Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-17

AQelalue NellSOn ana o most OF OtherS
stand forth as 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-
ton to this art in particular. and as
proof that Il has absorbed her very
being a. no other calling ever has done
one has but to offer the annals Of the
stage. With woman the stage has
not been a fancy. nor in its higher
walks even a medium for the mere
qualification OF her vanity. 1t has
been and is a life devotion. an art to
which she has given her best INTEL
lectual and emotional self.
Courage and perseverance have
been woman's 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 a 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 the pitiful sum of 20 sous.
The history of Charlotte Cushman Is
top we'll known to make q 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
field, 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 60 back in the
history of the stage for such exam
Piles. 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
fists on the stage.
It 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-
" true when we consider her dramatic
work.
It is by no means a new thought
that man is by nature more intellec-
tual and woman by nature more emo
tional. OF course, 1t is not meant BY
this that man Is 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
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.. Ruskin. 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-
lions. 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 las 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 Is Is ab-
solutely unquestioned - mans. In
having thus secured for herself an emf
nent position in the drama the actress
has advanced the whole cause Of WON
an. since every Individual triumph
raises the estimation in which the in
telIectual achievements Of whole
class are held. Woman Is better IN.
derstood because she has been faith
fully portrayed She, Is more highly
regarded because Of her ability to
make that portrayal. And that por'
trayal has. 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 q tender age
a serious consideration for the better
FORMS Of dramatic literature and Of
dramatic representation Let then
teach their children to avoid the un.
tapoy tendency Of the present agt