Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-19

man, tho SPELL about whom Ia broken only
by the award of perfect freedom or the
part OF her husband-to leave him or 70 re-
main, es her uncontrolled infatuation or
duty should dictate. The drama was adj
mitted 20 be entertaining reading: but
would II preserve the interest OF the pub
lie through its several acts Of slender
narrative9 The young enthusiasts turned
this over IN their minds. score of times.
They at least would DO true to their cult
they would contribute their part
20 the success of the first evening. A
judicious distribution through the house
aided materially. The majority. however,
were on the beuches reserved for the Uni
yeTsity students, and the discussion with
those not yet processing themselves con-
verts grew animated aud intense. The third
act was thought by many TO lag--it
had been feared beforehand that this
might be the case. A sharp ear could even
detect few audible Kisses, but the stu
dents quarter led in the applause which
drowned all unpleasant manifestations.
Now or never TO call out the drametistI
He was sitting in private box with the
trio Of admirers about him. He stepped
forth 90 the stage.end his presence raised
the enthusiasm 10 a whitehead. lie looked
almost venerable with his head gray from
On apparent three-ecore years, and his long
side-whiskers gray, too. His eyes twinkled
with manifest pleasure at his warm recep-
ton. No one could refuse the man his
need of applause-it grew deafening. The
field was won, and the feverish excitement
of anxiety was at length over. What mat
tered IL now that the auburn-haired Ellida
did burst her sleeve in a Wild gesticula-
ton Of despair The representation was
success and the public had ratified it.
Ten minutes after the playhouse was
emptied found the young students about
their accustomed table at the Kneipe. The
beads Of perspiration were still visible on
their brows, so intense had been the eX-
citement! Not the author himself. not the
actors participating and those most inter
ested, could have been one half so stirred
as the blood in these young bodies boiling
with expectation and pulsating. with Ill
disguised apprehension. The first night
had been a success and they felt-though
they may have exaggerated their impor-
tance-that ii was in no small measure due
to themselves. But what OF che following
evenings and the repetitions to come?
They cared not to conjecture; they would
| not be candid even to themselves. A men,
ton of Ibsen's name was the signal for an
outburst of enthusiasm, storm OF APP
plause. in quick succession salaman-
der" 10 toast) was offered, and only one
member present absented himself for the
moment from the room, and health was
drunk standing to the poet, the writer. the
dramatist, the author-not of Tbs Lady
from he Sea but Of Ghosisi
ii.
have spoken of the national spirit pre-
vailing among these young scholars. This
was particularly in point of literature, for
the subject of politics was wisely excluded
from the domain of discussion. 1t was
inspiring TO see these men working IN full
belief and hope of a regeneration of Ger
|. IS ,udu md va
vival of q national literature correspond
ing with the advance of the newly formed
empire. 1t was the old dream of Leasing
awakened by the successes OF Frederick
the Great century before, who wished
TO make Berlin then the literary centre of
the German-speaking people, but who was
destined 70 leave Prussia in disgust and
despair. and hardly livedslong enough to
see such hopes realized at the little court
of Weimar through the presence Of Goethe
and Schiller.
1t was the drama especially, around
which the interest of the members of this
club centred. They were deploring the
fact that Germany had produced so little
that was original and lasting in this de;
partment since the days of Goethe and
Schiller and the later romanticists. They
| observed with just envy the seemingly
perennial dramatic sources active in Paris.
They were unwilling that French drama
should usurp the time and attention of
Berlin theatres, as was also the case in
those of London and New York. They
saw with some degree of petulaDce that
Dora, DtuJrc0ns, FrdnoiLiOn, TAGdire Clenlers-
ceau. and other pieces by Sardou and Du-
mas we're attracting full houses night after
night for weeks, to the advantage of the
mOney-till, it is true, but to the detriment,
many thought, of classical German taste
| and spirit and-even morals. They de-
sired TO go back to their own histo-
rs. their own achievements, their own
modes of life, to receive fresh i'm
pulses and inspiration from the re-
cords of their own past, from that which
was Teutonic in spirit. in the hope to per-
form in drama the counterpart of Wag-
ner's achievement in music, the accom-
plishment of a revolution in taste and the