New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-19

The attentive reader Of this stage-verson, made
by Mr. DAY. will observe that much illustrative stage
business has been introduced by him, which is new
and effective. The disposition Of the groups at the
start Is fresh, and tho treatment of the quarrel
between Oberon7 and TIT ania," with disappearance
Of the Indian child. The moonlight effects, Ia the
transition from second third, and tho grad
nal assembly Of COLLINS and fairies IN the shadowy
mists through which the fire flies gmmer at the close
of act third are novel and beautiful Cuts and trans
positions been made at the end of the fourth act
IN order cnsa II with tho voyage of tho barge of
Theseus' through summon landscape on the silver
stream that rippes down to Athens. The third act
has cen 1udciousy compressed that the spectator
may not too much OF the perpexed and wranglinS
lovers. Only few changes have been made. and
hose only such absolutely essential But
little Of the orig nal text has been omitted The music
for the choruses has been selected from various Eng
sh composers; that OF Mendclssohn is used only In
the orchestra 1t Is upon the strength Of the comedy
and upon the incidental music, that reliance has
been placed, in efecting this revival The accepted
doctrine Of traditional criticsm-a doctrine made
seemingly potent by reiteraton-that "a Midsummer
Nights Dream" Is not for the stage, need not neceS-
sarl.y be considered final uazltt the first to
Insist that idea Poetry and the stage said
that great writer, do not agree we'll together The
at0mpt to reconcile them, In this insancc falls not
only Of effect, but Of decorum The ideal can have
no place upon the stage, which is picture without
ify the actual impression of the Senses" But this Is
only SAYING that there are difficulties. The remark
applies all tho higher forms Of dramatic literature
and logically, If ths doctrine were observed In prac
ticc. mono of the great plays would be attempted
Midsummer Nights Dream with all It's Ideal spirit,
Is essentially dramatic It ought not TO be lost to the
stage and some extent, certainly, the dmcultles
can be surmounted. In the spirit OF dream the
play was written, and In the spirit Of dream 1t can
be acted.
The student Of "A Midsummer Nights Dream" as
often as he thinks upon this lofty and lovely eX-
urcssiou of a most luxurant aud happy poetic fancy,
must necessarily find himself mDr SD with H. eX-
ausite purity OF spirit It's auence OF invention, It's
extraordinary wealth Of conrasted cha actors, It's a0
solute symmetry of form, and its great beauty oil
poetIc dictton The essential, wholesome cleanliness
and sweetness of Shaks peres mind, unaffected by tho
gross animalism OF his times. appear conspcuouoy In
thls pay No single trait OF the piece impressei the
reader more agreeably than its frank dis play Of the
spontaneous. natural. and entirely delightful eXuta
zion OF Theseusr and Hippolita" ia their approach
Ing nupt.as They grand creatures both, ana they
rejoice each other and In their perfectly accordant
love Nowhere In ohais pero IS there more imperial
man than Thescus' nor despite her feminine im
patience Of dulness, woman more beautiful and more
essentially womanlihe than Hppota' # is thought
that tho Immediate impulse of this comedy, In ShalI
speros mind, vas the marriage OF his friend and
benefactor the Earl of southampton, with Elizabeth
yernon-which while it lid not In fact occur I'LL 1898
was voy likely agreed upon, and had received Queen
| EIzabeths sanction, early as 1894 80. In old
English literature 1t IS seon that such theme often
| proved suggestive of rbadry but Shakspere could
nrescrve the sapctty even while he revelled In the
passionate arior of love, and Midsummer Nlghts
| Dream whlo it possesses all the rosy glow the
physlcal THRILL and the melting tenderness oi such
pieces AS Herrcks Nuptiall song, is HkeWse raught
anil uuaH pcfe ed
NJ such pieces as Millions 4" Comus.' Human nature
s shown in il a. feeling shame in It's elemental ana
rIobtfnl passlous and having reason TO feel
ashamed Of them. The atmoS phere is free aud brac
| ing the tone honest the nj .in hA'"''F
the fertility and felicity of the poets invention
lntert Winning the loves of earthly soveroigm ana oil
their subjects with the discussions OF fairy mond'hS'
the FRANKS of miscellaneous elves, the protective care
| 81 attendant spros and the comic but kind hearted
and well meant fcay Of boorish peasants arouse
I,l i,te,est and keep II steadily alert In no other
| :, ~, rorhs has Shakspere more brilliantly shown
,hat comneto dominance OF theme which Is manifest
ed in the perfect preservation OF proportion mo
strands of action brsidcd WIN ASTONISHING er~o'
I h,urtd story is never allowed to lapse into dull
ness or ouscurity There IL caprice, but no dstor-
fan. III. snperraural machinery rs never wrosted
,,y, ,he production Of startling or monsirous OF.
! focs lint IL dcftly mpcls each mortal parsonage In
| the natural line Of human development Tho dream
snrit Is maintained throughout and perhaps Il II for
this reason-that tho poet was living and thinking and
writing in the free, untrammelled world Of his own
spacious and airy Imagination, and not In any definite
| sphere Of this eaIth-that "A Midsummer Nights
Dream IL SO radically superior to the other comedies
wr,tton by him at about the same period, The Two
| Gentlemen OF Verona "Tho Comedy of Errors
loves LabOrs Lost" and The Tanning of the shrcw'
His genius overhows In this piece, and the rich excess