New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-04
a FRENCH gIEW OF coqUELIM
WHEREIN HE ExoE1s IRVING AS MATTHIAS

WHEREIN HE EXoELs IRVING AS "MATHrAs."
From the Courier des Etats-Unls.
Tho week which has Just ended has placed e seal
raised him even higher in the esteem Of good judges
than the preceding series Of performances for Il has
and more artistic range OF characters which gave the
public better chance TO comprehend the SURPRISING
Ie Juif poIonsish one Of bis notable SUCCESSES
was piece already well known to kewYork theatre
Success sSss BY a ae sHa and English actor
Mr. IryEs whose reputation e had made N E rs
ss "sS Sepressnted By Mr. Irving and recently
g@iSSs sse was tbs bstter psiSpmsasc which
should give tho frst place TO the artist concerned
he play Is nnde over By Mr. Irving superior to that
imagined BY Erchmann 0hasrisn1 ,.... ..,o,, A
great actor Is one Who renders with de the thought
WITT, which the aathor has ipbuea his drama wAS re-
scters the author has sought TO depict with touch
q his own reasonably r. The expression but "a s ne
short OK this, tbere he fails The question 10 whether
ccgnen Or nj 9s S spgo,cSsa me O he hG most
faithfully ne Character re cSSsd gs a aSf ' %
M s.y peasant county inhksspsr rude weather
beaen, without instruction without moral eags ,od
erims By irresistible Compilation, Wado ealous by
success, and pnioyng without scrupe the irnlH o.
and won for him the consideration Of mankind. An
at once material accident, what the ynigaf eau
MORSE not the voice Of conscience, but fear gnobe
fear, the fear of punishment. Whether this Is :
sympathetic character or not. whether he y ot
SIR. Irving or any other man Is OF little con,
sequence. IL concerns neither him nor US
concerns and tho debate, pernapsi
between tho public and them But an actor ~ not
Judge. he Is an Interpreter
M. Cnqnen Is q faithful interpreter. hr Irylng
makes himself Judge. he does in2re re cners MS
conception In place Of that Of the author, whose
he fwo7 The thesis OF Erckmann.c hatrisn,, yon
contend, IL lower and less noble than that OF MI
tryingl Then II Is because neiiher MT TYING nor
you undprstandft, II 10 because you 40 moi nnner-
stand It IS poets have understood H. ~ TIE morsnss
and the theoIogigns OF eli time have inneis,oon y.
that human justice marches hand IN hand WITH divine
Justice and that II the apparently eltogsther huna1
d2strne OF the reward Of virtue and tho punishment,
Of vice IS not true absolutely, IT Is true e mora
teaching, is fac ideaI Of justice IL, ana alone rs
hc true and only moral sense Of the majority o. gen
dee In tho guike OF The policeman In this world anu
Of eternal punishment tn tho other Is The conscience
% those Who heve no conscience, ana that W 1unSS
fortunately The condition Of the immense majority q
tho human faee--peffectabe, bnt not perfect Ihe
IS the sheugbt which dominates humanity. ara 20
which painters OF fbe human eoul allie ~ sntlaniy
ena " our days have sought lnsplfatoa Inc nhv1
Mso pursued Vsestes Inspired him MID terror potrf
I sh soe enc goed laugh = me sge q
softly whlsDehE Pei0nie phrases in bis car IN place
OF ebastslng hEa with tfIr sefpelts, =,
trsybstg Of De foIIsh lew ne character ,is
i1ofsnsg IL hiss: spd Ass & Why eoaaelia . Hsht