The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-09
ADJUSTMENTS.


ing Il bad one. and who is, in fact. on his way to
New York at this moment to DO celebrated by II
testimonial dinner.
Having heard that Sothcrns attempt with
" The Crushed Tragedian" failed in London.
John T. Raymond. no doubt. Immediately set
about packing up Col Sellers" for export.
Hc was right. Sothern carried Goals to New
castle. He ought to have stayed in New York.
where. II there IL no fox hunting. there is. ut
least. an everlasting chase for good actors. II
there is anything the English people will not
tolerate it is an English play Amcricanizcd.
Their weakness ia all the other way. and de-
mands an American play Angciacd.
suppose II the English people think about
the matter at ALL and what they think could be
condensed into an American paragraph. it
would be something like this: You produce
actors. but we produce plays. Merit is local and
partial. Success is international. Send ali your
good actors over here and we'll write new plays
for them or rewrite those that they have"
John. most likely. has had some correspon-
denco on this subject and subscribes to this
sentiment. Ne knows now that he IL good
actor. for tho Lotos Club tells him so every year
in a commondatory way. and the American
people are always ready to adopt any view that
the Lotos Club advances. lie must also know
that he has n very bad play.
In a literary and priori way he must know
it. because Mark Twain wrote it. In prac-
teal way he must be convinced OF it. because
what everybody says must be true.
But the unmtigatcd and poignant badness Of
the play only makes Johns supernal talent
shine the brighton.
don't know Of another actor who so thrivcd
and triumphed on badness
The moro the play smclled TO heaven with its
literary and dramatic rankness. the more
heaven-iavored John appeared for surviving II
and surmounting It.
His humor was tho true and fecund principle
OF nature herself which embroders even a
dung heap with poses.
The story OF that play was Incredible. foolish.
and weak. The plot was manufactured like
patent scrap-book. ready cummed, that any
current incident might adhere TO il. Tho
pathos painfully intended. was always igno-
I rantly undiscovered. And the wit was tram
Piled all over with Mark Twains hoof marks.
| and was vulgar irreverent. and coarse.
But. for all this. there was new individuality
in the play when 1t came to be represented and
that redeemed 1t. For the American people
will break their nccks to welcome a new man
when he arrives. and wouldn't at any time
| break their afternoon nap TO welcome a new
idea.
And the Americans are doubtless right for
what Is new man but new idea. and what
are ideas worth until they are organized in
flesh and blood and begin to do something?
II didn't hate ideas myself Ia mention one
here to the efroct that the termination Of the
world in a man is the last victory of Intelligence.
And. II you will allow me. the consumma-
| ton OF thought in play is the latest triumph
Of mere ingenuity. which in science and art
wastes its time in reducing facts to negations
| and actions to sentiments.
| a man. such rs he was arrived In Colonel Sell
| lerS. 1t is true we mover succeeded in separat-
| ing the character from the actor. But 1t wasn't
necessary. They both arrived at the same time
| Whether John had broke out in the profession
| or Colonel Sellers had consented to walk the
streets. was not worth determining. social
fact had consented To live in animated FORM
| An Americanism had formulated itself over
night. A pervading continental truth that had
hung in our atmosphere like dew one cannot
see. but which onr feels in his bones. had been
touched by something and suddenly sparkled
in crystalline sharpness and dcnnitiveness.
| Such was Sellers. He had rs much to do with
the play on which he rested as a frost has 10 do
with vegetatlon-he gave the weeds a silver
significance that did not belong TO them. lie
walked through the plot with the same impe-
rial indifference 10 relationships and prouri-
cities that we are fond Of attributing to the ideal
Yankee among the soyeregns II Europe. He
cared no more for the pathos Of situation than
Jean Paul did when he cracked his Yankee
Jokes on the tombs in Westminster Abbey.
He staggered into drawing rooms. knock
ing down the plaster goddesses. much as Walt
Whitman staggered into poetry and Knocked
down the clay figures Of the rhymers. lie
snapped his fingers at the stage authorities
very much rs Stanley recently snapped his fin
gers at his British entertainers.
But in doing all this he WAS rs utterly uncon-
scious Of any rudeness rs was Judge Hilton
when he pronounced an opinion ON his own
efforts to run Il hotel. Unlike BardiceR Slote
who shaved himself at picnic because it was
not proper so to do. or Walton Stray. in the last
act Of Brass" who went bowling mad because
he did not know what else to do. Sellers pursued
the even tenor Of his simple audacity without
trying to be effective.
There is no doubt now that Mark Twain
thought. when he threw his materials into the
dramatic crucbe. that an effective. interesting
picturesque meodrama would emerge that
would somehow get into literature. He must be
amazed 10 find this one character always grin
ming triumphantly at him over the pot. | don't
suppose any effort at dramatic amagamaton
ever produced such solitary and unexpected
result
suppose il must he accepted as another proof
OF the latter-day rule. which says when you
wish TO cook n play. first catch your actor. II
used to he. first catch your theme and then catch
your public.
At all events. one thing is sure. 1t is this
John has contributed an enduring portraitur,
to the stage and am firmly convinced that il
will meet with the same hearty recognition il
England as it has met with here. That is The
point, in fact. that wanted TO make.
The fatigued fellows in London are perfect!
ravenous for Il new man. and they Away,
showed sneaking fondness for every new
conner who kicked over the traces and dehcd tn,
convcn,ionnlites which they regularly bow to
I7Hdredry pluckcd at their mutton-chop wills
kers and positively guyed them with their Owl
eyeglasses. and they roared amain.
Charley Thorne put his foot on the preiudicei
Of centuries and said, oh boshl what you wan
is not culture. you know. but bones and blood.
and they cried. Young Lochinvar has com,
out Of the Wcst'
Take my word for it, if Colonel Sellers" II
played in London. the Queen will 70 TO see it
The Spectator will say it is a marvellous object
i've reflex Of a subjective picture; that it pre-
SCENTS the lf-mnQp men of the American ma