The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-12
BUNYEE PROSECUTED AGAIN
Now ms IMMORTAL BOOK rs
TURNED INTO A PLAY.

AWlub AF1eHunm NJ Tue NAnefgy TneaVrD
seeks Salvation FhPoagh the valley ~
No NhaAsw OF sconcry-'-Rarulfsl'
, fFuEnpets In LObby-A DOIcTul Awair.
Miss Henrietta Croaman has struck a
great blow Tor tho stage in America. She
has compelled ell the dramatic critics to
read -ThO PAgEim's PrOgress.' After a
prayeRful consideration Of tho immortal
rna~aterpieoo oe the N~OncOnfOrmist con-
sciance the critics gathered into the Liberty
Theatre Last evening. and watched Miss
Crosrnan a. CATistidn journey from the
City Of Destruction v unto Zion, in a
stage VSrson OF the book made by James
Macarthur. with music-much music--by
william Furst.
The language Of Bunyan. which Is the
language Of the King James version Of the
Bihle. stiIl in their ears. the quaint imagery,
recalled from childhood readings again fresh
in their minds. the autObiographiO charm
% the Allegory flor il is an S~TtObiOgraphio
novel even more than an allegOry) potent
over them, the critics were all primed for
appreciation. Any n OF them could
have told you that Bunyan's book has
brought the very spirit OF religious patience
homo to English hearts. and Of cours
could have quoted for you any passage
you chose to demand. Even these critics
also are-sky blue healthy minded moralists,'
and hold disdain for the soul sicknesses
that prsceds a Methodist conversion"
who with Emerson regard the psyche
pathic sensitiveness Of conscience OF a
nunyan, all the doubts and convictions
Of sin" which were C~Arisfian's pack. as
the souls mumps and measles and whOop-
ipg cOughs"-even these critics yet hold
poor Bunyan in high reverence, morbid
minded or not. and Admit the tremendous
regensrative influences Of his book on
Broadway. the evangehstio RervOr with
which it will be greetedl Brethren, let us
rise and sing the twenty-third hymn.
Somewhere Bunyan wrote in a passage
a. pathetic as anything in all the range
IT religious literature: But yet l must
venture you all ibis wife and childrenl
with God, though it goeth TO the quick to
leave you" ChristidR fed from the City
Of Destruction, leaving his family, to save
his own soul. And in the mass OF Bunyan's
writings can be found ample evidence of
The Geographic fidelity OF all the rest of
The Pilgrims Progress" Quaint. simple,
raCy, imaginative allegOrY that IL H., oven
more It is the first great English novel
and also n of the most authentic tracts
in religious literature. In 10 Bunyan
leaves this world to che enemy and fixes
all effort and aspiration in the. world to
come.
1t was not designed Tor an evenings
entertainment, nor an operate hbrettO. nor
a spectacular ballet. IL is an eloquent and
profound and heart searching ~psycholog-
ical study Of religious conversion. Of a great
historic phase in the history of Christian
ity. In its present stage form, probably
in any stage form that could he given it,
it's meaning and message are lost. The
Christian Pilgrim" may he a curious hybrid
Of the drama: but il is not John Buuysn's
book: il is not even a feeble echo of his book.
It chiefly suggests the lack Of taste AMI
the poverty Of creative Imagination in the
men who make and manage our plays.
In the first place. all the homely. racy
favor of Bunyan has evaporated in the
stage version. which substitutes for his
midland English realism the scene painters
attempts to initiate Dore. IN the second
place. for the eloquence Of his language
is substituted the coarse. crude actualities
Of the stage. An prayer was tho armor
Christian wore. Tin was the armor Miss
Crosman wore.
ApoLlyoR was clothed in scales like a fish
land they are his pridel. with wings like a
dragon. feet like a bear. and but Of his belly
came fire and smoke, and his mouth was as
the mouth of a Hon. Tyrone Power did
not live up to these dire ctions. He was
not so terrible even as FGiner, who is our
only standard Of criticism for stage dragons.
Read the piercing eloquence Of Bunyan's
description OF the fight between AroUyop
and Christsdn, withdits SIMPLE close. 1T was
the dreadfulest fight that ever | saw" and
then zee IL you can watch MIR. Power and
Miss Crosman clashins tin swords together.
without smiling. II o can you get a free
box to the Saturday matinee.
In the third ~place--but why cnuu@erate?
A few episodes have been dragged ont
OF A great. primitive book Of the religious
life; music, largely initiated from Wagner
high. streaming chords on the strings,
trumpets in the lobby and all the rest
has been iberally supplied; Miss Crosman
reads Christians speeches In the sing song
voice Of the revival preacher; there il a
wilderness of scenery ont OF key with
Runyan's imagination; there is a ballet
ri sacred sOubrcttes led by Wdnton. whom
Christian could nave had mo- trouble at
all in resisting; and that is a Christian
Pilgrim
IL 10 neither good music nor good drama;
1t is neither naive like -Everymsn' nor
compelling like -Parsifal.' Above all. it
ia not Bunyan. IL would make Bunyan
dull. and he 10 not dull. Il would make
salvation a bore and the celestial city a
cross between q scene painters loft and
The village choir. 1t can serve no useful
purpose. attract no intelligent attention.
II 10 just another triumph for the transfer
company.