2. Cuttings
box 38/2
4 am now too old to feinedy IIn18
We were sitting on the comfortably
soft: couen: in. Arthur Schnitoler's
charming study. The walls are cov¬
with bookcases Heavily Iined with
books, One of these bookcases, mod¬
estly covered by a velvet curtaln,
contalns all of Arthur Schnitzler's
works in all translated languages.
The jone window’ of the room looks
out upon a luxurlously fertlle garden,
where during the spring, summer
and early autumn Dr. Schnitzler does
all of his writing. It was rapidly be¬
coming dusk, and the room—as we
were talking—was becoming suffused
serene, mellow darkness.
with a
Schnitzler did not trouble putting on
the light. Hé was buried in the soft¬
ness of the couch and he was quletly
speaking to me about America.
“I have no illusions abont America
being something of a Utopia in the
minlatifre,“ he said, for I well know
that it isemothing of the sort. But
America interests me „pofoundlv——.
and hag interested me fer many years
alrendyg-Becäuse it obviously polhts
the,way to the future. Whether we
are at harmony with thls future or
not; whether, even, this future Is a
desirable one, Is beside the polnt—
nor is it a question I would care
particularly to discuss now. The fact
remalns that this future is almost
Inevitable, and whether we like it or
not we must accept it. Tomorrow
Europe will be what America is today
—and if we are interested in our¬
selves we must inevitably be inter¬
ested In America too. You have led
the way in industry, polltics and fl¬
nance, I frankly feel that it will zot
be very long beforelyon will likewise
lead’the way. in matters artistic too.
Says Europe Lacks
Our Vigor In Literature
Prom what I have heard and from
what I have fead I have gathered
the fact that America is creatink a
new, unique form of art and culture—.
a type uniquely its own and one
which strongly points toward being
the art and culture of the future.
That is why I was so eager to vislt
America, to tryto feel lts atmosphere
and spirit and to try. perhaps, to un¬
derstand it. Unfortunately, I pro¬
crastinated too long.“
Dr. Schnitzler was speaking about
our unique art. Was he. perhaps, ac¬
quainted with our Iiterature?
Qulte naturally, many of“ your
writers have time and agaln come to#
my notice—and from time to time 1
have come across müch sthat im¬
pressed mi very, very deeply. Names
at the monient elude me. But I can
say, at the very least, that you have
two outstanding great novelists, and
certainly at least one profound dram¬
atist. Both Theodore Dreiser and
Sinclair Lewis (Note: At the time of
the conversätion it was not yet
known that Sinclair Lewis was the
Nobel prize winner) have contributed
something new and original to thet
novel. We Europeans find à vigor
and vitallty in both Dreiser and
Lewis which is simply lacking over
here. Such prose—palpltant and
allve—could have come only from an
American. And such messages, as
their novels express, are intrinsically
American. As for Eugene O’Neill, he
is to me one of the greatest figures
in contemporary drama. I. person¬
ally, found his Strange Interlude“
to be prolix and outmoded; this
business of the #aside“ is neither
orlginal nor of artistic importance, it
seeis to me. It is such a nalve trick
to tell what Is in a character’s mind
which a little bit of subtlety would
have accomplished with far more
aptness. But inhis earlier plays—in
All God's SChillun Got Wings, and
in his Emperor Jones’—he Is atruly
great figure. These plays grew out
American soll. Their supreme
of
strength lies not only in the fact!
that, taken from artistic standards.
they are great plays. but also in the¬
fact that these plays could not pos¬
slbly have come from a European
pen. In the drama, as well as in the
novel, America is now fully eman¬
cipated.
But what impresses me most about
America is its remarkably experi¬
mental nature, It is constantly alert
to new iders and thoughts, far morn
alert than Europe can hope to be.
