The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-10
Mr.. Boucicauit and the Drama.

ccssful OF our present English dramatists.
He Is, besides, an artistic actor some Of his
representations deserving the highest praise,
and all of them showing histrionc talent Of
"a superior order. Therefore when he writes
OF the drama, he speaks about something Of
which he has experimental knowledge; and
what he has to say il entitled to careful at
tcntion. His bright and vivacious literary
STYLE indeed, IL sure 10 win for him readers,
especially IA he Is fond of making sharp
points and Of saying things out of the usual
course.
In the last number Of the rcjuvcnatcd
North American Roriw, Mr.. BoUCICAULT
putting his remarks in the form of a letter
10 Mr.. CHARLES READE, discusses the old
subject oil tho decline of the drama, and
succeeds IN saying some rather fresh IL not
altogether true things. He puts himself
among the mOurncrs over the dccadence Of
the stage, but he does not write like one in
the depths Of dependency. 1t Is probable
that, remembering his own plays, and not
being blind 10 their merits, he really thinks
things are not SO bad after all. Nor are
they: though everybody must allow that the
dramas now written are not likely TO keep
u permanent place in literature along with
those Of the great writer's Of former times.
Other forms of literature, especially fiction,
now engage the dramatic talent OF the PEE
riud, and doubtless as Mr. BoUcIcAuLr
argues, the progress OF scientific discovery,
and the advancement OF great material
works, with their stimulation Of enterprise,
have led many Of the finest minds away from
high literary production. Yet, after all.
excepting only the sixteenth century, there
has been no period OF Eng lish dramati ltsra-
turs 80 rich ana so prolific as the nineteenth
century.
But Mr.. BoUCICAuLr's main enemy OF the
drama, as Of all permanent literature, Is
the newspaper press The SHAKESPEARE Of
to-day Is editing morning Journal, and the
BAc0Ns, HUMEs BYRoNs, and SCoTTs are
employed as his assistants. 1t is pleasant
to have our professional labors 50 highly
appreciated By man Of tho critical ability
and the wide experience of Mr.. BoUCI
CAULT Tho journals nowadays certainly
10 absorb large share Of literary ability.
They offer the best medium for influencing
public opinion, they afford steady work for
writer's and real intellectual strength and
literary capacity are in constant demand.
As consequence, they have drawn into their
service many men of fine education and
great natural abilities. A daily newspaper
OF the best class, in London and New York,
now employs, even In its minor departments
writer's who have been thoroughly trained
and whose work will stand careful crti-
cism. Some Of the best work in The SUN, as
our readers are well aware, is in the reports
Of current events by such writer's.
But the occupation Of this talent by tho
newspapers does not produce the evil effect
on literaaure which Mr.. BoUCIcAULr imag-
ines. II rather tends TO help on literature, tn
encourage and foster it, since the newspapers
cultivate Il literary taste in thousands of
men, and by providing good writing enable
them to Judge of the value of that they find
in books. The newspapers also develop an
ambition for intellectual Improvement,
raise up constituencies for authors worthy
OF attention, and habituatc large classes Of
people TO logical thought. So far from de-
stroying other forms Of literature, there
fore, they prepare the field for them, make
them known 10 the community Of readers,
mud cdnc"tc II Ia appreciate them Hence ii
! is that books have IA much larger circulation
| knowledge Of English literature was never
| so extended as il Is to-day. Mr.. BoUCICAULI
| has got on the wrong track.
When he lays the decline Of the drama al
| the doors Of the dramatic critics, he Is also
| in error. Some of them may be, as he al
| lcges, incompetent for their work but pla y
| does not depend for its success on what q
| professional critic may say Of il, nor can h'
destroy the popularity OF an actor. Mr.
| BoUCIcAULT himself is an example OF thu
| truth Of what we say. For some reason al
| other. the gentlomen who write the theatre
cal notices for some of the journals seem t'
dislike this highly skilled playwright an'
| very clever actor, or they have failed 10 ap
| prcciate his rare abilities. ANY way, the!
have treated him severely at times, or hav,
spoken OF his work with ironical praise; ye
he does not seem to he hurt. His plays ar
almost uniformly successful, and the pub
lie enjoy his acting heartily. The critic
certainly have not depressed his spirits o
weakened his sef-confdencc In spite a
them he writes like successful and happ
man who has no doubts OF his power I
maintain the drama at an elevation at leas
as high as the public taste The assault
Of the critics have helped him.
Like many another man who attempt
to write about what goes on inside q
newspaper offices, he plumbers badly. ii
says that it is the habit OF the editor
issue instructions To his dramatic critic II
to what he shall say about theatrica
performance, TO make the notice kind an
pleasant and hints hat the fact that Thea
| tres are such steady advertisers influence
what is said about them. This may DO tru
OF inferior and starveling sheets. but no et
itor of II journal whose critical opinions al
of any value gives his theatrical writer an
instructions at all, but, having taken pain
to secure the services Of IA man competent I
do the work, leaves him TO go about II in h
2 own way, having no regard for anythin
except the truth. II Mr.. BoUcICAULT wi
t give us the name Of the editor Of n mctr
: ! politan journal VI repute aud ability who