New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-26
RJP md THE ROSY.

reference to the moral clIcct Oh Mt. JencTSoh
Rip Van Wrinkle. II states, in substance, that
this personation is an apology for drunkenness
and an insidious advocate Of the flowing bowl
II maintains that the charm of the portraiturc
is solely the charm Of form. II comedies 10
Mr.. jefferson great excellence rs M artist; nut
it asserts that the spirit OF his AT IL, IN TINS
instance. deleterious and degrading-not to
cav olcoLolic. One gentleman, indeed,-a mem
Der of Mr.. .JciicrsOn's own pr0it7si0n,-,' 80
deeply shocked at this sinful peryerson OF
dramatic influence, that he devotes ms yala-
able talents exclusively 10 its rectlhcali0n, ana
travels about the country playing ZIP van
Wrinkle himself. to show how 1t ought to be
done. The expedent OF this magnanlinOnS
moralist is to refuse the last drink III the la7'
scene-which is very noble and impressive
proceeding, and one that will doubtless lihdO
all the mischief Mr. JcffersOn's wicked perform
ance may have accomplished. Other great
artists, recently graduated from the intel
lectnal pursuit of carrying chairs, are also en-
gagged in the self-sacrfcing labor of putting
Rip Van Wrinkle in a proper moral light be-
fore the public mind so that, in adverting to
the discovery of Mr.. Jefferson's iniquitons and
we have AT least the comfort of knowing that
the evil he has wrought is already III fair
way of being neutralized. We do not, there
fore. advert to the comedians helnOus de-
pravity for the purpose Of protlering any SUI
perfluous assistance in its rebuke. The cause
of virtue is, manfestly, in good hands.
Since, however, we have often and warmly
commended Ne. JeHcrson's Rip Van Winkle,-
as very nearly perfect piece of acting, beautl-
ful in form, lovely in spirit, pure in influence,
and altogether admirable,-it seems proper for
us, in the light of this recent discovery re-
specting its pcrniciOus effect, 10 dlsclalm any
intentional participation in Nr. JeiiersOn>
rrprchensible support of 4" the rosy And
perhaps il will not be amiss for US TO add
that we have all along entertained a very
different conviction from thar announced oy
those ardent cold-water critics respecting
the temperance aspect OF his perform
once. # has seemed to rs, for eX-
ample, that the personation, II 1t shows
ANYTHING whatever respecting rum, shows thaC
rum is an agent of mischief and misery me
spectacle of a human being who IL brought I'd
age, infirmty, and almost total isolation from
mankind in consequence OF his use of intoM-
eating drink-that being assumed, though
wrongly. we think, as the handspring OF KIP
Van Wrinkles expcricnce-is certainly an I'M
pressiye spectacle and we should never have
thought. in the absence Of information To the
contrary, that il could have the effect OF en-
couragng inebriety on the part of the spectator.
The fact, indeed, has not escaped our no.
tice that Mr.. Jetlerson's hero - under the
urgency of his friends, who are naturally JOY
full over the return OF the lOng-absent sleeper
takes a drink at the end of the play. But
that incident has never touched us as morally
significant Rather, to our darkened under
standing has it seemed merely playful de-
vice for winding up the drama-a half me-
chanical. but thoroughly natural, bit of jOcu-
larity, that did not, and could not. in the
least impair the implied lesson Of the expert
ence that had been delincated. Moreover
but, apparently, this is only another
delusion-we have been accustomed TO
think that the element OF the rosy
in Mr. JelierSon's Rip Van Wrinkle is
incidental and subordinate and that the
comedian has never directly intended 70 en-
force moral one way or the other, with re-
gard to the use of liquor. 1t was our fancy
and we have taken a great deal of pleasure in
it-that an actor is under no obligation to
turn moralist that the province of the Theater
is wholly distinct from that of the Sunday
School that sermon comes with grace from
the pulpit, but does not come with grace from
the stage that art, when it teaches at all,
should teach by pictorial suggestion and not
by Hdactic precept that there is such n thing
as loving and delineating beauty for its own
sake; and that Mr. Jefferson has conceived
and portrayed Rip Van Wrinkle in sympathy
with ideas of this sort. The acute reader viii
thus perceive that the condition Of error INFO
which we seem to have fallen has come about
in quite rational manner We have con-
sidered Rip Van Wrinkle rs a romantic and
poctical creation. We ought it appears, %
have considered it as the offspring and agent
of the pot-housc. To beiittle everything that
is capable of miscOnStruction. is, of course,
the direct way to ascertain its true value, and
the sure method of disseminating happiness
Besides, Mr.. Jefferson has been very success
full with Rip Van Wrinkle, and it is high time
that the imposture should be unmasked.
These considerations have palpable weight
and cOgency. Nevertheless, il Is hard 10 part
with Illusions; and we do not find ourselves
quite ready, as yet, TO relinquiSh our faith in
Mr. Jeiferson's hero. Such comedians,-that
faith makes bold to whsper,-dO not derive
their undeniable inspiration from loving survey
of the dram-shop; nor does the popular heart
respond. as it has responded to Mr.. JeilcrsOn's
Rip Van Wrinkle, except TO "A porSOnation OF
character that is warm with tenderness, brilliant
with humor, aud beautiful with poetry
." the light that never was on land or
sea- There may be weakness in this