New-York tribune., 1871-01-16
THE DRAMA.
BOOTHS THEATER-LOYE

BOOTHS THEATER-LoYE AND LOYALTY.
Saturday evening-the first of Mr.. Booths
offnights-was sgnazed By the presenation, for the
first time here, of Mr. W. j. RObs0ns drama OF Love
and Loyalty" The piece neatly put upon the stage
the sets OF scenery for each OF the five acts being
elaborate and handsome. The audence-all things con-
sdered,-was a numerous one; and certainly 1t vas
cheerful tolerant and kindfor it received Love and
LOYALTY" with attention. interest sympathy, and fre
auent applause. This, cannot help thinking was
cordial tribute OF recognition hansehe drama DC
seryes-for its story is trite, its movement Is da
its situations are often awkwardly contved ana us
language is mostly that imbece fustan which results
from the effort Of prose TO do duty as poetry one extra
ordinary line We remember, made reference TO the
heaying bosoms Of the stars"astronomcal phenomena
OF which, we venture TO say, neither Cambridge nor
Greenwich has any knowledge. And this rcmardabs
figure is not a whit absurd than many Others OF ~
kindred with which the dialogue OF the play pastered
II a udicious editor would read Love and Loyalty
and cut out all tho fine writing. the composition coud
not fail to be materially better. Even then however
doubt if the intelligent and thoughtful sfecator gifted
with sense Of symmetry in dramatic construction
could accept IL with unalloyed pleasure. lt ~ouid 10
simpler and sensible but its chief combinations OF
circumstance would still be somewhat opposed to reason
and occasionally open to rdicule We do not forget o'
course, that it is the function OF an ideal ~ork-"hoh
this certainly is in design-to present reality in ianen
forms; nor 90 we lOrStt lndt etIlCt tV"i''"'''' "
actual is neither to be expected nor desired In such
production OF art Yet on the other hand, We think II
NAV be urged In fairness that the Imagination ias Oh
its purpose when instead OF eeyatng the actual ana
symbozng it in ideal forms, its effort results IN stn'
tions that are ludicrous by reason OF theF glafns
improbabity. Its efort-or rsther the enort OF
mental enthusiasm, acting in its stead-has 50
rosulted in "Love and Loyalty" The play ought
IN have been written in prose. The impulse that S~rls
lis verse Is not inspirationt is wind. No poet could
have fashioned such phases Of conduct as the hero ana
lover is made illustrate in this drama por written gF
gingerbread verbosty its personages are oiten auo
10 utter IL is only the prose-wrter acted Win 'ho
desire but not blessed with the poer OF poetic express
sion who can thus attempt flight for which fate mas
denied him the wings. Having thus defined our inF
pressons with respect to the literary caher and char-
ter Of the work-which Is substantially new 70 to
local stage, and therefore entitled To more thah
word of passing cOmmentwe must In justice add th''
apar from extravaganza OF form and style, II mas ara
matte force and variety attained by vivid contrasts Oh
strong characters brought together under romantic a
affecting circumstances The time OF the play i l01
The scene lad In and English country house.
The storywhch calls to mind the recently written
story Of TennysOn's Maud sets forth that young
gentleman, whose father had died for King Charles "
Naseby and who had himself lived in exile froin En-
gland returned to his home 70 find that home ana All
his inheritance, in the possession OF crafty Rouhdhesd
openly now an adherent or the secohu '"''''' '
secretly traitor To the Stuart Worse than thah tn'
n 4, the young genteman's fortune 10 see and love.
and be beloved by, the daughter OF the spoler' vi"
famous noble, however, also loves this lady anu know
ing her fathers completely in treason threatens 10
betray the SIRE unless honored with the hahd ana or
tune OF the child Some complications ensue-in tho
course of which the heroic lover, whom Ten or h'een
persons desire KILL establishes himself IN the houeoi
his enemy aud. for no visible reasoh' escapes u'a.
a succaasion M, annarant miracles In the end hs
needless 10 add he defeats the bad ncbeman wins tnS
heroine and, rescues his prospective fatherinlaw Tho
character of this hero is combination OF Tobias Ro
tando, with SCOTS quentin Dur''ard. Mr. Barre"
acted n with great intellectual energy, Win
deep feeling. and with such ease and grace
al only are possible 10 the true artS'
truly master OF bis subject lis ierNor, ia more tAAa