Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-29
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forth only when the actor is master of
the methods of his crafts. Like Tahna
I have no pretension to be an actor, all
my studies have been directed towards
my calling.
| Every actor ought to be his own
tutor. If he has not in himself the
necessary faculties for: expressing the
passions and painting characters all
the lessons in the world cannot give
them to him. Genius Is not acquired.
| This faculty of creating is born within
us, but if the actor possesses 1t the
counsel of persons of taste may then
guide him; and as there is in the art OF
reciting verse a part in some degree
mechanical, the lessons of an actor
profoundly versed in his art may save
him much study and time.
If the actor is not endowed with
sensibility at least equal to that of any
of his audience he can move them but
very little. 1t is only by an excess OF
sensibiity that he can succeed in pro-
ducing deep impressions and move even
| the coldest souls. The power that
raises must be greater than the power
raised. This faculty ought ever to
exist in the actor-I will not say
greater or stronger than in the poet
who conceived the movement of the
soul reproduced on the stage-but more
| lively, more rapid and more powerful.
The poet or the painter can wait for
the moment of inspiration to write or
to paint. In the actor, on the contrary,
it must be commanded at any moment,
at his will. That it may be sudden,
lively and prompt he must possess an
excess of sensibility. Nay, more, his
intelligence must always be on the
watch and acting in concert with his
sensibility regulate its movement and
effects for he cannot, like the painter
and the poet, efface what he does.
When we consider all the qualities
necessary to form an excellent roman
tic actor, all the gifts which nature
shall have bestowed upon him, can we
be surprised that they are so rare?
Amongst the majority of those who
go on the stage one has penetration,
| DlI HIS SOul 10 COlu lCC. <atlObhCl
possesses sensibility, and intelIi-
gence is wanting. One possesses both
these requisites, but in so slight a de-
gree that it is as If he did not possess
them at all. His acting is character
lied neither by energy, expression nor
confidence, and is without color. Some
times he speaks in loud and some-
times in a low key, quickly or slowly.
| as if by chance Another has re-
ceived from nature all these gifts, but
his voice is harsh, dry and monotonous,
and totally incapable of expressing
the passions He weeps without draw
ing tears from others; he is affected
and his audience is unmoved. One
has a sonorous and touching voice, but
his features are disagreeable; his stat
ure and form have nothing heroic in
them. In short, the requisites for
really great actor are so many and
SO seldom united in the same person
that we ought not to be surprised at
finding them appear at such long inter-
walls.
So. 1 say, the actor therefore must
have the art of thinking before he
speaks, and by introducing pauses he
appears to mediate upon what he is
about to do or say. His attitude and
features indicate that during these mo-
ments of silence his soul is deeply
engaged.
DR.. McIvOr- TyndaPs Lecture
TO attain marked success i'm any line