The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-19

The desertion Of him by bis patron. Rochester
spoiled his career, and kept him In penury which
drove him 70 the verge Of insanity. His despised
passion for the actress, Mira Barry. gave him
experience II seems 10 have supplied the fuel
for his usgic power, and 10 have helped 10 con-
sumo him. His six oxthnt letters are compared,
for "maddened emotion" 10 those Of the Portu-
goso Nun. Two conceptions lowered before "
ways soul whose bells wero 80 easily tangled.
One was the older conception Of q fratcrnal vehe-
ment friendship between men; tho other was that
Of heroine possessed Of the grace and sweet
eloquence Of Fletcher's women, with true sacri.
ncial dignity besides From the harmony or
conflict Of these two ideas arc wrought most Of
the better effects in his chief plays Don Carlos"
The orphan" and Venice Preserved" In Ven
Ice Preserved" which, long after It's authors
death. was accounted Unc Of the greatest Of Eng
iish tragedies and which. uDquestiOnably, lie,
by many deg recs the greatest written after Fords
Otway learned from Shakespeare, besides de-
tail tho use u q powerful Political background
Of ambition and conspiracy, playing with clear
logic into the romantic interest The scenes
between Jafher and Bevcdera, arc the poets
most glorious visions Of ths love which he did
not enjoy. but understood He died wro,chedy.
There is an odd contrast between the rapid tide
Of his passion and bis slowly .unc Hing metre
But otway has the puignant note Of rebellion
and desire unmstakablo In English verse, from
Mahowe 70 Blake and. In French verse, from
Villon 10 vcrlaine.
william Congrovc, born in 1870. near Leeds,
was educated In ireland. and came over after
1888, beginning three years later. with a boyish
novel Of intrigue, called "lncognita;" he contribu.
ted 10 Drydon's Juvcnal the eleventh satire
In the long coupct which he afterward managed
better In the ieering vein than any man of his
time e1ccp, Dryden and Popo In 1893 he flashed
upon the town with The Old Bachelor pro
duced at the Theatre Royal with Ammo Brace.
girdc, his grea, friend, playing in tho piece.
lie became unpopular In the same year on account
Of his splendid but sinister play The Double
Dealer yet had for ems n,iun the noblosi Of
Drydon's short p,omA containing a bcquest TO
him u Dryden's literary thr ne and memory.
lie repaired his vogue In 1905 with Love for
Live, and exalted Il undcscrvedly by his tragedy.
Tho Mourning Bride In 1907. lie wrote his
last comedy. Tho Way Of the World In 1900
doing nothing Afterwards but Mosques and pin.
darica mostly bad lie gave up work a, tho
age Of 80. having had. according " Swift "the
misfortune to squandor away very good oon.
sttuton In his younger days" lie kept the friend.
ship and admiration u Pope and Swift an well as
Of Denis and Adds n receiving the dedication
Of Cato" he held sinecures for many years and
died in 1929. by general consent the champion
Of the preceding literary age Congreye's style
ranks him with the greatest OF his time; it's aroma
clings 10 all situauJns and s independent Of re-
puld cncss or attracuveness in his characters
II Is felt alike In the gerish amenities. or mutual
decorations Of his villains, in his favurite exhibit
ton u the CONTACT OF folly with wit and In tho
baloiul prattlo VI his schools for scandal Tho
monUtony and dazzle that have been often made
subjects Of reproach against him are attributed