Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

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"renaiafiance" included ao one of ite :i,; jor el a-onto a rice
in the social status of the performers, and r and re ""ont'.al
ielt, not without justification, that they hud played a
considerable part in this improvement. In oono quart era, however,
the efforto of nctors - particularly, those of Irvinc - to
uphold the dignity of their profession wore faceted with
facetious abuse. Piiach. over ro^, rot! to nock t,ho pretentious
for the entertainment of the oelf-oatiafiod, attacked Irvin£
for making public speeches in which he aoknowlodrod hie
financial successes. '*'huc, at Puffinbn- h, .".;>., ?:r Xrving
was :•::-ro,
however eminent, wore tradesmen - barely art lot o and by no
neons to be conei«*cr*ed ao gentle en, Irvinc habitually nmdo
curtr'in-';nooc>.ec on first nirhtc and on opocial occasiono, end
he lectured and read at cchoola and univeroitioe in Britain cnc1
Ar.ioricn, arruing for the artiotic validity and oociol roapoctability
of his calling. Arri^nt the actor w^s arrayor, not no
much fra'/iionoble i :>c:.cty or bolicnic, as the r.ay of hunoroue
jo;ir--;-aistG, t'ofenders - in a-.c.j., I'un anC: 'ho. London Pi^nro -
of worl-ll.'.- philiotir. 1 sn and G cense of order thet v;oul< no
sooner r.l .ov? en actor t.:.-m a joeUoy to novo in o>;;..ltod circles;.
Fron tho journnlioa CM& raemoiro of ;cn like 'tarr^nc!, j-aln,
Yate® an'i Clo.-.iont _-cott ern bo divined a soncc of the auiiorr. 1
roooootful intinacy v.ith ,hc nobility onO /;c-nt y, ;V:G Iioir
onxioty to protect thoir social cu^oriorn froa the intruDions
of the lov?er ort!c.-c. The intereot t; ,;en by fro:iiont-.blo society
in tho tlicatre threatened ouch nn ii?.tracion, and j!;c c/i^tocirnr
were ac ccathing about the cmco for n-r'';eur tiioatricrlc, nnd
the rttomtc of oorae titled norr.:on to beco a c^oro, .- o t .cy
were on ,he oabjcct of cctoro' no"»i.r.itionc. A r-o->recc-t-tivo
piece is the c.onth 3f A-ril in _^_ch'o -3;:uinb-r,:.il '-uv-cry