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THE ISOLATION OF ACTORS
rary life which they see only by snatches
is little short of a miracle, and demon-
strates the extreme speed and delicacy in
observation of some of them^ and the
large imitative gift of others, together
with a power of divination, which is an
attribute of genius. Through the opera-
tion of natural selection, they are practi-
cally birds of a feather, and the most do-
cile and intimate layman never quite learns
their language or long feels at home in
their company. That it is highly desirable,
for a dozen grave reasons, that the actor
should be less a stranger to his fellow men
is obvious ; and also it is obvious that, to
the end of the world, success upon the
stage will involve in the successful artist
a peculiar attitude of mind, a peculiar
adaptability of temperament, and a rare
singleness of devotion, which must sepa-
rate him from the laity. Comparative iso-
lation will always be a condition of high
[ III ]