Life — December 2, 1886 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SHE DIDN’T BELONG TO THE AUDUBON SOCIETY. “ OME here” cried Phyllis, ‘‘do not run from me,” — When in the garden she encountered Love,— “I think it down right rude of you to flee A heart as tender as a Sucking Dove!” “Ah!” Cupid cries, ‘‘ what's that around your hat ? The wings of Little Birds ! I know not whether Your heart is like a dove’s, but I know that My wings shall furnish for your cap no feather ! Greek, with a Quaker city accent, is the most musical tongue I have ever listened to. Never has it been my good fortune to hearso true a curve given the circumflex ; so sharp a thrill per- vade the southwesterly slant of the acute; nor so solemn an intonation slide down the inclined plane of the grave accent. From the lips of these Philadelphia amateurs the penulti- mates of Aristophanes dropped with all the impressive yet rippling grandeur of Niagara, and not with the dull, sicken- ing thud which even in the gala days of the Greek drama was | a humorous expedient. The leading réles of the Adonis of 425 B.C. were evenly sustained by the undergraduates of the University of Penn- sylvania; but the chorus, while true to the archzological spirit which pervaded the whole performance, might have been made up with a greater eye to beauty. The topical song introduced by Diceopolis was in bad taste, to my mind, al- though the fashionable audience versed to a greater extent in classic than in Philadelphia Greek, not exactly comprehend- ing the allusions contained in it, applauded it vociferously. There is an unfortunate tendency on the part of New York society people, to applaud what they cannot comprehend, which finds its counterpart in the Bostonians love for Brown- ing and the Chicagoans enthusiastic admiration for culture generally: It is tothis weakness in our first people that much of the flagrant violation of the accepted rules of dramatic art to-day is due. It would have hurt the feelings of | Acharnians if put on the road. | one consecutive performance rather surprised me, knowing Aristophanes greatly to listen to a Greek strophe commem- orating boodle aldermen interpolated in a play written in 425 B.C., and it is unfortunate that the well-meaning youth, who essayed its performance, should have allowed inter- metropolitan animosity to get the better of his judgment. The only serious adverse criticisms I can make are that Lamachus resolutely ignored his diphthongs, and that the scenery was not so sumptuous as Aristophanes himself would have wished. The Provost of the University, under whose supervision the play was produced, might learn something from Mr. Augus- tin Daly or Mr. Palmer. A few portieres scattered around through the columns with one or two dainty chiffoniers or Boule tables would have added a warmth to the stage set- ting, which was seriously lacking. I cannot predict that a long run would be accorded the In fact, that it should have that the gallery of the Academy is large enough to hold all | the gods of this city and Brooklyn whom “ Erminie” and other successful efforts of the modern drama have materially spoiled as regards the playwrights of a bygone age. The Uni- versity of Pennsylvania has every reason to be satisfied that the performance should have as long an uninterrupted run as it had, and fate should not be tempted by any further efforts. Carlyle Smith. comicbooks.com