I made my fourth trip to London in 1873. Not having any new drama to
present and being tired of repeating the same productions, I felt the
necessity of reanimating my mind with some strong emotion, of
discovering something, in a word, the execution of which had never
been attempted by others.
At last I believed I had found something to satisfy my desire. The
admiration I had for the Shakespearean dramas, and particularly for
the character of Lady Macbeth, inspired me with the idea of playing in
English the sleeping scene from "Macbeth," which I think is the
greatest conception of the Titanic poet. I was also induced to make
this bold attempt, partly as a tribute of gratitude to the English
audiences of the great metropolis, who had shown me so much deference.
But how was I going to succeed? ... I took advice from a good friend
of mine, Mrs. Ward, the mother of the renowned actress Genevieve Ward.
She not only encouraged my idea, but offered her services in helping
me to learn how to recite that scene in English.
I still had some remembrance of my study of English when I was a girl,
and there is no language more difficult to pronounce and enunciate
correctly, for an Italian. I was frightened only to think of that,
still I drew sufficient courage even from its difficulties to grapple
with my task. After a fortnight of constant study, I found myself
ready to make an attempt at my recitation. However, not wishing to
compromise my reputation by risking a failure, I acted very
cautiously.
I invited to my house the most competent among the dramatic critics of
the London papers, without forewarning them of the object and asked
them kindly to hear me and express frankly their opinion, assuring
them that if it should not be a favourable one, I would not feel badly
over it.
I then recited the scene in English, and my judges seemed to be very
much pleased. They corrected my pronunciation of two words only, and
encouraged me to announce publicly my bold project. The evening of
the performance, at the approach of that important scene, I was
trembling! ... The enthusiastic reception granted me by the audience
awakened in me all vigour, and the happy success of my effort
compensated me a thousandfold for all the anxieties I had gone
through. This success still increased my ambitious aspirations, and I
wished to try myself in even a greater task.
I aimed at no less a project than the impersonation of the entire role
of Lady Macbeth in English, but such an arduous undertaking seemed so
bold to me that I finally gave up the idea and drove away from my mind
forever the temptation to try it.
THE ACTOR
VALEDICTORY STANZAS TO J. P. KEMBLE,
JUNE, 1817, BY THOMAS CAMPBELL.
His was the spell o'er hearts
Which only Acting lends--
The youngest of the sister arts,
Which all their beauty blends:
For ill can Poetry express
Full many a tone of thought sublime,
And Painting, mute and motionless,
Steals but a glance of time,
But by the mighty actor brought,
Illusion's perfect triumphs come--
Verse ceases to be airy thought,
And Sculpture to be dumb.
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Endnotes:
[1] This took the form as "The Players"; its home, 16 Grammercy Park,
New York, was a gift from Mr. Booth. It had long been his residence,
and there he passed away.
[2] The late Professor Peirce, professor of mathematics in Harvard
University, father of Professor James Mills Peirce.