T HE TH Ei;-TER. THERE is an old Bible story which relates that once through the streets of the largest and most corrupt city of that age a prophet was heard crying, "Yet forty days and Niineveh shall be overthrown." The people gathered about him, and, believing what he said, repented their evil courses. Still on went the prophet, bent only on his cry, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown." But when the forty days were past, the city lay gleaming under the rising sun, quiet and unharmed. Now, this displeased the prophet greatly, insomuch that he went alone into the wilderness and prayed that his life might be taken from him. There a gourd climbed over a booth which he had erected, and furnished him a grateful shade. Then a worm attacked the plant, so that it withered. But when he mourned for the gourd, there came upon him a deeper voice, whose source he at once (3) 4 THE THEATER. felt-'s Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night and perished in a night; and should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons, and also much cattle?" This merciless plan tWaic.d institutions which have the alloy of evil, does not:seem to have ended with Jonah. Our modern prophets also gaze at the evils of an institution until they fancy the worm and the tree are the same, and not rescue, but destruction, is their tone toward our Ninevehls. Where things are essentially and in principle corrupt (as slavery, groggeries, gaming-houses, brathels), we can indeed claim nothing less than entire destruction; but where they have good both in their theory and some of their results, to talk of their destruction is to waste power where it might be effectually exerted; for all denunciation and preaching do just nothing, unless they are secretly acknowledged, by the conscience appealed to, as Just and true. If I say that anything is altogether evil, when those who have most reason to know clo know that it is not, then I have lost by an overstatement all power on the subject. The maxim of the early church was, We conv1end ourselves to every man's conscience in thle fear of God. In this direction lies the fundamental error of the atti THE THEATER. 5 tude which the Churches have generally assumed toward the institution which we are to consider this evening. And well, for its extent and the manifold interests it involves, may it be compared to the brilliant eastern city with its six-score thousand inhabitants. The Theater is the inevitable concomitant of civilization. Wherever goes the cultivated Caucasian, there it is pretty sure to stand side by side with the Church. We have seen it out here in the West; where, beside our rivers and lakes the town expands, the first petal it puts forth is the Church-the second is the Theater. True, the Jonahs of the one have mercilessly directed their maledictions toward the other; true, they have prophesied, and demanded nothing less than its entire destruction. And yet GOD does not side with them, but rather, it would seem, with the Theater! Still, though they cry day and night, Nineveh is not destroyed nor forsaken. Still does the great GOD, who sees the evil more fully than any other, send to each generation its Garricks, Keans, Kembles, Booths, Sontags, Grisis, Talmas, Brachels; yes, sends them into this denounced profession by the very texture of their souls and bodies; ordains them by giving them faculties and temperaments adapted thereto, as fin to water or wing to air-just as much as He ordains 6 THE TH EATER. Whitfield or Wilberforce to the pulpit by their temperament and ability. Still also does He send into the world writers whose force is dramatic-the Shakspeares, Schillers, Brownings and Knowleses. It will be time enough to condemn as irreligious the ministers who will not consent that the stage shall be given over to destruction, when GOD has deserted it-as he surely has not. At present the dramatic profession stands with as good credentials for an existence before society as the pulpit, and any evils which co-exist with it no more disparage the theory by which it exists than the corruptions of a priesthood disparage a clerical profession. Both of these, however separate their objects, exist by the same authority; that is, they exist because ithey stand for actual wants of our common nature; both - religion and dramatic art-are results of the necessary and structural development of the many-sided nature of man, for which a supply is furnished by the Creator. It is very plain that there is one class of men by which this my first postulate will be questioned. There are those to whom no arguments drawn from the nature of man can be addressed, who not only do not respect that nature and its wants but would crush it out entirely. The suggestions of the faculties as to what they require are not to be heeded, but for the application of caustic THE THEATER. 