St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-23
POETRY AT FouRsOORE.

POETRY AZ EOU RSCORE.
The production of TENNYsoN's new
play, 1.-THE Foresters," at Days New
York theater is more important event
in the literary than in the dramatic
world. Considered in the light of his
trionic impreSsiveneSs. the play is not
one to hold the attention of the average
theatrical audience. But this fact is by
no means lattering to the average
American audience. From the cultured
people who attended the first night. Mr..
HowELLs, EDWIN BOOTH, CHARLES
DUDLEY WARNER, Gen. FITz JOHN
PORTER. and hundreds of others, it
could not fail of appreciative reception.
But the receptive faculties of such an
audience are not criterions by which to
judge the taste of those to whose pock-
cts the box Office must look for an ex-
pense-paying revenue. The play was
we'll cast and superbly mounted. The
applause was expressive of enthusiastic
delight. True, there was no tank in
it," and no sensational, if impossible,
climacteric situations. The skirt dancer
was conspicuous by her absence. The
accumulated social follies of 1912 were
not satirized, nor did the low comedian
respond to half dozen encores with
impromptu SkitS to the tune of "Ta-ra-ra
boom der ray" For the lines of the
play, or rather poetical sylvan idyll,
the gallery gods had no earthly use.
High as they were in the third balcony,
Lord TENNYsoN had written over their
heads.
But to the audience of critics men,
toned, in boxes and parquet. the words
of 1.-The Foresters" were revelation
and surprise. They heard new music
in lines unlntelligible to the gallery
gods, and which must remain unintel-
ligible to subsequent audiences at
Days. They heard the sound of a
voice that was still; they saw the touch
of hand which they believed had van
ished; they recognized the voice of a
TENNYsoN of fifty years ago-the singer
of ''Locksley Hall" and ''In Memoriam"
in the new play written by this old
man Of fourscore years. Not one of
these eminent dramatic and literary
critics will deny that since the publica-
ton of "Locksley Hall Fifty Years
Afterward" the world has heard Lord
TENNYsoN at his worst. Charitable
ones said, Ibis powers are failing; let
us remember only the songs of his
youth" The flippant Photographer had
his fling at $40 Throstle" and other
specimens of hating verse, exhibiting
too plainly failing poetical power and
paralyzed energies. 1.-THE ForeSters, I"
therefore, though it be the swan song of
departing greatness, is notable revival
of poetic fire supposed to have been ex-
tinguished. The play is worthy ad-
dition to the rich legacy to be left US by
the poet. 1t is worthy the man, and
worthy the high praise accorded it on
both sides of the Atlantic. One song
from the 1.-THE Foresters" is given-a
song as full of poetic fire as it is replete
with the patriotic fervor which rings in
every line of 1.-THE Charge of the Light
Brigade"
There is no land like England,
Whate'er the light of day be;
There are no hearts like English hearts,
Such hearts of oak as they be-;
There is no land like England.
Whate'er the light of day be;
There are no men like Englishmen.
SO tall aud bold as they bel
And these will strike for England,
And man and maid be free
To foil and spoil the tyrant
Beneath the greenwood tree
There is no land like ENGLAND
Whate'er the light of day be;
There are no wives like English wives,
So fair and chaste as they be;
There is no land like Eng land,
Whate'er the light Of day be;
There are no maids like English maids,
So beautiful as they be;
And these shall wed with freemen,
And all their sons be free
| To sing the songs of England
! Beneath the greenwood tree.