New-York tribune., 1908-04-08
~ S-rinburne's Drama on q Crime
of the Renaissance.

-f~f77I
z-arnatist has always found good fishing
=, ,,---l,ii waters Of the Italian Renaissance
- have Welded him themes extraordinarily
- -,rnantic and picturesque. II has taken,
- rare genius 10 make the most Of these
.s With them there has always gone the
eco, 10 pile on the agony which be-
z s,-en 81 gifted an Elizabethan as Web
= is interesting to observe the efforts
rv sr Swinburne To exc out his waning
=. f.rultv with the blood and thunder TO be
80 n the annals of the Renaissance In his
- for tragic horror he was sure. at all
a--s ~ getting good measure, when he dipped
a., -p,= affairs Of The Borgias- Students of the
,s.o-- or that luridly Respondent house we'll
--,a--,re- the murder Of Francesca Borgia, Duke
- Gambia. the son Of Pope Alexander VI. On
,----}er-s night in Rome, the way 10 his
home the young man met his fate after a fash
-, which IS weu set forth in the story it is
s-o15 b,- the elder Dumas, in OF his "Cele
n-a-ed crimes The experienced novelist thus
5~a-atizes the scene:
scarcely had ne turned the corner Of the Jewish
taetco hen FOUR men on foot, led by Aflh VINO
was Oh horseback, flung themselves upon MN, @
TH.nb5ug they were thieves, or else that he was
-s-r.o~ed fis name. but instead Of the name
checklng the murderers daggers, their strokes
were -e6oubled. and the Duke very soon fell dead
-eh ne nan tio2 On VIII nh no sign Of ~ emo
t4r- backed his horse toward the dead body; the
f-- r111r5erers lifted the corpse across the crup
--sza their way down the lane that leads 10 the
church of Santa Maria-in-MonticellL
+ Is known that after a few days the body
v-as recovered Il IS known that a boatman
confessed 10 having Witnessed the iinging Of
corpse from a horses crupper into the Tioer
Fut The identity Of the rider OF that horse has
never been discovered. That II was Cesar
Fo-gla the Dukes brother, and that he had ar
ranged the crime, has been surmised but not
--yad Mr. syviuturne assumes his guilt and
makes his drama hinge case OF fratricide-
He IS in no wise daring in this, or unjust to
Cesa- The crime was well within the latters
range
~ Svyfnbu-ne's drama is divided into four
t-=z4 scenes IN the first Of these he assemblies
80 P-7e and his family. and involves them in
ff7Eer.nEs which foreshad0w the murder Caesar
ss is known. coveted the honors and territories
conferred upon his brother Francesca, and, in
3 =s-z. subtle way he reveals his discomfort to
n beautiful Taunozza. their mother The en-
--s--4 Of the young duke only heightens the
strain. and matters go from bad 10 worse when
Alexander and his daughter. the famous LII
r-z-fa. take a hand the talk II IS all talk
--e- This r-sr scene Is filled with. that is to
ssv. NJ. Svvtuburne does not give us action ex-
--zsse5 in dialogue. but ColIoquies in which the
q
c7--r-z--leu-s 10 one another. Their speech is
rss-aer.sh. IIentifully besprinkIed with sacred
-z--e but frankly intended by the author 10
--si-a-e the Borgian state OF mind weller
of r.as-heuly. Crossness and general wickedness.
ore is prepared II the circumstances, TO be-
rzve d good deal. but Mr. Swinburne starting
on IT. paint MS picture all in murky reds. loses
Ms sense ol proportion and achieves. instead OF
tragedy a merely sensational effect Not one
q z- figures j. drawn really in character
They are simply puppets framed 10 carry on
lis -ae-9G~amatic narrative. In the second
sere tie Duke is murdered in the third his
body IS brought before the Pope and in the last
ne have Cesar Haunting his blood stained
HANDS IN The face Of his sire, 70 that individuals
serious discontinue. But never for moment
a. W. drilled with the sense OF terrible deed
rhs.alas = group OF historic and intensely in
ts-es-.-E r.-rsos.alIties IL its shadow. This Is
1g Tie creation Of a mature poet: it suggests,
r4eazr. the sketch for d tragedy which every
budding r-yrasrer IS supposed TO harbor in his
d5sk
Thai M Swinburne's hand has lost its cum
1ing IS shown not only by the absence Of dra-
r-ztlc r~- f-8-. this drama" but by the failure
e. 1- d=c--au 10 present more than an echo OF
Us u.u-=l verbal charm Here i q fragment
frg- al= of Cszsar's speeches. alluding To MS
brother and sister.
ea- t-.E-. francesca born 70 smile and swsy .au
and a=- whose face makes pale the sun IN heaNep'
Mos lar -as AZ Moons wonders IN its yeft
Nte-- --.u-- ls Gods and Italy's one rose,
Ll-re-.a
This has the old fault so familiar in unin-
E.rez drama gr bearing the accent Of the
E---lr 81. -.= exclusion OF that tone which Is
ra b. =zr-e-ad of the character on whose lips
L. -a-f- are placed. Moreover. though 1t Is
sslr-ur-lau. il is not quite swinburnian
enough. The book is made UP Of dim repet-
ca1s ~ orl notes Here Is another instance
81 saying of Alexa1der's 10 Nannozza;
Rose Of mine,
Ia 5.-.- he svr~eresr eyes love ever lit
hirl .EH- -aat mocks the morning
5gz- once i'm the course Of the piece there is
erEe- ~ genuine energy. q speech more or
less En- krerfns with what know OF the
speakers nature. and into the bargain. touch
~ Rhetorical skill. The moment comes with
i1e F-pe.s eager plea 10 his sons TO dweh IN
harmony. Il runs as follows:
God or no God man
s and Ie- rlsG IKE nile one man an. : ne rlae
"ae zee dead that Is not Why shouIds'
G. -.H .-a zf-r.a Of the Church and given
7.-- -. preside au spirit and fesh-or thou.
l1-.1 VIA The GID worlds giory-priest OF
I'm I'm q =. s-oaer an sz sys Y. or, or deem ennis.
57-arE e..le- ar roRard any Hath not Rome -
go 1at rho Lord Chrst's kingdom. where his VIII
- cane .- earth. enough oF all that man
--.-,s l-lse-s- l-scs for-pleasure. pride ano
Se Eal and o. share between you? Whence
T#,z +- -as goddess Tealhfns goaosss o"ee'
-l leaFe up hr~ kissing head again ,
1"'"-e. loves Christian chidren-loves7 Haln
srt The tlrri. that glcrifes the flesh.
-le sharp raPturous pang that burns 'he
T-- .z hundred even twain st once
= --ss. my boys, be wise, and resi-,