The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1907-04-27

then, and what a lasting monument Of
art she has reared for herself in the
annals of the stage! To those whose
souls are filled with sacred reverence
for creative genius what wealth Of de.
light in looking back upon the daz-
ding record of the theater when the
allurements of Mrs. Betterton, Nell
Gwynne, Margaret Wellington, Nance
Oldfield, Sarah Siddons, and more
lately, Rachel, Ristori, Fanny Kemble,
Charlotte Cushman, Helen Faucit,
Adelaide Nelson and host of others
stand forth as irrefutable proofs Of
the dignity and Importance of wom-
ans work along the lines of truly ar
tistic advancement
Courage and perseverance have
been womans battle cry since the year
1860. What greater instance of these
qualities is to be found in all history
than the grim, sad experience of the
great Rachel, who when wretched
child travelled in poverty, squalor and
cold from one small European town
to another and who in order to pos
sess a copy of Racine's plays was
Obliged, through trudging through
mud and rain, to pawn her umbrella
for tie pitiful sum of 20 sous.
The history of Charlotte Cushman is
too well known to make a review of
her untiring perseverance necessary.
The heart-rending episodes of her life
when poor, the supporting of others,
lacking beauty and charm, she strove
TO influence managers to give her the
opportunity of expressing the genius
she felt burning within her, form one
OF the most stirring chapters in the
history OF Womankind. Consider, too,
the life Of Mrs. Lander, who besides
her valuable services in the dramatic
held took upon herself the entire
charge Of the hospital department Of
Port Royal, S. c. She lives in mem
DRY to us as the blessed name of Flor
ence Nightingale does to the English.
1t is unnecessary to go back in the
history of the stage for such exam
pies. We have them near at hand
The struggles Of Nine Modjeska and
of Miss Clara Morris and their final
and lasting artistic victories are we'll
known to all who have watched with
interest and sympathy the lives of ar
lists on the stage.
1t is often stated that woman is
lacking in the faculty of creative
genius, and, indeed, that in this par
ticular, by contrast with man, she is
decidedly inferior. This is perhaps a
reasonable, conclusion in view of her
history. But it is not so emphatical-
| ly true when we consider her dramatic
work.
1t is by no means. a new thought
that man is by nature more intellec-
tual and woman by nature more emo
lonal. OF course, it is not meant by
this that man is never emotional, nor
woman never intellectual. Yet it is
surely fair to assume that to man be-
longs the power of intellectually, and
to woman the emotional quality. Does
it 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.. RusK1n, in speaking of the nee
essary qualities that go to form great
artists, says; First, sensibility and
tenderness; second. imagination, and
third, industry Woman=s nature is
peculiarly alive to all of these condi-
tions. 1t is then no wonder that WON
en- on the stage have accomplished
great things and will accomplish
greater things in the future, when
such women as Modjeska, Terry, Duse
and the matchless 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 il
other arts she is admitted to have
shown no particular creative power
/ But her place upon the stage is as alb
solutely unquestioned as mans II
having thus secured for herself an emf
nent position in the drama the actres.
has advanced the whole cause of WON
an, since every individual trump!
raises the estimation in which the in
tellectual achievements of Who'll,
class are held. Woman is better un
derstood because she has been faith
fully portrayed. She is more highl,
regarded because of her ability t.
make that portrayal. And that por
trayal has, feel, powerful mora
influence in an educational sense.
thoroughly believe that it is tn
duty of mothers to foster in the heart
of their children while at a tender ag
serious consideration for the bette
forms of dramatic literature and o
dramatic representation. Let then
teach their children to avoid the un
happy tendency of the present ag
which regards acting merely as form
of amusement rather than an amuse
ment combining means for intel
lectual control and artistic suggestion
presented in an attractive and inspi,
ing manner.
THAT woman is capable of arduou
effort and untiring devotion has bee
fully demonstrated by her work on tn
stage. She has helped to elevate tn
drama to it's rightful place among tn
educational forces Of life. She ha
done to make true what Morley says
cat the playhouse door, then, we ma
say to the doubling, enter boldly, TO
| here, too, are the gods"