ing one's self
with the character to be portrayed. It is the art of losing one's self
in the character and the situation the dramatist has created. This means
that the spirit of the character must take possession of the
impersonator, and inform his every thought and feeling, and so his
every motion and tone. Remember, it is the _spirit_ of the character
that must determine the nature of the tone and gesture. The great danger
in entering upon the study of impersonation lies in emphasizing the
outward manifestation instead of the inward spirit of the character to
be portrayed. If you really sense the soul, mind, heart quality of the
character you are to present, and have made your voice and body free
agents for the manifestation of those qualities, your impersonation will
be convincing. If the spirit of the _Patriot_ or _Andrea del Sarto_ or
_Fra Lippo Lippi_ or _Pompilia_ or _Caponsacchi_ or _Guido_ obsesses
you, the outward manifestation will take care of itself--always provided
your instruments are responsive. Don't begin with the outward
manifestation. Don't say I think this man would frown a great deal, or
fold his arms over his breast, or use an eyeglass, or strut, or stoop,
or do any one of a hundred things which, if repeated a half-dozen times
during an impersonation, may become a mannerism and get between the
audience and the spirit of the character. When you are studying a
character for the purpose of impersonation determine first to what type
it belongs. Then study that type, wherever you are. Daily life becomes
your teacher and studio. When you enter upon this art there are no
longer dull moments in railroad stations or trains, in shops or in the
social whirl. Everywhere and always you are the student seeking to know
and understand types of people better, that you may use your knowledge
in presenting to an audience an individual. When you have caught the
spirit of the individual you must realize the situation out of which
this particular individual speaks.

Let us make a special study of the _Tale_ (Browning's epilogue to _The
Two Poets of Croisic_). It is perhaps the most exquisite of the poet's
creations in this field. The situation reveals a young girl recalling to
her poet lover an old Greek tale he had once told her. There is a
suggestion from some critics that Browning has drawn his wife in this
portrait, and through it pays his tribute to her. This immediately
affords us a clue to the type of character