarion's) knowledge, and OF
what was said round him concerning the
stars and planets.
After fifty years association with the
most celebrated Spiritualists, NJ Flam-
marion has come to the conclusion that
these phenomena are in close concord with
| the ideas. convictions and impressions OF
! the assembly amid which they take place.
/ Thus the organ melodies written in the
group directed by Eugene Nus were really
| due to the unconsciously "exteriorized'
spirit of bureau, the musician. Auto-sug-
gesuon is extremely common in these ex-
! periments. says NJ. Flammarion, and the
charming fables by NJ. Joubert, President
| of the Carcassonne Court, the delicate
poems obtained with the planchette by NJ
| Matthew, and many other works all tend
TO show that the mediums wrote under
their own influence. The human mind is
| probably spiritual substance endowed
| with psychical power able to act outside
the limits of the body. This force can be
transformed into electricity, heat or move
ment or can bring latent energies into
operation, but it remains closely in touch
| with the mental condition. We put to
table affected by our nervous movements
questions on subjects which interest us
and unconsciously We ourselves direct the
/ replies The table speaks to us in our Owl
language, with our own ideas, within The
limits OF our own knowledge and according
to our opinions and beliefs. NJ Flam-
marion adds: I'VE are given the absolute
reflection, far or near, precise or vague
of our own feelings and thoughts. All my
endeavors to verify the identity of a spirit
have failed
On the other hand, close study of many
communications has conducted NJ. Flam-
marion to their origin. At Eugene Nus
seances the language is the language O
Fourier, at NJ. de Merville's it is that o
sorcery, and at the Protestant NJ. de Gas
parin's it is puritanical. NJ. Flammarion'i
detection. especially announced in 81
crushing a way as the demolition of one o
the most serious works of the doctrine
has created an immense sensation amont
the disciples of Allan Kardee. They sa.
that unless energy is shown the year 190
will see the end of spiritualism. To pre-
vent this catastrophe they speak OF reyis
ing "Genese."
Eccentric Genius.