The Washington herald., 1907-10-13
Function Of DRAMATIC Criticism.

GuuCL1OH c1 UIduldtlC OIIllClSlu.
The poet Wordsworth held that the crit
icsl power was low one. infinitely lower
than the inventive. and he held that if
the quantity of time consumed in writ
ing critiques on the works of others were
given 10 original composition. of what
ever kind 1t might be. it would be much
better employed. And this was said in
face Of the fact that even such a writer
as DR.. Johnson. as Matthew Arnold
points out, was much better employed
in his fine critical essay on THE Lives
OF the Poets than he was in writing
''Irenes," and that 1t is matter Of grave
doubt whether even Wordsworth himself
was as well employed in writing ecclesi-
astical sonnets as he was when he made
his celebrated preface so full OF eriti-
cism; and criticism Of the work Of 9TH
eTs.
1t is not far-fetched, we think, to as
sert that the lack OF high ideals about
the American stage to-day is due in no
small measure to the lack Of anything
like scholarly and constructive criticism
of the drama- The names OF men whose
writings about the drama in the best
reviews command respect are few indeed,
and this is not because there are not
plenty of scholarly critics, but because
there seems to be such a limited audi
ence for scholarly criticism. How much
this Is due to the attitude Of the daily
press toward the drama it would be in
teresting 10 determine, but II the news
E-rf Wf,ofv-
true offlce-which is 10 lead toward the
best-it is very probably for the reason
that the stage has in recent years become
so strictly n commercial rather than an
artistic thing, that dramatic criticism
has been largely discounted. in advance,
by the press agent
One cannot doubt that the art Of the
stage. like any other art. needs the slim
ulus Of honest criticism. II IS the busi-
ness Of the critic TO look deeper, because
Of deeper insight and wider knowledge
into the heart OF things; not to be led
away by the public clamor for yox populi
is much less often than is supposed the
voice of truth. II one were content to
gauge the value of things artistic by the
public voice, then meretTiclous musical
comedy is greater than grand opera, and
the melodrama "Why She Left Home"
more superb than As You Like It"
This might sound like an argument Of
absurdity if II were not that so much
Of our dramatic criticism OF to-day is
based on just such premises.
Matthew Arnold in his essay on criti-
cism said. Criticisms business is sim
ply to know the best that is known and
thought in the world, and by, in its turn
making this known, to create a current
Of true and fresh ideas. It's business is
TO do this with infexible honesty. with
due ability; but its business Is to do no
more, and to leave alone all questions of
practical consequences and applications. .
OF course, the question arises here, Are
the men who essay to write dramatic
criticism OF the daily press men of
breadth Of mind and clarity Of vision
enough to be able to make known the
best thought about the drama2
II so, they seldom show it. New York
has come. for some reason or another.
TO be considered the real voice which
makes or damns the modern American
dTa Ilatist, and yet dramatic criticism
In New York has fallen into sheer friv-
olity and froth. Two or three men there
are yet in New York who dare to have
The courage OF their convictions, who
take their calling as a high one and
realize how serious a business it is to set
up as a guide 10 the public taste But
for the most part dramatic criticism
follows the public voice rather than leads
il, and SO long as this is so, so long
viii American drama be content with the
eommendation Of the average intellect.
nor care to strive FOR. the appreciation Of
the cultured-to whom, alone we must
look if we are to have artistic progress.
The dramatic critic then has a high
and responsible Office TO I'LL Anybody
may comment on a play, every one who
goes 10 the theater does so, but comment,
the expression of ones own feelings
about a work OF art, is not criticism Il
is the business Of criticism to know the
best and to be perpetually dissatisfied
when anything but the best is offered.