The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-01-07
THE PASSING SHOW
VILLA GATHER

Israel Zangwill recently delivered his
lecture on 'The Drama az Fine Art"
here. Zangwill has written great
many very clever and very witty articles
on the theatre, but think most OF us
went to hear him chiefly because once
in his early youth he wrote very re.
markable novel called The Master"
Since Mr.. Zangwill has been lecturing
in America much has been said Of his
voice and personal mannerism on the
platform that is patiently uncalled for.
A lecturer is not supposed to be an
orator or a vaudeville artist and his
business is not to captivate his audience.
His appeal is to the intellect solely, aud
60 long 40 he speaks distinctly enough
to be understood and conducts himself
with reasonable decorum, his accent and
his attitudes are his own afaire. In
the fret place I wish to Say that this
gentleman's portraits give a very wrong
impression of him. Handsome he Ger.
tainly is not, but neither is he q freak.
l was rather pleasurably surprised, in
deed. when this slender. pale gentleman
stepped before us. His physiognomy Is
typically eemitic, the bold nose, the tale,
olive skin, the full lips, the heavy dark
eyes, the shaggy black hair, suggested
not only the Jew, but Oriental Jew. He
has that mobility Of feature which be.
speaks a highly developed nervous or
Rauization, and there 10 about him q
certain most positive atmosphere OF
scholarship. A wit a. sharp and fan.
tasric az Heine's, face full Of the ideal
ism Of his race. he suggested even more
strongly than the scholar the dreamer
Of the Ghetto. For besides it's pawn
brokers, it's swestshop toilers. it's timer
ant peddlars. its Shylocks and money
hagglers, its money barons and pilIagsrs.
the Ghetto has always had its dream.
ers, and their dreams have changed the
course of history and founded empires.
Without attempting to give an analysis
OF his lecture, l will mention merely
some of the points which most interested
me.
Art, Mr.. Zangwill defined, in Spen.
GERS terms, as the overflow OF energy
not exhausted in the struggle for ex.
istence. The drama did not begin az an
artistic production. 1t nSd no inten-
ton of being artistic. Its Intentions,
on the contrary, were strictly honorable.
The fret drama was not drama at all,
but life. The conditions Of the modern
stage are largely the result Of the con.
flicting Hellenic ard Semitic ideals
which have modified all western civi(iza.
ton. The Hebrews, indeed, felt the
beauty of holiness, but the Greek felt
the holiness Of beauty. The English
stage has suffered great misfortune in
it's complete separation from the church.
From this separation 1t has grown frivol.
GUS and has lost the desire to deal with
the most serious questions Of life The
Puritan revolution against the drama
I was based upon true instinct. Stupid
people are often right upon wrong
grouLds. But the Unborn instincts OF
humanity are not to be killed entirely.
even by Puritanism. and by the irony OF
things the churchgoer often takes bis
sermon az art, something to be enjoyed
and criticised, rather than to be acted
upon.
A good play must have three things;
unity, lifelikeness, and the element OF
spiritual stimulation.
Under the head Of the first OF these
essential qualities, Mr.. Zangwill said