New-York tribune., 1900-08-15
THE DRAMA.
THE SWEET BY AND BY.

THE SWEET BY AND BY.
Tho felicity Of Artemus Ward as a humorist was
his perfectly serious aspect when making comic
deIlverance. The excellent comedian, hr. Jonh
Hare seems 10 have furnished shining example
Of that same felicity in his remarkable speech al
the annual dinner of the Royal Theatrical Fuho
In London Mr. Hares drift was the ob1ursation
of a man named Smith. who, In the House OF
Commons had actually ventured to object 70 I'M
moral plays" Smith. II appears, dslikes bacon
or even shakespeare-when rancid. and he is so
densev flIiberaI that, IL he takes Mrs. Smith ana
the little Smiths the play. he does not want
them to see stage exhibition OF Mrs, PouPhafS
celebrated Interview with Mr. Joseph. or even an
Illustration OF the dilemma Of Miss AnOnyna, When
her tUenty-arst paramour protests against her old
score Mr. Hare showed deep emotion; that Is 10
say he kept a straight face; and he mayed the
presunptuous Smith without mercy. for his big
oted antagonism TO the proper expression OF Art
The Smiths he declared, have always taken lin
tied views "-preferring early vegetables and dis
liking bad smells One Smith, indeed, whom ne
remembered-an official Smith.-had the amazing
and ntolerabe stupidity TO ostracize that fragrant
and fascinating story about the Partisan eourtesan
"Camflle"-a play said the shocked and tmpas-
stoned Mr. Hare which Is zone OF the most brill
liant instructive, and moral comedies OF our time
Other Smiths he was satisfied would interdict the
salacious Mrs. Tanqueray," that most caloTie OF
generous ''housekeepers. '-matrimOnally chosen
because she had lived successfully with most OF
her husbands male cronies,-the advanced MIS-
Ebbsmith," that valiant apostle or Free Love, the
Shakespearian delicacy Of Measure for Measure.
so various and so felicitous with hole-and-eoTner
designations and even that other salubrious con-
coction of the sainted National Bard, "Pertcies
Prince Of Tyre" with It's charming picture OF life
in brothel; and any Smith who would do that
would be quite capable of laying sacriegious
hands on THE Gay Lord Quex"-which would
amount to a suppression, not TO say an utter ex-
tinctIon. of English dramatic literature
Mr. Hare has often shown himself TO be a superb
Han az on
been that Of consuumate humor. But beneath his
humor there must have been potent exhilaration
of audacity and a prodigious charm Of candor.
Other champions Of the Frightful Example-that
is to say. the Nasty Drama-have extolled its
humanity" its sympathy its 'virility," its
"originality,' and. above all. it's popularity as
evinced by the gross receipts: The intrepid Mr.
Hare did not hesitate proclaim its Virtue! This
at last, Is the right note The Smiths have all
been mistaken. The great need of the public is
perfectly clear elucdation OF love and tunercu-
Iosis. By all means let US have the demi-moude OF
Parts and the Tenderloin of New-York. IN all our
theatresl What could be more brilliant than
the jocund guttony Of Nine. Prudence. when
guzzling champagne out of celery glass or
punchbow! What more Instructive" than the in
terror Of a gambling hell and the society of black
legs and demireps! What more moral than
disappointed love" sucking a cough mixture and
expiring in a white muslin chemisette! There have
been times when the voaries of the theatre sought
that shrine with some expectation OF being re-
freshed by It's pictures ana CneeEeO Dy
but those old fogy times, and they are
thought OF more, These" forciAy re-
marked by Mrs. Cora Urquhart Potter, when lay
ing down her PiIlicoddy and taking up her Scutte.
ARE not the Dark Ages; and people whe go TO
the theatre nowadays expect the amplest informa-
tion,-especaliy to matters that even the beasts
Of the field protect by decent reserve. Let US
have light! Nobody. at present, knows anything.
Nobody recalls the Ten Comma ndmeBts. Nobody
reads the Book of Proverbs. Nobody remembers
the Sermon on the Mount Nobody Is acquainted
with the teachings OF the New Testament Every
body, accordingly. is hungry and thirsty for
moral lessons; and where else shall that divine
hunger and thirst be assuaged, If not within the
sacred precincts OF the theatre? Where. partiCu-
larly, shall the female bosom find moral nourish-
ment, unless from some coplous and vociferous
English blonde whom Nature intended TO be bar
maid but whom Fate-and Vanity-have made an
actress? What could be proptious for the
future of lovely woman. daughter or wife or
mother. than long succession of Tanquerays and
Saphos?
Mr. Hare is right IF the Smiths we're to pre-
vail" said that bold orator the Drama would
never be In its present healthy and hourishing
condition" Most assuredly not. But let him be
comforted. 1t is Jerusalem that reigns. II IS the
Charles Frohmaa Syndicate. and not the Smith
faction, that rules stage. II Is the Department
Store system that prevails in theatres;
and Hamlet be bought at counter, and
The Girl from Maxim's" at another, and cash
is running all over the shop Mr.. Hare's bsnevo-
Swift, 10 make girls acquainted with Tom Jones
and TO delight boys with the HoUyhnhnns
may perhaps be disappointed; but. surely,
he need not he anxious 10 the American
fortunes of The Gay Lord Quex' Charles Froh-
has already ashore with bushel of
personal pronouns in one bag and The Husbands
of Leontine" in another, and Olga Nethersole is
coming back with Sapho, and the venerable Bern
hardt will soon be hand with the Magdalen.
There IS Smith in America. Lord Quex will
have plain sailing and rapturous welcome and
lessons" will be thick backberries all
the land Never there such a good lookout
for the public morals. The only danger
is that our women who. Notwithstanding their
many angelic attributes, are after all, somewhat
desultory. may grow a little weary Of stage tut
tion. Even gospel truth becomes monotonous with
iteration. and the chief moral lesson is al
together a marvel. 1t was long ago crystallized
by old Verdun. when he told the touching story of
Miss Baden and the perjured Count CasseH and
with this solid chunk Of wisdom sweety to a
close:
Then ye who lead single lives
From this sad tale BEWARE
And do not act you were wives.
Before you really air"
Wv.