Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-19
PRODUCT OF A GIFTED MAN.
A Dramatic Poem by Hovey Creates q
Sensation at tho Capital.

A Dramatic Poem by Hovey Creates
Sensation at tho Capital.
rFRoM STAFF coRREsroNDENT.l
| WASHINGTON, June la-Mr. Richard Hovey
the Washington young man whose "Iaunce
lot and Genevieve," issued early last spring
has caused SO much discussion among liter
ary critics, and which received extended
notice in TIE DISPATCH, is out with an
other dramatic poem which will greatly
enhance the young authors already
high reputation. This latest production
has all the requisites Of q great acting
drama, and will probably be produced on
the stage by well-known actor during the
coming season. Though the title has not
been fully determined. 1t will probably be
"Gaudolfo," from the leading person OF the
drama. Mr.. Hovey, who has just returned
from Paris. read portions of his play this
evening before large assemDlage of men,
bers and invited guests of the University
Clue. The author Is an excellent elocution-
sages read, created much sensation. 1t was
one OF the first, ii not the first reading over
given SO publicly in Washington by an au-
thor and from his own work.
The verdict is that the drama cannot fail.
The interest Of the play centers in the
character GdudoJo. From the moment he
enters upon the scene, we feel the presence
t 81 one & q sn9ss @ great & t9rSes, powerful alike
gentuses. Archbishop of one OF the great
italian cities ut the time of the greatest
corruption of the renaissance, he represents
the older faith and purer life of those mid
die ages that are then passing away, just as
Cardinal Ruberti stands for the newerGreek
learning and it's In tsr morality, and the
cies toward modern science which came
in from Arabia. GdudOlo is nled
with mighty discomfort at the existing
unbelief and corruption, and, hampered in
ln nfh 10 ,1or FD. At1,
generation of Christendom. conceives an
unselfsh and laudable ambition to be Pope,
80 that he may carry out his reform un-
impeded. But at this point he lalls victim
to criminal passion. for his ward, Adeta,
whom he has just married to young noble
man Of the city. From this beginning the
mans character and faith are subtly and
gradually undermined until, at last, his love
affair terminated by the death of Adela, he
stands over her dead body an atheist,
criminal and a murderer, as foul ar last as
But his ambition, so worthy when he was
worthy, clings to hin still but now made as
vile thing as he has become himself, and
when the messenger enters with the news
that he has been made q cardinal, with
hands still red with blood he clutches the
letter and exclaims: 1.-THE Cardinals hati
The next is the tiara" That ends the play.
be more realistic and unrelent ting in essence.
There is no more external poetic justice
lugged in by the ears. GdudoJo's only pun
lie; he does evil, and his retribution is that
he becomes evil It is what is called
"a star play" but this is because
of the strength of GdudoJo not because OF
the weakness of the other characters. -ideld,
n strange combination of womanly intuition
and chidlike nalveness, whose innocence is
her ruin: Sehiatto, the fiippant, jesting man
of tho world, punctilious in the point of
honor but lax in morals; 7hllio, the romantic
boy: Sin,one, the crafty, yet sincare eccle
siastical politician, the rattle-pated Felirpa
and the pedantic Ldracctd- each is in itself
u complete and fascinating study, and the
of the details of stage business,
as we'll as tho straightforward movement OF
the plot from cause to inevitable effect,
shows the hand Of dramatist whose quail
fcations tor his art are not merely theoroti-
cal