Identifier: autobiographyofj00injeff (find matches)
Title: The autobiography of Joseph Jefferson
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Jefferson, Joseph, 1829-1905
Subjects: Jefferson, Joseph, 1829-1905 Actors
Publisher: New York : Century Co.
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant

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m and down we go. Look also at the diffi-culties that will beset you by beginning at thetop. In the first place, no manager in his senseswill permit it; and if he did, your failure — which isalmost inevitable — not only will mortify you, butyour future course for some time to come will beon the downward path. Then, in disgust, sore anddisheartened, you will retire from the professionwhich perhaps your talents might have ornamentedif they had been properly developed. While acting once in Boston I received a notefrom the publisher of The Atlantic Monthly, toknow if I would call at the publishing house tomeet Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe. It seems thelady had been at the theater where I had acted thenight before, and in a note to the publisher hadexpressed a desire to see me. We had a long and,to me, a very pleasant chat. In speaking of hervisit to the theater she said she was struck by thescene in which Rip meets with his daughter, andthat it reminded her of the situation between Lear
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JOSEPH JEFFERSON AS RIP VAN WINKLE. OF JOSEPH JEFFERSON 453 and Cordelia. I told her that the scene was un-doubtedly modeled on the one from Shakspere, andperhaps the white hair and beard floating aboutthe head of the old Knickerbocker had some sharein this likeness. She said she was sure that Icould play Lear. I was sorry to differ with a lady,but I told her I was quite sure that I could not. Shortly after this I met another lady of equalintelligence, who seemed much interested in RipVan Winkle. Among the many questions sheasked of me was how I could act the characterso often and not tire of it. I told her that I hadalways been strangely interested in the part, andfearing that I might eventually grow weary of it,I had of late years so arranged my seasons that Iplayed only a few months and took long spellsof rest between them, but that my great stimulus, ofcourse, was public approval, and the knowledgethat it must cease if I flagged in my interest orneglected to give my entire attenti

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