The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-02-15
MRS. LAHafRps LATE FAILURE
To what 10 10 Dae-Msr Critics ana their Dss
fects-Its Real Lesson.

now been said and written about the appear
Ance OF Mrs. LanRtry at the Princes Theatre
In the part OF the Ih'incesse Georges. That her
venture was hailed without misgivings by her
admirers. whose name is legion. was sufllcient-
ly proved by the booking OF seats many days
In advance and for many nights In the future.
That n brilliant and wel-disposed audience
mot to Welcome her on tho first evening is o
fact and that IL retired cold and macontent Is
equally indisputable Tho play had been
staged with all the prcttiness OF detail and rich-
ness OF feminine attire. which are supposed to
fascnate the spectator and to stand In
lieu OF more sterling merits. Tho acting was
exactly what would have been expected OF tho
company and the criticisms Of tho press wore
essentially unfair and wide OF the mark Mrs.
Langtry's admirers mercilossly attacked tho
comedy. Mrs. Langtrys detractors merciless-
ly criticised the acting. Both judgments were
equally false. because they were based on falso
conclusions.
Tho Princesse Georges. represented at tho
Princes. was not Alexandra Dumas's play. 1t
was changed in its intention and execution.
Its defects. and 1t has some serious ones. were
brought into garish prominence by being ruth
| lessy denuded OF the softening. subduing. and
explanatory light OF the excised passages.
Dumas Is and has always been n man OF bold
| theories and audacious axioms. He expounds
| them through the medium OF q play. in
wnlcn the characters LOT koou or OWL. rlkntly
or wrongly. but human and life-lke. go
| with rsmorseless logic to q stated and lnevita-
| bio end. Each accessory. every subservient or
| episode part. every speech. leads one step fur-
| Their in tho action which 1t helps or produces
exposes q trait in the personality OF the chief
actors and tends TO the den2fuement whleh ma. may
lives. but which solves with incisive force tho
incident EN- and and the given si,Iation, p,,, 4.
| an affectonats. but not foolishly fond wife.
Lducaisd in the somewhat artificial ignorance
clever. shrewd. and ambitious mother. she
ss Or or s or not
| ton. She deems it natural and pleasant to bar
ter her large dowry for these advantages Being
drawn her she has enjoyed to the full her new
and brilliant life. Like all fashionable women
fidelity for granted aud accepted his attentions
as Al necessary accessory TO her social tri,
her to a sense OF possible neglect aud probable
treachery; Imprudent. impuIsive. and pas.
her husband followed and watched by u ser.
want. Half in shame at her act. half In horror
summOns her mother. whom she has somewhat
FORGOTTEN. and receives from her worldly. philo:.
and wise counsel. which. as a matter Of course.
she believes in. but does not follow. -,
| The Princess Georges is virtually debarred
ply because She has forfeited the power to do so
ritation this consciousness gives her is the
| cause OF her vaclluting endcavors to reclaim
promises. Birnc is the reckless fast, not ill-
| natured husband who has enrelessly fallen into
SSher World I"s % 9s Of so o. n
| who fasten on rich men to exc Ut dubious
crime. not for love. but for greed. Birac is but
hall her dnpe. He would iain ksepnp, the outer
HIS hypocrisy. when paGifying his young wie's
doubts, is at its worst; but 1t IS the last hom-
French stage it is sufficiently indicated that ha
Is at heart touched by tho love and grief he has
not bound by false notions Of honor he would
break ,i, through the trammes Of the woman who
holds him as much BY benefits accepted as W
-, The syren. however. will not let him slip
the Princess oarns that unable to resist temp.
her husband has resolved TO desert her
away all restraint She publicly insults the
womans ; the
is 6strayed. In a sudden bur bars, '" Of r re-
%9rss and an fear she wiIhholds tho name Of
the author Even then word would throw the
her husbani r. Tie pasc seI is1 w un
consciously, and the situation is made at oncs
peri peril tn, sss The woman he ha.
deems himself bound more 70 the accused Cd
ss Ills e The
which strikes more youthful but not Sis the 'a ess
guilty offender. is let the ncensed critics revileii
any THAI could have been devised. It may mos 81
be conventional justice, but 1t Is justice. II
striking an absolutely stainless victim: il
Violently o opens Braes eyes to the iniamy OF
same time to the dangers Of his unscupuious
pursuit u brings the consequences OF his wife's
blood. and. while it banis6es the adyenturess 81
~ Leaves th1se two to begin their married life
somethiug TO forgive and TO atone.
the bitts is D OSnss Play B.fore ndagpg IN
ibm In warped skotchy adapta,ion at tho
w wrnee IS Theatre n s. in "a measure Justified i
no English reproduction under the existing
,na can DO justice to the original. and
aaIGe es sabsss q tact It w snS
Intelligent shading which save the most haz-
true. oy tho untra nslatabe polish OF gesture.
h ace ana , haspGksn words Before inyegh
the crudensss Of the situations. il might ID" be-
well to remember tn" words Of Alexandra
Dumas himself in his celebrated preface:
II s not only tho work which Is immoral; 1t IL the
ss Sf ne n. sss
s ss The ea ne n.r. or s The s .nTs Of
and they are now Ss,a: Il
1t romans Tor tho author to draw such con-
s s'a,ls &c ns VII point moral and II the
ensr,0nsmeat. it can at least be warninS &C. ana
show the Hello! drunk In the present system
Tae ,se
duction. for the dialogue il shorn OF all wilt and
mental law thai. words are nothing, and that no
apliense cares for good writing In play.
"VS 81 HSs sr .hs
s strica success U, IN the Princess Georges.
Prebsbs o perees son g; Put put she Was