New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-10
OLA FILE SALVAGE"
A FRENCH PSYCHOLOGICAL PIIv
SHOWING SOME OF THE EFFECTS
OF CIVILIZATION.

Paris. February IL
The most gifted writer that the psychologists,
school has yet produced is NJ Francois de C,,r.I
who passes half his life hunting the wild bo.-
on his vast estates in the Ardennes and tba
other half in academic circles amid the ou,,
tessence Of the literary refinement OF Pari.
such a contrast has produced an intellectual
development. where the rushing torrents OF a.
cialism and anarchy are half concealed bv IN.
smooth surface of subtle irony expressed with
an Athenian refinement Of style. In Les Fos-
SHE'S" grewsome tragedy. where the fifth AZ,
like the first act OF Richard ILL., is plavsd
around a corpse, NJ. Francois de Curel asks an,
answers the question put in a much more cheer
full form by Emile Angler in lie Gendre de M
Poirier," What is to become Of the old noblesss
in a modern democratic republic?' In 'T'Envs--
dune Sainte' NJ de Curel depicts the passion.
ate jealousy of emotional girl sweeping asid.
the conventional prescriptions OF the Catholic
Church. In lie Repas du Lion" NJ de Curel
presented. but did not attempt to solve tba
problem of capital and labor and in La FIlla
Salvage" a drama in six acts, produced las.
night at the Theatre Antoine. NJ. de Curel deal.
with the question of humanity in general IA
VOltaire In '1Ingenue" presented his famou,
Huron Indian, does NJ. de Curel in his neU,
philosophical play put on the stage girl in an
absolutely savage state. He leads her from
cannibalism and bestiality into all the stages
Of civilization. passing through the curriculum
OF a fashionable Partisan boarding school and
eliminating with a representation Of "Siegfried'
at Bayreuth. The problem is whether woman
in lowest state incarnates humanity on the de-
cline or slowly rising to a higher level. The
Darwinian laws OF evolution are realistically
portrayed. The dramatist has presented to the
PhilIstines of the orchestra stalls strange syn
a philosophical standpoint. In the first act We
are in a forest with the Amaras a half civilized
tribe whose king nearly falls into pit dug BY
trappers to catch bears. A savage girl is discov-
cred in the trap naked and gnawing roots. Like
a wild beast she bites and scratches her cap
tors. She is cOmely, and the king places her in
his harem. Size shocks the feelings OF her fel-
low companions by her bestial habits-she eats
caterpillars-and the climax is capped when she
falls in love with an orangoutang. The king has
the orangoutang shot. and gives the Unmanage-
able savage girl to a young French explorer. who
takes her with him TO France.
The second act passes at a convent near Paris
where the little savage has been baptized as
Marie by the mother superior OF the institu-
ton. who is an elder sister of the young French
explorer whose name is Paul MonceL The
File Salvage after years instruction. has
undergone a great change She is dressed IN
plain black frock, and is almost but not quite.
tanned Paul appears and Marie attempts 20
violently embrace him in too loving fashion.
This scene is spIendidly acted by Nine. Suzanne
D6pres whose representation of the primitive
savage girl is throughout a most astounding
histrionic feat Three knocks are heard in the
adjoining chapel Marie suppOses that these
three knocks are signs from God TO recall her
from the relapse into barbarism- Marie is so i'm
pressed by this miraculous intervention that she
wishes to become Carmeite nun. But Paul.
who has learned that the king OF the Amaras
still retains fondness for his little ward and
wishes to marry her. conceives the idea OF bring
ing about the conversion to Christianity OF the
whole Amara nation by means OF Marie. Con-
sequently. IT would not suit his purposes for
Marie to take the vow OF celibacy. He explains
to her that the three knocks in the chapel were
not the result OF miracle, but were made by
the mother superior a signal that her devo-
tions were ended. This "falsehood' so dsgusts
Marie with the idea Of Christianity that she
tears off her cross and. throwing 1t the floor,
agrees TO return TO the Amaras and become
queen by wedding the half civilized king. Be-
fore going back. however. another year OF Eu-
ropean instruction must be accomplished. and
Paul shows her the various capitals OF Europe
to complete her education.
Marie is queen. She has introduced all sorts Of
modern manifestations OF civilization into her
kingdom. There are railways canals and tele-
graph wires. The autocratic queen, however. re-
Iapses from Christianity. One day she learns OF
the death of Paul whom she has all the time
loved. She then detests the religion that has
held forth TO her vain decisions. All the mis-
sionaries in her dominions put to death. and
amid an impending massacre the curtain falls.
This remarkable play is the talk OF Paris.
1t has given rise TO animated discussions about
socialism. about philosophy and about mission
aries. The departure from the savage state and
the end where barbarism is envenomed b. con-
tact with civilization give rise to grave rehec-
tion among those who control the French colo
MES 1t is a pity that NJ. de Curel did not put
his startling theory in the form OF a novel. As
play, IL lacks life and action. IL is a series OF
lectures that might we'll be delivered 1T the
Sorbonne- The play is nine days wonder.
appeal solely to the intellect and fall 70 inter-
est the heart. the eyes or the imagination. NJ.
de Curel has a master hand in Analysing given
situation. But he is literary in the worst sc-
ceptation Of the term. II he had the wit and
facility of dialogue of a Capus OF a Lavedan.
NJ de Curers psychological plays. Of which La
File Salvage" is the most daring and most
powerful yet produced. would have a lasting
place in French dramatic literature. c. ]. B.
A. A. MLEOD GETTING BETTER.