New-York tribune., 1910-10-23
London. october l.


- the Apostles and other saints.
-,ycxdides and every historian SINCE his
- the Greek dramatists and the
s-snatists who down TO this day drink
:. the fountain Of -4Sschylus and Soph-
.iss-in each case the school not only
los OF the tradition but enlarges the
- ~ the founder The rule holds
~ the sraEe-all the more so since
-.-i-,sI genius is rare and tradition al
.srs potent In Irving's case il was
hans more stringent than in any case
= which We have any fun account To
,,,se of US. a1 any rate. VINO saw and
,.,cw Irving. and who see and know
me Of the actors Of to-day. the author
a. of the actor who is gone is evident
,r,sr of what is good on the English
.-sre Of to-day is directly traceable 10
,--rr Likewise some things which are
less good.
As genersIizin- in such matters is
,rtfle I viii explain what I mean by
.~s-7rres. and examples Of the best.
,Aich is the true way Of judging.
ling was what is called an actor
--snseer. In that dual capacity he was
.,cceeded by Sir Squire Bancroft Sir
-sa-les Wvndhanl. Mr. Kendall and Sir
7obn Hare in partnership. M Arthur
r,,,--rrfer and Mr.. George Alexander.
r.s-e have been. and are. others. like
AZ Edward Terry. who was. and Mr.
cvrr Naude. who is. content TO produce
ss-oes. They owe, except as managers,
,o-hing 70 irving, and Irving is in no
INV responsible for them. Irving. It is
.--,s sometimes played in farce. hut he
,lared II as comedy. Mr.. Maude has
bssn seen in pieces which might be
,sUed comedies. but be plays them as
.s-cee The difference between these
-ro methods Is considerable. Il you like
90 r. n The Playhouse in N0rthumber-
lsr6 avenue to-day you may see Mr..
c--a Naude n q piece called "Tanta-
f-ue Tommy" announced as a. comedy
osar-e5 from the French. L Is a com
s5v in the bills and a farce. one char
s--er exreuEed. on the stage Mr- Maude
has ar one moment 10 make II clear 10
me house that he has been disturbed at
bis toilet He does IL by parading about
-1e stag with his braces hanging down
h.s hack -r his knees can you imagine
irving doing Il? Irving was always
wiling 20 get an effect, but never by
vulgar means
The exception IS Miss Marie L6hr.
vbethe- Miss L0hr. who is but twenty
rsg-s Of age. ever saw Irving I cannot
ssy. But she is. in some things Of mo-
-ert. his pupil For this young lady
hss distinction. refinement. delicacy;
which were among Irving's qualities
they are not transrnissible. not teaCha-
he bur -1e use made Of them on the
sage may be taught II, as I imagine,
vss Icr- is her own teacher she none
ne less hreathes the air which Irving
Hresthed. and has come under the spell
which that great -raEe6ian laid upon the
sage She does not initiate. but she
-su7ot be insensibIe 70 an inspiration
Even The atmosphere Of AIr. MaEde's
PLAYHOUSE has not stified or perverted
her natu-a- impulses. Il is no light
mig 20 recompose a part and. while
1 rlsv.nE piece which is trivial ana
rr-or. 10 remain the c0Bedienne she
x BV- thar is what Miss Marie Lohr
bss done for some 2So nights as
--7r-7v-- and II is what neither she
aar ANYBODY else could have done II
irving mad not transformed and uplifted
ne theatrical life Of England and
ueathed new spirit into the players.
H- George Alexander stands in
-7-e direct relation 70 Irving he was
r,h him for some years. both here and :
n America IS a member Of the LyceUu
rnparv. Nr. Alexander is man Of
4 -g-t1-f-- L may he true. as Roche
4 .aucaul5 SAYS. that the only good copies
az iaose which reveal 70 Us the faults
r III original But the answer 10
4 tha- 5s. IN this case. that Mr.. Alexander
/ uued nothing. ! should say that ne
Eldied I-rlng's methods. accepted some
4 sn6 rejected others. knew what were
4 suited T. III and what We're not. knew
T1at his own resources We're and how
rs, 70 avail himself Of them. and so
presently became the accomplished actor
that h. is Al the same time nobody
Eho had seen much OF Irving could tan
to notice certain points Of resembll-~ee
berweer MIN and Alexander Certain
gestures are ike Irving Certain "busl-
asss is his. The way Of getting on
1 ssc u Tie stage is the same irving
1 gave n aee-d 10 the greeting Of the
house EXCEPT by waiting TIL il was over.
sad Sometimes by q furtive glance be
yss intent ca the matter il hand; what
as6 W5lsey OF a Shylock 70 do with
\ lie ciauortug multitude in 'front.' The
parts 8I-- Alexander plays are not tragic,
4 aI comedy also requires dignity, and
hst NJ. Alexander seldom forgets- IL
vas once the habit Of the actor 70 re-
card himself as the servant Of the pub
H and the pelblic as his master The
/ laVers were the Kings players. or
l0meClars and then the public be
lsne King. living changed all that
H'Tss for the public 70 accept what he
1ered them. and as he offered il Mr-
alexander is not Irving. any more than
Fotinus was Plato. But he is OF the
school
Re has just brought out an American
pay called Darcy Of the Guard. which
@lng might OF might not have touched
Kali mel0drama and half farce: be- i
+aging by the stale prinitiveness Of its Z
"etaods 10 the stone age Of the drama
p" 10 something more primeval still Not 4
Piece Tor the 81 James's Theatre, say /
ne critics, nor DO 7 think il is. But il /