Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03

CLOlSIERED poet, auSterely SCTulllllZ-
"A ing and revising his polished and in.
frequent products, and yet the bearer OF
name perhaps as well known the world
over as any In contemporary literature
such was Edmond Rostand- Reputation OF
the charge that favor with the general
public can be gained only by surrender
of artistic ideals Is inspiringly furnished by
the career Of the distinguished craftsman
who died in Paris yesterday.
Edmond Rostand never wrote down to
the mob" He took it up with him to Par
nassau heights. He interpreted its vague
dreams with gorgeous verbal tapestry and
with the sense-quickening radiance OF TO-
nance. His singular faculty might be
called French had not Shakespeare per!
formed the same miracle on a vaster scale.
Without sacrilege a certain kinship be-
tween the two poet.dramatists may be
traced Partisan enthusiasts who Wit
messed the memorable premiere OF "Cyrano
do Bergerac" on December 2S, 1897, fer
wildly evoked the parallel. The extreme flat
terry Of such a snap judgment for time
damagingly obscured part truth. Rostand
was no supreme genius. He was an admf
rable, a richly imaginative, often an elo-
auent maker of plays, and repugnant
to his sensibilities must have been an unre'
strained appraisement Of his art on the
shakespearean heights
TIME analogy is best drawn not so much
i with reference to the intrinsic merit as
to the spirit animatng both dramatists and
the intimate relationship with the public
which each established through his
works. It is the sheer romanticism OF Ros-
tand which is Shakespearean. The French
man eschewed problems" In an era of
special pleadings of economic, sociological,
psychological, even esthetic propaganda,
he defied every faddsh ISM and cour-
ageously scaled the peaks Of beauty
There Is no more secondary intention"
in "Cyrano" or "L'Aiglon" than there Is in
"Romeo and Juliet" Dramatic fire is
there, Illuminating majesty Of language,
sprightliness of thought and vivid sense
of human character No one expounds the
PHILOSOPHY" of Edmond Rostand, for, as a
matter Of fact, no such milestone on his art
exists. 1t would be well were the pedants
20 leave off endeavorng to unearth it in
Shakespeare.
Rostand's best plays, clothed in exquisite
language, are none the less throbbing with
sincere human emotion. The investiture
IA romantic, the characterization and dra-
matte honesty. of fortnight and irresistible
appeal.
The public's delight in such a talent has
| been unmistakable. The two masterpieces
| "Cyrano" and "L'Aiglon," have gone the
| rounds of the. worlds theatres Outside Of
| France what other poet.dramatist Of that
nation enjoys such universally of produc.
tion? In non.French speaking lands, Ra-
| cine, Corneille, Leconte de Llsle, Hugo as
a dramatist, are revered names in literary
| circles but Rostand has held the stage.
nHILADELPHIANS have seen numer-
1 Gus productions OF his most important
| plays. The "Cyrano" furore is a landmark
in American theatrical history and in this
city It left deep impression. Three dis
tinct representations Of that brilliant, gas
connading, whimsical yet tender dramatic
romance were given here in the course of
a single season.
Richard Mansfield was the authorized
possessor of the American producing
claims to the piece. and yet his title was
nebulous. No American copyright or