The Marshall republican., 1907-07-05

Adelaide Nelson n q o OF others
stand forth ss irrefutable proofs OF
the dignity and importance Of wom-
ans work along the lines Of truly ar
tistic advancement.
As an evidence of her serious devo-
tion to this art in particular. ana as
proof that II has absorbed her very
being ~ no other calling ever has done
M has but TO offer the annals Of the
stage. With woman the stage has
not been q fancy. nor in tie higher
walks even q medium for the mere
qualification Of her vanity. II hes
been and Ia q life devotion, an art t.
which she has given her b.st intel
lectual and emotional self.
Courage and perseverance have
been woman's battle cry since the year
1860. What greater instance OF these
Qualities Ia to be found IN all history
than the grim, sad experience of the
great Rachel. who when q wretched
child travelled In poverty. squalor and
sold from a small European town
TO another, and who in order TO pos
sess a copy of Rscine's plays was
obliged. through trudgIng through
mud and rain. TO pawn her umbrella
Tor the pitiful sum OF 20 sous.
The history Of Charlotte Cushman IL
100 well known to make a revisw OF
Ter untirins perseverance, necessary
rhe heart-rending episodes Of her iift
when poor. the supporting OF others.
acking beauty and charm. she strove
o influence managers 10 give her the
opportunity Of expressing the geLius
The felt burning within her. form one
u the most stirring chapters In the
history Of womankind. Consider. too.
he life Of Mrs. Lander, who besides
Ter valuable services In the dramatic
ield, took upon herself the entire
barge Of the hospital department OF
Port Royal. s. G. She lives In mem
Try TO us Al the blessed name OF Flor
nee Nightingale does 70 the English.
II Ia unnecessary TO 20 back In the
history OF the stage for such exam.
Tics. We have them near at hand.
rhe struggles OF Nine. Modjeska and
" Miss Clara Morris and their final
and lasting artistic victories are well
snown 10 all who have watched with
interest and sympathy the lives Of ar
lists on the stage.
II is often stated that woman 10
lacking In the faculty Of creative
genius. and. indeed, that In this par.
%ticular. by contrast with man. she In
decidedly Inferior. This IN perhaps q
reasonable conclusion In view OF her
history. But II is not 10 emphaticai.
iy true when we consider her dramatic
work.
II In by no means a new thought
that man Is by nature more inteliec-
tual and woman by nature moro emo
tionsl. or course. II Ia not meant by
this that man IL never emotional. nor
woman never intellectual. Yet II Is
surely fair TO assume that TO man be-
longs the power Of intellectually. and
to woman the emotional quality. Does
II not seem. therefore, that the very
possession by nature Of this latter
quality. which certainly Is an absolute
necessity In dramatic art, has made
her inherently suited for dramatic
achievement
Mr.. Ruskin. In speaking of the nee
essary qualities that 20 TO form great
artists. says: First, s~ensibility and
tendernessi second. Imagination, and
third. industry" woman's nature Is
peculiarly alive TO all OF these condi-
lions. II Is then no wonder that WON.
en- OF the stage have accomplished
great things and will accomplish
greater things In the future. when
such women N Modjcska, Terry, Duse
and the mstchless Bernhard continue
through inspiration to show their
genius to the world. ,
Woman's work In literature with
few exceptions has been denied any
claim to greatness. In music and In
other arts she Is admitted to have
shown no particular creative power.
But her place upon the stage ID rs abb
solutely unquestioned as mans. In
having thus secured for herself an emil.
nent position in the drama the actrsss
has advanced the whole cause OF wom-
an. since every individual triumph
raises the estimation In which the In
tellectual achievements Of a whole
class are held. Woman IL better. iun.
derstood because she has been filth
fully portrayed. She Is more highly
regarded, because of her ability to
make that portrayal. And that por-
traysl has. I feel. . powerful moral
influence In an educational sense,
thoroughly believe that Il Is the
duty Of mothers to foster In the hearts
of their children while at . tender age
q serious consideration for the better
forms Of dramatic literaturt and Of
dramatic representation. Let them
teach their children TO avoid the I'M
happy tendency Of the present age
which regards acting merely as 4 form
Of amusement rather than an amuse-
meat combining q means for intel
lartunl control And artfstic aussestlon