7 upon them as on so many spiritual warts. It is co-ordinate with the old medical practice, which, the more the patients hungered or thirsted, the more they were denied water or nourishment. The craving of the taste for beauty, or of mind and body for gayety and amusement, would only prove to such that these were the very things to be denied it. But the movements now made for amusements, and among others the Theater, come from another and a widely different class; from one which respects every atom and fiber of the nature GOD has given us; which regards every tendency of faculty or passion as right when controlled by reason and conscience. And, pray bear in mind, that we do not look upon the proper and temperate indulgence of these portions of our nature in the light of privileges-things adcnissible — but as mnoral dlties. We contend that no man is a man, but the mere mutilation of a man, without it; that therefore some portion of him must be stunted, and the work he might otherwise do in the world stunted also. The laws of the entire nature must be respected, in order that a man may give himself fully to any work. It was a fine saying of Lord Bacon, that L"Nature is commanded by obeying her." And if the wlhole nature cannot be developed but by the inclusion of amusement, then not i; THE THEATER. to seek it would be an immnoraliity, And when we affirm thlis, we wish it understood that we are not asserting a tIeory of human nature, but a positive pressing reality of every day life. We do actually need amusements, as we need food, if we live to any purpose. A lady in Boston, who kept a little A B C school, found her reputation as a tetacher growing very fast, because of the unusual progress made by the children of her school. Having been frequently visited by other teachers to know her method, she disclosed the secret of her success by displaying, in a little recess of the room, a fine collection of toys, and a tray witlh clay for making various shapes, with which the children, in frequent intervals, were allowed to amuse themselves. None could any longer wonder at their rapid improvement. But the same rule holds from the cradle to the grave. And there are few of us whose experience has not borne out in maturer life the lesson learned in the nursery:; All work and no play, l Makes Jack a dull boy. There are some who have inherited diseased tempera1ments, which are not fond of or are even averse to amusemnents —who need to have it urged upon them that others d)o positively need them. There are others who have happy homes, with ample means and opportunities to THE THEATER. 9 amuse themselves privately, and they are not likely to appreciate the case in its full extent. But there is a larger number of those who have healthy, pleasure-loving temperaments, and have no homes, and but little opportunity for cheerful society. There are in every city enough toiling young men who, when the evening comes, must be relieved and amused. Something is demanded to repay their immersion through the day in gross heavy labor; something which shall wreathe the hard face of care and toil with the delightful verdure and bloom of mirth.:When I say it is demcanded, I mean it in the very widest sense; I nmean that morality and religion, no less than the hardly-tasked body, demand for that weary worker amusement; I mean that without it, the man will in likelihood become a drudge and a brute. Perilous as the habit of Theater-going may be, I am not ready to admit that it is as perilous as the unbroken round of moneyseeking and drudgery, which are regarded as so respectable. There is not so very much difference between a man's imbruting himself by frivolity, or by overworking, or overdrinking. But it is not alone such workers that need relaxation.; all who in any sphere have placed before themselves any serious purpose of life, and are anxious to be adequate to the demands made upon them, must realize the need of 10 THE THEATER. which I speak. I can answer for my own profession. A minister, if he is equal to his place, is brought frequently into the midst of scenes of distress and pain; poverty and discomfort, cold, hunger, wretchedness, crime; the dark pall of death, the tears of the bereaved, the shriek of stricken hearts-all these are familiar sceneS to him, and if he have ordinary sensibility, do not fail of deep and lasting effect upon him. The tendency of these is to give him a cheerless view of life, and an exaggerated impression of its evils, which easily end in morbid melancholy. The rest of his time is taken up in laborious application to abstract thought, in pondering the deep sad problems of human life, and threading the dreary categories of human sin. When the evening comes, the mind is prostrate, and the nerves lie couchant ready to spring upon him as their victim. If there be no relief, then there is danger of some one of the many forms of insanity; jaundiced views of life; consumptive reflections on human nature; dyspeptic conceptions of the nature of GOD; and bilious visions of a future world, will press on him as nightmares, as we find from pulpit ministrations is often the case. It is often asked, what is the matter with the preachers? Others who speak more have not so much bronchitis; and others who eat more are not so dyspeptic. The answer is, that they have not sufficient relaxation THE THIEATER. i and anausement to compensate for the unusual contact with the darker sides of Ihuman life. This has made the appropriateness of the phrase ghostly z2men, which was once an expression for the ministry, and not at all agiven in ridicule. I shall take it then as conceded —not as a theory, but an urgent reality-that all classes of workers, thinkers, all who live to purpose, require for their own cflCd their oorl.f's sc7,be some amusement. The question is how it is to be supplied? G IHere are Concerts," says one. But whethetr they wvill answer depends on some other considerations. One is whether you can get Concerts; another is whether