VI, Allgemeine Besprechungen 2, Ausschnitte 1912–1914, Seite 42

8.

*
is
er
enenen eni eieit venetenti Uerating, 1. Keehet Penterteterling. un a ee
believe that at the present moment he has an
the leading memnbers, qquallz with the millionain,
extensive private practice in Vienna. Very
are engaged in dubious. if tacitly accohed, scheimnes
rarely, I suppose, has practical experience
of money-making. The inhabitants of the slums
ch
gained in the sick room beemn conjoined wien
which zurround the church will havc nothing to do
such an acute artistic sense as is to be found
with its services or cereinonies, and they can be
in #ae Viennese dramatist. His analytica
influenced only through social activitic. Morcover,
che earnest-mindod and npright persons of his own
power is as remarkable as his synthetic
class, who like him as a man, derive no heip from
brilliancy, Ho knows what is the matter with
his creed.
che modern human soul; he knows to what
wh
After much stress of mind and a temporary los
extent it is subject tto nervons disease; he can
Er
of faith. Mr. Hodder arrivés at the conclusion that
say from personal experience“ Thou ailest
the
the Church of which he is De minister, is a whited
bere, and here,' not only to his patients, but
El
sennlchre. that its supporters are, in the main,
to the larger world which he addresses through
modern representatives oflthe Pharisces, that the
his dramas. There is little that is sincere in
noor avoid it as the tomple of the dishonest rich, that
mundane romanticism. In alltheamourettes of
Of
the frankly criminal or immpral despise it as an
a Viennese day there is an underlying stratum
p0
organised hypocrisy, and that it makes no appeai
of bitterness and disillusionment. Perhaps the
ph
to the intelligent and even spirstually-minded men
man has a better time than the woman; at all
in
bers of the new generation, betause its #nessige is
events the woman gets the greater blame and
Er
wranped in dogmas, whish. in their primitive inter¬
has the major part of the suffering. No better
oth.
pretation, have no truth for the age. Thereupen
illustration of this can be found than in
wo.
Mr. Hodder makes a total change of front. In
Liebelei? (Light-o’-Love). Theodor makes
matters of dogma he becomes, sp far as one can
she
an effort to rescue his friend Fritz from a some¬
judge, an exponent of the“ New Theology.“ He
bet
what perilous liaison with a married woman, an
refuscs to accept the patronage or charities of Eldon
Is
aristocrat, by introducing him to a little girl
Parr. and prochaims a gospel of brothorhoed. Iis
I S
of the people, Christine. The experiment is not
congregation is spift into fäctions, and an explosive
833
whollv successful. When Christine discovers
oontroversv resolves itself into a duel between the
V
that Fritz, for tho eake of his aristocratic iove,
millionaire and the rector.
ta
has been actually killed in a duel with the in¬
Mr. Churchill’s bock is, in part, a work of fietion,
w.
sulted and outraged husband, she suddenly
and in part a theological treatise, andlalthongh be
lis
realise with intense conviction what sort of
has, of course, not succeeded in blending the two
is
person she is." What, then, am I?“ she cries
into a literary unit, it must be admitted that,
II.
in passionate anguish. Andtiis in varions wars
whether as novelist or controversialist, he is vital and
W
is à theme wilich constantiv occurs throughioni,
interesting. lIe is only disappointing atithe clost,
m
the Schnitzlerian drama. The heroins in whom where the action of the novel :s t00 abruntly
Es
he is throughout iterested is the“ petite susnended. and the united lovers, lohn Hlodder and
an
amie,das siisse Mädel,? i her relatiens Alison Parr, are made the almost inhuman mouth¬
Wa
with those to whom she allies herself in euch
pieces of a roligions catechism. It is possible that Mr.
ind
perilously fleeting bonds. Sometimes, because
Churchill intends to write a sequelto“ The Inside of
In
she realises the conditions, she gains a tempo¬
the Cup, and his readers, who will be legion, aro
an
räry triumph, more often her fragile nature is
likely to demand it.
I1
shattered against those terrible awakenings

