The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-15

Ii Would Be Greatly Improved If Its
Cynfcism Were Eliminated.
phjla delphia Recard

With another theatrical season comes the
tediously trite question regarding cynicism
in American life. Why Is 1t that the mod
perating lengths In its criticism Of the
most sacred subjects, and give itself sys-
tematically to dispelling the pleasant thu
durable to those who have 10 live in It?
Why is il that to be successful the dram
atist must needs saturate his lines with
musings morbid and morose. and phloso-
phizing unhealthful and contemptuous? II 1t
be true that the picture given is accurate
in outline and comprehensive in detail then,
either to it's propriety or it's necessity. But
il the dramatist a faithful artist? Does he
give us a symmetrical, evenly toned pic
ture, or one with merely a clever ccmbipa-
ton of color and a happy adaptation of
form? To believe that the society drama
of to-day truly represents American. or
virtues and graces of all highly cultivated
men and women; IL is to tear on the veil
not only of. illusion, but of delusion, and.
the fools head and the deaths head be-
meath the comely exterior Of silver or
gold. And is 1t true that the representative
this disappointing picture-that it is led
along lines no more stimulating. 70 more
elevating, no more ennobling than the Sc
we're limitations circumscribed by the av-
Now. we do not intend to answer these
questions Immediately or Complementary
We are content, rather, 10 let them answer
themselves. Yet it is only right to say
that the less artistic melodrama is in it's
peculiar field infinitely more faithful to the
life it represents and far more healthful for
the people who watch it than is the more
aesthetic dramatization For. whatever
may be said of particular uncouth features
in the melodrama, there yet remains the
gratifying assurance that in the less ele-
CANT audience every one loves the hero and
hates TIE villain: while i'm the risky" play
and we are now speaking only of plays
where the dramatist seeks to skate on ex-
trersly thin ice-there are comparatively
few VIC can have either sympathy with
the onetfide or with the other, for sym
patty liz a matter of the soul far more than
of the mind. and must be awakened by
MA rather than intellectual appeals.
"Re good. sweet maid. let other girls be
clever" "a KinRsley's Injunction on a differ.
ent oe.asion. and it might well serve for
writer's OF the drama. Have a firm and
abiding moral purpose. and let the intel
lectual varieties go by the board. II that
should d. tie aim of the dramatist there
would De little of the unwholesome cycnic-
ism which we have lately learned to look
for ~. the stage. There would be more OF
scisulne feeling. s~pontaneity and enjoyment
18th before and behind the footiights. The
noyid Is fond of ingenious novelty: IL Is still
deceived with But OF these II
tires In time. and comes hack with never
failing regularity to the stern truth tina
morality and sincerity are forces yet alive
In society. How long is ii TO be before the
strictly clever shall cease TO entertain us
and .se abiding good" in life. literature
and Aft Ei,asl assert its instructive power?