New-York tribune., 1898-10-30


fishers
The dominant quality Of NJ Rostands "Cyr-
ano de Bergerac," considered purely as poeu
cal production, is a certain full, ricn' nain
boyancy which pervades the work Ike luS'S
but genial southern breeze, placing the au'hoi
a little below the most sonorous l!rical piane
Of Victor Hugo, and considerably afoVe the
rhetorical staccato OF that master in DIS IT,
mantle plays. "Cyrano de Bergerac recalls 'he
latter by its bizarre motive, and by what the
French would call its "et0ffage, It's tuTi'isH
inge draperies and paraphernalia generally
But The more recent play has spohtahe'!. q
fresh debonair and supple quality which
'Hornani'' lacks, and which even M hos'"i'u
himself has not hitherto achieved. as may DC
secn hy looking into La Princesse LoihtaDe
or any Other Of his earlier writings ''y'aho
dc Berrerac." N a word is written out Of a
strong free and happy inspiration, with ON
pietc ease and authority. The ines 10"
swiftly and so straight 20 their goal
T. i this n. Dncse this warmth and TINS s.i1'-
plicity which Translator must rerrodu'e y ms
work &c 20 be dono ue,l-a task obviously am
cult. Miss Thomas and Miss Gdihemard are
nretty nearly as successful as could be desi!ed'
From the scene beneath the WINDOW q koA"Ae'
in .hc third act. We quote fragment pre'A.ng
tho orig'lal Ancs:
Oui. nor Cour.
Touj ujouis. IL mon esrrit shabille par putc1f
Je pars pour dac.ocher Gtolo, {, Je ia az
PA you. G- ;iCicui' -Jciil.r IA ''-ft''t'
M hear. Ia ,iojncd .:so,f With WHY woIds
IT, eb,oId fecf rom CURIOUS cycs--mpeiled
At times tc aim i a. star. stay my h"ic'
AnC f.aIing ridiculc, cuM Vl.dile"er.
.,...e.-~4,. .b1 .fo,-l- '
,e,d g. Ii, translation i .s letter, or the
whole han IN those nioIe iyrlcal moments 20
which the translators have rs"n by greater
efforts. The.r versions Of the baiiade uG
Due" Racuonoaus comment o. Fait les Tar
telottos Amandines," and the 'csounding "Ce
Sont lce cadets d, Gss"ognc. are good, but 10;
perfect They a.. hardly to be blamed. The
difficulties IN the way of a pelfect translator
or those .hrcc poems are encrmrus. The man
point. too. i for Tho Ilay as whole TO be pul
into Ene .sh wiuL ciasticit! ahG 'ompactn'Ss
This Miss Tloma. and Miss GGi,isnard have
accomplished. and, unt.l more sk'iul HANDS ai'
y-oaoh ID. task, .heir volume may be recon-
mcudcd as o., .d.d', ~. cne for Eug 'sh :taoti
10 uee.
Mise Gertr;dc Has trai.s.ati'' ot "'!iaA'
/ dc B,rcer.e' IS rot VOL kni; no: docs { give
4 ~ ST.i Z all ''-'it- III III =
ot the Original. !; leaves the Impression Of &
translation done line ly line, not with the
grasp and energy requisite % a c."ar, swinging
Interpretation q the central motive motive
Il may bo sand, which has the virtue Of rradl
ating a Kind of romantic fire through the .ntir'
fatrir. "Cyrano Dc Bergcral' ie, We arc tod
"ono-man play but i IS filled 20 the brin
with that Gas,on robustness which cu,minate'
| IN The character Cf the principal figure, ant
Miss Hal has failed 20 feel this imrerou'
| charm G., at 81! ld:e, 70 rahe hef ieadei
! feel 1t.
"Tls Eoto.Mor of Gcrcya" has some good
qualities. Professor Shields has made The
! dra ma homogeneous and faiily expeditions B1
it docs not arouse sympathy There IS nothing
poetic about tho style, and while the characters
are not unskllfuly drawn, they just stop shor
of carrying conviction "he wc:f i serious
/ 'f,d-tGt Gry.