The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-11

DO tOrm-thW sno lelt Ms nandS
nawlcss statue which his successors might
multiply by casts. but wore not to dream OF
tooling. A glance at the poets life will best in
tcrprct tho spirit OF his work. As sympathetic
rs Goldsmith and almost M shy as Hawthorne
his sensitive and ponsivc nature carly sought
n refuge from tho fame which. IN his brief
career OF courtor. had occasioncd some
hours OF rapture and many toars. His homo
long withhold him from the theatre. and In the
bosom of domestic JOYS peace healed and re-
ligion comfortod henri which seems to have
been bruised and frightened by the shocks
and clamors OF the world. Now. bcstow on such
q man such n mentor ~ Eoilcau place him for
n season In the atmosphere OF Versailles. and
you may easily sclzo the posture of his mind
and forecast his method Himself OF a cautious
temper. and tutorod by the French Add
son. Racine owed II 20 the stubborn
fro OF a creative genius that his plays were
not frigd "a Cato" But although Boileau
could not clip his pupils wing he could. and
did. direct his course. Leave" You can
hear him say. to rude Shakespeare and Moor
sh Calderon their sublime flights and falls.
Choose for thy safer realm the table land Of tho
beautiful. unvexed by the grotcsquO and trivial
aspects OF common life. unshadowcd by tho
giddy SUBMITS beset with 80 many dangers and
80 hard to SCALE" Such counsels Racine would
embrace with ardor since they countcnanccd
his tastes. And in fact everything was disposed
70 favor his treatment OF the drama Corneio
had disavowed the impulse which had once led
him toward the Spanish theatre and rcnouncod
the promise OF the Cid. so that no rival theories
disputed and no traditions embarrassed the
stage. Even prejudice encouraged Racine. and
he was destined to ennohlc prejudice
In his earliest piece Racine announced the
principles OF his art Tragedy henceforward
must look we'll to her gown. compose her
features. and move with n measured step.
| Tho troubles aud perplextiee OF domestic
| life. homely passions. vulgar grefs. are
summariy banished to comedy and farce
Tho argument and characters must bc drawn
from remote times modern history being
discarded "a wanting in perspective and in
the mist and halo which are conferred by
age Crock myths and Roman chronicles will
probably afford the safest themes. but lest their
rugged limos and sombro coloring offend pol
ishcd taste. let them be softenod and mellowcd
SO that the eye which is overawed hy grandeur
may be won 10y icliracy. Some Of tho results Of
this method are amusing. Thus the savage
/ forti,udc OF Porus. by curious anachronism.
| il tempered to a Christian resignation and u
| tnge OF Gallo galantry renncs tho Roman foa-
lures of the son OF Ncsnasian. Tho stern spirit
| Of Hebrew virgin might secm forbidding. but
she will be- sure, II seems to awaken sympathy
/ whom she is made to breathe the gentle picty
| Of Port Royal and in like manner the stalwart
forms Of Achilles or Alexander will gain in
| grace what they lose In majesty by kneeling to
/ the tender passion.
OF course the studied refinement AMI chas-
/ tened pathos of such compositions required q
/ language Of their own-a sustained and careful
diction toleraby elastic. no doubt. and sonorous.
/ but modulatod with nice precision. and con-
| fined TO n limited range. And accordingly. If
kacines style rarely startlcs or electries IL It's
| dignity IL sometimes inappropriate, we may be
sure II will never shock. and will almost always
/ please. Whatever W. may think of his method.
| 1t is certain that Racine exhausted It's capacity
| Of charm. Great critics like Boileau proclaimed
/ the beauty Of his ideal, and appauded the con-
summate realization. Minor critics whose
myoptic glance missed the plan and proper
tous Of the edincc could ut least deciphcr the
elaborate fricze and admire the m0sai. pave
ment Palace aud boudor loved him. and they
/ love him still II WIS shrcwdy said II his
tragedies which have always becn well received
by the fashionable world. and by no other that
even In foreign countries they somehow lind
! their birthplace.
This was the model and these were tho prin-
ciples Of dramatic art which Hugo found in pos
session of the French theatre. II was not in
him 10 do them homage for he was truly son
OF tho century. and his spirit owned no kiuship
with the laureates OF the Old regime. Pass no:
part Of his youth in Spain and always an ardent
admirer OF England he had studied the roman-
tic drama In its birthplace and second home.
and by comparison the classic TRACE iy 81 France
appear ed false and froz n thing. Moreover.
temperament conspired with training Co shape
tho poet course. A glowing fancy ana an
eager heart had made Hugos youth lustrous
and fruitful lie was fervont and earnest
| man. While his nerves tingled with buoy
! ant life and the blood ran lusty in his veins ne
WIS not ono 10 loiter and dream in u lotos land,
or people with graceful shadows an artificial
staxe. Altogether too restless for rcvorie reali-
tiee alone had power TO fire his synpathics.
1t is given 10 such men, through the crash
and chorus Of daily strife 10 detect some
fute-iike notes Of beauty, and while others
seek pathOs distilled through ancient
legend. these have the skill to catch the fra
grant balm ne it oozes from the wounded bark.
Those who like Hugo recognize a kind OF
priesthood in their function Of poet hold truth
always noble and elegance often false. All that
which oppressed Racine-the rush and scram-
bic OF interests the iostlings and tramplings OF
the street, smoke Of market and din of forum
cannot tease or cloud n robust and sunny spirit
and while delica'y cannot seduce, SO even thu
ridiculous cannot dismay him; hence all the
levties. humors and follics which had been eX-
lied by the tragic muse are welcomed back by
tho apostle of romantcism to the French stage.
Ia a word Hugo's method sought to win from
nature her effects of light and shade. Like her
he would compel the trivial to relieve or height
en- tho sublime. H. will profit, too by Regnier's
hint that nonchaanco is the refinement Of arti-
Ace. And finally, his canvas will disclose To us
the Janus face and latent power Of the gro
tesquc. loagued on one side with terror and
cnging on the other 10 the tendrils ~ pity.
Thus. 10 seek concrete examples. we arc
made TO feel an awiul irony in the con-
trust OF Triboul't's cap aud bells with his
scheme Of Satanic vengeance. And. again.
throughout the play If " Ruy Bias " the friction
of nm elaborate etiquette serves 10 chair an cx-
plosiye passion. Tho triAng Of Louis Trei2o
accrntuates the anguish Of Marion de- Lorme %
while the despair Of her sombre lover is sharply
projected by comrades Needless levity
During the supper given in Ferrara mirth aud
dalliance strew flowers in the path Of treason
and Jovial drinking song preludos chant of
death. So under the shadow Of fatality which
| shrouds the fortress Of the Burgrayes a knot