The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-26
A Grand Picture of an EZ-
ceptional Age.
PHILIP AND MA RY.
Cranmer in Prison and at
the Stake.
AN ESTIMATE OF THE WORK.

The announcement that Alfred Tennyson had
written play was an event which created q SEN
Iation in the literary and artistic world that no
similar announcement could have created. Ex-
pectation was al It's height 10 ascertain whether
his endeavor in an un,ried eld was a success;
whether IN a work OF this KIND the laureate would
sustain his reputation as q poet and win new
lustre 4 dramatist. The Endorsement or the
London Times, that nothing equal TO it had ap-
pearec since Shakespeare. gave IL a peculiar In
terest on this side Of the Atlantic, and the
American people, ever ready 70 welcome the
trlumphs OF genius, awaited appearance
with GREATNESS anticipation. Tennyson, in hts
Drcs as well as in his longer poems, mad shown
himself such a complete master or his art, and in
'The Princess; ana IN his ballad poetry had
eyinced much dramatic instinct, that the ques-
uon OF his success a a dramAtst was the highest
literary problem or the age. SHOULD he prove o
master OF tae dramatic form, and at tue same time
sustain his rank as poet. IT was conceded that
his work would raise the Victorian epoch 10 the
height OF the Elzaoethan age and marx the turn
ing point OF the literature or the nineteenth cen
fury. IL view or all this 1t was only natural tnat
ais drama should be looked for with such wide
spread expectation, and it is not surprising that
Its appearance should be greeted with something
very Ike disappointment.
THE SCOPE THE WORK.
The epoch CHOSEN FOR the aramais the reign or
Queen Aary OF England 1t was field not alto
Eether unoccupied, OUT never completely filed, II
Shakespeare is accepted a the model OF the his
torlcai drama. In his play OF '.'rwixt Axe and
Crown Tom Taylor mad partially employed the
events OF the period With which Tennyson's
drama deals; out his work was purely the
hack work OF a hack dramarist and his Princess
Elizabeth was SO completely suoordinatec 10 the
capacity Of an actress OF very moderate abilities
that II is impossible IL should ever IND recognition
outside Of the histrionic Efforts OF the
artist 10 whose capabilities it was fitted.
fair acting play, it Is not good enough
10 be read. No other dramatlst who dealt With
the same epoch succeeded nearly SO well as Mr..
Taylor, and so II was lett 10 Mr.. Tennyson TO
sweep al prevlous efforts on The stage and out OF
our literature should he prove himself the
Shakespeare Of this age. This Is what the great
master OF dramatic writing mad cone with those
who went before him. ana II the poet laureate has
not succeeded IN accom- plisaing this much, IL Is
proof that tie claim wncn the London Times mas
made for MIN Is unfounded. our own opinion Of
his work Is that 1t Is not 50 much a historical
drama az a study or history. 1t Is lacking IN all
the essentials of good acting play-striking stu
auons and elective stage business. The cnarac-
ters are always family ana sometimes ieeoly
drawn. The division OF the scenes into acts IL
artificial, ana the dranatts persona OF whom there
are iorty-nve, come and 60 ike taking puppets
instead OF real men and women. But ior al this.
the drama, even as Q orama, Is q very great work.
II begins with the beginning oil Mary's reiga asd
ENDS with the death OF the il-fated aud unhappy
Queen. In the nrst act the martyrdon OF Cranmer
and the succession Of the Princess Elizabeth are
foreshacowed, while the singular love OF the queen
iof the yellow BEARDED, narrow ana oigoted Philip
Of Spain Is introduced as tue chief motive OF the
play. Mary's attachment 20 that selrsh monarch,
her devotion 10 Mother Church. tAs prosecutions
and treasons Of her unfortunate reign, the burn
ing Of cranmer, the intriRues OF the spanlard Tor
the hand or Elizabeth, wno S made 70 say OF her =:
- am not sure
SIC VII not serve ne uetter-so ny queen
Would leave ne-as-my vile,
ana the aeata 81 tns queen are al there ia or plot
n the drama ana these are sometimes superbiy
md often boldly wrought out. wnen We shall have
ooEed more closely into the WORK. Indicated
~ the scope or the dramaiists effort, shall see
. iauts as well a. rs merits more clearly. and per-
haps be aole Win sone degree or certainty. TO
assign 10 Il IL place IL dramatic literature.
THE OPENING Or THE DRAMA
10 many respects. not only In detached and spe-
:ine passages, but cve1 10 the general method,
inere many "reminiscences or Shakespeare
throughout tne work. There Is something snake
lDearian 10 the lines pas IN the mouth Of simon
Rsnar1, the spanish Ambassador, VINO speaks 70
the Queen " the block great scarecrow in
Der lathers time and says:-
have heard The tongue Jet quiyer'd with tho jest
Naen tae aead leapt.
Nor could tnere Be- pretner imitation OF one
of Snakespeare's coEceits taan the scene In the
arst act between Renard AID the Lady Alice.
where she upbrAlds hin for the overdr4wn pic.
lure of The Prince ~ Master. which ne mas Iust
made to tHe queen. Il a. fonows:-
ALICE.
o. Maste- Renard Master Renzrd,
n ~ N4W tale Y4lrF agw g4w penn
Praised, where you should nave blamed aim.
No woman ever love you. Master Renard.
4 oreaEs nay heart 70 bear nsr moan AZ night
A TO the nightmare never lett her BED.
NJ pretty maiden, tel me, did you ever
ALICE
That's not pretty question
sot prettily put mean, my pretty maiden,
pretty man Tor sucn pretty maiden.
Ny Lord of Devon Il pretty man.
nate lin. Well, out II nave, what tneni
kEEAED.
Then, prety maiden, yoa should know that
A .iua y warm or cola, Il serves 70 fan
klndied IRE.
ALICE.
According u tue song
ms friends would p. s,, pm I believed en-
n .ss s 9sse r. raas S9 ssofnsa en-
Hs oes-ths devil bad sub0rnd EN-
the introduction 81 tae nrst second ana tRlrd
ritlzen, and OF the afst and second gentleman In
me opening scene not only after the SNAKES.
pearlan manner, Il i the Snakespearian method,
Ind what Is most remarkable about &. Il that the
ak OF oastards In the arst scene II the arst act
vas almost the yixor Of the witch's scene in "Mac.
peth.r we reproduce the whole 81 H.
ACT l.
CROWD. MAR5BALMRS.
MkRsHALMAE.
stand back, Keep 4 cleai lane. When Will her
MAJESTY pass, aayst thouf Way now, even now