the ways of men-第38节

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s　to　audiences　whom　any　　nonsense　would　attract。　　When　a　play　like　THE　SWELL　MISS　　FITZWELL　will　pack　a　New　York　house　for　months；　and　then　float　　a　company　on　the　high　tide　of　success　across　the　continent；　it　　would　be　folly　to　produce　anything　better。　　New　York　　influences　the　taste　of　the　country；　it　is　in　New　York　really　　that　the　standard　has　been　lowered。

In　answer　to　these　remarks；　the　question　will　doubtless　be　　raised；　〃Are　not　the　influences　which　it　is　asserted　are　　killing　the　drama　in　America　at　work　in　England　or　on　the　　Continent；　where　people　also　dine　late　and　well？〃

Yes；　and　no！　　People　abroad　dine　as　well；　undoubtedly；　as　　elaborately？　　Certainly　not！　　With　the　exception　of　the　　English　（and　even　among　them　dinner…giving　has　never　become　so　　universal　as　with　us）；　no　other　people　entertain　for　the　　pleasure　of　hospitality。　　On　the　Continent；　a　dinner…party　is　　always　an　〃axe…grinding〃　function。　　A　family　who　asked　people　　to　dine　without　having　a　distinct　end　in　view　for　such　an　　outlay　would　be　looked　upon　by　their　friends　and　relatives　as　　little　short　of　lunatics。　　Diplomatists　are　allowed　certain　　sums　by　their　governments　for　entertaining；　and　are　formally　　dined　in　return　by　their　guests。　　A　great　French　lady　who　is　　asked　to　dine　out　twice　a　week　considers　herself　fortunate；　a　　New　York　woman　of　equal　position　hardly　dines　at　home　from　　December　1　to　April　15；　unless　she　is　receiving　friends　at　her　　own　table。

Parisian　ladies　rarely　go　to　restaurants。　　In　London　there　are　　not　more　than　three　or　four　places　where　ladies　can　be　taken　　to　dine；　while　in　this　city　there　are　hundreds；　our　people　　have　caught　the　habit　of　dining　away　from　home；　a　custom　　singularly　in　keeping　with　the　American　temperament；　for；　　although　it　costs　more；　it　is　less　trouble！

The　reason　why　foreigners　do　not　entertain　at　dinner　is　　because　they　have　found　other　and　more　satisfactory　ways　of　　spending　their　money。　　This　leaves　people　abroad　with　a　number　　of　evenings　on　their　hands；　unoccupied　hours　that　are　　generally　passed　at　the　theatre。　　Only　the　other　day　a　　diplomatist　said　to　me；　〃I　am　surprised　to　see　how　small　a　　place　the　theatre　occupies　in　your　thoughts　and　conversation。　　　With　us　it　is　the　pivot　around　which　life　revolves。〃

From　one　cause　or　another；　not　only　the　wealthy；　but　the　　thoughtful　and　cultivated　among　us；　go　less　each　year　to　the　　theatre。　　The　abstinence　of　this　class　is　the　most　　significant；　for　well…read；　refined；　fastidious　citizens　are　　the　pride　of　a　community；　and　their　influence　for　good　is　far…　reaching。　　Of　this　elite　New　York　has　more　than　its　share；　but　　you　will　not　meet　them　at　the　play；　unless　Duse　or　Jefferson；　　Bernhardt　or　Coquelin　is　performing。　　The　best　only　tempts　　such　minds。　　It　was　by　the　encouragement　of　this　class　that　　Booth　was　enabled　to　give　HAMLET　one　hundred　consecutive　　evenings；　and　Fechter　was　induced　to　linger　here　and　build　a　　theatre。

In　comparison　with　the　verdicts　of　such　people；　the　opinions　　of　fashionable　sets　are　of　little　importance。　　The　latter　long　　ago　gave　up　going　to　the　play　in　New　York；　except　during　two　　short　seasons；　one　in　the　autumn；　〃before　things　get　going；〃　　and　again　in　the　spring；　after　the　season　is　over；　before　they　　flit　abroad　or　to　the　country。　　During　these　periods　〃smart〃　　people　generally　attend　in　bands　called　〃theatre　parties；〃　an　　infliction　unknown　outside　of　this　country；　an　arrangement　　above　all　others　calculated　to　bring　the　stage　into　contempt；　　as　such　parties　seldom　arrive　before　the　middle　of　the　second　　act；　take　ten　minutes　to　get　seated；　and　then　chat　gayly　among　　themselves　for　the　rest　of　the　evening。

The　theatre；　having　ceased　to　form　an　integral　part　of　our　　social　life；　has　come　to　be　the　pastime　of　people　with　nothing　　better　to　do；　…　the　floating　population　of　our　hotels；　the　　shop…girl　and　her　young　man　enjoying　an　evening　out。　　The　　plays　produced　by　the　gentlemen　who；　I　am　told；　control　the　　stage　in　this　country　for　the　moment；　are　adapted　to　the　　requirements　of　an　audience　that；　having　no　particular　　standard　from　which　to　judge　the　literary　merits　of　a　play；　　the　training；　accent；　or　talent　of　the　actors；　are　perfectly　　contented　so　long　as　they　are　amused。　　To　get　a　laugh；　at　any　　price；　has　become　the　ambition　of　most　actors　and　the　dream　of　　managers。

A　young　actress　in　a　company　that　played　an　American　　translation　of　MME。　　SANS　GENE　all　over　this　continent　asked　　me　recently　what　I　thought　of　their　performance。　　I　said　I　　thought　it　〃a　burlesque　of　the　original！〃　　〃If　you　thought　it　　a　burlesque　here　in　town；〃　she　answered；　〃it's　well　you　didn't　　see　us　on　the　road。　　There　was　no　monkey　trick　we　would　not　　play　to　raise　a　laugh。〃

