New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-08

less prattle of little Amoranza, the child Of one
Of his vanquished enemies. He is enamoured OF
the idea of losing his roughness and hardness
by yielding to the softness and tenderness OF the
child and Of completing his surrender to beauty
and grace at the end of eight years. when there
will be maiden TO be wooed and won. 1t is a
poetic fancy worthy of being emoalIned IN
blank verse; but II Is not dramatic In It's grip
when carried out the stage. A medlsVaI
warrior spellbound in the presence OF his enc
my's child and with mad. romantic passion
for the woman who will increase in charms and
innocence while he is battling for empire and
defeating kings, is an impossible stage Egure
An Incredible idealist in the first act, when ne
dreams OF the potency of the childs innuence
over him, he becomes a thoroughgoing mailman
In the last act, when he spares his rtyars life
and gtabs himself because he finds himself
thwarted and dislusioned. A man infatuated
with an idea and capable of seeing the coming
woman in a ten-year-old child may be an in
teresting figure to read about in a library but
he is unintelligible on the stage.
Moreover the construction requires the inter-
ruption OF the main story in order to explain
the coming and wOoing of the successruI rlVal
as a case Of mistaken identity. In the first act
Morven is the conquering lord merciful to the
child: and in the first scene of the next act he
is returning in triumph to Abivard after eight
years to claim his bride. Then the action is
suspended for an act and half in order that
the rival Sir Beauvse, may come in false sulse'
look on with the girl while the rustics are dane
ing protect her while she is frightened by
thunderstorm and win her love by his youtnfut
charm There is story within story and the
drama halts until the rival lovers meet In
Arnonranza's room during the final act. Then
there is stirring movement. with genuine dra-
matte action for the conQueror, after tntirni-
dating his rival and dazzling the girl with
glimpses of captive monarchs and spois OF war.
stabs himself to the heart and leaves the lovers
free to marry in peace. There is a cross play
of renunciation the girl striving TO save her
young lover by offering to marry the right
full lord. and Morven in turn sternly resisting
temptation and falling dead at her feet IN a su-
prene act of seIf-saeriice; and affected is she
by his fate that 1t is not quite clear whether |
it is the dead or the living lover who has finally
conquered The drama may leave the specta- |
tors cool because It is SO theatrical and artif-
ciat but in the last act it does not drag. even
if the eonauerer's coming has been deferred |
unreasonably and he seems like an interioper |
breaking In upon the pretty fdyl OF youthful |
love
1t ia not great drama with genius for con-
struetion, sense Of character and fine literary |
quality Even when enacted. with good stage i
craft nv Mr.. Forbes Robertson, Mr.. Henry Ain |
lev and Miss Gertrude Elliott 1t seems over |
loaded with superf1uous episodes and r1isealcu- |
ated comic relief. Yet 1t I'll deserves some of |
the contemptuous criticism directed against II as |
a ladylike composition of sentimental school |
girl dreaming OF troubadours over her guitar
md pink ribbons The Duchess of Sutherland Is
not to be reproached for an honorable ambition /
Of doing something besides playing great part |
in royal functions like the coronation or in the |
splendor of English social life She has wanted /
to be something more than patron Of letters
and great causes or the stately lady whose por-
trait the modern Van Dyck. Mr.. Sargent, has
PAINTED for Stafford House. She has written
several books; she has become a student Of
dramatic literature; she has labored arduously
over a thoughtful, romantic play, which has
IDEAS in It, even IL the technique be crude. She
but has been content to remain in the back
ground and 20 take the risks of success or fail
ure as an unknown author and inexperienced
playwright. She has not attempted to force an
entrance into the theatre OF letters in social state
and with q grand air. but has knocked timidly |
Forbes Robertson accepted and produced the
play without knowing who wrote it, and the
secret was Mr.. Arthur Bourchiers until the |
:ritics had done their worst without suspeoting
mat their arrows were aimed at ducal crest.
/. y. F.
/