The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-12
The Tenderness of Old Age.

to see it evaporate, I felt like the trav-
eler in South America who crosses a
precipitous ravine on a rope bridge.
Sometimes he gets over and sometimes
the rope parts, and he cIings to any saw
Ing strand. A dozen times you feel this
sagging of the solid earth and wonder
how deep will be the drop. When the
curtains close there is a sigh of relief
all over the house. At least so much is
over.
There are, nevertheless. some psyche
logical episodes of genuine beauty: the
first meeting of Dante with Pia DEF
Tolomei. by whom the austere poet had
an illegitimate daughter Some naive
persons have. been shocked at Sardou's
exhumation of this scandal in the life
of good man; but Dante Is so far away
from us that we hear of mistress and
the daughter with the same indifference
we read of Cain and Abel
It must be acknowledged that q In
terview early in the prologue S of q
certain charm. The poet Is passion
STEPPED. He gazes longingly into Pia's
eyes-for so venerable an appearing man
he grasps her and speaks of their
daughter, Of Comma now seven years old
and hower-like, who has never seen her
father, does not even know that Dante is
that father.
ITying's acting at this juncture is ex-
quisite in its tenderness. "Oh. tell me-
tell me--tell me-" he bess of Pia when
she mentions Commas name Beatrice
Is spoken of as one speaks Of Gods
saints Beatrice dwells too near God
not to be merciful." whispers the poet.
And again what shall befall me in the
days Of spring, since in this time of frost
love so consumes me?" This is the best
line in the play, for ii is a quotation
from the real Dante.
An Apostrophe to Florence.
Sardou, determined to fit the English
actor with the cloth he demanded. shows
US. In series of disconnected tableaux
Dante. as patriot, as lover, as father, as
warrior, as poet, as rescuer of beauty in
distress. as scorner of popes, as arraign-
er of crimes. spiritual and temporal. as
a forerunner of John Martin Luther. In
deed were one disposed at all to ribaldry
the title of the play might suggest it
self in this form: "Dante's Profile; or
First Aid to the Injured"
In a scene instinct with pictorial beau
ty-a springtide fete at FIorence-Dante
disguised as monk, meets Comma. his
daughter. She does not know him. She
is betrothed TO Francesca's brother. Ber-
rardino- Here again Irving demon
fu
tistic' presentation. Your tear ducts over
flow. What more trite. conventional.
overworked as a theatric device. than
the love of a father for daughter. And
such a father. Yet your eyes are wet
and you feel ashamed that the crafty
old magician OF Marty is able TO press
down the right key in the instrument
Here there are passages with real lit
erary quality. Dante soliloquizes:
Il see my dear love Florence once
again! All. but I stand in Florence once
again! All. that moment when, after
all these years my feet were set once
more on Tuscan earth; once more our
Tuscan speech fell on mine ears; then
Joy and anguish swept across my heart.
the dimming mists of love rose to mine
eyes; through it I saw, Florence. how
vast thou changed,-old, loved marks
gone. and new, unknown ones risen; how
age that fell on me renewed thy youth
Florence. thou didst first nurture. then
disclaim, though thou mayst know me
not, thy son knows thee. sa-
lutes thee. stretches out to thee his
arms-cruel. dear. pitiless. loved. native
Florencei Through all mine exile. and
through all thy hate. never did word that
breathed not love OF thee escape the
lips OF thy grown old, grown weary,
still unpsrdoned play"
The Tour of He'll.
The most severely criticised portion OF
the play turned out to be most inter
esting
1t is Act III with its seven tableaux i
saw 1t twice. I 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 AS
phodels
Palnted by Eugene Ronsin and Emile
Berth. the lighting effects are curious
ly beautiful These seven scenes really
draw the outside world for which the
name OF Dante means nothing.
1t is Dante's dream, the various cpl
sodes taken from the "Commedia."
In the graveyard scene, the first.
Dante in despair wishes 10 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 We who
enter here" Charon and his death boat
the city Of Dis-''Lo, This is Dis
the robbers. usurers. misers, hypocrites
corrupt judges. those who have betrayed
church. state. tyrants. kings, conquerors.
traitors.
We see Ugolino and Archbishop Ping
giero-guilty lovers like Paolo and Fran
cesca. Francesca stands on the Brtdgs
OF Rocks and speaks:
"XVhat Inns shall toll h.. a,