New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
THE BELGIAN SHAKESPEARE
HIS IDEAS ABOUT HIMSELF AND OTHER
THINGS.

The Belgian Shakespeare was sitting a
marble table in an obscure Partisan restaurant
and as he blew a fine thread Of tobacco smoke
through the meshos Of his heavy mustache, re-
marked TO his vs-a-vis "As for symbolism. my
dear fellow. doesn't 1t strike you that 1t Is being
overdone?" Then pausing long enough TO give MS
shot time TO take effect. he added: For my part.
/ am tired of IT, and have accordingly decided to
do something quite different in my next play which
| writing"
The man addressed was too much surprised to
expostulate and stared in blank amazement at his
interlocutor.
ITO be quite candid" Mr. Maeterlinck continued.
Il expect tc be 4 trihe symbolic but only tribe.
We are mysteries 10 ourselves. and even Keel that
/ am not we'll acquainted with my own genius
as | hope be some day. You critics have spoken
most fatterngly of my talents, but am tempted
TO think that you have exaggerated their merit
poor thing that II is l am still cropping, and am
doubtful IL have found my individual gait
Again the poet filed his lungs with smoke and
a the cloud of gray vapor swrled about his face
like the steam from defective valve. something
approaching expression Of animation appeared
in his hazy eyes. He leaned across the table and
murmured: You know my play La Princesse
Maene'? Well ] have a mediocre opinion Of 1t.
You know L'Intruse' and Les Aveugles? Well.
am not satisfied with them either"
Interrogated, he declined to explain the grounds
of his dissatisfaction; II Is not his habit or his
pose TO be concise. II like my pieces only Defore
begin to write them; love them only while | am
carrying them in my mind. The conception Is pure
delight the execution is unmitgated WEAKNESS.
It is so hard find the exact expression for one
ideas You strike invariably either one side or
the other; never. only very seldom. In the
buus-eye II the truth must be told, there are
easier arts than the art OF literature" And easier
exercise than reading some results of il. good sir.
In this connection Maeterlinck confessed that the
writing Of his plays cost him infinite pains. The
fitting word is hard to find" he said. despairingly.
wet T never give UP the chase until the game is
brought to bag l am prepared to go to any lengths
to satisfy the artistic cravings of my spirit
once read n whole volume OF tragedies to find a
term which my sub-conscous self whispered to
mo was needed TO round a line in my dialogue
Think of IT, my dear fellow, La Bruyere Roche
foucauId and Montagne compressed fifty years of
life and experience into single volume. and what
is their reward? Immortality. And can I, there
fore afford to follow savishly in the steps of the
fashion Of the day and turn out a book year by
nrostituting the talents God has given me? Ny
dialogue is simple, but 1t cost me unspeakable toll
to make 1t So
I.nfattering things have been said OF NJ Maeter-
linck's dialogue and some unapprecatve persons
have even gone so far to compare its simplicity
70 that of Ollendor: Have you the candlestck of
my grandmother's great aunt? No. have not the
candlestick of your grandmother's great aunt"
being a plausible prototype of the passage from
"pelas ct Melisande" which reads: NE me
touchez pas. Ne me touchez pas Je me suis en-
fuie enfuie enfuie. Je ne sui pas heureuse! Je ne