The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-04

own unromantlc and unpicturesque era
II you have ever seen him as Leon Detndr In |
his own Veteran" you must have felt that |
such a dazzling creature. 30 overpowerinRly |
dressed. was too bright and good for the ordi-
nary purposes OF life. Did not the feathers Of
Benedick take away our breath.
How often when you were wondering at the
cynical heroes OF lobertsons idylls-heroes
who wero all alike and believed that heroism
consisted in reducing life TO u mot-how often
have you yawned while you applauded and
secretly wished that something would whsk Mr.
Wallack out OF the hum-drum suit. and into the
stirrop hose and petticort breeches Of Charles
the Seconds time. How would we have pricked
up our senses ut the intensest moment OF John
Garth II The Captain OF the Watch" had but
stepped full blown out OF Castian romance-a
rcsounding myth. whose courtly manners and
elegant RIGHTEOUSNESS touched us to the heart.
Was there school girl among us who did not
feel that to wear plume and handle sword
like that robbed vice Of half its hdeousness7
Not whit more real was Elliot Gray OF
"Kosedale." The gallant favorto OF that COM
posite fable did not belong TO actual life. He
was the traditional hero Of English periodical
fiction.
The pink OF cheap romanticlsm that was all.
The stock darling OF British maids for three
| generations in IA scarlet coat. he walked out OF
| an English magazine upon our boards IA natty
az conventional. and US unreal US Prince Charm
| ing himself.
| But with what thrill OF admiration we saw
| him knock down the big rufan in the fret at
| the big ru1ian sonnet times falling before no
was knocked-as II Mr.. Wallacks presence were
| quite as effective rs his nsts-and never Offering
tho least resistance. How we screamed with
delight ut the sngle-handed bravery OF the
darling in the gypsy dell. when he had COM
pany Of soldiers couccnled in the rocks. and did
| such heroic things while they were there. Even
the gallant conduct OF the darling when he
leads the forlorn hope in the last act OF " The
Veteran" and marches over the paper boxes TO
| victory ia not comparable TO that ar-away
| dream Of pocsy.
But our loyalty. our suhscrvlency. and our
humility were not greater than were those Of
| tho characters in the plays. There was one
| focus to which the lines OF business all led. II
| was the darling. There was not a parsonage.
All incident. or an episode that did not live and
move with obsequlous reference 10 the better
showing Of MIR. Wallack.
And. Of course as life In our day IL not thus
Obligated we feel that the life which Mr.. Wal
lack portrays Is the life Of some other day.
Perhaps he docs not know ii. for nobody Inns
told him Of II: but this subordination OF every
thing in play TO himself results in pushing
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present condition OF things.
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= efficacy wholly upon the high moral purpose