The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25


lathe paragraphs they are 10, ended ~ q
prompt book in miniature are more anus
ing than his preface. We are deluded into
the notion that first class comedy II ut
hand. There are all the materials ready
Ram sden, an advanced" thinker Of the
antiquated Bradlaugh type, has been APP
pointed co-e xecutor. co-g'ia rtiian with Tan
ner. q thinker OF the latter day type-'hat
is, a man who has read Marx, Proudhon,
Met zsche. but not Max S'irner, The iair
Ann, her mother and sister are the stakes
OF the game. Octarius, the sap headed
Young man. is ready 10 sacrifice h,mseh,
and his sister shocks all by not acknO wIedg-
ing the father Of her unborn child. Here IL
potential stuff for tragic comedy, But
Mr. Shaw will not mould his material into
viable shapes. He is not an artist. He
loathes art. And 80 he is punished by the
fate of all who are -muffs--his inspiration
vanishes almost at the point of execution,
and, except for few fugitive flashes, never
burns serenely or continuously.
One telling bit is when Tanner con-
graduates toilet twhat an appropriate
nancy on her delicate condition and Is
scorned by that young person, scorned
and snubbed. What she common
woman' No, she is but secretly welded;
in the fulness OF time her husband VIII
be revealed. Tanner sneaks away feeling
that not to women must man look for the
emancipation of the sexes from conventional
notions. There are long harangues on
prevailing economic evils, social diseases
all the old Shaw grievances are rune m
Act IT, is sorry stuff. In Act III, which
recalls a Gill,ertian farce, there are cockney
brigands, bandit corporation, limited
devoted to the robbing of automobiles
that pass through Spain. The idea is not
sufficiently novel 10 be funny. A lengthy
parabasis, written in genuine Shaw-ese'
shows US he'll, the Devil, Don Juan and Anna
of Mozartean fame. At least the talk here
is az brilliant as is commonly supposed 10
prevail in the neither regions. Inter ana,
wa read that marriage is one Of the most
licentious Of human institutiOns-hence
its popularity Even the Devil is shocked
-The confusion OF marriage with morality
has done more 10 destroy the conscience
OF the human race than any other single
error "B auty, purity. respectaeIlity
religion, art, patriotism, bravery and the
rest are nothing but words which l or
any one else can turn inside ont like glove,
continues this relentless rake and trans
formed preacher. Too true; but the s"amy
side as exhibited by Don Juan Shan is not
so convincing as in Nietzsche s trarsva'ua-
ton of all values They are mere words,
useful for dipping barbarians into adopting
civilization, or the civilized poor into sub
uniting to be robbed and enslayed
Admitted, keen dissector Of CCrtsm-
porary ills: but how about your playf In
effect tn. author says: 80 he deVil
with all ar. and plays. my play with che
rest What wish 20 do il 20 tell you how
10 run the universe; and For this will, If
necessary, erect my pulpit in hell
After this what more can be sadly The
p,ay peters out; there is talk, talk, tax
Ann calls the poetic temperament "the Old
| maids temperament" the brigand chief
sententlousiy remarks: There are two
| tragedies in life: One is not 10 get youI
| hearts desire; TIE other is TO get it.
| which sounds as Il wrenched from page
Of Chamiort or Rivsrol; and Ann con-
| .rk,dea-yith Go on talking Tanner
4Talking.S>-It is ting epitaph q the piece
dear little missfapen. stillborn comedy
| We'll NAV Mr.. Shaw write universe
LAUGHTER" at the end. Yet l am willing to
| WAGER that a few crit les will be in tears al
this exhibition Of perverse waste and clevei
mpotsncy.
4The Revolutionists' Handbook ane
| Pocket Companion" which tops this ex
traoriinarv contribution, sociology mask
| inc as comedy. is its chiefes' attraction
| There. pet rifed into tiny copralitic nugget
| NAV DO found Shaw philosophy, Shaw
| humor There are maSiTns. too. 'Dt
! not unto others az you would that they
should do unto you. Their tastes may no
he the same" This smacks Of the in
v.r,e,l wisdt m OF the late James Whistler
Marriage, crime. punishment, the beat
ing OF children, title, honors. Properf y
servants, religion, virtues, vices-every
thing Of vital import to thinking men an'
women, is regarded with the charmngl.
moley o!ent eye of Mr.. Shaw. He ex
claims Property, said Prordhon,
theft This Ia the only perfect truisr
that has been uttered on the subject
Come. come, Mr.. Shaw! ProuC hon said il
but the speech was not his own property
| You who know your social classics s
we'll should have remembered Brissot
Philosophical Examination OF Propert
and Theft" only published in 1891 lo
also saw, Beware the man whose God is
| the skies, and Every man over forty
scoundrel." Tut. tut The biographies
dict ionaries must fb in your case. VIII
not add all girls over fifty should b
drowned 1t is just as logical. But ca
Won condens e the GOSH o i'll formulaf
The general impression of the boo
causes US to believe there is rift in IL
writer's lutte: not in his spendidiy mend'
cio,ls mentality, but in his own beliefs,
scapticisms Perhaps Shaw no longer pin
his faith to Shaw. I,sen asserts that aft
twenty years truth that has outllved |
. usefulness is no longer trath, but the SIM
, Iacrum Of one Mr.. Shaw's truths may
, decaying. We feel sure that il they b
he will be the first 10 detect the odor ar
. warn away his public. Some years a,
/ he printed pamphlet against anarchy az
anarchists, which was to be expect'
, from mild, frugivorous man, Now
seems to be wearying OF the milk-whi
4 flag of socialism; and yet his revOlutiOna
. maxims are maxims for children in II
: time OF teething The world has nov
since the Fabian society scowled at d
!, British lion and tried to twist is tail wi