New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-13


snsrtre Of madness of unhappiness, OF disease
nd not the human being. That spectre cannot de-
troy my faith. Whatever ugliness IL assumes
snovv il Is a lie and Illusion. II only Vells the
sul the universal soul, which is love. and does
,ot know sin: Iove-but lost In darkness; the
sne darkness through which the whole world is
gruggling-the thief little more helpless than the
-.s~ This sounds like hysterical nonsense to any
-sn who has thoroughly and thoughtfully read the
history Of the nations and is acquainted with the
,uthsntc records OF individual crime: but such
rsEs are hopeful. and those persons who choose TO
r-ach are wise to preach hope rather than despair.
ssTsnnyson taught in words never TO be forgot
20 YET we trust that somehow good
vii De the final goal Of i'll,
To psngs Of nature, sins of will,
Defects Of doubt and taints Of blood
That nothing walks with aimless feet.
. That not one life shall be destroyed,
Or cast as rubbish TO the void.
When God hath made the pile complete"
haplsy. however. seeing that play should not
Be sermon. the better way TO deliver moral is
70 suggest il by deed and TO impart il by word
BOih methods used IN this drama, with the re-
suit that. some extent action is burdened with
6idsctcsm and didacticism, in a play. is always
tedious. The Vicar OF Wakefield. when he pardons
hs erring daughter. and clasps her In his arms,
does mere. in that one instant, for charity and
Krtue-the help OF the weak and the comfort of
the wretched,-than ne could do in 8 hundred
mons The ethics of Leah Kleschna,' though, do
not obscure its dramatic values and the public has
not such an effective piece, of this kind-the
kind in which stirring incident is commingled with
moral philosophy-since The Ticket-of-Leaye Man
and Mary Warner"
Mrs. Fiske, In the course of her dramatic career,
which has been long and honorable. and which is
now at It's meridian,-has from time to time, mani
Tested peculiar Partially for plays of ethical
and didscuc character: that is to say. plays that
Sim 70 teach moral lessons. This is not healthful
propensity. IN anybody. There is too much
hatude ard too much fussing about Moraifty.
The individual who will attend TO his own morals
Ti % enough it is not essential that he should en-
csaEoT 10 regulate the morals of other people
Every body. not q fool knows the difference be-
iEesn right and wrong. and. certainly. the the
atncal audience. IN general. stands in need Of
Information as to either the Revised Statutes, the
Ten Commandments, or the Sermon on the Mount.
The notion that the theatre is expected TO provide
norsl instruction has led. in our time TO the
adosl display Of mental obquity and physical
disease In comparison with which the gross. rubi-
fnd. hbdinous. and monstrous plays OF the Res
tFaiioh are innocence itself for the dramatic
noraist thinks that he is perfect liberty TO
exhibit airy sort or enormty. if only. after three
hours Of his putrfd show. he tells you to avoid
tl Delirious inebriates sick hsrlots hump
lacked. spawned. peck marked splay-footed SCOT
t1ic crsnks male and female, some of them from
France. some from Norway some from Germany
SINE from Italy. and-sad TO sayi-some from Eng
I'D have swarmed over our stage TIL. at last it
rs sometimes become difficult for the spectator
Determine whether he is IN a theatre a hos
pal And. strangely enough, the puryeyors of
MS tainted trash proclaim that it is representative
o. IDEAS! Happily. however, Mrs. Fiske has laid
aside her assortment Of Magdas and Gabers and
Crazy lanes. and in choosing this new play OF
LesA hleschna' she acquires q piece which
though, 10 some extent, ethical is. to a greater
extent oramatic. AS drama indeed the play IS
excellent; for the plot while simple. is substantial
rt-Tz~ 1aafsa rsH,-
losea Of limbs and outward fioprishes"; the sit
foons occur IN d rational sequence, each Of Them
'1s fraught with atmosphere Of suspense. and
IN Of them, to dramatic effect, being stronger
IA lie predecessor: tie incidents shown rap
--' are such surprise and do not mystify; and
" principal characters. sharply drawn. suca
= require acting and provide opportunity for it.
- l%ah. IN particular. the opportunity is spacious
~ MIS- Fiske spenddly improves it.
4Ne there's Schram and Leah, the daughter
A'esehna. whom her father nal trained
% thief we're passengers aboard the
aAfhp Marseilies. which was wrecked and
G. ~ he Italian coast in the Mediterranean
me Passengers embarked nfeboat. The
-, vas fierce. The captain swept over
e' Drowned. One of the imperilled pas
- seized the boats helm; controlled the sit
d. pseihed his panic-stricken companions in
60 60. ana Effected A safe landing. This intrepid
ss4Vas and capably executive person Paul
-'=t member Of the French Assembly. and Il
a. 1Noef these circumstances without knowing
- t's' that Leah klescnna first saw him
,. 1ier In Paris. Kleschna and Schram at
Zoe. - 70 rob SylvaiTc of his family jewels send
nj, :, 80 INTO MS house. at dead OF night, to
es,o Niihe' but they were bafied by Sylvaine's
e,.' o. the thief. and By Leah's simultaneous
en|S OF the identity of Sylvaine with the hero
81 - sapwreck whom. secretly. she had all
ar %shipped In that manner they met again;
to.,sH mis- meeting ensued the dramatic situa-
II - - make this playa play that is edifying
ws5s iIoln what il signifies OF phiIanthropic
hba 'ut one that pleases far more from what
49, from what II means The skin with
1r AsiFaine, in his ma unanimous conduct Is AT
s sseFently compromised and later is exoneratsd
Vita Ns.farly admirable. The fate Of the Jewels
q. - l'eF Leah had left the home Of sylvaine
ba.,.~rh by Raoul Berton a dissoIute rascal
L. % a woman whom Sylvatne has promised IN
lst sno The fate OF KIeschna and Schram are
tnyss 1@Ikhess; but superb situation is con-
eso..,-of Leah, when she prevents SyIvaine from
ur. - 20 Raoul's father the criminalty of the
Or h. Ftiil more thrilling situation is made
sssoqss...N heh she breaks away from her criminal
sEe 49, I"seniousy saving them at the same
he O. higher sense-she saves herself
eA.sry S'oses with rural picture OF eytraor
teeoss INC beauty III which Sylyaine and cab
H. 49, eHothed lovers
Ut orI p'H province Of Mrs Fiske as Leah Go
ts s1rI'. - reveal the development of goodness I'm
Asnt IN p"iarsly perverted nature-a dev.ion
fsFt fos,s.1s prompted by native impulse and I'm
toble i0.s, Dy me operation OF secret love for q
frss, -Ooi also 10 animate tumultuo,. Co.
sas and action so as 10 nm ,her,, scenes
sifb - eIen live and move The mar, ., ..,
'Npulses -. ia huefuation. broken with pvarrsrs
VIZ the 60 win passionate feeling. and aranops
TIE 49, IRON necessity Of eyec,,,,,a - 'pes