The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-01
A BRILLIANT ADDRESS
By JOSEPH JEFFERSON BEFORE
PHI BETA KAPPA SOCIETY.

Hc Spoke on the Drama to Yale Student t.
in College street Hall--Snid That Prep
/ aration and Rehea rsaI Are the Prime
Essentials in tho Art OF Acting.
Joseph Jefferson, upon whom Yale
conferred the honorary degree of M A.,
in 1892 yesterday made a brilliant adj
dress before the members of the uni
yersity under the auspices of the Phi
Beta Kappa society. Mr.. Jefferson's
talk was delivered in College street hall,
where the first six rows were reserved
o the members of Phi Beta Kappa,
the rest Of the house being crowded
with students from all departments of
the university.
The veteran actor appeared on the
platform about 2 o'clock and was greet
I'd with a hearty cheer, which was
5trenuously repeated when he rose to
speak after a brief Introduction by
Professor Weir of the art school. He
thanked them for the rounds Of APP
plause, which he said were a quite nee
essary stimulant for an actor, besides
giving an opportunity for one to think
what to say next. He said:
TN speaking Of my art--if it Is an
art, for this has been denied-too much
stress cannot be laid upon the matter
of preparation The very word rehear-
sal seems to be almost monopolzed by
our profession. Herein lies the difficult
ty which is greater than in any other
art, for nothing once done can be al
tered. The painter can change fault
in his picture, the sculptor can alter
the lines Of his statue, and the author
can remedy the defect that may be-
come apparent in his books. But the
actor cannot alter the picture which he
presents once for all to his audience,
for 1t is not finished until the play is
over. It would not do for me after
presenting a faulty scene in The Riv-
ais to go down to the footl!ghts and
say Excuse me, ladies' and gentlemen.
but want to do that scene over again
Preparation is the only hope. I re-
member the last time w. ]. Florence
and ever played together in English
comedy; how we planned to anticipate
curtain call by getting up speech
for the occasion. We got apart and ar
ranged our little extemporaneous wit.
Each was to make remark while the
other was to seem surprised at its bril-
liancy, and then retort IN an equally
brilliant and spontaneous manner. All
went well; we learned our PARTS per
fectly. The curtain came down at the
end Of the play, the company gathered
in the wings to watch the effect Of our
and spontaneous wit, and
the audience didn't call us out at ALL"
(Laughter)
Mr.. Jefferson then referred to Shakes
pere, and to the controversy that exists
between those who believe his plays
were written by Francis Bacon, and
those who entertain the orthodox belief.
He said there exists asreal question in
this matter with those who fail to an
alyze the arguments of the Baconians.
For instance, the argument advanced
that not an original manuscript of
can be found in his hand
writing which would appear insur-
were it not for the fact that |
rot bit can be found in the handwrit
ing of Bacon. more than this" con-
tlnued Mr.. Jefferson, none Of the orig |
nal manuscripts. can be found in any,
body's handwriting So 1t would seem, I
according to this argument, as If no.
body wrote them at ALL If, now, no.
body wrote them, we not only lose our
Shakespeare, but these logic mongers
ion't even save their Bacon" Gaugh-
.er)
AS has. been the custom of Mr.. JEFF
ferson in addressing Yale students in
recent years. he announced that he
would be glad to answer any questions
hat might be asked by the students
the drama. He accordingly
discussed interestingly several points
hat were brought up concerning the
of the stage now and fifty
ears ago, whether vaudeville was hurt
ng the legitimate drama, the utility of
'urtain calls, and the present tendency
oward realism and elaborate stage set
ings. He said that the stage Is not
learly so corrupt as 1t has been, and
hat vaudeville creates a new audience
which will by and by desire something
more artistic; tina curtain calls disturb
he current Of the play but, can be pa
iently responded to; that idealism is
letter than realism on the stage, and
tage settings ought not to be so elabo-
ate as to spoil the poetry of the play.
AT the close of his remarks Mr. JEFF
erson was given long Yale cheer as