The times., 1897-12-12

The progress Of dramatic IteratOre has
been marked by wave currents. Taere has
been a stratum Of romantic drama, then OF
farce, then Of military PLAYS, then soci Al
or sexual ethics, then dress comedy then
specta cislaI fares and so on. in the phil-
osopi.er-s vicious circle. But we can
find In All this variety one staple and Eer-
lnaneas clement. tits whatever is pure and
good Nor is il necessarily excellent by
ths can0ns OF dramatic construction, though
il often has been. There was Uncle Toms
Cabin . an execrably crude piece Of drama,
vet its appeal was to tie better nature and
its peru:ancncy was founded on its etisIcS.
"Rip Ven Wrinkle" has survived, thanks
partly to a great artists association 'Tith
tie role. but the homely sweetness Of the
character and the lesson OF gentien IS In
the story nave given ii a long and honorable
life.
The Old Fomestead' shamed the tech
nique tut not the heart Of its creator.
The gentle charity and warm domesticity
OF GI.cIc Nat, as told in Shore Acres
VIII be with us fer wears. The appeal
OF pos itive religious fervor OF The
Sign OF the Cross las found an answer
ing IN a public of Wholesome taste and
sound ju1gnent which has made lasting
success az al Indifferent piece Of dra-
matte construction. The brilliant plays:
the PLAYS OF gorgeous dresses and gaudy
pictures: the plays Of wit, satire and
repartee; all have a passing vogue, but
the plays that reach the heart, like the
songs which; reach the hearts, re surest
TO attai in ripe ma turity.
1T was the writer rare privilege recently
20 read tie manuscript Of play conceived
and written or tins broad, sympathetic, and
pernuau ent basis Of truth, integrity cha .ftY,
tenderness and doniesticity. To this mas
be added other considerat tions-which tempt
our ecL to the block o prophecy. 1t is tie
drama;izati0n ofthe most widely circulated
book Of ten years; il is made by literary
scholar and Il gifted wIiter; it is ;o lie
acted by a player maturein honorsanI geaTs,
and It is TO be produced by gentlemen
who unite to the gift for theatrical oJan-
Ineroe n reverent appreciation Tor art, its
dignity and permanency; or 70 be more spe-
cific, James Macarthur, the editor or The
Bookman, and Tom Hall, have ora nis tied
Ian Maclaren' Beside the Bonnie Brisr
Push" Aud Lang Syne,' and Kate
CafI tgie-' J. H. Stoddart, one 0 + the ven
cradle lights OF the American stage, viii
plsy the leading role, and the production
IS to be made by Frank Perley and Fred
i,anken.
The proposition at once strikes the eye
with the hopetulness and despair which
are alHvavs the seemingly coutradit tory
accompaniment Of simple and forceful
inception. Hundreds Of dTamatists and
managers viii be Jared into sst 1fisbment
that they had not thought Of this before
Hundreds Of thousands who have read DR.
Watson's beautiful Scotch sketches will
anticipate the appearance On The stage
Of the simple folk OF Drunit.,chtv, the BARNS
on the lTse, the lovers by the hriar bushes
andtle stern elders or the aud kirk They
VIII be eager to see pictured the land ofthe
briar hush. the paths in Glen Crtach, the
hurdle homes OF the etipiCus pea santry
and gardens Of the housewives.
Not alone these Considerations Of condi-
tions pr recedent, but a heliefin the skill OF
the dranstiSts' construction and the firm
ness Of their technique, as shown in the
manuscript. tempt u prophecy that a great
an ecuC play has been written. Moreoye:,
Ian MaclareIl, a rigid Scotch churchman,
as wei rs a brilliant litterateur, has
read the drama OF Beside the Bonnie
10 the spirit Of his sketches, its ethical
flavor. and the fine literary and impress
slYe dramatic qualities winch mark it.
In DrGmtochty the presEiing genius was
Or. MacIure, tie doctor OF the old school
The untrsined mind would turn TO him as
the sympathetic figure forthe center OF the
drama. On the contrary he can give but
color and warmth, essential, ,hnugh con-
lively dramatic in hischaracterization. The
adamant old elder, Lachlan Campbell, is
the logical pillar OF a play, and the authors
OF" Beside the Bonnie Briar Bush have ex-
peril y installed hin there. There is a pro-
gresslve, cumulative and finished drama "a
the story rf his Conversion from justice to
mercy The play shows him at first hare
and pitilsssly religious.
The Icve for Flora his daughter, IS eloax-
ed beaeath his dogmaUism and conserya-
tisIn. But she loves Lord lay, who loves
Kate Carnegie, and the hopeiessness Of
hcr love and the lack OF sympathy in her
fatlter drive her from the sorro VS. she
knows OF at home to those in the great
outside world she knows not OF. Then
Lachlan Campbell crosses her name from
his BiblC. This is tragedy in little. To
his small but deep soul his is the most
awful retrihutioh he colld draw upon his
Grant child. She is crossed from his Bible;
she is put out Of his Hfe; she is Ii da-
heriteI, cast OFF; she is no longer his
child.
Who but DR.. Weelum Naclure should we
expect TO come near and let fall the first
dihting drop On the hard heart of the
father?
In the second act we find the doctor
IN Lon'loii seeking and finding Flora, and
delivering 10 her that beantifulletter W hich,
in the book, Margaret Howe wrote for
Lachl5n's signature, htt IL the play the
doctor himself dictates Flora comes back
and finds forgiveness and open arms. 1T
the end the old Bible is reverentIy
opened. and in it is written Flora Camp
he'll Missed, prii, 1878; found. September.
1873"
These are the broad structural lines OF
the play. Into q are dra wn nearly al
the people Of Drumtoehty we know from
the book: even Jess, the doctors faithful
mare, whe yyesthered tne worst storing
the glen knew. Besides LacliIan, Flora
and DR.. Naclure, the story involves Kate
Carnegie, Lord ay. the dominic, Student