The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-06-20
TIL E REPU BLIC.
LITERARY NOTICES.
CALAYHos: A TRAGEDY. By GEORGE H. BOXER
Philadelphia; Published by E. H. Butler d Co,

novelty which must not De suffered 10 pass unno-
ticed. "Calaynos" seems to have been published
without any immediate view to its production on
the stage, Perhaps the author Indifferent to
the hstronic test; and perhaps he despared of in
teresting managers in his behalf. stray copy,
however, attracted the attention of Mr.. Phelps a
tragedian of considerable repute in London. He
discened the merits of the play, and brought out
last month at the Saders Wells Theatre, person
ating the part of the hero himself The English
papers inform us that the success of "Calaynos"
was decided and complete. At the end of the fourth
act, Mr.. Phelps was summoned before the curtain
receive the congratulations of the audience and,
at the fall of the curtain on the fifth act he was
again called out, when he informed the audience
that the play was the production of Philadelphia
gentleman, who would doubtless be as much sur
prised grafed hearing of its successful repre-
sentaton.
The favorable reception of an acted play, how
ever, is far from being an earnest of qualities of
plot, language, and action, that shall claim the at
ention CRAFTY the taste of the literary reader.
A drama, which has the stamp of genius in every
line, and which fulfls in all respects the conditions
included in the most comprehensive definition OF
the term drama, may yet fail utterly on the stage
while another, that shall in the perusal weari-
some and deficient, feeble in plot, and ordinary in
style, shall yet, from the happy disposition of some
purely mechanical coups de theatre, the adaptation
of particular characters to the diosyncrases of act
ors, receive life not its own from the representa-
ton; and, though rejected from the closet of the
unProfessional reader, find prominent place the
prompter's bookshelf. Can play, then, be essen
TALLY drunatic-does it answer the very conditions
of play-f it be not suitable for successful repre-
sentationi Undoubtedly yes. play may deal
in events, and characters and utterances, at once
true to nature and to passion, and which, in the
| reading, of an order to move the profoundest
sympathies of our nature, and hold the attention
captive, but which, nevertheless dsappoint us
greatly when embodied on the stage.
We have rarely met with person, who had
given much study to the tragedy of Hamlet" TO
whom any personation of it he had ever witnessed
was satisfactory. Still, to many, the 'sHamlet" of
Indifferent performer would seem dramatic,
lnasmuch his impersonation would rise above
the level of their conception of the part and this
the reason why Hamlet is so popular play in
the acting with the many, and dstasteful to the
few
As there are some plays and characters, which,
though fulfilling the dramatic conditions, are
| suitable for the stage, there many, not ex-
cepung some of Shakspeare's, which are
much heightened in their effect by good acting and
appropriate scenic Illusions. 1t was the fashion
during the rage for Mrs. Buffers Readings at
| the North, for some of her admirers to profess
4 themselves more moved by her reading of play,
than they could be by Its representation under the
most favorable circumstances For instance, of her
recitation of Romeo and Juliet, they would say,
show much better il was than any representation
on the stage, however perfect since every part was
adequately filed, and every line spoken it should
be- Such eulogists must have seen very little
good acting in their day, for, admirable the
dy's elocuton and action were, whAi.aat was com.
petent speak the subject, could say, that, sit
ting in her chair and reading the part of .Mercuio
for instance she could lend to it the spirit, the
sparkle, the effect, which her father, Charles KEN
BILE, in his personation Of the character, was won
to give. There are many great points even il
Shakespeare, which are not obvious IN the closet
and which the traditional interpretations of tho
actor and the mechanical opportunities of the stag
can alone bring out And again, there are point
to which neither the stage nor the actor can de
Justice.
But it is with ''Caaynos" that sat down Il
DEAL and we are gratfed in being able to say, tina
whatever may have been its success the stage, j
deserves a higher Quotation" in the literary thai
in the theatrical market. The subject is Spanish
one-whether purely fanciful in any degree his
torical, we cannot say. We will not attempt out
line of the story for the most faithfully drawn out
line must generally convey a meagre idea Of tn
substantial, wel-proportioned original. The Plo
is evolved gracefully and easily to It's tragic termi
nation Flaws may be detected in it, no doubt, AM
some ncongruites; for adequate causes are EN-
ployed TO bring about great results and are LEI
i in doubt as to whether the heroine is a monster
iniquity, sacrificing her husbands peace and homo
for a cause which includes no palliaaon Of her guilt
or whether she is the victim Of circumstance an
violence But through all these defects runs vel
Of the pure ore. Flashes OF true dramatic power
happy presentations Of character, choice and pith
turns Of language, and scenes Of genuine nteres
abound in the tragedy, and evince that the autho
has not mistaken his forte We add few de
tached passages from the play, with which we mus
close the book, and lay down our pen.
The wife Of CalGynos is persuading him to TAX
her to Seville, Of the gayeties Of which city hi
maid, Martina, has given her glowing account
CaiaynOs replies
" Martina told bat half
Or did she tell how -oth and bcggary,
Closely attended by their handmade vice,
Stare, with lack lustre and feroCiOus eyes,
Into the porch Of every palace gatel
How want crecps forth at night with tOtterr
pace,
And 'gainst the windows Of the jewellers
Flattens its pinchcd and wasted features out,
Cursing the fcasts, for which one half the wor
Lab