Take such inventions as the motion
picture—and now the talking pieture
and the radlo and, you will find
that in America these have become.
in a bewilderingly short time, an in¬
tegral part of American life. Such
epen-mindedness to new things has.
undoubtedly. given Amerlca the repu¬
tation of constantly pursulng new
preme.“
—
box 38/2
4 am now too old to feinedy IIn18
We were sitting on the comfortably
soft: couen: in. Arthur Schnitoler's
charming study. The walls are cov¬
with bookcases Heavily Iined with
books, One of these bookcases, mod¬
estly covered by a velvet curtaln,
contalns all of Arthur Schnitzler's
works in all translated languages.
The jone window’ of the room looks
out upon a luxurlously fertlle garden,
where during the spring, summer
and early autumn Dr. Schnitzler does
all of his writing. It was rapidly be¬
coming dusk, and the room—as we
were talking—was becoming suffused
serene, mellow darkness.
with a
Schnitzler did not trouble putting on
the light. Hé was buried in the soft¬
ness of the couch and he was quletly
speaking to me about America.
“I have no illusions abont America
being something of a Utopia in the
minlatifre,“ he said, for I well know
that it isemothing of the sort. But
America interests me „pofoundlv——.
and hag interested me fer many years
alrendyg-Becäuse it obviously polhts
the,way to the future. Whether we
are at harmony with thls future or
not; whether, even, this future Is a
desirable one, Is beside the polnt—
nor is it a question I would care
particularly to discuss now. The fact
remalns that this future is almost
Inevitable, and whether we like it or
not we must accept it. Tomorrow
Europe will be what America is today
—and if we are interested in our¬
selves we must inevitably be inter¬
ested In America too. You have led
the way in industry, polltics and fl¬
nance, I frankly feel that it will zot
be very long beforelyon will likewise
lead’the way. in matters artistic too.
Says Europe Lacks
Our Vigor In Literature
Prom what I have heard and from
what I have fead I have gathered
the fact that America is creatink a
new, unique form of art and culture—.
a type uniquely its own and one
which strongly points toward being
the art and culture of the future.
That is why I was so eager to vislt
America, to tryto feel lts atmosphere
and spirit and to try. perhaps, to un¬
derstand it. Unfortunately, I pro¬
crastinated too long.“
Dr. Schnitzler was speaking about
our unique art. Was he. perhaps, ac¬
quainted with our Iiterature?
Qulte naturally, many of“ your
writers have time and agaln come to#
my notice—and from time to time 1
have come across müch sthat im¬
pressed mi very, very deeply. Names
at the monient elude me. But I can
say, at the very least, that you have
two outstanding great novelists, and
certainly at least one profound dram¬
atist. Both Theodore Dreiser and
Sinclair Lewis (Note: At the time of
the conversätion it was not yet
known that Sinclair Lewis was the
Nobel prize winner) have contributed
something new and original to thet
novel. We Europeans find à vigor
and vitallty in both Dreiser and
Lewis which is simply lacking over
here. Such prose—palpltant and
allve—could have come only from an
American. And such messages, as
their novels express, are intrinsically
American. As for Eugene O’Neill, he
is to me one of the greatest figures
in contemporary drama. I. person¬
ally, found his Strange Interlude“
to be prolix and outmoded; this
business of the #aside“ is neither
orlginal nor of artistic importance, it
seeis to me. It is such a nalve trick
to tell what Is in a character’s mind
which a little bit of subtlety would
have accomplished with far more
aptness. But inhis earlier plays—in
All God's SChillun Got Wings, and
in his Emperor Jones’—he Is atruly
great figure. These plays grew out
American soll. Their supreme
of
strength lies not only in the fact!
that, taken from artistic standards.
they are great plays. but also in the¬
fact that these plays could not pos¬
slbly have come from a European
pen. In the drama, as well as in the
novel, America is now fully eman¬
cipated.
But what impresses me most about
America is its remarkably experi¬
mental nature, It is constantly alert
to new iders and thoughts, far morn
alert than Europe can hope to be.
Take such inventions as the motion
picture—and now the talking pieture
and the radlo and, you will find
that in America these have become.
in a bewilderingly short time, an in¬
tegral part of American life. Such
epen-mindedness to new things has.
undoubtedly. given Amerlca the repu¬
tation of constantly pursulng new
preme.“
—