If　one　of　my　readers　doubts　the　assertion　that　the　better　　classes　have　ceased　to　attend　our　theatres；　except　on　rare　　occasions；　let　him　inquire　about；　among　the　men　and　women　　whose　opinions　he　values　and　respects；　how　many　of　last　　winter's　plays　they　considered　intellectual　treats；　or　what　　piece　tempted　them　to　leave　their　cosy　dinner…tables　a　second　　time。　　It　is　surprising　to　find　the　number　who　will　answer　in　　reply　to　a　question　about　the　merits　of　a　play　EN　VOGUE；　〃I　　have　not　seen　it。　　In　fact　I　rarely　go　to　a　theatre　unless　I　　am　in　London　or　on　the　Continent！〃

Little　by　little　we　have　taken　to　turning　in　a　vicious　and　　ever…narrowing　circle。　　The　poorer　the　plays；　the　less　clever　　people　will　make　the　effort　necessary　to　see　them；　and　the　　less　such　elite　attend；　the　poorer　the　plays　will　become。

That　this　state　of　affairs　is　going　to　last；　however；　I　do　not　　believe。　　The　darkest　hour　is　ever　the　last　before　the　dawn。　　　As　it　would　he　difficult　for　the　performances　in　most　of　our　　theatres　to　fall　any　lower　in　the　scale　of　frivolity　or　　inanity；　we　may　hope　for　a　reaction　that　will　be　deep　and　far…　reaching。　　At　present　we　are　like　people　dying　of　starvation　　because　they　do　not　know　how　to　combine　the　flour　and　water　　and　yeast　before　them　into　wholesome　bread。　　The　materials　for　　a　brilliant　and　distinctly　national　stage　undoubtedly　exist　in　　this　country。　　We　have　men　and　women　who　would　soon　develop　　into　great　actors　if　they　received　any　encouragement　to　devote　　themselves　to　a　higher　class　of　work；　and　certainly　our　great　　city　does　not　possess　fewer　appreciative　people　than　it　did　　twenty　years　ago。

The　great　dinner…giving　mania　will　eat　itself　out；　and　　managers；　feeling　once　more　that　they　can　count　on　　discriminating　audiences；　will　no　longer　dare　to　give　garbled　　versions　of　French　farces　or　feeble　dramas　as　compiled　from　　English　novels；　but；　turning　to　our　own　poets　and　writers；　　will　ask　them　to　contribute　towards　the　formation　of　an　　American　stage　literature。

When；　finally；　one　of　our　poets　gives　us　a　lyric　drama　like　　CYRANO　DE　BERGERAC；　the　attractions　of　the　dinner…table　will　　no　longer　be　strong　enough　to　keep　clever　people　away　from　the　　theatre；　and　the　following　conversation；　which　sums　up　the　　present　situation；　will　become　impossible。

BANKER　（to　Crushed　Tragedian）。　…　No；　I　haven't　seen　you　act。　　　I　have　not　been　inside　a　theatre　for　two　years！

C。T。　…　It's　five　years　since　I've　been　inside　a　bank！




Chapter　31　…　The　Modern　ASPASIA


MOST　of　the　historic　cities　of　Europe　have　a　distinct　local　　color；　a　temperament；　if　one　may　be　allowed　the　expression；　of　　their　own。　　The　austere　calm　of　Bruges　or　Ghent；　the　sensuous　　beauty　of　Naples；　attract　different　natures。　　Florence　has　　passionate　devotees；　who　are　insensible　to　the　artistic　grace　　of　Venice　or　the　stately　quiet　of　Versailles。　　In　Cairo　one　　experiences　an　exquisite　BIEN　ETRE；　a　mindless；　ambitionless　　contentment　which；　without　being　languor；　soothes　the　nerves　　and　tempts　to　indolent　lotus…eating。　　Like　a　great　hive；　Rome　　depends　on　the　memories　that　circle　around　her；　storing；　like　　bees；　the　centuries　with　their　honey。　　Each　of　these　cities　　must　therefore　leave　many　people　unmoved；　who　after　a　passing　　visit；　wander　away；　wondering　at　the　enthusiasm　of　the　　worshippers。

Paris　alone　seems　to　possess　the　charm　that　bewitches　all　　conditions；　all　ages；　all　degrees。　　To　hold　the　frivolous…　minded　she　paints　her　face　and　dances；　leading　them　a　round　of　　folly；　exhaustive　alike　to　health　and　purse。　　For　the　student　　she　assumes　another　mien；　smiling　encouragement；　and　urging　　him　upward　towards　the　highest　standards；　while　posing　as　his　　model。　　She　takes　the　dreaming　lover　of　the　past　gently　by　the　　hand；　and　leading　him　into　quiet　streets　and　squares　where　she　　has　stored　away　a　wealth　of　hidden　treasure；　enslaves　him　as　　completely　as　her　more　sensual　admirers。

Paris　is　no　less　adored　by　the　vacant…minded；　to　whom　neither　　art　nor　pleasure　nor　study　appeal。　　Her　caprices　in　fashion　　are　received　by　the　wives　and　daughters　of　the　universe　as　　laws；　and　obeyed　with　an　unwavering　faith；　a　mute　obedience　　that　few　religions　have　commanded。　　Women　who　yawn　through　　Italy　and　the　East　have；　when　one　meets　them　in　the　French　　capital；　the　intense　manner；　the　air　of　separation　from　things　　mundane；　that　is　observable　in　pilgrims　approaching　the　shrine　　of　their　deity。　　Mohammedans　at　Mecca　must　have　some　such　　look。　　In　Paris　women　find