The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-20
C~OQUELIN'S LECTURE
HE DISCUSSES CART AND THE COME
DIAN, AT THE PROPYLAEUM.
A Good Many Women Of the City in
Attcndance-The Actor Made
a Pleasing Impression.

A fair-sized audience presumably en-
joyed the French lecture on art and the
Comedian as delivered by Nj. Coquelin.
yesterday afternoon, at the Propylaeum,
given under the auspices of the Propy-
laeum Association. the members acting as
POSSESSES. The guests were received by
Mrs. Thomas Reid Kackley, Mrs. William
Coburn, Mrs. John o. Perrin, Mrs. Charles
Emmett Coffin and Mrs. Frank Nichols
Lewis. The west parlor, where the lecture
was given, was prettily decorated with
spring plants and ferns. The daintily APP
pointed refreshment table was adorned
with candelabra, in which were lighted
pink tapers, shaded with pink coverings.
Following the talk there was a reception
and NJ. Coquelin was besieged by the Wis
itors, who all desired to thank him in per-
SON for the delightful talk in French, al
though many of the women admitted after
wards that it was such a relief to hear
English spoken after an hour Of French.
There were several in the audienc who
really enjoyed NJ. Coquelin's talk. having
lived in Paris several years and being con-
versant with the French language. The
hosteSseS were assisted in serving the re-
freshments by Miss Atkins, Miss Winter,
Miss Annie Dean, Miss Carey, Miss Foster,
Wise lllludiC MISS - tICs Ills a
Camp, Miss Martha Foster, Miss Anne
Hurry, Miss Caroline Marmon, Miss Ellis,
Miss Pierce, Miss Elizabeth Ketcham, Miss
Helen lockwood, Miss Hannah Erwin,
Miss Julia Hollweg, Miss Maud Smith, Miss
Defrees. Miss Lucas, Miss Baker and Miss
Chambers Some of those present We're
Mrs. May Wright Sewall and her visitor,
Mrs. Pauline NJ. Davies, of Lafayette; the
Misses Pauline, Louise and Bertha Schell-
schmidt, Mrs. William L. English, Mrs.
Ovid Butler Jameson, Mrs. Henry Jane
son Mrs LrnCf II RnTfnFd Mrs larana0
A. Kenyon, Mrs. Howard b. Bates, Mrs.
John w. Kern, Mrs. John NJ. Lilly, Mr..
and Mrs. Samuel T.. Morss and Josephine
Morss, Miss Marjorie Ellis, Mrs. John l..
Grifiths, Miss Margaret Shower, Mrs. Will
liam A. Woods, Mrs. Wilmer Christian,
Miss Atkins, Mrs. Raymond p. Van Camp,
James II. Taylor, Mrs. Arthur Voorhees,
Brown, Miss Katharine Ayers. Mrs. Hor-
ace Fletcher, Mrs. Robert Geddes, Mrs.
Walter Marmon, Mrs. a. NJ. Robertson,
Miss Elizabeth Fletcher, Mrs. w. T..
Barnes. Mrs. Kate NJ. Collins, Miss Fox
of Chicago, Mrs. Paul H. White, Mrs. The
odore A. Wagner. Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
Douglas Pierce. Mr.. Alexandra Chomel.
Miss Chomel and Professor Dubois.
In d~elicacy and variety of thought, in
beauty of expression and charm of deliv-
sanguine expectations. His paper was a
consideration of the comedians act
and of the comedian himself. He claims
for the actor the same title of artist that
Is accorded TO the painter, musician anil
poet. for while they have more or less
tangible material with which to work, the
actor has but himself. The whole gamut
of human passion and experience must be
worked out through that medium. The
absurdity Of saying that the actors is not
a distinctly creative genius is proven by
the consideration of the difference in even
great plays. before and after they have
been interpreted by great ACTORS. The
dream. the soul and spirit of II, all are
the authors, but the living, breathing body
that gives a character TO the world as a
human entity is the work of an inter
prefer who has within himself enough
of the essence of life TO make others live
But what of an art that leaves nothing
behind it, Nothing but traditions, il is
true, the great sorrow of the actor is
that he works in material that lasts no
longer than mans memory, but that sure
ly involves no diminuition OF the dignity
of his art. While the chief object of the
theater Is to please and amuse il GER
tainly rises to a higher utility in bring
ing man face 10 face with himself. show
ing him his faults and softening his judg-
ments, chastising foolish customs and in
furnishing a powerful reserve force of pa
triotism i'm times of need.
In answer to the question as TO wheth-
er an actor should feel the emotions
he expresses, VI. Coquelin said decidedly
not. Personally. he must hold himself In
reserve as the mere governing power over
the force to which he gives vent.