New-York tribune., 1901-01-01

ranted disparagement: And it was intmated that
Sir Daniel. Notwithstanding the wildness of his
youthful days buried and forgotten. would
soon be happily married, and that Lionel Carteret
would recover from his temporary infatuation and
return to his irst love. The woman is always the
victim. the public response to the crOss-eNamina-
tion that of prodigous applause but there
was nothing in the acting of either Mr. Richman
or Miss Anglin TO account fer this excitement. Mr..
Richman. indeed. acted with gravity apd urbanity,
but his personality not in the LEASH that OF an
elderly English lawye'. and his performance had
neither distinction. authority, austerity nor for
midable force Miss Anglln's idea of emotion is to
make her chin CULVER and to bleat The coloquy
itself is dry. dull and tedious
The purpose of this fabric to create an In
reresting and effective dramstic situation. and
that purpose has been indifferently accom-
plished. The prelimnaries to Sir Daniel Carterets
accidental animation of Mrs. Dane are. in
deed hackneyed: I'm one form another the same
story has been told many times-as, for example,
in T. W. RobeTtson's comedy of Home: but the
scene in which the OLD lawyer unntentionay en-
tangles the deceitfu woman in her own web Of
falsehood, and so compes her TO confess her shame
and sin, is toleraby ingenious. and II gives a
fresh tinge 10 old topic. The drift Of the piece
is-in a mood Of sentimental fiummery,-tO assail
an alleged injustice of social law, and to perplex
and befog the perception of right and wrong. The
case of the woman was hard: therefore she ought
to have been exonerated. The woman was an
adulteress liar, and a fraud, but she was no
worse than many mem therefore Sir David acted
very cruelty in refusing 20 marry her his adopt
ed son. and receive her into his family. II is
the old humbug business of trying to arouse
rnawksh sympathy with hussy the old folly
OF assuming that human law customer any
thing else-can avert from anybody, man or
woman. the inevitable consequences of sin.
The ethical proposition that Mr. Jones and
other persons who reason in his fashion have
long been desirous declare and authenticate IS,
substantially. this: If a young man can be Hcen-
tious and SOW wild oats. and then can marry and
become good husband and father. a young woman.
equally, can be licentious and SOW wild OATS
and then can marry and become good wife and
mother: and this being true. objection ought
ever be made. from any quarter. to the accept
tesan. any more than TO the acceptance of re-
pentant adulterer or a reformed rake. The reason
ing Is excellent; mans prOhgacy and mans in
Justice cannot for an instant be defended but the
practice under the Jones and Pinero dispensatiOn
would. obviously, lead to the complete disruption
of society. There little questions TO chill
drcn that inconveniently arise in this matter, and
il happens that men who contemplate matrimOny
prefer Cnless they fools to choose their wives
among women who are chaste and decent. The
topic however Is not that very well be
fully discussed. and flowers are likely to be
transmitted to Mr.. Jones by way OF indicating
the public gratitude TO him for having introduced
at this festival time. Why not occasionally drop
the sexual problem and talk about the weather?
is far simpler.