they are good when you get them; another is whether you have sufficient ear and cultivation to constitute them an enjoyment to you. I do not hesitate to say, that it is not a relaxation'o hear the best music, but just the contrary. It is an exhausting task to listen to a syimphony; and I can never see a concert of symphonies anld concertos placed under the head of amusements in the newspapers, without thinking of the sad lives of BTeethoven, 2ozart, Mendelssohn, from the divine depths of whose so.ro'ws came those wonderful strains; of what an immeense culture their real appreciation implies; and therefore how lrittle they can be esteemed resources of popular amnuseirent, 12 THE THEATE R. If Concerts descend beneath this, it is either into buffoonery or the Opera, which includes them with the Theater. Then another would respond to the want with Ilhe Lecture, which has now its banyan growth in this country. But that too is no amusement. The Lecture is an institution invented by men immersed in business, as a cheap and succinct way of getting posted in matters of thought to which they have little time for personal attention. It is too intellectual to be an amusement. Some few men there are of great tact and humor, who make it almost as entertaining and amusing as the Theater; but what are one- or two Chapins and Beechers to thirty millions of men and women who need to be amused. IRemember we are not inquiring what some one or two could put up with, but what the millions need, and can get. And here rises upon our path the Theater. It, and it alone, entirely fills the idea of an amusement. There is nothing else to take its place in answer to the social necessity. It includes all that the Lecture and Concert could do in this way, and adds to them the play of fancy and fun; of decoration and beauty; and of every variety of art. How fascinating it is, we can well judge from the endless imitations of some of its main features in general society. The principle is at work in our fondness for pictures; the infant games of the fireside are dramatic, THE THEATER. 13 and therefore entertaining; tableaux, charade, the dumborator, all depend for their charm on this element. It is hard to analyze this charm; but most persons will admit that even a poor performance at the Theater is more entertaining than a better performance of most other things. It seems to be, to a great extent, the attraction of persons. The dull routine of daily life, and our dealings with Philip and Thomas, Sarah and Margaret, are suddenly seen to shine out under other names, as poetry or rich humor. There can be no question, that more genius has gone out into the writing of plays than into any other form of literary composition, both in ancient and modern times. Esehylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Terence, Plautus, Shakspeare, Beaumont, Fletcher, Massinger, Ford, Ben Jonson, Wycherly, Congreve, Farquhar, Goethe, Schiller, Lessing, Kotzebue, Werner, Corneille, Racine, Moliere, Lope de Vega, Calderon de la Barca, Robert Browning, have all given their genius its greatest play in the drama. It would be strange then if the stage were not an interesting place, thus adorned by superlative genius and art. And as all these writers drew their powers from experience, and their characters from life, and knew that they were writing for men and women, the stage becomes a kind of apotheosis of our nature, and a transfiguration of daily life. What we have ourselves 14 THE THEATER. seen and said-things and persons we have known-are there on the stage arranged, so that a philosophic lesson and moral, as well as delight, can be deduced. Many persons could testify, that their first conception of any philosophy of life, their first consciousness of a significance and poetry underlying the dull items of every day affairs, was received by seeing them translated into farce or allegory, or something deeper, on the stage. For life has this definite plan and purpose, and men and women are, to a vast extent, the puppets of certain motive-wires, which move them toward definite relations with each other for results equally definite. And any place where these, with all their incidental humor, wit, emotion, passion, pathos, are caused to pass before men-the lessons of centuries condensed- into a few hours.: will continue to attract and please men more than all other things of which we have experience. In it, and it only, can be found that self-forgetfulness which is the true test of an amusement; for nothing can be said to accomplish the ends which we ascribe to amusement which does not lift us out of ourselves, and the ruts and holes of the severer life. We have found then that we need amusements; that there is a social want which nothing can supply, unless we shall decide that the Theater is to be acknowledged. THE THEATER. 