The record-union., 1894-03-03
DRAMATIC CRITICISM.

Professor Stoker in the North AmeYican
ReUiea0 considers the qualification of the
dramatic critic, and the sum of his essay
is, that the critic should have primarily
sympathetic understanding of the matter
on which he sits in judgment-a broad.
sound, undeniable proposition.
He does not hesitate to condemn out of
hand the hard and illiberal construction
of the Greek word, that makes criticism
condemnation, instead of judgment-in
other words, criticism is not fault-hnd-
ing.
''All art tends to advancement toward
best, who does most to aid such advance
ment, and for that very reason it is es-
seDtial that he be able to enter into and
exploit the intention of the artist
For, as Professor Stoker we'll remarks,
''Unless the judge either has some pre-
vious knowledge Of it, or allows his
sympathy to move as freely as Its sub
ject, it can hardly be possible for him to
grasp the idea of consistent character
working always through one individu-
ality, and yet subject to varied passions
and emotions. But the dramatic critic
has to study, follow, absorb not only one
character under varying aspects and con-
ditions, but each and every character in
the play; so that if his brain be already
loaded with theories, and if his SYM
pathies be already choked with antag-
onistic purposes, he is little apt to arrive
at that truth, whatever it may be, at
which the actor and the audience are con-
jointly aiming"
We believe it to be of the very best at
titudes that the conscientious critic can
assume, to give himself over to the per-
formance; to seek earnestly to enter into
the thought of the dramatist and be ab-
sorbed for the time by it, without erect
ing any barriers whatever Of preconcep-
ton Of rule or models. He will at the
conclusion be the better able to set up in
an orderly manner that which he has re-
ceived. and every individual part of it,
before the bar of unbiased judgment
Professor Stoker, while condemning
those who act as dramatic critics who are
blind to the value Of sympathy and who
approach the matter in seemingly hos
tile spirit, is still more severe upon those
whose omniscence is intuitive, SEEM
ingly; also the faddists who are gifted
with sort of impregnable cocksureness
TO whom nothing is hidden; who read the
whole Arcana like an open book; whose
logic is Of the feminine order-T think,
therefore I know The class includes
those whose vanity supplies the blanks
that their ignorance has passed and whose
self-suficiency covers up with binding
glory all doubts as to fact.'
This class is always the product of
want of conscience and want OF study
They never can be helpful to either artist
or witness, to actor or to the public, while
the true critic stands between the two.
These are not able, at least are not dis
pOSSQ 10 OSbWSSA e440 aAb4Sb
and the individual Because an actor
may be unlettered, a person Of no large
intellectual capacity, because he may not
be the result of culture, such ''critics'
oftenest assume him to be wholly incapa-
bic of feeling and expressing the thought
of the author, an error that every observ-
ing and thinking person must have made
note of.
For it is true that the play oftenest
rises above the player; that he is oftenest
the medium and the play the inspiration.
But when the author and the exponent
meet upon the level we have the highest
best results and the dramatic critic the
hghtest of his tasks.
As rule the dramatic critics upon the
reputable press are conscientious and
seek to be helpful, and therefore do en-
deavor TO enter into and exploit the
thought of the play and the intention of
the actor, and to submit each to sympa-
thetic but firm judgment.
The cruelist order of critics. so called.
are those who esteem themselves bright
est when they sburn up" or ''roast'' as
tbav tsru, it; the class of men or women