New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-23

that she has been exposed to tempta-
tion partly through Brignac's self1shness,
partly through his wifes carelessness,
and that the author Of her ruin, like her
brother-in-law, is immeasurably base
The seducer is provided. too. with par
ents whose own marriage has been
long drawn out misery. and whose pure
ly material plans for their son will brook
the interference Of no conscientious
scruple. If we We're TO say that this pre-
cious crew always excepting the pitiful
Annette) had only themselves TO blame
for the Indebtedness that befalls them
we suppose NJ. Brieux might retort that
the problem as 10 what 70 do about An
nette still confronted us. We may grant
him that But, on the other hand. are
we not justified In asking II his types
are representative? He proceeds on the
assumption that they are, for on the
score Of their misfortune he coolly In
diets society. 1t is at this point that, we
believe. mankind must instinctvely re-
ject a dramatist like NJ. Brieux, regard
less Of the mere unpleasantness of his
theme.
It is not enough to reply that the
types in Maternity" are representative;
an opinion is not necessarily conclusive.
The thing for NJ. Brieux to do is to prove
IT. and that, we maintain. is where he
fails. Let us, we repeat, clear our minds
of cant Let us exclude alike the SYM
pathy Of compassion and the scorn Of
prejudice. After all. art is art. the
power of genius is irresistible, and, not
through mere verbal glamour, but
through the sheer pressure Of life made
manifest in the printed page, NJ. Brieux
might convince us if the thing were
really possible. But he does not for the
fraction of a second even vaguely per-
suade us that it is remotely possible. His
sincerity is such that we can almost for
give him the appalling todium OF his In
terminable debate. But from beginning
10 end we have a discouraging sense OF
his moving about in a world not real
lied Such situations as he describes can
only exist where homes are uniformly
inhabited by moral monsters, with here
and there an innocent for them to wreak
their wickedness upon. Men have been
vile and women have borne the brunt Of
their vileness, but TO the punishment Of
the former and TO the rescue of the lat
ter no serious contribution will ever
be made by the exhibition Of "frightful
examples" which are not frightful ex-
amplcs at all. but the freakish bogies
Of the morbid patholOgist with a theory
TO establish.
In respect TO the art of the theatre
the doctors may disagree on many
points, but they have always united and
they will always unite in stating that
life and truth are indispensable. While
they are, perhaps, talking about their
notions of truth and life the world, put
ting a given play to the test, knows at
once whether truth and life are there.
There is no missing the appeal of uni
versatility. The tragedy that really purges
the human soul through exciting the
emotions of pity and terror will do its
work like a force of nature. There is
nothing specious about it. There is moth
ing that savors of the tract. 1t gives you
life i'm action and moves you beyond all
argument. Moreover, as 1T does this, in
some strange way II fills you with a
sense of beauty. Lear" so heartrend-
ingly terrible that one scarce can en-
dure to witness performance of 1t. still
exerts the healing power of beauty and
so justihcs itself How does 1t do this?
One cannot say that it is the Shake
spearian diction alone. for the influence
that one feels in II Is somathing lying