, 1880-10-17


ing. or elegant settings mialead Its Judgment,
was Indicated from " the outset, and
the responsive action and appreciattye
manifestation was not futrly called out
until the fourth act was reached with its wbn-
derfu1 adntxrure. Of passion, tenderness, and
superb situations The play, like all OF sardou's
work. discovers Its action When about half
finished, and it was not to be wondered at that
the hight audience gave 1t aquiot reception,
and did not permit itself to be disturbed, save
In the ssell-suerited Instances Ut passing recog-
nition Of scenery and the welcoming OF favor
Its. It must be conceded that the mounting 0f
the piece was superb,-as is always tho case ut
the Union Spuarc.-and thai the action OF the
performance WAS characterized by most perfect
equ1poise on the part OF those participating In
Nj. sardou's play is q novelty. It is novel in
it's subject. 1t is novel in its treatment Of the
subject. It is novel in tho audacity displayed III
fact TINT there is not single creation OF char
acrer in the whole play, and yet every part IN the
play stands out perfect entity. Every char
t ern opinons crysieed Int into a human being
Everybody in the pluy is cultured, refined. and
rich. They represent. especially the women, the
nre brought together less at individuals than us
exponen1s Of the various phases which modern
culture has impressed upon modern thought.
played tonight by Mr.. Charles Thorne, Qdnf.l
Hochat- Now, We have no doubt II we could
learn any LQlQS ABOUT 107ltEt flUE1QL lFOLu In9
play, which we cannot, except as regards bis
opinions on particular subjects, we should like
Ddniel, for Dante1 is evidently gentleman well
brought up. honest in his convictions, such us
they are. Yet all We know about him is, that he
does not believe there Ia II God, and he thinks
belief 10 God is one OF the most injurious
In life he soema to havo q certain position more
limited at than described in the play. He seems
to Pe leader e that unnamed RSiitisa Petty ~
religious belief the chief end and aim of
the modern politician. Like all atheists,
dSeor q Il hs as pan ds
believes Daniel sets YOU down as a fooL He
knows but one qualify In man or woman entitled
believe anything that cannot be proved. As
Ddniel says go does his friend and secretary in
she Rlay M ha T. en5eta ea;s 1y oca NJ
about the relationship which in history ST. Just
bears to Kobespierrc. It Btdache had his own
way he would, we think, brighten up all this old
thllmbscrews and boots In the dungeons Of
Avignon or the Escurial, and squeeze out Of any
man or woman he met any belief they might
he would not do for the good of theirsouls, az he
does not believe they hnve any, but from vague
and indetintt notion that such squeezing
would do their bodies good.
j., The 1ematc characters are no more living
entities than the two types OF radical atheism !
called Rochat and Diddche: They consist Of an
that the Church she was brought up in is the
only Church in which salvation can By any posi-
biiity be found. Her niece, less particular about
forns and crceds, is a feryent believer in gen
eral revealed religion, and reverential faith en-
ters into her every thought, her every act The
aunt is called 3i1s; P9tocrs. and she as bieoted
believer ia pitted throughout the pluy aEuinst
Btdache. the bigoted unbeliever. There is an-
other niece whese quiet, graceful loye-scenes
be has any belief, and doea not care whether be
has any, afford the comedy scenes OF the play.
They have nothing whatever to do with its main
She is called Lea He,derxon tMiss sara Jewitt)
There Is Placed between these extremes OF belief
and unbelief another type Of modern thoueht-
played by Mr. Parselle. Fdryis is represented rs
great scientist. Whenever be is appealed to
play be seems to reflect no positive conclusions
Like Huxley. and Tyndall. md other great men,
Faruis exclairns at the hearing Of each new
Having understood the characters, ,we will have
stood in ! very few words banid Rochat is
liver speech at Ferney on the occasion of tho
centenary Of the death Of Voltairo. Among
the romantic lakes of that romantic country
tho elder one, and is accepted By her as the cur
thtn ds the s Of
attacks on Christianity.
In Act H. we find Rothat hastily summoned by
the Chamber Of Deputies at Paris. With the
consent Of .Ars. Posrera, he urges La II marry |
him before he starts, in order that he may take
sent IS obtained. 4 magistrate is sent for |
and Kochut and Lea are married while |
the he servants are laying tie breakfast |
invited to the wedding breakfast comes one ]
who turns out to be practlcinx Christian pas |
yhs G nf %se seen M
the coming clash of opinions that Is to disturb |
this narriage. The lay or civil marriage having
been performed, the curtain tails as everybody
In this act Mr.. Thorue. while not having tho |
advantage OF an opportunity TO display his DOW
outline of the reserve force to be deveiopcd il,
the fourth act; and iiunn@d the picture Of the |
OF the religious zalot, which found full
scope in the two following acts, were marked
polished dnisn aud u close Study which misht
have had much stronger effect iii a play wherein
[he motive n:es more closely allied to
her rel;giouss sentiments forming the
Ssoundw9rk. = I,;a w :eresgnaably more intimate-
z 5a sey TO iSen onsas strain
critics who satin Judgment On tArdous work
apparently no more loved the atheistlcal utter
snees Iaes OF hoeaGs. And TIC acting WIS. 50 to
philosophical. discussions placed in the mouths
y y tne . pertormsls It vas more like listening
q q tne9l9E1cal 20 debate than witnessing the por
In the third act VIC lind Rochot an1iously and
1neasi!Y anticipating TINT bis wife will not |
,e satisfied with the lay marriage, but will in
list upon its confirmation by d: religious cere-
nony To go With her to the church,
= even to reco9nize In any way
les to bind or power to unIoose him, would be- |
or -. Nochnt 70 abdicate his leadership Of the
'utitfca4 party that he beads in France Il |
sould be for him to give the lie to every prin- |
:iplo he had enuuc!ated in every speech or
ecnlro that bad won hims fame. 1t would be
Or nun to Seti his own deepest convictions He
tnfHFFfHNC Ira
Ter wh1t he thought she knew bcforo--thaf he |
a. nthelst, The horrvr Of the Kirl At the dis
devotee hopes that she viii be able to
ave the soul OF the man she loves from ncr- | :
tdon Saying Afterwe are married. Dnm-
u" Rochat breaks the sentence in
wo, eIclaiming, but we are tnnrried'. .
he girl asks when. BY whom, hGws
By the Magistrate" Here Lea ex-
BfnS him that ia ho1 !