The New York herald., 1871-09-15
AMUsEMENTs.

uOu OF 'DlNofCt" last Mtck VIC SdNc II nuSh shoi>
notice as time allowed. To-day we review the
play at length aud with maturer thought.
.Dvorcer belongs to that class OF modern emotional
drama which the late Mr.. Robertson introduced
with such signal success In England Gifted with
| rare insight into character and happy power OF
delnearion joined to delicate refinement OF feel
| ing Mr.. Robertson took for the groundwork OF his
plots the ordinary incidents OF life, and with true
artistic power, built upon them social dramas that
| appealed directly to the heart. "ours." 'Caste"
and Society" gave pictures of English life in all It's
phases SO powerful and SO marked that the public
behold themselves as in mirror. Lord commoner.
| demagogue and workingman were sketched In
| mastery manner, and with much imparuallty
| the follles and Vices OF every class were
| touched upon and held up to the condemnation OF
public opinion. IL is true tnat the author OF "Caste"
| wrote for the refined aud educated, and that in
| some of his plays we discover ilconceaed traces
OF an inclination to something like snobbery. But
| the quality whicn we most admire In Mr.. Robert
| sons plays Is their perfect purity and the total
shutting out or any doubtful phrase which could by
any strainng be considered eQuroQue vuIgarity
| has also been carefully avoided. even IN the por-
| trayal OF his low personages whose weaknesses
and absurdities have been painted with q few bold
touches, which strongly outline the character and
! leave the Imagination to fill In the details.
Success always encourages imitation, and
MIR. Robertson's early death left vast,
touched field for those who would PEN paint
humanity after the manner Of the deceased master.
Unfortunately, however, for his successors 1t Is
easier TO borrow ideas than the purity OF sentiment
or deicacy OF feeling, which than SKIN in con-
| struction lend an undefnaple charm to high emo.
tlonal drama. IL is easy enough to imagine q
series OF Incidents which, when put together with
ordinary playwright skll, will form sufficiently
interesting plot for drama; but the real difficulty
is met with IN toning the characters and harmonic
ing the incidents so that, while they shall continue
natural, there shall be cast over them such poetic
sentiment and tender feeling as shall once engage
head.
The plot Of "Dvcrce' is neither very subtle nor
very original. Slight misunderstanding between
two somewhat foolish people lead to serious quar-
ness Is aggravated by the unreasoning Jealousy OF
the husband and the unsieldIng pride OF the wife,
solves to abduct his child, ana take MIN from tue
care OF mother whom he considers no longer
aroases the v,ndcve passon Of tSe mohern.Is
who forms scheme TO have the husband arrested
as lnnatic She succeeds IN her design Just al the
moment the wife, who has sought out her husband
OF his retreat IN Florida, is about 10 be reconcied TO
him, Toe last act, however, convinces everybody
OF his or ner folly and all settle their little differ.
ences and are happy. There Is nothing strikingly
new IN this plot, bpt It contains enough interest TO
hold our attention, and II treated with less dfuSe-
ness and more attention to unity or place and Incl.
dent might be made decidedly interesting. The
mutual forbearance between man and wife, and de.
precaies the interference OF mothers-inlaw In the
ductions OF the De Witt family any significance
II must be as a wsrning tO people who deal lightly
IN divorce, and SO lar the moral OF the play Is
healthy. We cannot say so much for the purity Of
the dialogue, which is dlsGgured IN many places
with poor but somewhat broad eplgrams, or what
are Intended TO be eperams The drsI act is KIND
oi prologue anu closes with promises Of happiness
When the curtain again rises three years are sup
posed TO nave passed IN matrimonial blss but there
are gathering storm clouds the horizon. Alfred
Adrianse and MS wife have been travelling In
Europe, where they got along remarkably well; but
since ther en- return return Alfred Is annoyed BY the TOO
gentleman Of leisure, Captain Lynde, whose powers
OF fascination make him an object OF suspicion and
dread 10 the married community. Hurt by the un.
