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396 A FEW WORDS ABOUT: ACTRESSES.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The Life Of An Actress Is To The World A...
liave fairly thought upon this matter will deny . Its foundations lie i deep i in the human ticolored soul . "with It has all been the specialities spontaneousl of y character developed
m anners varous , an coun d clima res t , , belonging to the place of its growth . And , we hold acting to be as legitimate and indestructible an art as any
which the world possesses : an art at once both less and greater than the other arts of poetrypaintingand sculpture ; less in the
transient nature of its creations , , greater , in the living power which for the time of their existence those creations exercise upon their
beholders * It is the easiest too , as well as the most difficult of all _^ which the arts to ; attain the easiest to in comparative which to do perfection something . , the For most that difficult perfection in
such a rich assemblage any of both mental and physical gifts is required tory as ver and y rare at l the y meet same in time one individual the most unsatisfactory . And it is the of all most the satisfac arts to
those , who follow it . Perhaps no greater pleasure can exist than that of awakening the sympathies and emotions of a large audience ,
and receiving their warm , living responses and acknowledgments . To no other artist does this intense enjoyment of actually beholding
the effect of their powers , and accepting the result in person , belong . On the other hand , what enduring trace remains of all an actor ' s
or actress ' s labor ? Dim tradition may preserve some record of it for a generation or two , but it can only be truly known by those
who witness it . Their works die with themselves , nay even before themselves and Yet disappointments it is , singular for they pass with may away what have with tenacit been the experienced y of decay love of , whatever p this hysical profession hardshi powers . ps is
, clung ing it to there by those exist who many have charms once . embraced An actress it . ' s Doubtless imagination in follow and
affections are constantly exercised , both mind and body are brought into service , she has the free use of all her faculties and limbs , and
in the mimic stage-world she fills one condition after another , which diverts her at least from the poverty and monotony of actual life .
Then her social wants are satisfied , every day she goes into society , her work itself is all socialit is the imaginary reciprocation
between herself and others of , all kinds of duties , passions , and relationsAnd she workstooat no disadvantage as regards the
. , , other sex : her province is to represent her own , and her impersonations of womanhood are quite as important and interesting as
any masculine impersonations can be . Travelling and change of place also have certain pleasures and excitements . And when
temptations from without , and dangers within the theatre are escapedthe chief amongst the latter being that of losing her moral entity in
a confusion of easy sympathies and temporary unions of interest , a danger arising out of the very nature of her work itself—when
these are overcome , very helpful and satisfactory women are the result of an actress ' s training . Their larger experience of life ,
• the way in which they have had to grapple with real , hard facts , to
396 A Few Words About: Actresses.
396 A FEW WORDS ABOUT : ACTRESSES .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Feb. 1, 1859, page 396, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01021859/page/36/
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