New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-10-19
ATTILA.
Another Example Of the Modern
Poetic Drama.

ATvTTI.A A Tragedy In Four Acts. BY Laurence
Binyon. 12rno, pp. I34. z. P. Button & co.
To the reader who watches with concern the
purely literary developments in the modern
drama, there is much that IS interesting ABOUT
the efforts made by certain young writers 10
import an element of poetry into that drama
They mean well; of that there can be no qucs-
ton. Why is It that, with all their sincerity
and good intentions they nevertheless not
precisely the most readable authors in the
world? Chiefly we suppose, because they lack
the genius for poetry. They write blank verse
With malice aforethought and not because they
cannot help themselves. Yet they strive so nara
n achieve fine things that criticism cannot bu'
anproach their productions with a special sym
pathy To Mr. Stephen Phillips succeeds MI
Laurence Binyon and disappointment with inc
first writer only makes US the keeher 10 see
what the second has TO say for hnselI. VIC
tiIr,l the pages of "Attila" with lively CURIOSITY
The character OF this drama, as drama, Is n
question for the dramatic critic. Considered as
poetic stuff it has at least one negative virtue
the autl,o- does not try too strenuously to force
the effects which indeed, are fruitless enough
If they do not come spontaneously. His dietlon
is on the whole, restrained. mercy for which
we NAV be thankful in view Of the fustah
which the rhetorical playwright too often offers
rs as a substitute for verbal charm Yet Mr..
Binyon scarcely meets the test of the poetic
drama. which is that its personages. though
they may be never so poetic in their eioquehce,
shall always speak in character. It Is one OF
A+t,Ia.s hard bitten Huns a practical man at
arms. who. observing an Egyptian soothsayer
beneath the glare of comet. asks:
Is that a mortal
Or rooted effgy that stands and stares
on this disheveiled star?
When the Roman envoy, Messalla. comes TO
the court Of Attila, he has thoughts OF what
might ensue II that warrior were to be put out
of the way, and he exclaims:
OF chaos when the Reystones struck away
From this rude arch OF empire
udico the heroine who IS to avenge Burgun-
dian wrongs in a deed like Judiths, talks with
her tire-wonan of how Attila may be brought
to kiss death; and on Cunegondes observing
that no man has yet dared to seek to kill the
master Of the world" she speaks as follows:
IT'S true
When some divine and more than mortal deed
Is done the strong, the wise forbear
And When a greatness through weak heart and
stamm it5iG into the splendour of deed,
Pronounce it madness
Detached from the context these passages
labor, no doubt under certain Disadvantages
but we do them actually no injustice. Whether
them these speeches have a strong family like
ness. The mouth may belong to this or that
figure in the play but the voice is always that
Of Mr. Binyon, which IS TO say that it is the
voice Of a clever literary gentleman polished,
graceful, but wanting the great gift Of the Gre
ative poet. Let Us take fragment of Attilas
own talk remembering that he IS burly Hun.
crude, violent and moving with brutal force to
gain his ends. In the first act, seeking to win
the proud Idco to him. and rejecting on the
task, he says:
I'll have her soul. not only her body, mine
Mine shall she be. TO touch resistance. feel
And not to harm what { could crush a. YIN -.
5Those women Of the East OF nv own race
Never provoked But l shall tame, her.
Mr. Binyon sldlfully makes his point here,
but somehow we fail to recognize in the lines
anything OF the accent naturally to be associat-
ed with Attila. oddly. too the author fails us
where he might easily let himself go, and, speak
ing through Attila, touch the imagination by at
least rising TO the level Of his theme. Attila
places upon his finger a ring sent him by a
Roman princess, and, as he gazes upon IT, he
let's his mind wander IN dreams Of the conquest
Of Rome.
The gem Flttered at me-
world Of cities old and populous
Tho ports OF traffic with wide between,
t,nnforrtressed armies tributary kings
Rivers and 6 ear5 Of pad naoG % gold
Contracted TO one point Of changing light
Upon my finger
Is this all the poetry that Mr.. Binyon could
vyrest from his motive? Is this all that he can
make of Rome as it swan in the vision Of At
tia? Mr. Binyor. repeat, Is polished and
graceful but he does not strike fire. He does
his best Dimly remembering that scene which
onens the fifth act of Romeo and Juliet" IN
which the immortal lover talks Of a grim strange
dream for all that my bosom's lord sits lightly
in his throne" he tries subtly to blend his light
ard ebade in ATLAS last speech.
Beyond this night
WIZ, knows what waits what the storm of hours
ell Sprry me TO meet when the great thunderS
&c breaking, and earth crimsoned, far and far,
r. What wild seashores of the world? Come all!
r-C-Tiuht my heart sits on an easy throne,
low ais me, and love fills me; am filled
7 am come into my kingdom. Lead Inc in!
Possibly when spoken on the stage these lines
NAV aid in creating the atmosphere in which
the author seeks to enveop his tragic climax
They leave the reader absolutely unmoved.
A QUEER EPITAPH
From Notes and Queries
may perhaps be allowed inquiry with
regard 10 a stone said to have been removed