"THE GREAT CATHOLIC ACTRESS."

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 17, 15 August 1884, Page 20

"THE GREAT CATHOLIC ACTRESS."

" The appearance of the great Catholic actress, Miss Anderson, at the Alexandra Theatre, Liverpool, bas caused a rush for seats never equalled in the history of that popular resort. The superiority of her acting certainly justiaes the eagerness shown to secure tickets for the performance." — Liverpool Catlwlie Times. Miss Anderson is one of those remarkable actresses who are an honour to the stage. No breadth of scanal has ever touched her name. And even those despicable specimens of the geivus " dude," who lounge round theatre doors and talk of actresses by their Christian names, have been obliged to omit her name from their lying chronicles, because a scandalous lie about her character would be too preposterous. But why is Miss Anderson a " great Catholic actress " ? She is a Catholic, and we are reliably informed that she is strict in her attention to her duties as a Catholic. This does not make her a Catholic actress any more than it made Mi's. May Apues Fleming, who used to write the thrilling novels in the New York Weekly, a great Catholic novelist. Miss Anderson plays Parthenia, Galatea, and Juliet with much dramatic ability, and she will very probably assume the mantle of Charlotte Cushman with credit, if she continues to progress and to study. Parthenia, Galatea and Juliet are not particularly Catholic characters. " The Daughter of Roland," in which drama she appears as Bertha, was, we believe, one approved of by a French Bishop. Because she plays in that, are we to consider her a " Catholic actress"? If a "great Protestant actress " were to be advertised, we should think it rather silly. To be sure. Protestantism has always turned its face against art of any kind, and to connect Frotestantism with art, poetry, or music, would be to talk of incompatibilities. But because a Catholic takes the part of Rosalind in "As You Like It," or Ophelia in "Ham let."' why should this be called Catholic acting and the actress a " Catholic actress" ? It is creditable to Miss Anderson that she has kept her name unstained among the temptations of the most dangerous profession in which any woman can engage. The union oF practical piety and devotion to the theatre in this younjr actress is admirable. It is like an instance of one wbo touches pitch without becoming defiled ; still there is no reason why she should be called a " Catholic actress." The "eminent Catholic engineer," "the well-known Catholic grocer," " the talented Catholic plumber," which we see occasionally in certain local prints, have just as much warrant as " the great Catholic actress." Tho railroads of the engineer, the gas pipes of the plumber, the tea and coffee of the grocer, are as Catholic as Miss Anderson's acting. Miss Anderson on the stage is as modest as theatrical traditions and the dramas in which she plays will let her . be ; and this modesty is preserved by the safeguards of her religion. If she acted as well aa Sara Bernbardt, who is a great actress, although she is a reproach to any religion she may profess, it is hard to understand why the Church, should receive honour from the fact. If she inaugurated a school of acting in which the subject 8 presented should be entirely Christian, with ibe intention of glorifying the Church and showing the grandeur of Faith, then we might with propriety call her a " great Catholic actress." As ifc is, how is she more Catholic as an actess, say of tbe part of Parthenia, in " Jngomar," than a dozen others that bave tried it? Or how more Catholic in Juliet tban Madame Modjeska, who is not claimed as "a great Catholic actress," although she is a Catholic? This dragging of tbe title Catholic into everything is the attempt of people, who are afraid the Church can not stnnd alone, to prop it up by means of every celebrity who happens to be a Catholic. — N.T. Freeman,

The Emperor of China recently authorised the destruction of 4,000,000 dollars' worth of opium, and emphatically refuses to accept any revenue from the odious traffic— #, Y. .Australasian. -