The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-10
Novel and Drama.

1T is a difficult thing for person OF
the pessimistic cast Of mind TO persuade
himself that, although this world is real
ly rather n hopeless one, yet Il is the
best he has ever lived in II such a per-
son have any the least interest in the
theatre IL is next TO impossible 10 make
him understand that changes are in pro-
cess. 80 subtle as 20 be almost secret,
which are making for a most encours-
ging lift I'm the development of the Am
erican stage. lt is true that, Of native
proven plsywrights, we have only two
that are fully articulate Augustus Thom-
as and ClyNe Fitch. ON the other hand,
most OF the plays made from novels dur
ing the past year have been American
products entire.
II Is I'm this glutting supply OF home
made books that we may discern the
promise OF our theatre. For a number of
years I'm the past decade the novels and
short stories OF English writer's exceeded
those OF our own authors in popularity
But with the awakening sense OF the SUI
perior richness and power OF the United
States came the demand for the novel
about us and for the American novelist.
And the American novelist has come in
hundreds. our good old bald-head eagle
has been engaged by publishers, and his
advertising space. II you believe the
eagle. you Will be convinced that Ger
vantes Fielding and Thackeray have
been surpassed Fortunately these classic
gentlemen are beyond caring or course.
nobody has said that the novels we are
producing are literature: not the same
thing at ALL but just as good for the pur-
pose. There arc readers who think Jan
ice Meredith the greatest novel ever
written, because IN the book they saw
for the FIRST time Washington as he real
ly was. Others there are who have never
read any book about Lincoln. or Grant,
or Sherman, except The Crisis II Is
plain then that these books must seem
wonderful TO such readers TO them they
are storehouses OF priceless treasure.
Their gratitude 20 the authors is feel
Ing OF debt. like I'm kind to the feeling
Keats had toward Shakespeare The cul-
tured critic may In his spleen liken the
authors to the early settlers OF America,
who gave tawdry glass beads TO the In
dians In trade for furs But these read
ers want only glass beads; they would
reject diamonds. Besides. the authors arc
persuaded I'm their hearts that they can
not produce any but the purest brilliants.
You see this In their interviews.
"The next appetite To be developed by
the enormous population, whose hunger
has procured for such men as Winston
Churchill and Paul Leicester Ford com
petence for life, will demand satisfaction
I'm the theatre. The people will want
drama and opera. Opera they have Ind
for some years in all the larger cities,
through the medium of the Castle Square
Opera company
1T is true that our dramatic stock
companies have been progressing rapid
~ during the past few years: but they
have done almost nothing in creative
work. They have presented old-time
successes In imitation as near as might
be TO the original performances. What We
are i'm need OF now is director Of such
company with perception and judgment
sufficient to find good new plays. Every
stock company I'm the country ought 10
make IL practice to produce at least
two new plays by American authors dur
Ing the season. Surely more than one de-
cent money-makng play would he un-
earthed somewhere between New York
and San Francisco. The shrewd snecula-
tive owner OF the stock company will tell
YOU that he can not afford 60 run a train
ing school for playwrights. and that be-
sides, the chances I'm the game are too
few II YOU get 10 know the type Of man
better Il is almost certain you will learn
that away down I'm his heart he believes
one can make money on the races II only
one play them sagely. Richard Duffy in
Ainslee's.