Part 28 (1/2)

Mac-Carthy's translations from Calderon.

THE CONSTANT PRINCE.

A Drama.

”In his dramas of a serious and devout character, in virtue of their dignified pathos, tragic sublimity, and religious fervour, Calderon's best t.i.tle to praise will be found. In such, above all in his Autos, he reached a height beyond any of his predecessors, whose productions, on religious themes especially, striking as many of them are, with situations and motives of the deepest effect, are not sustained at the same impressive elevation, nor disposed with that consummate judgment which leaves nothing imperfect or superfluous in the dramas of Calderon.

'The Constant Prince' and 'The Physician of his own Honour', which Mr.

Mac-Carthy has translated, are n.o.ble instances representing two extremes of a large cla.s.s of dramas”.

From the same article in ”The Athenaeum”, by J. R. Chorley.

THE PHYSICIAN OF HIS OWN HONOUR.

”'The Physician of his own Honour' is a domestic tragedy, and must be one of the most fearful to witness ever brought upon the stage. The highest excess of dramatic powers, terror and gloom has certainly been reached in this drama”.

From an eloquent article in ”The Dublin University Magazine” on ”D. F.

Mac-Carthy's Calderon”.

THE SECRET IN WORDS.

A Drama.

”The ingenious verbal artifice of 'The Secret in Words', although a mere trifle if compared to the marvellous intricacy of a similar cipher in Tirso's 'Amar por Arte Mayor', from which Calderon's play was taken--loses sadly in a translation; yet the piece, even with this disadvantage, cannot fail to please”.

J. R. Chorley in ”The Athenaeum”.

THE SCARF AND THE FLOWER.

A Drama.

”The 'Scarf and the Flower', nice and courtly though it be, the subject spun out and entangled with infinite skill, is too thin by itself for an interest of three acts long; and no translation, perhaps, could preserve the grace of manner and glittering flow of dialogue which conceal this defect in the original”.

J. R. Chorley in ”The Athenaeum”.

LOVE AFTER DEATH.