New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
HENRY JAMESs COMEDY.

nArsY MILLER; Comedy In Three Aoss; By
HENRY J4 Az II mo- iS' pp' 00''0n d IL
The dramatic faculty Is distinct one, and III
existence is not necessarily implied In the possession
of literary gifts of those employed in fiction.
The same qualities which make novelists success
will endanger his success as playwright. This
has been said so often ii has become the merest
piatitude. aud yet the number of accomplished and
even famous writers who try to write for the stage
only to find that they have mistaken their powers
shows no signs of decrease. Indeed. this Is the
common failing of mankind, and Is by no means
confined to the literary class. Judges statesmen
generals, lawyers clergymen. society women 'hey
ali write plays and the pigeon-holes of managers
and the travelling-trunks of " star" actors are
stuffed with them. A favorte comic character WIN
the novelist Is the would-be poet. The wouid-oe
dramatist is truer to nature. and there are many
more of him. One of the best touches OF character
in "RicbeiieuD IS the Bulwer made OF
that great statesman's well-known weakness
for writing worthless comedies Out
persons already engaged IN the business
of writing are necessarily those most liable 10 oe
led astray in this way. George Sand wrote seVera'
successful plays but she wrote many winch were
not successful Edmond About-to take one OF tne
clever men of this neration-pubshed Voiuino
OF plays under the title either cynical OF Jocui,i
of Le Theatre Impossible, and the contents Oh 'no
book fully justified its title. Among Thackeray's
works NAV be found e comedy, The Wolves and
the Lamb" dramstzation of his own Lover
the W,dowerr which is a curiosity as an e1'
annie of the dialogue aud action which great
writer thought could survive the trying test Oh Inc
boards. The piece was never subjected to it, MI.
Teunyson is the latest and most distinguished case
in point. The Poet Laureate's idea OF a dramatic
motive IN bis latest play was shown TO DE tnae q
villain who had ruined young girl ana driven her
IN suicide could make amends by marrying her
s;ster who struck him rs being a very pretty GIRL
And here comes Mr. Henry James-who is
famous as a novelist, aud who is taking rank SO
high as q critic as almost to give rise to the oeiei
that in this field his greatest strength lies-with
highly impossible comedy.
1t is the chief requisite of play that 1t shall De
play all through. There is an old saying In the
theatrical world that anybody can write first
actn When it comes to the development OF a story
that shall hold the attention of audience Tor
several hours amusing them sufficiently and inter-
estng them always. afordng them constant variety
and contrast Of character aud incident, the writer
finds hard task before him. 1t is the peculiarlty
of this work that so far from being comedy ior
two hours it is not comedy for live minutes al
time; or indeed, for any time at all, 1t Is 'impos-
sibe ptpot only as a whole, but in all its parts.
This is, indeed strange. coming from so dellgntfui
a writer, who has shown the trained hand III such
various kinds OF work. Many expert writers nave
failed to produce successful plays but it would not
be hard to find in many of them some scenes or
sparkling comedy or strong dramatic passages.
which, while possessing merit, could not hold up
the play to span an evening. The comedy OF
DAISY Miller" however, seems to possess none OF
these There is always danger. perhaps in drawing
differences from the printed written page as to
the effect of play upon an audience. Those who
have had the longest experience often fail In this
sometimes when they condemn dramatic WORK as
unsuited to the stage, but more often when they
approve IT. But il seems impossible to avoid the
conclusion that an audience would grow as uneasy
under i've minutes OF Mr.. James's comedy as under
two hours of it, and it is not difficult, therefore, 10
understand why it was not seen at the Madison
Square Theatre.
A selection OF two made at random, without any
attempt to discriminate against the better portions
of the play, will show this, we think. The reader
should put himself in the place of each character
in turn and then imagine the effect of the dialogue
"a whole upoE the audience. Here is the second
scene of the first act
MRS COSTELLO. MISS DURANT. CHARLES REV
They come Of the bo,e as Madam; de Ka,sOa
passes into It, looking at her attentivey
RkvERDY " no carries a camp-stoo-
That's the biggest swell In the house-a russian
princess! -
Russian princess is nothing very great. we
have found one at every notel.
Well. this is the best of them ALL You would
notice her any where.
The best bred people are the people you notice
least.
She's very quiet. any way. She speaks to no one
MRS. COSTELLO.
You mean that no one speaks to her.
REVERDY, aside. -.
The old lady's snapDsh this morning: anged II
III stand it'll Aloud1 NO one speaks 10 her
because no one ventures to.
MISS DURANT.
You ventured to, think, and she didn't answer
Won That's w / at you mean by her being quietl
RKvERDY.
She dropped her fan. and picked 1T up and gave
II 70 her. She thanked me with smile that was
poe in itself: she didn'C need to speak.
MRS COSTELLO.
Your business Is to attend 70 us-till my nephew
REvEeDY looking at his watch.
As understand you he's already due.
MRS. COSTELLO. 80
IIesa quarter of an hour late We are waiting
breakfast
Pm afraid the delay will bring on one OF your
headaches
have one already, so il doesn't matterl
REVERDy aside.
Very convenient those headaches! tAloud.) Won't
YOU sit down at ieastf Offering camp stOol) You
know don't come ont for three minutes without
our little implement.
MRS. cosTgLLo.
don't care for that Pll SIT on a bench.
RkVERDY, aside.
She insists on my bringing 10, and yet she won't
use li THE ladies sent themselves. and he places
himself between them. astIide tho camp.stool He
coutipues aloud.l II Mr. WlnterbOurne is already
due, my holiday has legally begun.
MISS DURANT.
You won't lose ANYTHING by waiting. After he
comes you will be at perfect liberty.
REYEREY.
Oh yes after that you wont look at me, sup
posel Miss Durant is counting very much on Mr..
Wtnterbcurne.
MRS. COSTELLO.