New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-24
CERTAIN FRENCH PLAYS-ANp MORALS

II has never been tho CUSTOM certainly it was
never the intent, OF this journal TO speak gently
about the conduct Of those persons who deGle
stage with tainted dramas taken from the French.
During many years, since the tide Of French
nastincss first began to flow into the American
theatre, the attitude Of The Tribune toward those
foul plays has been the attitude Of unequivocsl and
uncompromisng hostility and censure. II the
doctrine to which we hold coud be enforced the
entire brood 81 those compositions" Camille
Denise "Theodora." "Franclllon,' A Partisan
Romance" ctc.-woud be prohibited by police ordi-
nance. They have never done the slightest good in
this world. and they never Will. They are bad in
morals, bad In art, and-with here and there a
little exception for literary sprightness and dramatic
cGcct-bad In everything The spirit Of this age. how
ever. sets In favor Of the largest possible individual
liberty. and many restrictions which the experience
Of the human race has shown be right and salutary
longer possible Whoever wishes to produce
a dirty French play in this country is free 10 do
so. and no protest tho subject thar has been
uttered in either this journal any other has
had the slightest effcct-beyond causing mOmentary
ebulltlon Of wounded vanity or angry malice.
There is thing, though that Is always pos
sble and that is clcar-sighed view, positive
conviction a distinct and settled principle with ref
erence 70 unclean things In art. Z" Let u.s. said
Dr. Johnson. free minds from cant'-the cant of
vico equally with the cant OF virtue 1t is always
strong and next that they teach good and
much needed lesson. Strong they may be. so is
certain little beast that prowls I'm tho woodsbut the
city boy. who mistakes him for squirrel, may find
to regret that error II is no defence for
filthy exhibition made IN aro that it is made in an
able manner. 1t should not be made at all. The
greater tho ability tho greater is the offence and the
greater is the mischief Some things in this world
De- taken FOR graned-onions instance, and bal gg'
The fact that they strong has been ascertaincd
An audience is not made wiser or better by being
dcuged with strength II that kind. Nor is there
particle Of logic sound principle In the pretence OF
righteous moral drift. Nothing is specous. and
nothing could be moro sophistcal than the doctrine
that II right and sautary 10 show anything and
everything In ART. long YOU end with good moral
precept Certain spectaces are in themselves degrd
Ing however aptly they may point moral. or how
ever pungcntly they may enforce a lesson. Morals
and lessons have this great truth 70 learTlthat in
some they intrusive and superlnous. They
are always when they attached to the morbid
/ carnal. Ibidnous French drama. The dramatic scav-
eucer made clean because put surplice on
HIM Theatrical audience In the presence Of one Of
those foul French plays IS first drcnched with slime and
then instructed To avoid -aud TN, 10 called morality.
We are apprsed. for example, with reference to the
noNOu. comedy of Franciilon. against which some
/ mild word, Of protest were lately made IN these
columns that IL teaches all manner Of high and holy
truths the fact being that whatever happen Ia be
ts intended DRIFT or final prcccpt. about which We know
little and care less 1t raises for public consideration
and discussion question which cannot be publicly dis
cus,cd without offence good taste and proprety that
Il obtudcs. equally by suggestion and by portrayal a
,uccaclo Of filthy RIGHTEOUSNESS and that its moral
lesson connecting all that is advocates can say In It's
behalf OF more value than the tritc and trivial
fact that two and mako Tho fatal defcct in
Francillon7 is not what 1t may be Thought 10 affirm,
! but what il contains. II 4, In itself a disease It's
very existence IS crime against art. The subject vi
it might perhaps properly bc aualyzoi in medical mag
azluc by cOnN cnton of social philosophers II ma, '
right whatever 10 be presented on The stage No human
Lriug-ccrtuly no creature who + likely 10 enter a
respectable Ncw York NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN the slightest
need of illumination ~ 10 the duty ot fidelity to tne
marriage vow. IL is Internal nonsense - set mp, IN
exclamation Of such muck that IL either Clarifies inc
view, of men, fortihcs the rights of women. or ca
pounds practical truth mat - not acAN matt
81 universal knowledge. All that such pieces really
accompii, IA is the bcfoulmcnt OF the spectators mli
with si'kenins sense ct human weaAuesN ana N'o "
of social corruption. Nor doe, fl matter tina, they are
maxims and hord lulminatlons of virtue llsy aio
not wanted. Their lesson !, not only snptrnuout,,
but n,ocnr Unfortunately however, they are 'lusnl
accepted By con- derble class of people VINO ," ~,
the zcst Of any thing like plquaut mpnpretN anu To-
that reason several of them have hourl>hcd. b thls
particular WILL we believe be found roo rank even
Tor the least astdious section of the american pm
great philosopher Emerson the senses are despotc anu
sometimes the fortitude of the human nose reaches "s
If was no part Of purpose. however, In condemn
ing th, play and In condcmnins the prodn, non % ~
| for which we are Uot uDc Ia pcTttN' Nv
! necessity iustihcation,-to cast any pers"ua re
| prpa,h whatever upon the actress 10y whom 1t Wa
| nroduccd She is a woman whom every pndN esteem
And from whom accordingly. moro iudicous 'oul9c
Of action might naturally have been expected nc 10
un - novice. could not suppose her u ne ignorant
81 thc character of rhs piece and it Is within our cN
pcrcucc that than dubious play mas n'h pr"
durrd by excellent persons with the idea tlat Us l'
woud be- filled 10y the favOring gales Of newspaper ecu
| surr We are distinctly of opinion. moreover Viluu
n /. an opinon that touches mental quality anu Hoi
moral worth aud Is merely critical In the nost cou ahu
abstract scnscl that actress who would MINK VIZ
Irv,p Hon In he
would be mistakenly impressed with the ldea oI ~
strength and would naturally excel In cxpr,NrihE I,s
formidobc aspect. TO this extent every actors per
tountv /, implicated in acting. and IS constantly, anu
mas always been Che proper theme of the essays upon
IL