New-York tribune., 1918-12-15

LITERATURE about great. men
and events never makes its ap-
pearance in impressive form un-
til some years after the signifi-
cant times have elapsed. The Lincoln
period began quarter century after the
Civil War, and is still in its prime.
Statues, film plays, poems and dramas
about this great figure all play their part
in giving atmosphere to the legend of
him. England has an appreciation of
Lincoln that equals our own. Here In
John Drinkwater, the English poet, writ
ing drama about him. H. W. NJ, .
writer in "The Nation" Uondon), has
the following to say of it:
"There champions of forlorn hope,
and hope on a later occasion to say some
thing of them. But at least the Repertory
Theatre in Birmingham, with Mr.. John
Drnkwater its director, keeps solitary
flag flying. Mr.. Drinkwater indeed is more
than a manager of an immensely hard
working company. He is a very clever OBJ
server of existence. He has seen that there
is a war on, and has written suggestive
little reflection on it. And he has noticed
that the country is at this moment inter
ested in America. So he has written q
play on Abraham Lincoln, concerning whom
I would breathe the prayer that small bits
of his character may be grated on to our
statesmen before they muddle the peace
which another great American has enabled
them to win. And yet Mr.. Drinkwater's
task is difficult one, in Spite or rather
because, of the singular attraction, and in
deed magnificence, of its subject l imagine
that Mr.. Drinkwater has hardly had the
time to study Lincoln in detail. Yet he is
clearly alive to his charm. Lincoln was the
most adorable of all the really great leaders
of men, Fox as delightful, but Fox
had neither Lincoln's unfailing success nor
his tragic end. Therefore, it would seem
as if you might have in Father Abraham
suitable hero of drama. Lincoln had
style, humor, a wonderful personality. He
was simple and subtle, glorious and physi-
cally uncouth, and he fell in the hour of
victory for of the greatest of wars
and causes. What dramatist could ask for
more? But there are difficulties. Lincoln
stood alone His rivals-Douglas, Chase,
Seward-were not really comparable with
him. He was never beaten save by death.
And though he had extraordinary distinc-
tion, he not romantic. Did he ever
love a woman? 1t is doubtful. He was as
melancholy as Hamlet, but, unlike Hamlet,
he did not fail SO winning, SO compelling
I were his powers that he was never even
seriously thwarted. He rose steadily, and
having attained the highest place, kept it.
His failures were episodes, and his career
therefore, was almost bare of contrasts, of
all that violent imposing, pathetic material
with which tragedy is mainly concerned
For death, even premature and violent
death, is not tragic unless it is associated
with some thwarted or ignoble strain in a
mans life. That was not the case with
Lincoln. He was eminently feIr oppor-
tunltdte. His sun sank suddenly, but in
full splendor, and the career that so ended
was that of consistent, though a sublime,
opportunist. And you may make anything
of an opportunist but hero. Siegfried,
Othello, Solness must die. But they must
die ruined.
"If there was one thing more than
another which insures Lincoln's Immortality
it is his style. He and another great orator
Bright, wrote and spoke magical English; at
their best they could not do ANYTHING else
You cannot alter a word in the Gettysburg
speech, any more than you can change word
In the ode on Grecian Urn.' Mr.. Drinkwater
has found it necessary to compress a good
many Lincoln sayings into small compass
in order to produce the continuous and IL
Illustrative effect at which he aims That
is pardonable But Lincoln the politician
is one man. Lincoln the maker of words
that glorify our speech forever Is another
and an absolutely inviolate parsonage
Therefore l hope that when Mr. Drinkwater
produces his play in town he will relieve
it of the blot which takes a portion of the
last sentence of the second inaugural, adds
to it piece of the last sentence of the
Gettysburg speech and dumps them both
on to an imaginary address delivered from
the Presidents box in Ford's Theatre with
in few moments of the assassination.
1.-The movement of Abraham Lincoln was
quite brisk, and the crowded audience did
not restrain its enthusiasm. Mr. Rea's
representation Of Lincoln was a semblable.
interesting and at moments quite noble
work of art, for a feeting suggestion
of Mr.. Mlcawber in the makeup a tendency
to forget that Lincoln stood six feet four
IN his stockings and regrettable absence
of the traditional frock coat"