New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-04

TTTRTEE EV John bultn 11AItA'Oi1- --'--N' ~
X rs The Macmillan Company
THE ENGLISH HEROIC PLAY: A Critical De De
scription OF the Rhymed TRAGEDY OF the , hes
I To- No go The Macmillan Company.
THE EI1zABETHAN LYRIC; STUDY 7-5 BY S SHna
E5-stiTa Pm .. limo. Do XVI sea me 'AO
milan Company.
Mr. Harrison's dissertation on F4au0iiisih A.
English poetry is strictly academic II NHeN-e
ana method. 1T attempts 70 explain Ihe I'''D-'
=, ,bs ,nauence OF Platonism upon English pos
Try OF the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
exclusive OF the drama" Its purpose Is 10 cue
snecial instances for the sake OF Interpreters
.,the whole body OF English poetry OF the periou
,,ns.r survey as an integral output Of the spirit
mai thought and life OF the time" IL does not
seem that Mr.. Harrison has quite succeeded IN
so,np this. or perhaps It would be fairer TO say
that one's interest in his treatment OF the indi-
,s6unl oase-especially OF Spenser-sonewhat
ovsrbaiances ones interest In the larger histori-
eel question. II is for its manifestation IN
ssrhs Faery Qusene" or IN "Conus thst ihe
Law reader wfll give ear TO the main proposiuoh'
ssIhe fundamental Doctrine Of Platonism as II
was understood throughout the period OF the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was the
rsaIity OF q heavenly beauty known In ana by
the soul, as contrasted with an earthly beauty
Known only TO the sense" The writer takes
EOTNeWn2t ClOQllnBAg AutOAbA q NSAA-fN--S
poets. some Of whom Cfor his inquiry is rather
philosophical than literary are wei forgotten
except by special students. He shows the senti-
mental sxtravagance which came 10 attach to
the general conception OF Plato's theories the
partial nature OF their apprehension even by q
More OF a Milton: and their true interpreta-
ton by spenser.
Beauty in its stricter import is a thing known
80 and is carried over INTO the moran NOIA0
only indicate the value OF moral loeas rIsto ,So
snst the spirit Of this teacig PsstOreas beau.
y presented not as Sc SssT we 81 the inward puT
~ OF womanhood; but II is beauty OF pure form;
The me Sr2 p2S is no o. SsSut that seng
ioVeiiest she is also the most pslpAsle 10 s'shI
Nv cbase,s essay IS intended especially for
students OF the Restoration drama Il Is the
result OF special research. The writer mas IN
deed limited his study somewhat vigorously TO
IAN examination Of the type in its extant ex-
amples in literary text. II aims Simply
10 describe the matter OF the heroic play. much
of which is rare and generally inaccessible.
not forgotten: and 10 furnish with this oescT1p-
ton such a careful analysis OF its structure ana
psychology as win establish common tralts.
Upon the origin and brief career OF the heroic
play IN England upon SITS historical significance
and essential quality, Mr.. Chase makes brief
plays ns well as clothes. Dryden says; and Just
as the summer Partisan styles did not reach
Iondon. in those days OF slow communication,
until winter and yet as soon as they came were
aonned regardless OF the season. one Of the
comedies states just the French form or
tragedy was welcomed in England. with rhyme
but without reason. and though It soon dr1fteo
away in spirit from IT'S origin. 1t remained to the
end foreign. exotic. un-English." This type OF
play was, we are shown, unlikely from the out
set 20 take root IN England. The kind OF love
which determined the heroic sentiment the OBJ
eervance of 'the three unities," and the indif-
ference 10 character portrayal were all alien 10
English tradition. 1T was frankly introduced
as q foreign thing TO please a Frenotnhed court"
The types OF character which came within its
range were almost as conventional those OF
modern melOdrama, 20 which Mr.. Chase does
not specifically allude. but which seems by his
showing TO be IN other ways analogous TO the
Heroic Play. In the one form. as IN the other,
en- ideal OF virtue. conventional and sentimental
but stin an IDEAL is insisted upon. To one form
well 20 the other might be applied the
Judgment expressed in Mr.. Chase's concluding
sentences: Yet with all its faults. Il was
wholesome kntidote 10 the shameless afTronts
to taste and mo&ls for which contemporary
COMEDY Is notorious. Il insisted upon dignity
OF the virtues To a public tainted with
meanness and sensualtty, st presented shadow.
AZ least OF true heroic character"
Dr. Ergkine's study OF the Elizabethan lyric
Is G book somewhat mare likely 20 reach beyond
an academic circle OF readers It has merits
OF directness and simplicity Of style not often
found IN oOctoral theses. The book grew from
q suggestion OF the late Professor Prce, OF Co
lurnbia, ''who called the authors attention to
The lack OF sympathetic information concerning
the history and nsture~of lyric poetry IN general
and especially OF the Elizsbethan lyric" To
most readers the most valuable part OF the book
viii be the authors careful discussion OF tho
lyric music and poetry. Having consid-
cred the fact that 'The arts Of music and poetry
start together ana complement each other In
The early lyric the writer thus accounts for
the ensuing separation:
Words and music rernatn on good terms only so
other. When the words supply tie idea and he
music furnishes the emoeson, aad both compromise
practical song lyric Is11f When the music ate
tempts 20 express both emotion ana ides. in
cadence OF music as they often DO. then each ert
sq os et'os"e Wa, jus t sp1aty' must De heard
st1re. haSotag down their lyric themes. begin TO
Sss.nnne sIa art Wtios they can appreciate Without
she lid OF nGasie; and from that moment the words
are likely 70 be hsaro alone.
Personal utterance consequently not fitness
10 be associated with music IS the quality which
modern criticism looks for in the lyric This
suggests the unity OF emotion inherent in a true
lyric; different frurn the emotion of a musical
canpositiun. 'beoHlss IN poetry the emotional
stimulus must be arthculately presented
Lyric sznurion IN order TO express itself intel