in
which leave her solitary and desolate.
POLLY PEACHUM.
ANATOL.
(STANLEY PAUL. 168 net.)
Anatol’ in various ways throws light on
Round the central figure of the original creator
this favourite heroine of Schnitzler. In one of
of ihe part of Polly Peachum—Lavinia Fenton,
these littde pieces there is a farewell supper.
asterwards Duchess of Bolton—Mr Charles E.
Anatol, who has ruined his digestion by having
Pearce, has written a thorcughly interesting volume
to eat twosuppers every night, one with Anna,
on the theatrical and literary life of the eighteenth
his older friend, and the other with a gewer
century. I: was early in 1728 that Gay's“ Beggar’s
favounite, determines to give a good-bye supper
m.
Opera“ was originally produced, and for several
to Anna, his friend Max, and himself. He is
806
successive generations of actors and actresses it was
going to reveal to dier the changes in bis plans
aus
cne of the pieces in which ambitiousj players sought
and position, but, to the intense and sardonic
cor
t6 gather new laurels, while its latest production was
the.
joyof his friend Max, Anna forestalls him with
in 1886, when a matinée of it was given at the
ing
the information that into her life also has come
Avenve Theatre, with Sims Reeves as Macheath.
Rer
a new love. In another of these one-ach plays,
Though Mr. Pearce tells the story of the piece upto
entitled" Question of Fate,?' Anatol, verv
the latter date, his volume is primarily concerned
anxions abouti##e kind of love which Cora feels
faz
with tle famons creator of the part of Polly Peachum,
for him, detälmines to hypnotise her and
put
with thd original production of thel“ Opera,“ with
draw from her untonscious lips the true answer.
ge.
the cirelc about the author and the aetress, and with
Nevertheless, after tie girl is hypnotised he
by.
the literture that grow up around the subject
sen
dares not“ put his fortune to the touch, to win
thanks to the furore created by thefimpersonator of
st
or lose it all,“' but pretends to Max that he is
Polly Peachum. It may be doubted whether such
Sai
quite satisfied; while all the time it is casy for
abundance Of material exists about any other single
mi
che speotator to see that he is as disquieted as
piece and per(ormer of.onc of the pärts in it, and of
inf
before, especially when Cora, awakened from
that abundand material the author of this volume
ma
her trance, shows a very troubled and uncasy
has made admirable use. Ho begins with some
to#
curiosity as to tle results of the interrogation.
acconnt of the femous circlo of friends who may be
it
Perhaps one of the best-known pieces of
said to have hadktheir centre in Pope’s Thamesside
Re
Schnitzler—and it mav be remarked, in pass¬
villa at" Twitnam.“ It was there that it was
H.
ing, that he is absolutely at his best in one-act
written, and presumably there that à random remark
shr
plays, and not nearly so successful in longer
of Jonathan Swift's had set John Gay about the
pieccs of work—is the tragi-comedy which he
writing of what was 6o prove his möst famous work:
calls “ Literature.'
Aindvwhc has gained no
Dr. Swift had Eeem observing once to Mr. Gay
little reputation in letters is on the eve of mar¬
what an odd, pretty sorhof thing a Newgate pastoral
vir
riage with a wealthy baron, who wants her to
might make. Gay was inclined to try atsuch athing
gil
give up her lterary career. Sho is not un-for some time; but asterwards thought it would be
willing to make the sacrifice, but only asks thatl better to write a comedy zu the shine plan. This it
Mi
ebe may publish oue last novel, which, as a
was what gave riso to The,Beggar’s Opera.““ Mr.
alv
matter of fact, has been composed of love-letters
Pearce discusses the rumonks which went about to
18s
received from a former friend: Of course, the
tho effect that Gay was actually assisted in the work
an
older love turns up, and it is discovered that
by Pope and Swift, but dismisges them while recog¬
Di
he, too, is about to produce a novel based on
nising that tho“ Opera'Vis immeasurably superior
tbeir correspondence. The two books fit
to any other of the genial poet’s ramatic writings.
ills
together like a glove, and discoverv secms cer¬
*The Deggar’s Opera,“ for man###r##sons, occupies a
bote
tain. Fortunately, when the baron appears he
unique position in the history of theWBritish stage. lt is
not necessary to dwell on its wit, its hatire, its rollicking
Ceclares that he has Bought up the whole edi¬
tec
humour—these qualities are patent, jand were recognised
tion of his wife’s forthcoming novel and has
at its first appearance. That which makes the opera
saved a single copy. which he proposes to read
notahle is the good fortune which attended every step of
with her at his own fireside. Qnickly the
its progress, culminating in the happy selüction of Lavinia
Ri
ladv sces her chanco.“ No, let the sacrifice
Fenton to plax the part of Pollyf Peachum. Whether
lia
be complete,“’ she cries, as she flings the soli¬
* The Beggat’s Opera“ made Polly, or Pälly the opera.
wi
tary surviving evidence of her folly into the
does not matter very much; what does matler is the fact
tio
that, though for a century and a half nearly every comene
fire.
tit
actress who could sing was never katisfied until she had
MANV MOODS.
gr.
Kappeared as Polly Peschum, not oue ever stereeded in
It will be observed from these and many
eclipsing the fame of the original Polly. Polly Peachum
other instances of Sehnitzler’s method thaf
is identifled with Lavinia Fenton, and will ever rémain so.
he is a master of all the moods of modiern
des
GAT AND HIS ACTRESS.
worldliness. He is callous, cynical, flippant
m.
Indeed, Polly's biographer tells us that“ without
natirical, serious, by turns; sometimes laughi¬
m3
inquiring too clesely into the fhy and wherefore, it
ing with a sour grimace, and sometimes pre¬
OW
may be said that the young lädy had as muchhright
serring a sombre countenance, with a suspicion
me
to ohe haie as the othel
lere '8 801