This is an actor’s study at the beginning of his work—when he is preparing to study his Art. Let me say at the outset of this branch of my subject, that I am trying to put into words and the words into some sort of ordered sequence, that knowledge of his craft which in a long course of years Irving conveyed to me. Sometimes the conveyance was made consciously, sometimes unconsciously. By words, by inferences, by acting; by what he added to seemingly completed work, or by what he omitted after fuller thought or experience. One by one, or group by group, these things were interesting, though often of seeming unimportance; but taken altogether they go to make up a philosophy. In trying to formulate this I am not speaking for myself. I am but following so well as I can the manifested wisdom of the master of his craft. Here and there I shall be able to quote Irving’s exact words, spoken or written after mature thought and with manifest and deliberate purpose. For the rest, I can only illustrate by his acting, or at worst by the record of the impression conveyed to my own mind. III We may, I think, divide the subject thus: CHARACTER _A._—ITS ESSENCE {_x._—_The Dramatist’s setting out of it_ {_y._—_Its truth to accepted type_ {_z._—_The Player’s method of studying these two_ _B._—RETICENCE _C._—ART AND TRUTH THE PLAY STAGE PERSPECTIVE DUAL CONSCIOUSNESS INDIVIDUALITY, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF IT IV CHARACTER _A._—ITS ESSENCE