126 Mr. Herbert Beerbohn Tree [May 26, 



impersonality which I hold to be the distinguished mark of his 

 genius, I am far from denying that many of our greatest writers, 

 many of our greatest painters and actors, have been those whose 

 personality is most resonant in their work, but I say that the 

 intrusion of that personality is not the merit of their work, but rather 

 its limitation. No doubt a more easily won popularity is awarded 

 by that large public which demands an exhibition of individuality 

 rather than of characterisation, of personality rather than of imper- 

 sonation ; yet it is better to strive for the higher, even if we miss it, 

 than to clutch at the lower, even if it is within easy reach. The 

 adroit actor should be able at will to adapt his individuality to the 

 character he is pourtraying. By the aid of his imagination, he 

 becomes the man, and behaves unconsciously as the man would or 

 should behave ; this he does instinctively rather than from any 

 conscious study, for what does not come spontaneously may as well 

 not come at all. Even the physical man will appear transformed. 

 If he imagines himself a tall man, he will appear so to the audience — 

 how often have we not heard people exclaim that an orator appeared 

 to grow in height as his speech became eloquent ? If the actor 

 imagines himself a fat man, he will appear fat to the spectator. 

 There is a kind of artistic conspiracy between the actor and his 

 audience. It is not the outer covering, which is called the " make 

 up," which causes this impression, it is the inner man — who talks fat, 

 walks fat, and thinks fat. As in the planet, it is only when the in- 

 ternal fire ceases that the body becomes hardened and unpliable. 

 The actor, even though he be peasant borD, will be able by the power 

 of his imagination to acquire the rare gift of distinction. He will be 

 able, by the aid of his imagination, to become a king — that is to say, 

 not the accidental king, who in actual life may lack dignity, but the 

 king of our imagination. In this connection it is on record that 

 Napoleon the First once administered a rebuke to Talma, with whom 

 he had a dramatic affinity. The actor, it seems, in playing a Roman 

 emperor, used violent gestures. Napoleon, criticising this exuber- 

 ance, said, " Why use these unnecessary flourishes ? — When 1 give an 

 order, I require nothing to enforce it — my word is enough. This is 

 no way to behave as an emperor." The first Napoleon was a great 

 actor — and his dramatic instinct was not the least formidable among 

 those qualities which made him such a power in the world's history. 

 As on the stage, so it is in real life, we are not what we are, we 

 become what we imagine ourselves to be. A man is not always what 

 he appears to his valet. He often finds his truest expression in his 

 work. A great man will often appear uninteresting and common- 

 place in real life. Who has not felt that disappointment ? The real 

 man is to be found in his work. It is this personality which is often 

 obliterated by his biographer — for detraction is the only tribute 

 which mediocrity can pay to the great. This literary autopsy adds a 

 new terror to death. A man might at least be permitted to leave his 

 reputation to his critics, as he would leave his brains to a hospital. 



