New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-17
"OLIyIA.n MR.. IRVING AND MISS
TERRY.
COMMENTS on THE PLAY AND THE ACTORS
wipqm wfnttr On The London rAoatys.

yuitom winser in The London TRoatrs.
MIR. Wills's drama OF " DIVA, based upon an
eos,ie In Coidsuth's story. is OF extreme sim
piIc,ty IL may be described not unjnsty, a. series
Of pictures displaying The consequences o. action rather
hit tic incident Is mostly devoid OF inherent dramatic
force and therefore Is sen as atTss t
sectors who represent TIE piece Nevertheless, ~ u
40 .rn, ipteT,sting rlay II tells its story clearly aud
entirely, by narrative bnt by the dpl OF cuar"c
fcrs In tueir relations EACH other It's langnage
fl,yoted here ana there with the phraseolsgy Of the
NOEL, is consistently appropriate Inc iOIlh anu iaS'
act il must allowed, IS feeble. almost insilld;
Nobody can syIapathze with the late reinorse OF love
IN natare trivial and base as that OF IhWhhtn ana
the incident OF the reconciliation between Oted anu hei
husbaud therefore, goes Tor nothing IL ) the beautiui
relation between the father and bis daughter that
Wlole siraedto with light warmth color. sincerity,
moral force and human significance Opinions dlncr as
10 tue gree of skill with which Mr. Wills has selected
and employed the materials OF Goldsmitis story; bnt
nobody justly deny that he has wrought Tor The stage
practical dramatic ekposinon VI ,nS oe; ; t anu
sancy Of the hottest relation that IL lOssiDe III huah
lire. This, at any rate he has DONE and TO Rave done
this is to .aye done Dobe thing 49, -. .
appraised OF the loss OF his property inpar's nus SAD
news TO his family, The time IS the gIoamng Ihe
evening prayer: The gray haired pastor ealls ms
dear ones argald hun; N his garden ana Simply a
accepted snbmssiyely, as Heavens Will Tue deep
religious feeling OF this scene tns gIoHng @ use
stricken look in tie faces OF tue Eomen ana cmdr D. he
sory NOT yei become corrosive and lachrynOse, is
fhe te,deqcy or settled grie-and ALL the Of
iightcd Eapplness and uncertain future make up
dramatic as well pictorial effect OF most impressive
poetic signiheanee Again III ACT Z-whieh Is Pelor,ai
most without intermission-there Is companion
picture, when the vicar reads at his nreslde letter
AID children and Dir. Burchell are assembled around the
spet aud singing an cid song. The rep0se WITH winch
mir Irving made this scene tremuloas ana almost
laiaiu in its suspense VII 9e observer as one Oh nv
Eappest sirOke % his art The face anu deeahOr OF
@ion 10 n startled sirpFi-a ambition TO almost an
ly~ercal gadness present. study not less instructive
f0o contemporary actors hare presented work conmen-
rnra,c with Mr. irviug's acting IN this situation and
Dfca's nIght-.Iehcrson IN America, and C0Queln IN
ESii "a restless. and rresisiiily prone to schon.
Goodness usually negative and inert Dr. Primrose Is
invest gia with piquaacy and dramatic ygor Mr Irving
has given him passion, aad therewlthal varlOCs
attrbafcs OF charming cccenricity. The clergyman
thus presented is the lruon of long life OF virtue
lie has the coLpete rcpose OF iLrocence, Ile sweet
faneoas ana hab!tua beneyoence the supreme OF
uDco1scioas simplicity Bat ne y human ana passion
ale. be shows I'm his surroundings. Ia his quek
sympathy with natural beauty, and IN LIS indicated
rather lan directly stated IDEALS OF eondnet-hat ne as
lived AZ imaginative anu bot pfosale ne ne Is tas,y
and paihetieally superstitious and while Essentially
grand 10 his reiSions lnasaaAny nc Is bot isselnSt
ing aud 0inia,e az isn These Genoi eht MS pDiht
81 Mr. lrsns teal For his execution il Is TAR less easy
60 na me I'd wos Sss a are @ 10 s pa
81 the moment whom the fond father knows that MS
1lozesi OiUft ed with her lover; lis e0lsi when
The harmless old isois tascn from his nerveless Old
bands: his eespdirns cry II sbe d nad 01t Se ms U;
her abandonment ana misery and the sudden tempest OF
passionate affection with which the great. tender heart
sweeps away this Inadequate aud paltry though enin
emily appropriate morality and takes It's idol 10 itself
love do these Instances OF high dfa
1afic achievement for which epies are Inadequate but
With the menory OF the heart viii always treasure
IL said by the old Aaron HILL ia allusion to
Barton PoOih. that the blind might have him his
voice aDd tho dsa might have heard him his yisage
Such statement made concerning any actor nowadays
would doubtless be aeemed extravaganza Bat turning
now from the vicar TO his cherished daughter, this
1feit0uS image naturally enough into tie mind.
10 think Of Ellen Terry Oitria viii always TO
recall one ESPECIAL and remarkable moment Of beauty
Tenderness IL Is her distribution OF the farewell
gifts. OF Oirifs tlight-fn although that BIO
OF tho emotion of good heart torn and tortured by The
conflict between love and duty-and II Is not the
despafae resentment with which Ottcid leafs back her
uesclerous DeIaycr when al the climax OF hls base
Ness, he adds insult 10 cymina heartless pcrdy These.
ildeed. made great situations By the profound sim
Ce1y and the reh woman like passion OF tho actress.
ut there Is one btto Instant the second act tho
play when the woman's heart has length yielded 10
her lovers Will. and Ee himself moncntarily dismayed
b his own conquest strives 70 turn back. That Ellen
Terry has made pathetic Ylte words
she spesSs simply tbeso said would como 20
What words shall do justice the voice. 10 the manner
10 the sweet oonfding, absolnc Abandonment OF the
whole nsnre o, the human love by which II been
eonenercdl Tho whole OF this performance
a tariIliDg with knowledge that IL displays OF the
ysasajsD love This IL the supreme beauty It, At
o1eh moments human nature rs lrfadated with divine
i me and art mills its plrp0sc
Mr. Terriss has never acted so wcll within the knowl-
edge OF the present writer he does In the character of
1SQaire ThoTnhfM Djss0lufc seinsnness ana peeyis
animal safety could not surely. be more exactly
expressed than they by this actor IN tho
y10ssshurs ay0Sai OF his perify toward his victim:
while. Ia the early scenes, the Indications OF SENSUAL
s Temperament. narrow, oonceited mind and q lie OF
pleasure and Ircnigacy are given with extraordinary
& y depicted with such yisor ami truth