The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-04-15
BY EDMUND BUCKLEY, PHI D.

BY EDMUND BUCKLEY, PHI. D.
1.-THE University Of Chicago; for six years
professor OF philosophy II the Dosaisha
College. kyoto. Japan.)
Copyright, 1905, by Joseph 3. Bowles.)
The japanese theater not only pos
sesses actors that are peers Of any in
the civilized world, but ii no less than
three arrangements it enjoys distinct
advantage over any other theater ex-
tant. These are the revolving stage,
the flower path Or approach over the
parguet, and the chorus which can ex-
plain silent movements of the actors
But these striking merits by no means
exhaust the counts wherein the Jap
aneEe stage il superior TO the rest Of
the world Indeed. until the reyolt-
ton oil 1868 upset all precedents, the
theater was avoided by the upper
classes dis something common. vulgar
and immoral, suited only to the pave
ment popu1ace of the times. But be-
side the popular theater or Shibai
stood, and fortunately still stands, the
no or lyric drama Of the highly
cultivated, who follow the play, book
in hand ;.for the language used is an
cient and hard of comprehension, es-
peeially when chanted
The mo" players perform not only
in theaters but are called into palaces,
mansions, homes or hotels, at times OF
celebration. say birthday, a wedding
or a reception. In either case-theateF
or eIseWhere-there is nc scenery, but
the dresses are magnificent. and, of
course, in keeping with the period in
which the drama is set. Indeed here is
the occasion above all others where
the picturesque life of old Japan,
patriarchal. feudal Buddhist, artistic
and ceremonious, can still be seen,
while ali current life has been trans
formed Though shorn Of much Of the
for1nality and etiquette which sur
rounded them IN earlier days, repre-
sensations of the mo are still given
by families who naye handed down the
art from father to son for 400 years.
The music needs due allowance for
orientalism and antiquity, but plainly
with the antique idiom and intoned
speech it accompanies Each piece re-
quires about an hour to act, but since
five or six pieces are given, and the
intervals between them are filled with
kybgen on farces, the entire perform
anee occupies the greater part of
day, as. is the case also in the COM
mon theater, the Shibai.
An interesting example of the mo"
follows; also a farce, both of course
greatly condensed:
g e II
NAKAMITsU. A LYRIC DRAMA.
(Nakamitsu. a feudal retainer Of Nit
sunaka. is sent to fetch home from
school for punishment Biiiyau, the
worthless only son of his lord With
them returns also Kauzhiyu, the duti-
ful only son Of tbs retainer. The
chorus thus describes the rage Of Lord
AHtsunaka On discovering the negli-
gence 81, his son.l
Chorus then, to profit wentest
thou to school?
And car it be that cen @ fathers
word,
Like snow that falling melts is scarce
" heard,
But It's UNDECIDED? All! twill drive
me wild
To point thee out to strangers as my
child!
NO sooner said, than out the scabbard
flies
His trusty sword. and with fierce
flashing eyes
Forward he darts; but rushing in De-
tween,
Good Nakamitsu checks the bloody
scene,
Firm though respectful, stays his
masters arm.
And saves the lad from peri1ous alarm.
THE retainer is then himself COM
manded to dispatch the youth
Biiiyau-Little imports it an / die
or live,
But It's for thee I cannot choose but
grieve
II thou do vex thy lord, to avert his
ire
Strike off my head, and show it to my
sire!
Nakamitsu-My lord. deign to be
calm! will take upon myself to con-
triVe some plan for your escape.
Mitsunaka-Alas! each JOY, each
grief we see unfurl'd
Rewards some action in former
world
Eauzhiyu-In ages past thou sin
nedst
Bijiyau- And to-day
Chorus-Comes retribution; think
not then to say
'Tts others fault. nor foolishly up
braid
The lot thyself for thine own self hast
made.
Say not the worlds askew, with idle
p0ate
OF never-endins grief the hour grows
late.
stgike eff my head. with many a tear
he cries,
And might. in sooth, draw tears from
any eyes.
Nakamifstl-Ah- young my lord,
we're I but Of like ase with thee, how
readily would not redeem thy life at
tia cost Of mine own! Alas! that so
easy sacrifice should not be possible.
Kauzhiya- Father, would make
bold 10 speak a word unto thee.
Nalzamitsa-N What may ii be-
katlzhiyu- gis, father, that the
words thou hast just spoken have
found a lodgment in mine ears. Thy