The San Francisco call., 1908-04-05

they notice 1t slipping away to othss
women. And the strange part OF IL II
that their rivals are not always young
er women. but women who have been
homely but. like wine. improve with
age. The homely woman grows old
gracefully. She does not mourn the
loss of charms. for perhaps shs never
had any. She Is surprised to find that
she is not only keeping but winning
friends"
David Belasco was In an iconoclastis
mood when the subject was mentioned
to him.
Beauty he exclaimed What has
that to do with the making OF an ac-
tress? The stage does not need dolls
that can walk through a part and
please the eye. The purpose OF q play
Is to communicate feeling. whether it
Is comedy or emotion. All complexions
look alike under the friendly coat OF
grease paint. An inch on or on the
nose OF an actress won't change the
map of the dramatic world
For my part I think too much hAs
been made OF the influence OF beauty
on the history Of the world. Much OF
the stories you read along this line ara
largely mythical. Take Cleopatra. for
example. Do you suppose il was the
color of her eyes. a peaches and cream
complexion and perfect figure that
made her such a factor in the history
of Rome? Was ii her smile that won
the love of Caesar? Do you suppose
that mere physical charm would have
turned the head of Antony? Not bit
of It, I find little In the descriptions
of Cleopatra to lead me to believe that
in mere physical beauty she surpassed
many women of her own retinue. But
she had power. She was possessed Of
great magnetism. fine mind, great
force OF character and tenacity OF pur-
pose. Caesar and Antony both were
necessary to aid her in her ambitions.
and she determined to win them. They
were men OF great power. They had
been surfeited with mere beauty IN
Rome, In Greece. in the conquered
cities OF Asia Minor. Why should they
have fallen at the feet Of an Egyptian
doll?
Helen Of Troy must have been more
than a mere beauty to have torn her
little corner OF the world to shreds.
Beauty loving as were the Greeks. the
the HAD had the woman In the case
been a creature with only q perfect
face and form In the golden days OF
Athens the most influential woman was
Aspasia. beloved OF PericIes. The great
est minds OF Greece were drawn to her.
II was not her beauty. but the mag
netism proceeding from nns mind
and a strong character.
IT do not consider beauty In an ac-
tress whom I want for n leading part.
She must have temperament. That I'M
plies character. power to feel and make
others feel She must be willing to
work. and work as she never worked
before"
IT don't suppose any one would call
me q beauty" said Nine Schumann-
Heink, with a smile. as she looked up
from her pastine OF darning stockings.
The famous soprano Is domestic in her
tastes, and when or the operatic stage
finds her greatest pleasure In perform
ing little domestic tasks for her fam
fiy with true German thrift mo, 7
don't suppose any one would" she went
on. yet I have not found Il q handi-
cap I cannot say that q beautiful
woman would not do as well az have
done. under similar circumstances. tar
I do not know. I must connns myself
to my own experience. might go
further and say that DO not bellows
that beauty would have been OF any
assistance to me. ] do not see how IL
could have helped me any. Art n a
stern taskmaster. It cannot be ca
joled into complacencs BY the sntics-
ment Of q pretty face. work. work.
work. and perhaps success viii come.
You cannot coQuetts with art No
smile viii win it's favor