The sun., 1916-04-09

between Shakespeare and Molierc Mr.
Matthews points out that the English
man wrote in an era Of expansion ana
imaginative energy, while the French
man worked in a period of keen intel
ligence and social reserve. The Eng
lishman is the master of tragedy, leav-
ing as n side issue a small group OF
comedies: the Frenchman is the mas
ter OF comedy who might have at
tanned to tragedy perhaps If his life
had been longer. lie notes that both
were born In prosperous households of
the middle class; the affairs Of both
fathers became embarrassed later:
neither of them ever attained wide
scholastic erudition dndeed creative
genius never does) both broke away
from their homes to become actors;
and both after acting took tn COM
posing plays. Both began by imitat-
ing. In Loves Labours Lost and
"Etourdi'' We see clever young writer's
striving to show off their cleverness.
Both were always ready to repeat AN
effect which had been found effective.
SO the lovers quarrel in the Dept
Amoureux" is varied only little In
"Tartuffe' and the Bourgeois Cen
tilhomme." while the heroines Of the
1.-TWO Gentlemen of Verona" "As You
Like 1t" and Twelfth Night" all don
boys apparel. This was. however, not
merely a Shakespearian effect. but an
Elizabethan tradition. Both dramatists
made unhesitating use of the works OF
their predecessors and contempora-
ries. taking their raw material wher-
ever they found 1t. cutting their i'm
agination rather in the interpreta-
ton Of the stories which others had
failed to use to full advantage. Nei-
ther seems to have cared for glory
for it's own sake or to have taken any
pains to publish or preserve his
work. Mr.. Matthews then points out
certain similarities and contrasts in
the work. The COMEDY OF Errors" is
not unlike "Amphitryon" In one of its
devices Richard Ill. IL not unlike
Don Juan: Alceste can he compared
with jacques; IIarpagon with Shylock
and Tartuffe with Iago. IIamlct's Ad-
vice to the Players can be set over
against the discussion of actors and
the art of acting in the "Impromptu
de Versailles"
III
comedy. however, that Mr.. Matthews
acknowledges the supremacy of Mo-
liere. Shakespeare was the master
mind of all literature, of soul search
ing tragedy. of youthful. romantic
comedy. dramatic romance and drama =
tized history. Ii may he added also
that Shakespeare w;Ls supreme poet
and Moliere was not a poet at All,
even when he used rhyme. Moliorc
was probably also "A better theatre
writer than Shakespeare, with a kecner
sense for theatrical effect. The real
distinction between the two says the
author. is that Molerc is an artist
always and Shakespeare is an artist
only intermittently. Moliere always
does his best; Shakespeare only when
he is keenly Interested in his subject.
In plotting these PLAYS il" spares himself
no pains But II We examine his work a.
a whole We can see that he does not always
exert his constructive skill sometimes he
is careless Of forn. hudd'ing his ar'4"i
together anyhow. satisfied with th'
easiest way ot handling his story and
relying chiefly on his insight into charaa t"i
and on his uuqueuchshlc springs Of poetry
wisdom j. his fpr 'hc asking ami almost
withou, taking thought. bu; solid ,'ns'rur'
tion ,a~.s tho mInt and Shakespeare &C
casinuai'Y nrg'cc:s IN" preliminary s,a''
folding which a vital action Away de
nands and which Mo'icre ana Sophoo'"'
never fail :, provide
Shakcspearc's Wit is often merely
verbal. Moliere's is never so. lie
brought his laugh by touches Of ma
r,,,, ff..n =