New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-27

whose company one would see anything. IT Is
often said that first night does not o1er a
good opportunity for judging new piece some
times it does not. But second visit TO the st
Jamess leaves all the first impressions in their
full force. I still think the piece vulgar and
false; and dramatically effective. not because of
It's truth. but in spite of its falseness. stnl
think the acting the essence OF It's success;
and Mrs. Patrick Campbels not less than Mr..
Aexanders. except that Mr.. Alexander has all
the great opportunities. and Mrs. Campbell
hardly one have listened with meekness TO
many other opinions | know l am In a MI
nority in thinking Dulcie Larondie weak part.
But have read the part; the play having been
privately printed in advance. and a copy sent me
to convert me to the true view.
1t does not convert me. 1t confirms the
opinion which grew out Of the seen performance.
Ducie is woman in the first act, another
in the third act. and third and totally different
woman in the fourth. There is no continuity of
character The change is not one OF develop
ment but OF substitution. The part is. at the
end. in a different key, on different plane arts
ing out Of motives and nature totally unlike those
shown us at the beginning 1t is, in other
words, not only an unreal but an impossible
character and in so far AS 1t fails Of its due
authors There Is however. a dead set at Mrs.
Campbell. One eminent critic has devoted all
his ingenuity, his dramatic experience. which IS
great, all his rhetoric. which is Of very florid
kind to Overwhelming this lady beneath the
weight Of his authority. To disparage her he
overpraises everybody else. The most insignh-
cant actors are exalted that Mrs Campbell may
be debased. doubt whether efforts OF this
r,t-l,o fofp
paper invective lasts. as a rule, much beyond
the day which 1t is printed
But am SO far at odds with the whole view
and method Of current dramatic criticsm-the
greater part of f-in London that presume 1
entirely in The wrong. If l have still a
doubt left 1t is because through all the glitter Of
these critical embroderfes there is often visible
the substance of a genuine dislike of Mr. Jones's
methods and genuine respect for those laws Of
dramatic art which he violates most fagrantly.
Two or three Of the most judicious critics make
no secret of their opinion. The most judicous
of them all describes the play as wholly uncon-
vincing. When he has said that. and so re-
lieved his critical conscience. he thinks himself
at liberty to polite adjectives to hide the
nakedness of this browning defect"
Mr.. H. D. Trail has been discoursng at the
royal institution on Journalism on It's relation
ship to Literature 1t is the topic which the
President of the Probate and Divorce Coun
lately handled with some flrmness Mr. Trail
has double competence for the somewhat
turesome task on which he addressed an eX.
ceptionally good audience. He knows Journalism
and he knows Literature. He has had long prac-
tice in both. He IS one OF the most accomplished
and versatile of journalists, and in Literature
he has not only the good traditions which are
the foundation OF all good writing. but that
sentiment of freshness, and that felicity Of in
stinct, that aptitude. that sureness Of touch
which bring the best journalism into contact
with the thought Of the moment; fastening. as it
were. on the topic which everybody will want
to read about tomorrow morning. There may
not be much that is entirely new TO say about
either Literature journalism. but what new
mind says on old subject is always new. To
define the relationship between Literature and
Journalism is. moreover, attempt which has
not thus far been very systematic or very sue
cessful. There are plenty OF superior persons
who will tell you with confidence that there IL
none. But that is not an attitude which tends TO
promote discovery in any province Of knowledge.
Humility is better. Curiosity is better, and that
largeness of synthetic perception which comes
from culture is best Of all; and this Mr. Trail
has. G. w. S.