New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-19
TPTIBTTSNTS."

The wilful injurng Of that which IS oeau'iiui'
in nature or in art. is almost universally recoH-
nized as a grave offence. II the OBJECT De puono
property the DETACHMENT Of ii is crime anu II It
b, unique and irrepaceable, the OBSTRUCTION " "
Is infamous. THE youth who fired IN EP"eS''''
dome" presents a pertinent example 90 s'e".
was his crime that his judges httingy deCreeu
he should be remembered by 1t alone, ana MS
very name should be oblierated ana forso''eh'
Tho exocration Of civilized humanity rests upon
these who despoiled the noble monuments Oh an
tiouitv and the name Of their nation has be-
come a synonyme for all that is most brutal ana
malicious And in this workaday' unsehu-
r,ontal age stringent statutes have been multi
nIicd against the marrng of fine scenery by the
pll-advertising painter and by the covetous lum-
herman and quarryman. "A thing OF beauty
IL rightly held should be "a JOY forever
Dut what shall them be said of those who make
{, No, y low but a public nuisance? OF those who
NOT merely deface that which is beautlful ana de-
strov that which is unique, but do so by making
u an object Of contempt rather than OF admlra-
tion and of loathing instead Of love! For that'
and nothing less Is what Is being done to-day
with a work of art that Is snguarly perfect ana
that once lost can never, so far as this genera
ton Is concerned be restored That MT Du
Maurier's story Of "Trby" should be widely reau
and talked about is natural and proper. ina' II
should be the exciting cause OF maudiih MANIA
Is dscredtable and disgusting. "Triloyismus'
medical journal dubs 1t. and compares II WIN
such other crazes as the fifteen puzzle the
mind cure" and "Tarara- boom decay. Inc
Characterization is not extravagant. We are be-
set by q verltable epidemic Of Trilby fads Triioy
comets and gowns and shoes, Trlby accents oil
speech and Trby poses Of person 1riioy tao-
leaIs teas and dances Trilby ice-cream am
T,jlbv sermons. Trilby clubs and reading classes
and prize examinations Trilby nomenclature Tor
everybody and everything. Really, Mr. Du Mau-
rier. with all his Gorgius Midases and Ponsonby
d. Tomlynses never framed burlesque more
absurd only this is more pitiable than 1t Ia
laughablc. and more senselessly brutal than
either: for it is burlesque not upon folly and
ugliness bur upon wit and beauty. 4.
whatever books mag lend themselves to circus
ring and Grassland exploitation, "Trilby' as
surelly does not. II Is essentially subtle deli
cata reserved fts fragrance is that % the violet,
not # the musk-ox: It's lustre that Of the stars,
not II the nmcl.gh;. one might az we'll perform
a berccu-a with a steam callioIe or use cameo
e. adorn the FACADE Of the Capitol as to depict
Trilby and the Three Comrades Of the Brush
in twclve-sheet poster style In thus misuslng
tin. work all That IS most beautiful and precious
I'm IL i overlooked or lost. and the remainder,
b..aft and distorted. Is made 10 seem ridiculous
woarlsomc rcpuSivr. It Is vGigarlzdton' ii
thu. W rst sense II the word. gross and ruinous
DEGRADATION. OF one Of the most charming books
~ In. age Il is more than that: IL is vul-
,oriz,tion with reflex Influence. For Is II an
agreeable thing. or a thing void Of i'll significance,
t. portray Trilby O'Ferrall as a mere hght-o-
love grisette who posed for the altogether. and
dad ippo ppt
studying her and lmpersonatng her ana model
ling themselves after her? With all her personal
charm ana all her nobility OF heart. what was she
As at first introduced to us. but "A wanton? re
formed wanton If you Will: but even reformed
wanton is scarcely to be taken as an ideal for
maidenhood to emulate.
II is high time to stop all such noxious TOM
foolery Perhaps 1t Is already too late to avoid
the bulk Of the mischief An exquisitely dainty
and sympathctic romance has been made coarse
and absurd and contemptible and its very name
a WEAKNESS to the ear. But at least let us not
continue to parade before disguised world the
evil We have done. Give the corpse speedy. II not
decent burial and have done with It.. Some time.
in the far future. another generation of readers
may exhumc poor "Trllby' from the dust OF some
neglected library and give it the tender and true
appreciation have denied il; and may wonder
at us for soulless barbarans who outvandaei
even HIM who threw away a pearl more rich
than all his tribe" And their Judgment Will be
just As for us, let try to forget that so fair i
/ creature ever existed. to be so fouly wronged.