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"It is an almost universal idea of primitive man," says Fewkes, "that prayers should be addressed to personations of the beings worshipped. In the carrying out of this conception men personate the katchinas, wearing masks, and dressing in the costumes characteristic of these beings. These personations represent to the Hopi mind their idea of the appearance of these katchinas or clan ancients.
There was more than one who recalled the gay young André and his personations during the liveliest winter Philadelphia had ever known. Dancing classes were started again, and the assemblies reopened.
This is probably merely one of those cynical stories with which the sharp people of Paris love to environ and encircle every one who stands a dangerous chance of becoming too popular. But smaller artists than Mademoiselle Rachel have sometimes had recourse to curious expedients to give their dramatic personations a show at reality.
The want of the spectacle was this, and it is, we fully grant, the defect of all her similar personations: you felt that it was only intellect feigning heart, though with perfect success. The tenderness and caprice of the woman, and the pride and dignity of the Queen, are all there. She would not be the consummate artist she is if she could not give them.
Those who had once sworn by her swore by her still, and were loath to admit even to themselves that her early style of acting easy, flowing, impulsive, the natural translation in action of a strong and imaginative nature must remain what, in the long absence of the actress, it had become, a beautiful tradition of the stage, that her present personations were wanting in force and spontaneity, that they were efforts, rather than inspirations, were marked by a weary tension of thought, were careful, but not composed, roughened by unsteady strokes of genius, freshly furrowed with labor.
And the marvel was that in none of his personations had he yet been caught. In proof of which he was still alive, but McClure confessed to himself that it was only a matter of time. He must make a grand stroke for fortune quick fortune, and then bolt for it. For his heart was sick with thinking on the gunshot from behind the hedge or the knife between his shoulders.
He was enthusiastically devoted to his father, and it was his delight to stand at the wings and watch the great tragedian in his personations, and the thunders of applause which proclaimed some fresh triumph were sweeter to the boy, perhaps, than to the man.
Professor Lorenzo Riccabocca, whose fame as an elocutionist and dramatic reader has made his name a household word throughout Europe and America, will give some of his choice recitals and personations, assisted by Philip de Gray, the wonderful boy-musician, whose talent as a violin-player has been greeted with rapturous applause in all parts of the United States.
"Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes and pompous in the grave, solemnizing nativities and deaths with equal lustre, nor omitting ceremonies of bravery in the infancy of his nature;" "When personations shall cease, and histrionism of happiness be over; when reality shall rule, and all shall be as they shall be forever:" such passages as these, and the whole of the 'Fragment on Mummies, one can scarcely recite without falling into something of that chant which the blank verse of Milton and Tennyson seems to enforce.
The spirit beings represented in these personations appear at certain times in the pueblo, dancing before spectators, receiving prayer for needed blessings, as rain and good crops." Powamu and Niman: The katchinas are supposed to come to the earth from the underworld in February and remain until July, when they say farewell.
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