The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-23
AMI SEMENT



think that II we are to Judge OF Steele Mac |
kaye by the personagcs OF his play. we must |
come to the conclusion that he knows q great |
deal more about tho eternal principles that |
ought to govern men with capital Il than he |
knows about men themselves.
Now the eternal principles are. without
doubt, admirable things in their way. but
painted for themselves alone they are about as
interesting as would be panorama by Bier
stadt Of the immensely Of Space.
have waited two weeks for somebody to tell
me what Is the matter with won at Last" and
l have waited in vain.
That n sincere effort at playwriting should go
without the compliment OF sincere criticism is
really too bad. and. in justice to Steele Mackayc.
think we ought TO determine his weaknesses
and excellences with honesty and patience. even
II we have to put him under the microscope
like his own cdcioddsys big,dtdtu.
assume that my reader IL an intelligent
| theatre Goer that he has been TO see Won at
| Last" that he had been moderately pleased at
| the incidents and been wholly unintercsted in
| the characters; that he came away with appro-
| baton on his lips for what was in many respects
a better piece Of mechanism than any Of the
American comedies that had preceded it. but
without any thankfulncss in his heart for the
Elusive spell Of romance.
assume this because am an intelligent
theatre gocr myself, and can only Judge Of
you 10y the effects produced in myown casc.
My conclusion was that the play IL one Of
ideas not oi fancy; that II is earnest. but wholly
unorgnal work; that il is built by method.
not 10y the Imagination: That is philosophy is
! more apparent than is Humanity; that it is en-
tit'd TO respect. hut will not kindlc enthusiasm.
The representation involves both the Bcauti-
ful and the Useful. But a. the Beautiful in
a. 10 ~ a. fIun The L
iul ! shall deal mainly with it in the person II
Mr. Montague believing. as Goethe said that
the Useful Miss CoShlanl will take care OF itself
Mr. Montague PLAYS the part OF Jolul Feu-
ing. the hero. who is Il man OF the worll-a
blasG man, with heart Of ashes. This ncino-
rated pcrsonagc wins 10y the usual method the
love OF Il pure. intelligent. undetermined girl.
trace. say 10y the usual method for II is alb
solutcly necessary that he should make this girl
think that hc loves her, or she never would have
consented to the marriage.
No sooner does J,ha Fleming become her
husband cit is while the marriage feast is going
on than he announces 10 his old friend IN.
SiriNg that he doesn't love the girl at all.
never dill. never expects TO. H. -nccrs at the
idea Of love. Not because 1t is stranger 10
him. but because he has experienced too mu il
OF it.
The idea that we got Of linn is that he il a
cynical rufiian who has deliberately deceived
n trusting girl, and who is either too ignorant
to know that it was yllainy or too knaysh {,
. care.
, The playwriehts theory. MS I read II In thu
play. IL that society makes this sor; II follow
That tho innurncs upon him of women VINO arr
y not pure has been 10 convert him into a sc.ils.
4 monster.
And finally that the Influence Of a plain. M
right girl who objects TO communicating th