, 1875-02-07
BARTlEY CAMPBELL.

| 60 fa1 as ons can discover, are hunting labori
/ ously for the article, the American Drama is q
] far OF Is ever. Mark 7 vain has done something
| to console them. He wrote 'Ths Gilded Age, :
| and introduced into it 4 striking American char
| aeter in Col. Sellers. But beyond that contribu
hon to current stage literature nothing has besI
| offered to allav their aching for a, truly Amer
| ican play. Even tho truly American writer's seen
to have given up tue pursuit in disgust. Bartle
] Campbell wrote the "Virginian - as tru1
American play, but it was not. 1t WAS barely in
tetestins, because it was not richly endowed
With ideas, aud tho events thereof were mourn
fully meagrc, and the arrangement injudicous
aud tho dialogue weak. and the denouarnent tot
long expected, aud so forth-faults which nigh
have been corrected had the author taken pain.
to correct them. .-
And now tha last dramatist has sat down il
disgust, and said he never will again bring al
the resources OF his powerful mind to bear upor
tho construction Of an American drama. It il
even questionable whather he will eyer write an
other.
What then will Mrs Bowers do? Here is az
actress OF immense tragic possibilities, and u
long g-tme favorlta upon the stage, one Of the
habit Of seeing in due season, PLAYING tho same
old pieces, which nobody in particular carea to
SEQ over again for long time. just as it be-
comes known that she must have 4 new play, the
great American dramatist throws down his pen
Gil and says that is the last Of it. This is nn-
Barley Campbell should write Mrs. Bowers q
now play. She needs one, and Campbell neods
or will in d day or two need, purchaser. He
hes just finished ono, md there is plenty OF time
during the week to write another for Mrs. Bowers
at auy rnte as good as the last And
writing for ap actresa OF Mra. Bowera' art and
experience, Mr. Campbell may derive some little
benefit from her suggestions. But above all, he
will be held OF for swhilo from the Danger Of
committing. another Irish play, ADD feeling Of
ing his attention otherwise occupied
There would bo some advantage to Mrs.
Boue1s too, in obtaining Mr- Campbell's ser
vices. She would in all probability find herself
plsying 3 familiar part, or part de1terously
made up OF familiar parts, rhich would simplify
her study, even it attended by symptoms Of gid
diness. And air. McCollom would bo similarly
provided for. Besides, who knows but they might
strike out the American drama by accident?
If not, he could write it over again before the
leaving the Whole Of Saturday and an hour or
two Monday to write another IN case none Of
these succeeded in pleasing her. For ME. Camp
bell is very rapid playwright, and can turn ont
more plays than any other American dramatist,
Boucicault and all. Giso him an American sub
" Akh
dressed, with your early cup OF coffee merit
II American dramas could be disposed
of by the pound, or tho dozen, he would roll iu
af1uence. Sold singly, they go of very readiEy.
1Irs. Bowers might content herself With one, or
abe might be induced to take all three ut bar
gain. She would do better to adopt the
latter plan, and have one or two ready for the
Eme when the first palled.
But while Barley Campbell can rattle off 4
pound or two Of American comedy in an hour,
ILx- II ASr++
perhaps be at home in tragedy; in sensation he
Is veteran, as nitness Through Fire y; in
melodrama ho may be unequaled. But an Irish
play beats him. His ''Grana Uai}e u is q failure
is an I1ish drama. Il was not spontaneous. It
Vas the result OF Boucicsults SUCCESS with The
3hauchraun," and Was dashed off to supply a
'ancied demand for that sort OF thing. The fact
$ that the Irish drama hAs been for yea1s neg
ected field. Boucicault had cultivated it With
sondertul SUCCESS, and it was supposed that
ais excftions' aud those OF bis many lmitator6
lad exhausted the nutriuent Of the soil and 1t
las been Tying fa1low. When the last American
tranas failed, that shrewd observer went back
o his Irish dramas and produced the 'Shaugh-
aun." Campbell hurried after him With equal
mercy, and patched up "Grana Uaile." Boucl-
auit selected as the central figure Of h1s play
be Shnlghrdun, \ character which has no exact |
,arallel IN anT other country. Campbell tried
o find q similar pivot, aud chose a wandering |
allad-siuger. Roucicault breathed into his char
cte1B q breath OF life. Campbell patched |
hem into q quaint s=mblauce Of mankind, |
nd pushed them about Boucicault's plot |
, strongly developed BY patient and shitlfut |
1anpatist. MIR, Campbel's work gives evidences !
the most hurried and unetudied work The
,ost interesting incident in the drama is that in !
Ibich the VILLAIN, while entreating the heroine to
ccept his guilty lore, suddenly conoeires plan |
hichf comes near being successful He aees |
be lover, who is witnessing the interview from
place OF concealment- aud thereupon ACCUSES [
he e1rl Of havang accorded him pfivileges Which
uly their marriage could condone, and thus
oisons the mind Of BIER lover against her. The
iea is ingenious, but 50 1niseraply ia It develop
/ that it loses al its dramatic force. At best, |
is improbable; as careleaaly worked up. it is
,aicrous and Impossible. =
This scane is not the only ono which displays
oyou!7, hasty treatment, but 1t is needless to
" more about this point The characters Of
re- piece arc not Irish in any scpse. They nelth-
: act nor look like lrishmen, and it is not 10 be-
ondened At that they do not The authors
noWIedee Of the Irish character is superficial |
.1!ved mainly from tho Irish plays he has seeu,
,d perhaps from Lishmen he has met. Al for
nhibinQ the characteristics OF any claas Of Irish
eu. he has not come near it He cannot even
rite their brogue, much less 1eink with them
trace THAR mot1ves, Indeed, an, amusing
nv ia told upon excellent sutharity Of the |
amer in which hIr. Campbell. laid the
iat mon his characters. He was- f0debt-
i .tf, LADY, .pf Iriah birth Tor the