New-York tribune., 1898-01-25
THE DRAMA.
TAINTED TRASH AT THE LYcEuM
THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE. >,

I 4, al
though foolish in every fibre. It received with
that patient liberation for which the American
theatrical community has long been remarkabl.
BY some Of the spectators. indeed-!f applaus.
means anything-it approved: there Is an
audience for all that comes. and experience ha.
shown that nothing can be either 50 stupid or 80
nasty as not 20 meet with acceptance. This play
should not have been produced and the hs,
thing that could happen equally for the pubic
and for the stage would be It's failure. 1t IL no,
only destitute OF every kind OF meri,,-being prolx
IN construction fimsy In character. false TO
nature. shallow in thought. irrational in logic ard
puerile In styc.-but II is offensive TO good tasts
and repugnant to the OF decency. It's sub.
ject Is Illicit love and its treatment Of that
subject. after founderng dismally between ex.
travagance ard pattude. eliminates In ant-ci.
max and ends in frivolous ns!pdlty. It's author
Is Mr.. r. C. Carton In London. under the man.
age nent Of Mr.. George Alexander. It has been
considerably followed.-but In London. as In New
York there are many pcrsons who have singular
ideas OF enjoy ment
The time Of the play Is the present the scene IL
laid in a couple Of country houses IN England N.
movement implca eleven persons. and the story
T.; tod In Ave acts The dialogue never rises ahov.
commonplace. and for the most part the tissue
Of II T. as solemn n ha;bsn6 HInor is supplied
by a garruous military gentleman. who il supposed
/ TO keep pei animals and who speaks of punishlns
a refractory pig by converting him into pork but
happily that mirthfu person is not often permitted
to emerge The serious story relates that there
was woman. named Pollc. a goyerness and
courtesan who for some time. lived his mis-
;ress with young man named Nigh till AZ last.
growing weary Of his society (Which, X he talked
much TO her as he docs In tho play. re-
markable). she suddenly left him. and went with
another man, who had more money. Ngil. in a
misanthropic mood. thereupon reverted 70 the So
cety Of his mother and. apparently. began 70 think
rr0Ff-
lovely girl named Monica who his mothers
adopted daughter A little later the fggaciou.
Belle having disposed Of her millionaire married
a young man named Brian who was Ngils int
mate friend. and, in ignorance OF her destination.
astonished Nigll. and momentarlly paralyzed her
self by coming to Nigls house. whore presently
she discovered that Brians pecuniary prospects
were dubious and where. almost simultaneously.
she made the Acquaintance OF a rich b.ackguari
named Roupell. who straightway signIfed his H.
centlous fancy for her. and with whom she de-
termined TO abscond. That. obviously. the
course which any sensible. we-nformed friend Of
Br!an's would have wished her 20 take but NlgL
having discovered her intention, went 70 her. in
the middle OF the night. 10 forbid that proceeding.
tried TO strangle her and nearly succeeded In doing
So but. being interrupted by her husband. was
charged by her with having attempted nameless
outrage was forced TO explain his past relations
with her and thus 70 quit the field. The enterpHs-
ing Belle then consoed her lord with many endear-
ments gave him dose OF sedative pills and lulled
him 10 sleep, and. upon the convenient arrival OF
Roupell took her departure with that fresh candi-
date for amatory bliss. Some hours later Brian
awoke and finding himself deserted. sent his re-
spectacle father apologize 10 Nigh. and request
a reconciliation and the two became as fast friends
as ever-a sequel which with such peculiar re-
membrance Of loving partnership. was. OF course.
the most natural OF results. Nigil then explained
his liccntious past TO Monica. who said that
she had long understood the whole affair that
girl with cork Jacket Of innocence ought TO b
allowed 10 swim and that she would gladly become
his wife and pay the debts OF his abandoned friend
In so far as the dramatist had any thoughtful
purpose In corcocting this feversh morod and
silly story. he apparently. had the purpose. nrst
to declare that "a young lad with clean heart
ought not deliver the key Of his soul into the
hands Of harlot. and. secondly to declare that
the true way train innocent girls, in order 10
make them good. charitable. useful and happy
women Is TO keep them thoroughly informed AZ
the vicious courses OF young men, so tnat' ailer
the youths have delivered their spiritual Keys
and other hardware into the kceplng OF oissolu's
hussies, they may become comforters IN aHi'cuon
and may lead the repentant sheep into the green
and placid pasture OF holy matrimony. more
nuerile and soph!stica rigmarole could not readily
be imagined and the man capable or setting II
forth with straight face. for the SERIOUS Co'-
sideration Of anybody who knows human nature
or is acquainted with the ways or the "or.u, must
be either a green young fool or a muddled oli ass
Az matter OF fact, the young lad with the clean
heart does not deliver the key OF his SOUL TO
vanton unless in addition 10 the clean heart. he is
also equipped with the added head and IN tnat
case he might impart 10 her an entire ounch OF
KEYS without becoming either proper oojec' OF
public concern A suitable subject or oramauc
art For the rest. II the yellow journals ahc
rot,c novels Of this period allow any OF our girls
IF 10
,bero ahould be daily service OF thanksgiving for
,ba, blessing in every household OF the land. The
idea that girls ought. as an educational policy 70
be kent acquainted with the vicious courses ana tne
DEGRADING experience through which young men
so,re,n,es pass IN their foolish pursuit Of pleasure
is as silly az II is impudent
There Is nothing in the fable. Every ele'
mon, O, situation in the play has been used before
now over and over again. The only deviation from
,ha customary groove Of clap-trap occurs NJ tne
explanatory confrontment OF hysterical hisoaad
and frenz,ed lover when instead OF the death
struggle which in actual life must inevitably nave
happened. under the circumstances deno'ed 'he
participants exchange epthets and part in VERDI
age.-making way for a scene which is about equally
comnoundsd Of anti-climax and fatuous nonsense
Tho pr,ncipal character,--the woman for whose
celebration the play was written, ana ABOUT whom
IT'S movement revolves.-may Appropriately ne ae.
scribed as ~ helon." She is destitute not only 81
heart conscience and prlhclpie' nu' even VI ''a'
nary humanity She is woman only In being te-
male: in other respects she Is monster Sne pes-
tally consorts with one man after another; sne
hing. each foolish victim aside. as soon as sns
ascertains that ne has no more money. and. nnaNs'
she departs with L wealthy, caddish animal as
shallow and as insensa;e as herself The speciac's
thus presented.-even though this woman IS 80
grossly overdrawn as 10 become ludicTous'-hco"
te.tably does inspire, and. doubtless. was Intended
~ ,nsnlre aversion and disgust IN that result
the spectator once more encounters his old frieno
the moral lesson" that venerable ddaeua'm'
like one Of Longfellow's hemocks. bearded "i'n
moss" but still murmuring and probably 1estheu
70 murmur a. long as there are Ounces 70 ofa'e
and fools to listen: for the tenet seems 10 oe ''s