New-York tribune., 1910-12-07
Nine. Modjeska's RecoIIectIons
of a Long Stage Career.

Macmillan Company.
Nine Nodjeska's long expected me-
-r.cirs form. at least on the public side
Of her life. a connected and complete
su.ohiography. whose ultimate impress
sion is one Of abundant happiness IN
the success that crowned her work.
The book also leaves the impression OF
a loving and lovahle personality, for'
while II is studded from first page To last
with the names Of celebrities of many
ionaiities-American, English. French.
German. Polish-it does not contain one
strabilious word. not single hidden
scratch such as successful women are so
capahle Of infiicting under cover of hon
eyed phrase It is only when she speaks
OF the wrongs inflicted upon her country
men that Nine Modjeska fares up. but
even here she does justice to individuals,
distinguishing between their humanity
rs private beings and their obedience TO
orders as public servants. In all this
wide circle Of the great representatives
Of the arts Of literature. music and
vainting as well as OF the stage, she
found not a single unsympathetic per
sonality unworthy Of her praise She is
kind even to her critics and managers,
hut above all else is generous in her
recognition of the merits of her dramatic
contemporaries. from John Mccullough,
with whom she made her American
debut at the California Theatre. in San
Francisco. in August. 1871. to Mr.. Otis
Skinner. from Ristori TO Clara Norris,
from Adelaide Nelson to Mrs. Fiske.
from Charlotte Cushman to Bernhardt,
Ellen Terry and Duse. Nay more, she
has even hearty and undoubtedly sin
oerc word Of praise to say for the tenn
l'erament the gentle nature. Of that
traditional roaring terror. Hans von
Bulow.
Nodieska's was a picturesque career,
and hers is picturesque book She
tells at length her early struggles TO gain
a footing on the Polish stage, the be-
ginning Of her career as a strolling
PLAYER. andering round the country IN
sort of prairie schooner as a member of
Il company OF six. The chapters devoted
II this early part of her career give curl
Gus glimpscs % the iealousies. the malev-
olence Of the artistic temperament
among the tcInperamental Poles toward
Z rising colleague, glimpses also Of the
beggarly remuneration Of the artist then
and there, and Of an uD4uenchable reso-
luton 10 succeed. ''Adrienne Lecou-
NreuT' was the part that gave Nine.
Modjeska her standing in Warsaw it
was also the role she chose for her first
appearance on this continent. There
after her path was made clear On the
aecrs came 10 her with advantageous
offers Of engagements.
TIE narrative is closely packed whence
: certain occasional difficulty in detach-
ing the anecdotes it tells from their con-
text. It was Mccullough who proposed
10 the actress the modification of her
name. which she made famous
After tho rehearsal John Mccullough
n came 10 speak 10 me. lie asked me how [
:.pfaIe4a speaiea my Ri name, wrote it in fun:
smiled. and, rubbing his head. said: Who
on earth can read that, ! wonder? I fear
MaGaIa- ] wrote down. ''Modg gedska. -
He smiled again, saying it might remind
and changed the g into a 81 He spelied
aloud ''Mojeska.'' Now he said s-it is
1llini.''
learning TO speak English, which, as the
time for her debut drew near. was mar
rowed down TO a system of 1nemorizing
The correct rronunciati ton of every single
word in her Part by constant repetition.
Her memory she boasts. IVES prodigious
in her younger years Thus. while her
second husband. Count Bozenta. was
editing a paper in Warsaw. she reported
for its columns practically rcFJdfim a
lecture on Spectrum Analysis" a sub
ject OF which she was. Of course utterly
ignorant by memorizing it as the
lecturer Went along. and writing it out
tho moment she returned home. when
some technical expression occurred" she
Saws. or names I had never heard be-
fc-e- ! spelled them and repeated them
t2ree times mentally. and then went on
listening" During the three seasons OF
h,r connection with the Cracow Theatre
she studied 11@ entirely new parts.
ia tI,is day 90 the discussion of the
British censorship Of plays ii is curious
10 learn how Camille came TO he al
lowed on fha stage over there with
Modjcsl5a IN the title rolo. after it had
hon forbidden when Sarah Bernhardt
wished n Urosen. It in London:
NJ LONDON 5tbut took place earlier than
! eNf'ected. Af:. barrett thought il would
- better To- nc rot 70 touch Shakespea re
f11lf5i made myself known in some easier
literature. Therefore he proposed 10 me 10
IlSN Fix ma fiTiee performances first We
decided "a open n la Dame aux Cam
fiiaS under the title Of ''fIeartsease''
TH.S Substitution of the flower happened in
f,-T UaE- We had great difficulty i'll pass
llE through the censorship any of the
f.ES and n
;iie. wore on Tire index presented TO The
censorship. 2otn Mr Jarrett ana myself
were much annoyed when = dramatiSt. Mr.
Mortimer. WIN had Translated La Dame
a1E Gameii&s. conceived the extrava CANT
idea pf changing IFS title and calling il
-'fiea--tSeSsc." fe and Mr. Barrett went 10
work anG changed son1e Objectionable feat
l'reS. ans taen sent this remodelied version
urdsT the title Of "Hcartsease" to the cen
Eer. and obtained his full sanction as a
modest production of Mr. GorIimer's pen
The name Of Dumas fills was not on the
tstle page. in order not TO arouse suspicious.
and thus La Dame aux Ca,neli2s'' was
SrnuEEled in and ready TO be presented Is
the work Of English author.
II was on another occasion during her
London engagement that Nine. Mod
jcsks Was Informed. during an entr acte,
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