New-York tribune., 1907-10-29

Mr Winter look to the purity Of his own thoughts
.a ne seeondy tonhS OF SaPRh0 iDteg again rars - NJ
Sapp6o eaent re P 81 his subject as portrayng
degenerate. Among scores Of critics who have re-
s%Gd shee & carefully the text Of Mr. Mackaye's pub
VINO mas ever made such allusion. The allu-
it rot for the fact that Mr. W9Peyy to %eF9
may 5 have deferred many from judging for them
Mr.. Winter. of course IS entitled to his own opin
toon Of the authors motive and 9e %I af dis bs
subject. Therein his judgment has not been honest
but where history has been silent he has Invented
ms own material. Ancient illusions, for instance
has therefore treated that character according TO
'he @ purposes Of his own Imagination.
6aa1 S ied HeVeTanSe I concerning Sappho and
BY whom? Not by Mr.. Mackaye. who has ap-
preached his play. both in technique and motiva-
sources only such elements of perennial beauty Of
appear as should dignity his drama a work Of
As. AS to Mr.. Winters pathological references to
CIohcnolnes, mistresses, seduced husbands. and
.sceianeous wantons.' II is simply be said that
t@nese @ exist perhaps IN his mental image. but
TI ceTTILalnIy not in the play, The play deals pract
Iiy ana dramatically with elemental. perennial
ssuruggle in the nature of man; the struggle be-
twen t I leuaIism and the race. The relation be-
d,fforer me ollah slaves Phaon and Thalassa Is no
uaiteIent ana no more moral or immoral than the
tetauon to-day Of two natives OF TERRA del Fuego
VINO are father and mother of their children.
Inc interposition of sappho IS by its whole treat
persona and the majestic laws of orr race survival
and inevitably being Shattered in that conflict -"
L rII; In regard TO Mr., Winters estimate of Nine
ETs9ous 5tSty Of the e eri5icsm P5 it 'I9 @ay be
be Included in the like cond6mnaon Witch he has
bestowed upon such artists as Eleanora Duse,
and saiyin 4-e--'' 0''''' '''-'S'
:, But enough has been said to invaIidate be-
ueVe, the invalidSm- criticism of Mr. Winter What
Is more important TO the growth Of our American
vent our public from witnessing on the stage and
aes OF appeal which have been attested by the
!!G3TTemost critics OF the PLAYS published text? In
things which it stands 70 for MAKE this ren Iy t @
Winters unworthy criticism, and in this cause
ask him to answer these questions:
, Where are Mr.. Winters authorities that Offset
Where in the text OF Mr. Mackaye's play can
Mr: Winter specify any corroboration Of his dis
70 the u tBe art and 5 hs da Gf f55fTff Rosand
mann II NAV he neTtiTa t ff IrG fb ana daqpt-
Let not Mr. Winter he Ike. the Master Builder;
lest he fall from his own high tower.
New York. Oct "a, 1907 '''''''''> '''i-' -'f-A'
It IS recorded Of Horace Greeley that once when
q stranger entered his presence, in the editorial
room Of the old Tribune Building, and vituperated
him, for some time. with all the epthets and ex-
pletives that hatred could suggest and rage emit
the veteran editor went writing until his
turned TO depart. when he looked up at his furious
visitor. and pleasantly remarked. Come back
young man, and free your mind"
Mr.. Fiske like the wife in Tam O. Shanter"
seems to. have been nursing his wrath to keep
IT warm, till at last he could contain It no longer
and hence this explosion.
1t is another case OF the tempest in the teapot.
But Mr.. Fiske has freed his mind and probably
he now feels relieved. 1t occasionally happens.
though. that the teapot-intrinsically a fragile
vessel.-bursts with its little tumuIt.
1t a fine production that Mr. Fiske made OF
Mr.. Mackaye's confused and feeble play Of
"Sappho and Phaon" and It seems a pity that
such good scenery and good intentions should have
been wasted That they were wasted is the pub
lished opinion Of almost every newspaper in New
York and accordingly, there is room for mo-
mentary surprise that the disappointed manager
should have selected, as special mark for acrid
denunciation old friend. from whom, during
many years, he has received nothing but kindness
and the most cordial sympathy and effective sup
port in every worthy enterprise that he has un-
dertaken since he entered upon the field of theat-
rica management He has, however. made his
choice.
The explanation, perhaps, is that as a man Of
letters and writer for the press, have resolutely
opposed. TO the best of my ability, an institution
that I regard the Crank Drama, unhealthful
in itself and injurious 10 soce4y-an institution
sustained by various more less talented players
who, in my judgment, therein have misused their
powers and degraded their profession.
In my remarks, in The Tribune Of October 22 on
the preseuIment OF Mr.. Mackaye's "Sappho and
Phaon," at the Lyric Theatre October p. had
no intention to declare, and did declare, that
Mr. Mackaye had drawn the character of Sappho as
that Of degenerate. I said that. lin recounting
the mournful tale Of Sapphos infatuation and sui
eide" Mr.. Mackaye had made "a jumble Of Incl
dents obscure hardly TO be susceptible Of
analysis, and tedious in its prolixity be !
wenigh nsufferable" / not commenting on
the book, for had seen It: was comment
ing the play then shown, and l was record
ing the impressions that IT conveyed to my mind |
I saw that woman, named Sappho, was ex-
pressing, nfatuation for the husband (or partner
mate, whatever It may be called. Of another
woman. named Thalasa that the husband sue |
cumbed to the charms Of Sappho; and that, pres
entity after interchange Of ardent protestatons
Of passionate longing. the pair disappeared down |
a precipce, and went to
As nearly as I could comprehend the situation |
(and the language. which often uninteIlgtble.
and when ineligible sometimes obscure), that |
the everlasting old story OF two and one |
man-so old that the has enveoped It. / had |
heard the voluble SapphO speak, with rapturous |
appreciation OF supreme desire refer with satirica
contempt fountains Of cold reason, cold virgins.
and boys with phiosophic boards, and declare her
self decidedly IN favor of mad JOY and love: and.
associating those observations with what remem-
bered OF my reading about the Lesbian bard (and |
of some Of her verses), 1 reached the conclusion |
recorded in my review.
Mr. Fiske asks for a citation Of the authorities |
Of antiquity that represent Sappho a wanton !
and degenerate. His demand is accompanied with |
an especially offensive and insolent insinuation-as |
If it were any fault Of mine that. a reviewer OF
the acted drama / am compelled to take cogni- |
zance of impure themes when in fact, those themes
are brazenly obtruded my attention by more