The Indianapolis journal., 1896-03-24

perience have been spent in worthy effort
to make this idealism convincing 10 the pub
lie as the embodiment OF true acting. While
ciaI. has been rapidly drifting from Irving's
conception, and that OF all the famous rc-
mancers, he has remained true TO his orig
inal purpose, and for his wonderful attain
ment the world honors him: he Is
knighted by his Queen and his ex-
shseuer is sd by the the pleased exa%De p1PI
OF this most eloquent method OF character
expression. That old saw about the mirror
ts being he'd up % o. nature does not not ngure 70
are rot natural but they are characters
nevertheless, delineated according to his con-
eeption OF expression IN art: he prefers
sei0ins ne does 1T II s. 80 " wei I''tat that the the
observer forgets nature and admires
The much talked about dividing line between
art and nature never bothers him. He
avoids all trouble by first turning his back
contrary CO % direction. His goal is the IDEAL not
the real. and his faults, and they are not
few, have never retarded his progress.
Comyns Carr's "Ixing Arthur,
The romantic and legendary story Of
king Arthur" the drama to be given to-
night at English's. Is told by the author.
Comyns Carr. as follows:
'.At the dawn of day when Arthur was
led by Merlin to the magic mere ne saw
great sword rising out OF the water, and
while he looked upon II there came voices
from the mere saying unto him that the
name OF that sword was Excalibur, which
had been forged beneath the waters OF the
sea. and that it should be given 10 the SON
OF Uther Pendragon, who, In after time
should rule over a kingdom that should rule
the sea. And while Arthur wondered, Mer-
lin declared the truth unto him that ne was
Pendragons son, albeit he knew II not; and
Merlin bade Arthur take the sword, telling
him also that although the blade was OF
N
Its stroke, yet was the scabbard worthier
than the sword And at the same time there
appeared vision Of Guinevere, and seeing
her. Arthur desired her for his Queen. But
while he gazed upon her there came other
voices which declared unto him that, by
reason OF her beauty, great evil should fan
not and resolved to make her his Queen
And in aftertime when they were wed Ar
thur bethought him of the words of Merlin,
that the scabbard was worthier than the
sword; for, with the coming of Guinevere,
peace fell uDon the land, after long sea-
son or havoc and war, and, therefore, Ar
thur likened his Queen unto the scabbard of
Excalibur- But there dwelt at the court one
Morgan lie Fay, who loved not Arthur, for
she desired the kingdom for her son. whose
name was Mordred. And this same Mordred
had learned from Merlin that he alone might
slay Pendragon's son, who was born with
the May. And this thing she kept in her
heart, for Mordred hau been born TO her on
May day. Now at this time a strange thing
happened at the court, for the cup of the
been brought to this isle, and had since been
snatched away no man knew whittier. ap-
peared again to Arthur's knights in the
great hall at Camelot; yet was the cup so
veiled that no man might see 1t with his
eyes Then great company OF Arthur's
knights took upon themselves a VOW TO seek
this Holy Grail through all the world till
they might openly behold the cup itself. And
Sir Lancelot, who was the bravest knight
or all the court, would have Joined himself
10 this molly quest, ana queen Gutnevere
was willing he should CO. for she knew of
his great love for her, and would not that
they should bring shame upon the King.
But Arthur withstood them both, for he
loved Lancelot better than any other knight,
and so 1t chanced that Lancelot stayed
for. knowing of the loves " of Ianceiot sa g' and
Guinevere, she hoped thereby TO bring ruin
upon the King. And yet, mindful always of
Merlin's words, that the scabbard of Ex-
calibur was mightier than the sword, she
bethought her OF how the King had likened
the scabbard unto his Queen; and one
scabbard of Excalibur and left him only
his naked sword. Whereafter followed great
evil to the kingdom. for at this hour Caer-
eSrrs% eSr Was s, Desieged b; & and Arthvr who had
cared no more for his scabbard that was
gone, but with his naked sword went forth
the King had departed, Mordred gave out
that he had been slain by Lancelot, and
would have made Guinevere his wife; and
wnen she spurned him, he cast her into
prison and condemned her to be burnt: and.
although Arthur came to fight in her cause,
he could not save her, for Excalibur availed
not against the blade Of him who had been
born on May day. Yet Guinevere died not
then, for Lancelot saved her from the fire
and slew Mordred, who had slain the King
And after he was dead Arthur was borne
by the three Queens of Night to that sweet
isle or sleep, which Is called Avalon; yet
ere he went, he commanded Bedevere to
take Excalibur and cast it into the water
so that when his day was ended England
should find her sword again in the sea-
The cast OF characters of the principals is
given below, but 1t must be remembered that
nearly every member OF the entire one hum
dred and more OF the company is sometime,
or somewhere, engaged in the plays inter-
probation. The following is the roster of the
chief roles, and the names OF the Characters
and OF their assumers betokens, in some
degree, the strength as well as the nature
OF Mr.. Carr's already famed drama:
KING Arlhur.... Henry Irving