15 Why not then' say at once that this is the very thing, and that we should recommend it to all as a suitable place of resort? The reasons why no Christian can so recommend the Theater are obvious. They are in the minds of you all, and therefore I need not repeat them in detail. Suffice it to say, that I am ready to admit that the stage is fallen low; that it is commonly surrendered to vulgar and stupid plays, in which inuendo takes the place ofit, and ranting bombast that of nature and true feeling; that, worst of all, the decencies of life are, in tone and manner, frequently overlooked; all of which no Christian or gentleman can for an instant sanction. And if they are decided to be essential to the existence of the Theaters, nothing remains but to bring the people up to passing laws to close them. Those ministers who regard the Theaters as altogether-dens of vice, are bound to preach their extermination by law; and the newspapers which declare them hopelessly evil, are not only morally bound to refuse their advertisements, but should present them as nuisances. Furthermore, if we have reason to believe that what we have said of the indelicacies of the Theater be not only frequent, but invariable, so that a virtuous person can never spend the evening there without having the cheek burn at some portion of the performance, why 16 TTHE THEATER. then it must be determined by every respectable person, that he will never attend under any possible circumstances. And I must say, that (although with a very slight experience of the Theater, which I never entered until within the last two or three years, and which I attend rarely, I should have thought differently) it is represented as so common, even by the least prejudiced, that it might be laid down as a general rule that the Theater is not a safe place. But now that we have said that, does it affect the Theater at all? Does it alter the fact that it is crowded every night, and that the influence for good or bad goes on just the same as if we had decided it the most virtuous place on earth? I tell you, my friends, we must look upon it as a FAcT-one that must not be ignored or forgotten-one that occupies a very central position in our civilized society. Now, what shall be done? The answer is either extermination or reformation. I will accept the latter, for the reasons I shall state, and then give some idea of the practical appliances for that end, which I believe might be brought into successful action. Now, first, I undertake to affirm that no man naturally likes to have his calling or profession, or any means by which he gains a livelihood, degraded and mean. The THE THEATER. 17 physician is the most violent against quackery; the merchant is most careful to separate his calling from any lower thing which may claim the name of trade or commerce. Each man can settle this position for himself; and the answer is very sure to come, that no one can be pleased at having his calling esteemed vile and low by the highest standards. We cannot suppose the actors less jealous in this regard than others. It cannot be a source of gratification to actors and actresses that they are held in no social position. What then can be the reason of their bringing such things on the stage as gain for it this inferior position? We cannot conceive that it is a personal gratification to them. They could commit all the sins they are said to commit as well when the plays presented the public were decent and good as otherwise. There is no evil passion gratified except off the stage. So the question remains, why are these persons ever willing to degrade their profession whlen it is natural they should wish to mvagnify it? Why, we all know that one plain interest can only be conquered by a greater and more immediate interest. A few persons go on the stage from genius and strong inclination; many more because they can get employment there; by far the majority are there simply to get a living, and if they should have fortunes left them, would not remain. 2 18 THE THEATER. You must then take into consideration how many persons are required for a theatrical company-four or five times as many as for the largest mercantile establishments; and all of these must be paid in proportion to the pecuniary:scces fthe Theater. You may imagine then, that in order that anything like a comfortable subsistence shall be given so many, and the current expenses of the Theater and the large absorptions of the stars be paid, it is positively necessary that the Theater should be filled every night. This necessity has been the bane of the Theater. Every one knows that it must adapt itself, for dear life's sake, to the palate that is before it. It knows that the Church has forsworn it, and so it cannot afford to cater to the Church; and it adapts itself to the vulgar thus, not because it wishes to, for we know it does not, but because it pays. Let us not forget that the Church has had an exactly similar experience. Why did it become morally corrupt? Because kings and aristocrats, who were able to pay for'them, desired indulgence of their thirst for power and their lusts. Vile popes and Tetzels, with their lists of indulgencies, were demanded, and the Church was ready to furnish them. The old economical laws of supply and ~demand hold here also. This is attested by the position of the Church to-day. Those who are willing to pay best THE THEATER. 