The New York herald., 1873-12-12
mucn Aao About Something.

We have for the past few days devoted some
space to a number Of pointed communications
criticising criticism which appeared in the
HERALD on Mr. Dion Boucicaults comedy
lied Astray." The HERALD departs from no
rule in giving redress to those who think them
selves wronged in its columns. When the in
dependent public, which pays for its seats at
the theatre, or even interested parties assum-
ing the guise of an injured public, present
complaints Of HERALD critics opinions,
bearing primd facie value, we have no objec-
tion to their stating their case. We thoroughly
understand that controversy of this nature
generally furnishes little cheap advertising
to the subject matter. which, when play is
concerned, is salable merchandise just as
much as any other commodity in the market
The test of the question: to critcse and to cross
criticise is found in the useful light which o
discussion can bring about. When good ac-
crues to the public, and no harm is done, we
should be niggard, indeed to deny an author
or theatre little advantage.
The comedy now acting at the Union Square
Theatre is the feast in honor Of the return of
the Prodigal Son of the drama. Years and
years ago he left the parental home of comedy,
where he was promising son, and took a
journey into the far country of sensation and
there wasted the substance of his brain with
riotous writing. He enjoyed it and fattened
on it In ''The Streets Of London he met
TRANCE company, and he fell in with such
females as ''Formosa," who were the goddesses
of his literary worship for giddy while. 'It
paid" and he was glad of heart The public
thronged to worship with him, and when the
prudes frowned he pointed to the glimmer of
white arms and the glances of maidens' eyes
in the proscenium boxes. So our Prodigal
worked on until the public delighted them
not any more in sensation. 1t was a drug in
the market and the emotional was bore
Then in the days when the kline of sensation
were growing lean he turned him homeward,
having no stomach for husks We all remem-
Der the touching humility of the returned
Prodigal of DID, when he knelt down at his
fathers feet and asked to be included among
the mere ''help." Dion, indeed, does not
adopt this exact line to his parent. He is o
Prodigal of the ''age of progress" and his
humility might sound to the benighted NOR
tails of couple of thousand years ago very
much as if he were patronizing the old gentle
man. He forgot to mention much about his
sins, probably from modern motives of family
delicacy, and came back asking for his purple
dressing gown, seal ring and red morocco
slippers, with the following plaintive speech:
"Dear Pop, have come back for the purpose
of reviving, if possible, taste for the legiti-
mate drama, which deserted many years ago
for the Formosa' style of play. There
would be egotism and vanity in the assump-
ton that alone am the person capable of
undertaking this task if there were any other
individual living who could be associated with
me in it. Unfortunately there is not hap
pen to be the only dramatist living whom the
English-speaking world have been pleased to
accept as capable of writing legitimate
comedies that have been ranged among the
standard drama of the past" Now, no one
but hypercritic could fail to be
impressed by the fine feeling which
has brought Mr.. Boucicault home to the
legitimate Let him be as legitimate as he
can, and We shall help him to eat the fatted
calf he kills in his own honor. We know
that the dramatic brothers of the Prodigal are
unworthy of mention. Tom Taylor, Tom
Robertson and Brougham and Gilbert are
beings that the world has not heard Of; and
as the French dramatists are foreigners, who
cares to hear Of them?
We must here deprecate the tone of some of
the communications on this important matter
1t is not argument, for instance, to say that O
man is bilious. His lines should not be
judged by his liver. There is ready con-
nection to superficial minds between an impu-
tation of jaundice in the physi-
cal and strong condemnatory writing
from the mental. 1t is poor kind of
device, and does not help any cause.
Mr.. Boucicault has invoked the spirits Of his
gifted fellow countrymen, Goldsmith and
Sheridan. Let him get along without the
names of their plays being suggested by his
reclamations-n "Stoops to Conquer, -
'School for Scandal and "Rivals." Let him
not be easily panied into cheap self-assertion.
In this line he takes an unfair advantage of
the critic, who cannot retort by praising him
SELF It is not faithful critics business to
praise authors and actors up to the level of
their self-esteem, even when that is as moder-
ate as Mr.. Boucicaults. The author of stLon-
don Assurance" and cold Heads and Young
Hearts," says, II have been rewarded so
highly for poorer work that owe something
to them and to myself" Now, despite the
reconciliation of his conscience to the matter,
we should advise him not to think of paying
much Of that debt in French notes. But he is
the Prodigal to the end, and spendthrifts are
often careless of the meum et tuun, SO the
glasses jingle. Our desire is that this little
breeze may blow somebody good. Mr.. Bouci-
cault has promised us comedies, original and
otherwise, on the understanding that there is