New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-05
"ROYhL YOUTH"
A DEFENCE OF DUMAs's PLAY AGAINST THE CHARGE
OF 1EDlOUSNEsS.
ADJOURNED untn Monday at 2 o'clock.

Defence OF DUMAs's PLAY AGAINST THE CHARGE
OF IEDIOUsNEss.
To he BdttOr Of Thc tribune.
SIR: | was among the audience at Mr.. Days
Theatre at the first representation last Saturday
ing of Dumass play entitled Royal Youth" left the
theatre with impression Of having experienced more
pure and refined enjoyment than have received from
any dramatic performance in many months Being
curious TO discover whether this pleasure bad been
shared by those duty 1t IL to cricse theatrical
novelties, consulted the next mornings newspapers
with considerable interest. To my surprise found that
few jOurnas with the exception OF TIE TRIBUNE failed
TO denOunce this play tedious, Disappointing and
satisfactory. The of such censure seems me
SO unapparent that | should like, from motives Of
curiosity, respectfully to inquire its l cannot
hell, thinking that the widelyprintcd disapproya Of
Royal Youth is something Of an injustice to that
smaller, more cultured but st noteworthy class Of
theatre gOeTs for whom plays, Invested OF urd Eua-
tiOn and unnatural incident, stu possess potent
charm.
The play has for its central episode the
touching, romantic and beautiful tale Of the youth
fu King Louis XIV. and Marie dc Maucni, niece OF the
WHY Cardinal MazariD; but about this really pathetic
love story grouped picturesque thrOng historical
figures such the Elder Dumas could always paint with
rapid, and brilliant an art We have ne pOr
trait of the Kings weak proud mother Anne Of Austria
we meet the unhappy Princess Henrietta, daughter Of
tina unfortunate exilcd queen, Henrietta Maria whose
last days bitter trayesty upon her iusIious
hnshp with the great Henri "; we see tho
spirited yet thrOneless young King, Charles III,
before that tide of circumstance, 30 wildly
narrated by Macaulay, replace upon his forehead
inc bood-stained dladcm rudey torn by the Round
heads from his eTTing and purpOsccEs father and most
aoacuye OF an We behold the dawn Of that intimacy
SO precious TO future prosperity, between gruld
WOhdrqe ana the Incompatible prince OF wit satire
poetry ana dramatic creation, Moere II cannot be ex
peced OF course that the sO-called average attendant
OF our theatres would feel deep concern in mis- Assem-
base OF dead celebrities. But Tor those who egry of
Glbets grotcsquc absurdites who have soul, that do
not respond To clog dances and castanets: WHO fa "a
roar at the 1--WE conventional lovers hid i'm tbe
nVe oppOrtune closets all at once by tic aeitatcd
heroine OF the Last popular farce; who don't
hnd ther blood Undergoing the traditional curdle when
Belamore knocks doTn dozen or madhouse keepers
escapes through an obging iron gateway ana names
susceptible gallery by this muscular miracle for these
more quiet nOncOnformiss say the studiOusy delicate
construction OF Dumass drama, its dguined prrseut-
mcnt % persOnagcs whom the greatest HISTORIANS have
loved TO delineate its delicious unstraiurd courd
It's natural patbOs It's sensible shapey Darraive
ought certainly to afford rare and vauabie
entertainment. / believe that thtre are a good many
people IN NewYOrk who seldom 20 10 the theatre he
cause they seldom see there what either
or peases; but think that this portion of the pnbc
might find in Royal Youth pleasure as wholesome
as II IL Keen and shall he very much obi ged TO You II
you VIII print this respectful appeal TO this same class
Your Obedent servant, VISDEx
Aeto- York, Oct. 20, 1881.