New-York tribune., 1920-01-03
Maeterlinck's
English Fails
Him ON Stage
Poet Tries vainly to Make
Himself Understood at
Carnegie Hall and Aids
Can't Read His sPhonetics'

Maurice Maeterlinck's English broke
down completely under the test of his
first public lecture last night at Car
negie Hall. DR.. Merle ST. Croix Wright
jumped into the breach and translated
the Belgian poets words as he spoke
them, for the benefit of an audience
which scarcely knew whether to be
amused, indignant or sympathetic.
After half an hour of this "duet," as
the poet himself laughingly termed it,
messenger arrived breathless with a
copy of the address in English, which
DR.. Wright read.
The remaining lectures of Maeter-
linck's American tour will be given in
French, it was stated last night by his
friend, Henry Russell. Carnegie Hall
has already been sold out for next
Tuesday night. Mr.. Russell also said
that Maeterlinck was very cross" with
j.. B. Pond, of the Pond Lyceum Bureau.
who had persuaded him to speak in
English against his own better judg-
ment.
Carnegie Hall Packed
Carnegie Hall was filled to the tor
most gallery with friends and admirers
Of the poet. This audience was toll
Grant Of the Maeterlinck accent per
haps longer than the average American
audience would have been, but it was
only few moments before there were
cries from the audience, "En Fran
caise!" and "We can't understand a
world"
DR.. Wright took n look over the
poets shoulder when he began to have
difficulty making himself understood,
intending to read the manuscript of the
lecture for him, then shrugged his
shoulders and said:
ever saw. Looks like Chinese to me.
Mr.. Maeterlinck says it's phonetic
English can't read it,"
Maeterlinck tried again, but in vain.
Finally, with the aid of most of the
distinguished diplomats and authors
and financiers who sat in an imposing
row on the platform, a system was
evolved by which Mr.. Maeterlinck pro-
nounced slowly and cautiously to DR..
Wright the words Of his lecture, and
DR.. Wright then repeated them to the
audience.
His System Fails
The system of "phonetic English"
seemed to have been developed in the
following method: The poet had writ
ten his lecture in French; it had then
been translated into English and writ
ten out by secretary; the typewriter
copy had then been read aloud to the
poet, who had written it down in the
French equivalent of the English
sounds.
AS an example, Or. Wright explained
to the much amused audience that the
word "issues" was spelled in the poets
language "ichiouse," and "ended" was
"ainedide."
Even when the real English manu-
script and the real French manuscript
arrived the disturbances in the pro-
gram were not ended.
"I.et the public have its choice as
to whether Mr. Maeterlinck will read in
of the many assistant masters of cere-
monies on the platform. The French
side Of the house raised up loud voices,
but they were drowned out by the Eng
disappearing three-quarters Of the
meeting, who pounded on the floor and
yelled and roared their preference for
something they could understand.
little woman in the front of the
house then rose.
"please," she begged, 1--WE are so
anxious to hear Mr.. Mssterlinck's Won
derful French; just let him speak in
French for little"
English Finally Wins
SO there was another page Of Maeter-
linck in French. aud then the evening
was DR.. Wrights. Throughout the
course of the lecture, however, the
poet stood at his side. listening care-
fully to his pronunciation as he fol-
lowed 1t page by page on his phonetic
manuscript" maintaining all the while
calm and uppcrturbed demeanor,