The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-30
LAYS AND PLAYWRIGHTS.
Sharp Raps on Critics KnuckIes-J
~ Pugnaclous Criticism.
PUBLIC CAPRICE,
Comparisons of Audiences in
Three Countries.
THE AUTHOR-ACTOR AT HON Z

meteOTS
shich has been flashing across the horizon for nearly
aqaartcr Of century. Not everybody understands
him. He has made failures and drawn blanks in
the lottery of life. He has made other attempts and
secured prizes with which his pane Is likely 10 be
identified In connection with the brilliant works
81 the modern Stage II is worth while 10 apply to
him the comments that Will be found paraphra
further on, to- wit --'rhe habit of depreciation
that has cxistedor 900 years. We ali exaggerate the
past Each generation makes "a classic Of It's predeces
soL Time hides bemishes winch because out OF mind
to be aultless We recall grace form and color
when It Is IN the distance. This may be reason why
living men In their generation not esteemed
rs when they removed by DEATH"
1t Is not easy 10 describe the physical Bouccault
:yrente caLdn,o; but II Shakespeare in the Central
Park could tep down from his pedestal, don homcy
brown hat, get into commonplace modern clothing.
knock around democratcafly, utter bright pugnacous
and epgrammac thoughts be severe, and yet times
be gentle aud pathetic, reader would nave gen.
era idea OF OF the strangest OF ndivduaties IN
our present dramatic society On the other hand, If
you will dress Bouccauit like the statue aforesaid
lean him against mantlepicce compel him
to his legs aud pose with his head upon
his hand do the figures Of tho
old pictures, you will have very fair idea OF a
man who, in hs everyday life. without knowing
II, represents the great stage figure. Bouccauit
is not aware OF the resemblance, and Is therefore
odesty careless refusing regard jess of his
friends; yet the TACT is that the bald head with It's
Thin fringe of hair the sharp features the keep blue
eye, the direct voice and sententious stylc
minders least OF OF intellectual inherit
identified with the bard, and they make
him interesting. or course we don't know how the
Avon poet talked; but the who empts 10 follow
Dion Bouccault with the view Of catching his Every
best.n commits himself to u conversational stream
that loans aud and bubbles and sparkIes ike
cataract Clear ncisive and reminiscent, he Illus
trates what called stalking like book" and the
poor devil who attempts follow him
professionally had better throw up his situation
Something has been printed about his large income,
but there Is nothing in the arrangement Of his apart
ucnts that suggests more than the comforts OF
thoroughly at ease. The rooms are not papered but
hung with drapery ana decorated with pictures
There is sdeboard IN one corner easy lounge in
another, upright piano against one wall and
quste specimen OF Japanese lacquer work, which
the purpose OF receiving whatever his private
secretary chooses to nie The table at which he works
Is kind OF graveyard for dead neutrality-suspicious.
for work, invitations to dinner, suggestions about
plays cards OF visitors, his 'notes and queres;
In TACT thousand bits Of paper scattered Just
lessly a literary man might be imposed to throw
them. A stroke of lightning couldn't make more
CONFUSION.
looked like Jesuit in white. He buttoned to
The chin in close fitting silk lined dressing gown,
driving quill rate of forty pounds the square
inch through something that seemed like writing and
was indsposed TO be communicative. IL might be
quickly perceived that tho author-actor Is one VINO
wastes few words, yet when the visitor suggested that
the purpose Of his mission to inior-
nation with regard the object OF the dramatist IN
writing the article In the North american Rep,e,o on
the decline OF the drama, and in which the mischev
Gus influences Of the newspaper press discussed,
Mr. Boucicauit dropped his pen and plunged at once
into the theme.
NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW.
~ not unpreparod he said, ''lor the treatment
have received editorally throughout tue country
the result OF the article which you REFER But the
criticisms all appear to be In the Same vein. The
writer's mistake abuse Tor argument l could have
answered myself better. They have not on any occa-
addressed themselves the real task of subvert-
ing the views ! advanced, but seem rather to have
been content with throwing dirt-a baptism that
have been accustomed to Tor many years. The most
important answers that came to me from private
trends BY them am accused of falling into the
popular error OF deprecatng my own generation, ye.
THIS observed in the articlc itself that the de-
probation OF ones generation habit that
existed tor 1000 years. Each generation has made
classic OF its predecessor We ali exaggeratc the past
objects that to US betray their blcmi-he
while the objects far removed lose these faults
TO the sight aud We recall only the grace OF their
form aud color. This may be reason why living.
men rarely IN their generation
esteemed as Ahen they removed by death TO dis
lance 1t rs the same with living works. In of
the editorials have been jocuarly asked, Behind
what paper is the coming Shakespeare sccreted! TO
whom nsively referred as possible editor The
idea tha, u BRAN winch mig have turned to be
Shakespearlan had probably dcDaucnod by news
paper Practices and processes, an SO been deotaed
and reduced to Kind OF mechanical level, stwnted
and made incapable of ever arriving ut the growth
which 1t might have acneved III the healtniul mental
exercise Of mediation which tie poets Of the shake
speare era enjoyed Again, am freely accused oi
having butcd to deciine vi the uranIn TINS
accusation, however, IS unnecessarily, aud dismiss IT
with the remark that IN my own article Freely AL
nit IL
AN EXPERIMENT WITH PUBLIC.
But how come the ur1ma be 30 dcteriorated
and IN. pubic taste so deprcciaed ihat you nave tue
hardwood to produ, legitimate COMEDY III i've acts,
expect a success AS has attended tue scnoo
scandal the Rivals aud other plays oil tins Char
..well, to be frank have written this work to
III lar can the question whether there Is really
taste tor higher and better class OF ~ritins now
That has existed DUNG the past ten years. Ny own
impression Is that " New York there IS a puohc
rapa0le approaching tue finer touches OF comedy.
~ ceT'any uues hot cAiSs 'n ho"e"h. "'" ''' :. ~
tai,s here and whal extent IT can be depended ON
40 not Know, bot II is only rieht 20 ascertain
by experiment. anu liz THIS view nave
composed Marriage. In my judgment 'is
the best work o. this calibrc tnat l nave
written. II II be well constructed ana thoughtiuily
soaceived IL wiliserve AZ test, aud the crtcs WI
Dc able 10 Judge how lar am risht IN cohsiuerinR ae
have zone, that the pos uiur romantic drama Is more
suited 10 me temper Of tha present hour IMAM Tue
higher deneatons mat To be found III the Old
Comedies. Mr.. Wallac& Will be equally gratl0cd to
ind that there rs growing taste among the puDc Tor
y
sacrifices Tor ITS further cultivation II sucn be re-
lulrtd'
speaking OF yodr new play, Marriage have not
other comedies with the same tile been producodr'
Eyes, comedy, IN i've acis, written by Robert
Bell, produced at the Haymarket arc, ~ Lon
don, IN 1913 Learn that three play with the
same title also produced IN New York Jour i've
years ago author OF wUicu Mr.. j. Ste, e Mac
kaye, and sui another, IN Provld nee, X /. Tho
of the SUBJECT that have taken however, Is
so different that there cannot possibly bc any sini-
larry between Inc works My coaedy covers a space
of 1l houIs Ielrescnlimg the day The