The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-05

rhoment--she is simply'a nice young woman.
Her mother PiG Is much more vital.
Lena Ashwell, talented actress, doubled
the parts, was her own mother and her
own daughter. She dies Of malaria, and
OF course Dante is in at the death. This
occurs before the convent AFFAIR, but
as l am recounting the plot AZ 1t affected
me--topsy-turvy fashon-correct sequence
does not much matter. She gasps out
as she dies: Nothing now binds me to
that wicked Nello except this ring he forced
upon my finger. My husband before God
tits he--'tis Dante. NV daughter Is his
daughter! And would as cry II out to
you, | could cry II so loud that the whole
world might hear
Piu implores Beatrice, standing near
the great white throne, to pardon her.
"Thou, Beatrice. who lookest down on me
make answer. Never more in this world
may look upon my child but forbid me
not to see her in the worldthat is--to
comet She dies. Another relief.
The inherent bad taste Of all this back
stairs gossip of great mans weakness
is undeniable. The entire panorama bears
as much relation to real dramatic art as
do those awful pictures called, "The Last
Waltz of Beethoven, "Mozarts Dying
Polka; "Weber's Adieu to His Piano
1 saw pictures, sentimental hashes OF color,
ill-scumbled, badly daubed affairs at the
Royal Academy exhibition, and also in
the Paris salon, which were always sur
rounded by a crowd. They recalled Sar-
dou's dante" for they displayed in album
dance exactly the predominatin9 note OF
his biograph OF Dante-bad taste. As to
the moral side OF the question, that may
he left to the true lovers OF the nobiest
poet of all. What will they say to this
Dante, man of the world, with affairs,
and left-handed offspring Dante OF
vita Nuova,' Dante who scaled dazzling
heights Of the ninth heaven? Italian crit
les have already vented their wrath-but
what cares Sariou' The royalty sheet is
his sweetest poetry.
The most severely criticised portion OF
the play turned out to be the most inter-
esting. 1t is Act III. with its seven tableaux.
/ saw il twice | could go twenty times
more and not exhaust the astonishing
Kaleidoscope variety Of stage pictures.
They are: The Campo Santo, Florence;
The Door of He'll; The Barque Of Charon;
The Fiery Graves; The Circle OF Ice; The
Bridge of Rocks: The Valley Of Asphodels.
Painted by Eugene Ronsn and Emile Bertn,
the lighting effects are curiously beautiful.
These seven scenes really draw the outside
world for which the name OF Dante means
nothing. 1t is Dantes dream, the various
episodes taken from the "Commedid " In the
ErCt nnfp n flnSr niT
wishes to die Beatrice appears and bids
him. Judge naught by what thou seest
here below; the law Of God, His wrath and
Justice, are only known unto the spirit which
has tasted death
Then, in company with the shade Of Virgil,
Dante stands before the portal of hell,
with its "All hope abandon ye who enter
here; Charon and his death boat; the city
Of Dis-"Io, This is Dis"-the robbers,
usurers, misers. hypocrtes, corrupt judges,
those who have betrayed Church, State,
tvrants. kings. conquerors, traitors. We
sec Ugoino and Archbishop Rugoiero--
guilty lovers like Paolo and Francesca
francesca stands on the Bridge Of Rocks
and speaks what lips shall tell how flowed
our course of dream and OF desire; how,
seeking each the others eyes. their hue for
sock our cheeks; how he to whom | am for
all time knit did set his kiss upon my
smiling lips. and how the book that lay be-
tween us fell-we read therein no more "
This English version Of the play is by Mr..
Laurence Irvingl. There are fiery graves
whereas in Canto XIX. Of the Inferno
Pope Nicholas Ill awaits BonifaCe VIII
We get n brief view of Purgatory-not
called 20 for fear of offending the sensibili-
ties of the English curate-and finally the
vision Of Pia del ToIomci Whereat Dante
cries. And Thou supreme in mercy a. in
Justice. whom in that woful hour | did
bIaspheme who from Thy throne on High
beyond the clouds readest my penitence,
aid me. o God vouchsafe to me Thy guild
ance," These words illustrate Fictitious
religious sentiment at fullest tide
There always has been an ecclesiastical
| fond in Henry Irving. He loves to perform
the role of an ecclcsiastic, and with his fine,
lean. ascetic features, his spiritual brow
and frail figure he is really at his best
when the priest. His Dante will recall
to theatregoers his monk Beckett. And
strange 10 relate, his dction has never been
clearer, more satisfactory. There il hope,
then, that when he reaches the age Of 81 we
may understand everything he says.
Some of tn e DorH scenes are reproduced;