just suspicious OF Alfred and encouraged to resist
ance " the Inwise counsels of her mother, Fanny
and her husband quarrel and separate. At this
point begins whatever interest the play possesses
and We must say that tue author has managed hls
plot so cumsiy that there appears to be not the
slightest reason for the separation. Both Adrianse
and his wife are made TO exhibit an impetuoslty OF
temper and want OF reasoning power absolutely
childish. We do not think 1t possible that
people In the ordinary course OF life would be likely
to conduct themselves IN such perverse manner,
especially two young people whom, we are told,
love each other passionaely. Indeed we are con-
vincel that the separation could occur among rea.
sonaDle people only on the stage when the require
ment of Tue plot demanded IT, A similar strain OF
eXaggefaIon runs through every act until the cur
tam drops. In the tnird act we have the well. |
meant but somewhat awkward, efforts OF the Rev. |
and wife defeated by the want Of comnon sense of |
the family, and the vilainy OF private detective
OF Captain Lynde and betrays him Inn TO U Alfred Adri
anse. Owing 10 the influence OF Mrs. Kemp-an Old |
lady, who appears the only sensible person In the
and seek a reconciliation. While she Is absent
he arrives with Mr. Barnt. and In very
on his chlld. Warned by maternal instinct Fanny
returns III time TO meet her husband rushing from
IN spite of her frantic entreaties. When the scene
opens again we are transferred to ST. Augustine,
Barritt that Alfred has taken refuge with his son in
the ruins OF an old convent In the woods, and, dis
abandoned the world. II Is perhaps ungracious TO
ask why Alfred Adrlanse flying to seek cOncealment
sucn respectable and trustworthy gentlemen as MIR.
Barritt aud his comrade TO know his hiding place.
II one Of our friends acted IN manner so enilently
silly we should be inclined TO institute comparisons
between him and that foolish desert bird which,
when danger threatens, hides its head and esteems
itself In safety. But the exigences OF the plot
quue that Adranse should be found and |
e as uF aaihoT aks Is n not fertile IN
out her husband In his wild retreat, Fanny is Just
ON the point Of being reconclled u him when
onlcers OF the law, rush on the scene and seize
Alfred ana his son. Imagining that 1t is treach-
erOuS ruse OF his wife he becomes frantic with pas
sion, and heaps repr0ach on her head while strug.
giing with the officers OF the law. This incident
gives an opportunity Tor vigorous tabieau; but We
confess we think the whole scene very unnatural,
and not at All IN keeping with the current of modern
thought II divorce" oe anything 1t Is picture |
OF modern life, and mirrors tue every day thoughts
and acts OF men in society," and the Introduction Of
scenes which belong to the romantic drama Is not
permissible. Act the fifth bring US BACK TO New |
YORK, TO De Wits elegant parlors, where another
wedding ls IN preparation, IN spite of the warnings
gwen ny the play.
Fanny, full OF sorrow and repentance for her un-
reasonable conduct, contempateS going 10 her hus-
band aud again seeking reconciliation Suddenly |
he appears on The scene, and after some mutual |
sell.accusations tile repentant husband and wife |
find In the voice OF their child the Ink that Dind
them together In the future. Everybody is then |
made happy.
FROM whatever point OF view we regard "Di- |
v0rce" we cannot accord TO IL our admiration. The |
plot is wanting In originality and subtilty, and has
hot even simplicity 10 recommend IL. IL we take /
the men and women OF the play fair specimens OF |
American society then we must confess American |
society 10 be III bad state indeed. Apart from the
ugly moral tone that pervades the piece there Is an
objectionable vein OF coarseness and vuigarlty run
ming through the dialogue, which has neither point
nor prnliancy TO 0lfer as excuse. Many Of The |
wicked little bits which thrown in TO spice |
the performance have, no doubt, been inspired by |
such French writers as Sardou; but these naughty
epgrams somehow lose all their dl,esse and bril- |