The sun., 1908-03-22
SOME NEW BOOKS.
Ahc ElIrabethan Drama.

IN tne TWO VOLUMES CohoVNANoly ohNiNpA
TAs EliEdbsihdn Drama, by Prof. FELIX r.
scHGLiINO Of the University Of Pennsyl-
vanla (Houghton, Mifhin a COY. We have a
history OF the drama in England from the
accession OF Queen Elizabeth In 1888 70 the
closing Of the theatres In i842. A summary
Of the origins Of the earlier English drama
n prehxed, because many influences aheot-
ingthe Elizabethan stage are traoeable 10
earlier times These influences accord
ingly are here followed through miracle
plays, the so-called 'moralitiee' and inter-
ludes. A characteristic Of this book 10 the
authors unwillingness to oonhne himself
10 compositions OF superior artistic worth
and his refusal TO neglect humber con.
temporary productions on the ground that
q given literature can 10 more be studied
Justly In those master works alone which
have stood the test OF time than the eth
nology OF race can be decided solely by
means OF the traits Of its Bismarcks or it's
DarWlne.
The chief sources for this history have
been the original texts Of the plays them
selves. little having been accepted on report
save information as 70 some manuscript
pieces which have proved inaccessible,
The immensity Of the mass Of material
which had 10 be examined will be appre-
Ciated when we say that the estimate that
1900 new plays now extant or lost. were
produced between the accession OF Eliza
beth and the closing Of the theatres eighty
four years later crrs on the side Of modera-
tion rather than excess. Moreover, the
heterogeneousness OF this mass is eXtraor-
dinary, running as regards form into sub
species and varieties In bewilderng protu-
sion, extending In scope from trhing dia-
lories OF a single scene TO trilogies OF con-
summAte dramatic art, and differing In
duality from bits Of actual life, conveyed
bodily from the streets and taverns, TO deeps
Of wisdom and flights Of imaginative poetry
such az other ages Of the drama knew not.
The authors purpose il not only to relate
these facts concerning the drama Of the
period which are usually comprehended
under the term history. but likewise to de-
termine the development Of species among
the dramatic compositions OF the time;
10 ascertain as nearly as possible the char
acter Of each play considered and refer II
10 its type 10 establish It's relations towhat
had preceded and to what was TO follow,
and definitely 10 learn when given dra-
matte species appeared, how long il con-
tnued, and when 1t was superseded by
other forms. The authors method is in
dicated by the captions Of his chapters.
Thus, in the fra volume we find such head
inRs as the Oh Sacred Drama or Miracle
Play, the Morality and Earlier Secular
Drama, the Early Drama Of School and
Court, the New Romantic Drama, the Ma
tional Historical Drama or Chronicle Play,
the Domestic Drama, Romantic Comedy,
Historical Drama on Foreign Themes, the
Comedy Of Humors, the Comedy Of Man
ners, and Romantic Tragedy. In the same
volume is included an essay on the London
playhouse, which describes the structure,
the scenic properties and mechanical con-
ditions OF the Elizabethan stage, as we'll as
the relation Of the actor to the playwright.
In the second volume the author deals
with such subjects as the historical and
tragic dramas based on classical myth or
story, the college plays presented at the
Universities Of Oxford and Cambridge, the
origin and development Of the English
udhQuol lhb pubNOlhA ioAAAo NV NiAV ANA"
ton TO it OF As You Like II" and The
Winters Tale; trag comedy and romance,
e1empHhed so often in the plays Of Beau
mont and Fletcher, as we'll as in Shake
speare's 'Percles, 'Cymbeline' and The
Tempest; the later comedy OF manners,
the masters Of which we're Jonson, Middle
ton, Fletcher and Massinger and finally
the decadent romance OF Shirley, Ford,
Bronze, Wilson and Davenant. Those who
desire 10 see the gst Of l,2Oo pages COM
pressed in less than sixty may find 1t eI-
pedient to turn at once TO the twentieth
chapter, in which Prof, Scheling reviews
the Ehzabethan drama in retrospect. The
author indeed compares the preceding
nineteen chapters to a scafolding-indis-
pensable for the erection Of the permanent
structure, but destined like other scaffold-
ings to be discarded when the edifce is
complete