The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-06

of death. her lover goes to her apartment
and she throws herself into his arms with
a craving as of thirst" He exclaims:
Light Of my life, never was my desire
ing down
OF the bright spirits that live within your
My forces ebbed away into the night,
Out OF my breast, flood,
Terrible, DANGEROUS
And fear took hold upon my soul. as when
In that sealed hour,
You put me to the test, God witnessing,
The test of the arrow,
And raised me there whittier although he
wills II
is IL not morning, is IL not morning yet!
The stars have all gone down into your
hair,
Scattered about the confines of the shades,
Where life may never find them!'
He kisses her hair passionattel M again
allied by their mutual passion and eager 10
give 1t freedom at any cost: On
coming death puts no pail on
their souls, but IL speedily stops
their hearts Gianciotto breaks in and pulls
which he has vainly tried TO hide. The
cripple with his great sword. tears open
the breasts of his wife and his brother:
He sees the woman clasped in the arms OF
her lover, who seals her expiring life with
his lips. Mad with rage and sorrow, ne
Pierces his brothers side with another
uedul. THRUST. l0e TWO DOultS sway 10 anu
fro for an instant without sound Then.
still linked together. they fall at full length
on the pavement. Gianciotto stoops in ST.
lence, bends his knee with a painful ef-
fort, and across the other knee, breaks his
blood-stained sword"
Because of the violent thirteenth century
mood. there is less of D'Annunzio's sick
morbidity in his Francesca than in his
other works. II offers the alternative of the
slaughter house for the case in which
writhe glistening snakes. Both phases OF
DAnnunzioS genius fascinating, and
in each he shows himself as employed in
observing the elaborate activity of his low
er consciousness, which, by gift and by as
siduous cultivation, he has in fine quality
and overlooking measure. Much, to be sure.
may be due to his Italy But the interest he
starts is not lasting and he is weak and
small In comparison with the intellect that
seeks the place where the best in human
nature battles for freedom in which to de-
velop. That place is a scene of more p0ig-
nant tragedies than D'Annunzio, his for
bears and disciples have dreamed of or
have the ability to conceive. From that
place turns away the strong and pitiful
mind and produces the masterpiece of art
that stirs men to thinking of their own
miserable lots and, perhaps, to striving with
ment.
The sensualist in art has been a conspic-
uous figure, and as reaction from cold.
superstition bound classicism he has served,
In his turn, good purpose; but the world
mas gone on, leaving him to brood, while
the new philosophers, satisfied that
human love Is not an evil influence created
10 plague humanity, but an impulse that
shall raise Ii to the perfect power-these
pioneers are fighting with honest courage,
clear purpose and what cheer and health
are left to them by the heavy odds against
which the leaders always have commended.
The thwarted man, the pessmist, some
times commits suicide, and there are many
noble suicides in history, but the morbid
man enjoys his decadence for its own sake,
and Is too selfish to take his wretched life.
a & a
The healthy, natural artists multiply; in
telligence advances and injustice recedes.
In the reckoning of the part various writ
credit goes to Gabrielle D'Annunzio. He
prospers by the mental poverty and sick
ness of the multitude