M. Coquelin's Lecture.

M. Coqueline, the distinguished French comedian gave his lecture on "L' art du Comedien" yesterday afternoon in Sander's Theatre before a very large and highly appreciative audience. Professor Cohn in a few well chosen words introduced M. Coquelin and congratulated the Conference Francaise upon their good fortune in being able to hear M. Coquelin, as a lecturer.

The speaker began by saying that in order to attain art, you must have the instruments; the instrument of a comedian lies within himself; it is his body. his life. The comedian must, when he produces a character, enter completely into its spirit. He must penetrate the impressions conveyed by the author, and at the same time give the character as intended by the author and not as conceived by himself.

Articulation is at the same time the lowest and the highest aim of the comedian's art. It is that which is at all times necessary, especially when one appears to the public. The theatre is not a room: it is necessary to speak loudly and audibly on the stage, and never in a tone of every day conversation. Even if you recite, do not speak as if you were addressing friends. Art without style is no art at all. Play a character as the author intended it should be played: give life to every scene, make it full of fire and a variety of passions at all times.

To talk is to modulate; give your words the proper coloring. To say everything is to say too much: true art lies between. Speak so that the most vulgar prose may sound like the most refined poetry.

Physical beauty for an actor is not necessary, though always an advantage. As long as a man has no deformities he can appear on the stage. Physical beauty is only necessary for young men playing lovers' roles.

Always have some sort of an experience in your eye. If you have something to recite, direct your eye on a certain spot and the public will imagine they see what you are relating.

The comedian must at all times remain master of himself. He must see what he is doing. He should carefully study his role, and enter into the personages he is to portray. The saying if you want to make me cry, cry yourself," does not apply to the comedian. A comedian need not be intellectual: he must only know his art.

Mix reality with truth. Everything ought to start from the truth, and everything ought to tend toward the ideal. The stage is a school of manners, it ought not to be a school of medicine.

I am for nature and against naturalism.

At the conclusion of the lecture M. Coquelin was tendered a reception at the residence of Professor Norton.