New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-15
STATE AID FOR THE DRAMA.
MATTHEW ARNoLD's COUNSEL.

THE STATE "A PRACTICAL SCHEME OUTLINED.
IFRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBusEl |
LONDON, Aug 1.-The final proof of the wonderful
vogue obtained by the French Plays in London Is
supplied by no less parsonage than Mr. Matthew
Arnold, who contributes an article on the sutlecU |
to the current number of The hineteeRta Century |
This and Mr.. Francisque Sarcey's paper on the
Comede Franeaise in the previous issue of the same
periodical, should be read in conjunction. But Mr.
Arnolds article is something very different from
mere critical summary of the performances
he witnessed. Mr.. Arnold is seldom con-
ventiona and never commonplace. Taking ad-
vantage of the interest excited by the season
at the Galety Theatre, he discusses the relative
merits and conditions of French and English dra-
matte poetry. with some remarks thrown III on the
probability of creating an English drama capable oil
rivalling the modern French drama. For the sub
stance of this article must refer you to the maga-
zine itself Mr. Matthew Arnold is not writer to
suffer abridgment; least Of all when resumIng his
chair-aas that he should ever have quilted II AS
Professor of Poetry. lie is probably the most COM
petent of judges among Englishmen OF French
poetry. and 1 know nothing more instructive than
his account Of his reasons for not ranking French
poetry, even at Its best, with the best Greek or
English poetry. lie does not, however, refrain alb
sOlutely from all criticism on the performances he
has lately wItnessedj and here Is what he says on
the actress who has been the talk OF London ior
so many weeks;
One remark Will make--a remark suggested by the
Inevitable comparison Of Nile Sarah Beuhardt with
Rachel One talks vaguely OF genius, but haa never
till now cOmprehended now mucn OF RaehePs supe-
uOrity purely III intellectual power. how eunenty
tins power counts III The actor art rs IN all art now
just instinct which led the Greeks TO mark with
high ana severe stamp the MUSES.. IeInPeTaleht anu
quick intelligence, passion, nervous mobility grace
smile, voice. charm. pOetry-Mle Sarah BerDnardt has
them all watches her with pleasure, Win admlra-
ton. ana yet without secret dlsquletude. some
in
force something which alone can secure aud fix her
administration or all the charming gifts which she has
them from perils by caprice pes by lnannerlsm that
something Is ugh intellectual power IL was here that
Rdche great; she began one says 10 oneself as
recalls her Image ana dWeils upon lI-she begah
almost where Mile. sarah Bernhardt ends
You see-and in a moment will quote a passage
which shows it still more plainly-that Mr.. Arnold
dwelling as he does empyrean heights, has not
escaped the fascination of the spell which Mile
Sarah BernhardG laid upon the sober and serious
English people. The spell, all the same, not
powerful enough to exercise the earlier spell with
which Rachel subdued his spirit long before. We
have all, says he, yielded TO infatuaton at some
moment of our lives, and no one of us has right
to laugh at the other. al am sure | have not. |
remember how in my youth, after first sight OF
the divine Rachel at the Edinburgh Theatre in
the part OF HermiOne, followed her to Paris. and
for two months missed one of her
representations" As touch of autobiography,
that is delightful 1t brings Mr. Matthew
Arnold within quite human range. In all the fol-
lies am hereafter to commit, shall excuse myself
with the memory of what Mr. Arnold himself calls
his infatuatiOn. Probably it counts for something
without his knowing tin the balance in which
he now weighs out the merits Of Rachel and Bern
hardt one against the other / cannot pretend to
say how much. l saw Rachel but a few times. 1
baPc ri lv haV foo
confidence in the accuracy of dramatic impressions
dating fve-and-twenty years back, set up a
standard Of my own, or to draw q parallel
between two women whose genius seems to me
distinctly unlike. i can Rachel at this
moment in the white robes she in Lies
Horaces" as she stood before the footlights in the
Boston Theatre Greek statue in whose veins
burned tropical fire. But l am not here to dis
course ancient history.
Leaving personalities, what Mr. Arnold proposes |
to himself and TO the English public is that the |
chaotic and ineffective condition of the modern |
English theatre should, somehow. be bettered He |
not long since spoke Of it of those institu-
tions which expose England to contempt. He Is for
taking a lesson from the Com6die FraneaIse |
not for initiating it seryilely, which
is impossible, were it desirable. HIS no.
ton of what ought TO be done would |
excite Mr.. Herbert Spencer to fury He calls |
upon his countrymen to believe that 1.-THE State,
the Nation in It's collective and corporate character
does well to concern itself about an influence so i'm
portant to national life and manners the thea
tre" And this is his scheme:
Form a company ont OF the materials ready your
baud u your many good actors actors Of promise.
Give them DTury Lane Theatre. Let them have grant
Science and Art Department; let some intel
igeut and accomplished man. like friend Mr. Peot,
your Examiner OF Play Joined TO them as Com
missioner OF the Department TO that conditions
Of q
be that pertOry agreed upon taken out OF the works
of Shakespeare and out Of the volumes Of the Modern
Brush Drama and that pieces from this repertory
played "A certain number oil times IN each season as To
new pieces let your company its discretion Let
school of dramatic elOcution and defamation be nstl-
tuted connection with your company II may sur
prise you to hear that eOcuon aud defamation are
things be taught and learned and do not come by ma
ture, but 1t is so.
All this Mr.. Matthew Arnold puts IN the mouth of
the Comedie, thing he seems to hear these fine
artists saying in an undertone amidst their graceful
compliments of adeu. And this: "YoUr best and
most serious actors this Is added with a SMILE
would have been better if in their youth they had
learnt eeculOn"-a remark which is to the address
OF Mr. Irving, among others. These recommended
tons" continues Mr. Arnold, still speaking a
French actor, "you may think, not very much; |
but as your divine William says, they are enough
they will serve. Try them. When your institu- |
ton in the west of London has become success |
plant second of a like kind in the east. The peo-
pie tciU have the theatre then make 1t good one
Let your two or three chief provincial towns inst
tute, with municipal subsidy and cooperation, the
aires such as you institute in the metropolis with
State subsidy and cooperation. So you will restore |
the English theatre, and then modern drama of |
your own Will also, probably, spring up amongst |
YOU"
And this modern English drama may, thinks Mr.
Arnold, be something different from the "Sphinx
aud the "Demi- Monde ~; different and better. 1t |
can be had if the English public wishes 10 have 1t,
.tI.n 10 h