The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-10

ness Of critical vision actually sets on
| NordAu's nerves.
We all recall this solemn little man who
spoke NO pontihoaliy OF the BANKRUPTCY
OF Science. What scisncef one u forced
to ask. Noriau. unoonsoaously rsoog.
nising q kindred spirit, lsshes with inky
scourges the lamentable provinotahsmf
Of this professor. M. do Brieux comes In fol
his share because he floats With the times
and utilities the popular feeling against
science In clerical circles for his plays
Suppose his scientific characters arc weak
In science; they furnish good subject matter
for the dramatists Paul Hsrvieu's pow.
erful LES Tenailles' and LA Loi de
l'Homme," are castigated because the
author posee . problem and does not offer
the solution. THIS Is worry unoitlcal.
brother Max. What has the dramatist
TO do with social or religious prophy lactics
Sufficient II he sets before us, according
TO the conventions OF tho theatre. . theaiA
dramatically considered. All tho rest b.
Tonga to the province Of the pulpit.
Maurice Donnay also comes In for his
share Of hard knocks He II -blaReur' Of
the Clint Noir order. He writes tho comtdis
rosse, and In 10 Torrent emulatee "Ros'
n,ersholm, "A Dolls House and The Pillar
OF Society OF 1bsen. There Ii q superadded
daah OF Jean Jacques Rousseau and George
Sand. There are some strong situations In
LA Douloureuse. but Nordau won't have
the piece. II IL not q satire on real llfe
Donnay Is not a painter Of Parisian manners
DC. the very things for which he has
been acclaimed. And Norciau actually. in
the course Of . review Of Comment Emit
rAmour' speaks enthusiastically Of |olrtf0
the faithful one who awaited for years tho
return of Peer Tvnt-the most expressive
figure that 1sben has created--whats this'
We rub our eyea with amazement. Prais-
ing Iheen-Nordau' What next?
The article on FRANCOIS de Curel is long
and rather interesting. Nordau believes
that this aristocratic dramatist. who Is
at once a man OF talent and q Million
aire-oh happy conJunotion'-should cease
his Ibeen imitations--as In -L'Envers dune
Salnte,' which Is Rshsoco West In -Ros-
mersholm dramatize Siameee twins,
both ladies very much attached to each
other. A young man worships one. the
other doesn't admire him Hero is tragedy
Of an exotic character for the exotic taste
Savage is not without its justification
OF Octave Mirbeau We have spoken. Les
Mauvais Bergers' Ia treated. without Zola's
-Germinal' and Hanptmann's .Weavers."
this anarchist tragedy would never have
seen the light. Perhaps Sardou ia pulled
to pieces for his -Spiritisme rather
late In the day. New York did the same
when the play was produced At the Knicker-
booker Theatre nearly a decade ago. No
necessity OF blaming Sardou for selecting
the theme. Spiritualinn Was in the air
still IT, Sardou is said to be a believer
Even il he were not. he is at liberty to deal
with the matter. Again we repeat--the
majority Of dramatists are opportunists.
That the piece was "a farce Of adultery
and failure has nothing to do with the
playwright's prerosative OF selection.
The case OF Jules Lemattre 10 speedily
Of; his pet aversion. Georges Ohnet.
the Hall Caine Of Paris. 10 .revensed."
according to Nordau In the critics play
Il Aimee One fails to see the point,
a. this brilliant and sympathetic
critic has written several beautiful books
and plays. As q spiritual stepson Of
Reuan, his amiabie irony and delicate
humor must mako him very trying reading
for the Hungarian Nordau.
Really. why does q man who hates art,
who is q self-confessed philistine, write
so much Of II? What are its facinations
for him' He has no sense OF beauty: he
entertains blind hatred against success: has
he even the excuse OF being poss manquei
After reading the Nordau plays and novels
one begins to understand. He Is devoid
Of talent, Of style, of genius. Hence these
furious assaultings OF the serene masters
In their towers OF ivory.
Edmond Rostand Is the final subject for
the Nordau scalpel He recognizes that
Rostand recognized the perpetual demand
by children. great and small. for fairy tales
'Cyrano" is one, 4L'Aiglon' 10 another.
Both are romantic theatrical carsmels
sweet In tho mouth OF Frenohmen. Why
Of this ptsywrisht's ignorance OF
1LAigion' is not drama,
but suitable for a text accompanying the
'Ombres' OF Caran dAche at the old Chat
Eoir. he asserts. 1t 10 also. he declares,
later on. the canticle Of canticles Of ejtar-
,innmD. After all. why criticise q ortiz.
cism Of crtticism OF a critic? 1t Is as
futile as composing sonnet on a sonnet
that has for the theme the Sonneti
JAMKs HUMMER.