The times., 1899-01-01


more blameworthy. that some love Is
sacred without being sanctifed-and all
because the authors heroine has sinned
without fault. has suffered without fair
ness and has sacrificed without formality.
This extract is from criticism OF David
Belascos new oftering and was pnDiisneu
last Tuesday morning in The Times I is
reproduced here bec9s,se. after considera-
ton and conjecture, one cannot help un-
derstanding that the efrontery of the work
is what will be most questioned and most
debated when the piece reaches New
York. For there have been powerful plays
before and substantial ones. but only twice
or thrice in the history OF the stage has
bold theme been treated so boldly as in
"Zaza.
Many people of intelligence and discre-
tion have already impugned the propriety
and purpose OF tne drama. They have al
legged that its teachings and influence are
for anything but the more rigid side of the
prevailing code of morals. Several OF the
clientele that spends its time in standing
about street corners and arguing pro and
con questions that concern almost anyone
but themselves have claimed even that the
intent of the presentation is viciously per
nicious. II has been said that "Zaza" is
an excuse for harlotry-that il breaches
love unrestrained by marital bonds that 1t
pardons weakness and sinfulness. And, as
is usual in cases where meanings OF any
sort are willfully distorted or misquoted,
any number of lines and scenes have been
cited as evidence that the Offering has 4
villaiEous import.
Some months ago, when THE Christian"
was taken into Gotham, about the same
things were remarked of its story and
treatment. The facetiOus critics and the
intellectual public OF that metropolis had
read the novel in their own way and insist
ed that the adaptation should follow their
ideas. The thought that John Storm had
gone 10 the rooms of Glory Quayle on the
fearful night of the London riots with any
thing but an impure purpose never seemed
to have entered their heads any more than
had suspicion that this purpose was not
achieved. When Glory threw down her
hair and barred her neck to remind John of
the way she had looked in the old days.
these befoulers of a great work found an
entirely different Interpretation OF the
scene. Finally Hall Caine was Obliged TO
come before the city in a published expla-
nation of the foundation from which he
had written that portion of his volume.
Mr.. Caine was too diplomatic to say so, but
his entire rebuke-and u rebuke it was
meant only repetition of the old Anglo
Saxon proverb, ''Honi soft qui NAL
pense.'
Only ignorance or impurity of mimi
could account for misleading of the ser
mons in ''Zaza-' A play in which the en-
tire atmosphere is retenant of the holi
ness of the home cannot excuse harlotry;
play in which the woman who Sins
breaches purity and bids her companion
leave her that he may return to his family
cannot be construed an attempt TO con-
vince that marital bonds are bonds before
they become and after they cease to he
anything else; play in which the guilty
mistress suffers as Zaza. does. cannot show
that weakness and passion go unpunishsd.
In his theme Mr.. Belasco does not even
endeavor to prove that the mans love
had created shackles that bound him 20
his companion; he does not claim that she
| had rights and privileges; he does no ex-
press the idea that her solitary crime was
| in overstepping the chains of law made
| powerful but by reason of its age and re-
| spectability. The drama urges only broad
| thought and unprejudiced sympathy. 1t
! suggests that the guilty woman loved as
| did the innocent-that the guilty woman
| was capable of feeling as though she had
| been innocent-that a lapse of convention
| ality does not rend the common humanity
with which all persons have been endowed.
! Col. Robert c. Ingersoll has remarked
! that blasphemy is not constituted by what
| one does or says but by the insincerity
| with which he does or says it, Because
"Zaza" is an earnest play it cannot be an
| immoral one. Did not the delicacy and ar
| tistic treatment accorded the most dan
! gerous of its scenes preclude the possibility
| of their being considered obscene. the
very faithfulness OF intent displayed should
| serve TO guarantee their purity. Nothing
| fine can be vulgar, and nothing which
| reaches a good end can fail to Justify the
means by which that end is attained.
| The distinction is in that difference which
| lies between the work wherein art is
made to bow to the proprieties and that in
| which the proprieties are made to bow TO
| art
Charmion's turn" was revolving But
| had Charmion disrobed for the purpose OF
| intensifying any dramatic point OF eX-
| hibiting a certain phase OF the character
she assumed only the bigoted and the mar
row could have objected TO her accom-
plishment. Orange Blossoms" was pro-
| duced at time when indecency had not
advanced 10 its present wantonness and
was straighway prohibited, even when a
like scene was being performed in Fra
| Diavolo' all over the country without ex-
citing much comment. THE Sporting
Duchess contained an act In which was
done boldly and fagrantly the very thing
which was repeated quietly and strongly in
The Prisoner OF Zenda." Accordingly
one effort was condemned where the other
was commended. No one could excuse the
manner in which disgrace and lewdity
were dragged into when London Sleeps, -
but he were indeed a prude who could not
see the force and intensity of The Con
querors. Lines that pass unnoticed in
"Cyrano de Bergerac would be eagerly
abused for existence In 1.-The Turtle" and
lines that are forgotten in THE Turtle
would provoke ribald remark in variety
house. When introduced for the sake oi
winning laughter an oath cannot help but
disgust-when brought cut to suggest
force and anger one passes it by.
| No greater opposites could be found thar
the work now in question and that which
was done last week at the National
Zaza' has certain suggestive scenes ant
incidents because they are necessary tc
the atmosphere and strength of the play
THE Telephone Girl introduced its filti
and coarse vulgarity because there wa.
nothing else interesting TO offer instead
One does as much as possible to hide o
refine its suggestion-the other endeavoreC
to exploit and brutalize its sensual ant
| nauseating subjects. "ZaZa" Is dram;
fer men of intellect-"The Telephone Girl
is a spectacle fer people without elthel
intelligence or morals.
cheap painting of nude figure vii
provoke desires that could never be create,
by a fine one. An inferior piece of scup
tUre eXcites sensations that would lie dor
mant before better work. The man VII
would take away line of "Zaza' for rea
sons OF morality would vote 20 wrap al
Indian blanket about the Venus di Milo
One cannot produce n light without FIRE
Strength is only to be procured from hand
| ling the stronger passions Of humanity