19 for the preaching, can get any style they please. In England, the Church will support Irish oppression; in France, will worship St. Napoleon; in America, will preach the gospel according- to the cotton interpret:~aLions, and twine the chains of slavery all around the cross of Christ. I cannot see any law working in the stage which does not work throughout every department of society. Well now, when the Church stood before the world, three centuries ago, full of corruption-making its brazen proclamations of the sums of money for which every loathesome sin might be committed; selling the right of committing parricide for one ducat four livres and eight carlines; poisoning for eleven ducats six livres; incest for three ducats and thirty-six livres; adultery for a ducat-I ask, did the best men even then think of utterly exterminating the Church? Some few stern men thought of its destruction, but the greatest and wisest cried out for a reformation, and led on by the most independent and heroic man of modern times, they accomplished the reformation which we now enjoy. Now, the Theater never reached anything like this extent of depravity, except in the dark ages, when the Church took it in hand, and made it play literally all the scenes and events of the Old Testament; and the question arises, is there any more reason for its extermination 20 THE TH.EATER. than there was for the extermination of the Church? And any man who knows anything about either, will know that the labor which would rise before an effort to reform the Theater would be to the labor which rose before the Protestant Reformers as a day's manual toil to the twelve labors of Hercules. For in our effort we should have the sympathy of the actor himself, who, as we have seen, would gladly have his calling elevated, other things being equal. Three chief methods of reform may be suggested as practicable. 1, It is our manifest duty to bring the power of the law to bear upon the Theater. No city has a right to allow any violation of decency on the stage or elsewhere; and there are laws now on the statute-books of all comnmunities which would cover all the cases which might arise. Why should there be prohibitions on obscene books and pictures, and an immunity for licentious plays? Even if it were not our desire to rescue the Theater and preserve it for usefulness, it would be highly immoral for us to allow such violations of propriety before the throngs of youthful persons of both sexes which attend. An officer should be stationed in every Theater, and persons should be authorized to complain of such things. The actors or managers should be punished, and the city officers also if they did not attend to it. THE THEATER. 21 2. In the second place, it is the duty of respectable persons to have some pecuniary control of the Theaters. In the city of Boston, when the old Theaters had been submerged under the weight of their own dullness and vulgarity, a large company of gentlemen united to build one of their own, over which they have an indirect control. That Theater, I have understood, is visited, without apprehension, by the most religious and fastidious people of the city. Every city should do the same where it is necessary. 3. A third thing, and one beset with more difficulties, is that we should get rid of this absurd American prejudice against actors, irrespective of their faults or virtues. Other nations, just as good, cultivated and refined as we, do not hold an actor or actress in disrespect merely for his or her profession. If these persons were received in any class of virtuous society, they would be careful to sustain that position. If those whom we see on the stage knew that they were to meet you face to face by the table and fireside on the next day, they would be careful not to violate the proprieties during the evening. I am sure general society loses more by this divorce than the actors do, and can admire Mr. Beecher's taste in inviting Dion Bourcicault to dine with him. In point of wit and 22 THE THEATER. entertaining information, probably no class in our cities is at all equal to the theatrical. So much by way of general statement. I have no doubt that we can, in course of time, by the helps of law, of pecuniary control of Theaters, and of securing a better social position for' the actor, reform the Theater, and make it a place not only fit for occasional but frequent resort. But meanwhile the pressure on us is one of personal duty; the question is for each one, shacll I go to the Theater, or shall I sta/y azway? And here I must refer to a short and easy method of settling questions of duty which some are disposed to fix upon us. It is that which is embodied in the citation so often made from St. Paul: s" If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth;" from which we are to understand, it is said, that if even an innocent thing offends the consciences of those who do not think it innocent, we should refrain from it. But Paul does not say, "if meat offends my brother, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth." There is no such nonsense as that in the Bible. We must do many things in the world to offend the consciences of others. Christ did not hesitate to offend the conscientious scruples of the Jews when he plucked corn on the Sabbath, and Paul offended the consciences of every people to whom he THE THEATER. 23 brought Christianity. To preach any earnest belief which is not conventional, is sure to offend somewhere. So Paul did not say, 1"if meat offends my brother," but "if meat make mny brother TO ofend," etc. We must not do what will make another offend; that is, commit sin. So this quotation, which is rather ignorantly made on all such occasions, does not come in until it is decided whether the thing in question would be a sinful thing for our brother to do, whether he cannot be shown that it is very stupid for him to think it so, and whether he will necessarily do it if we do. To proceed: if any one shall decide,that he can never go to the Theater without hearing something shocking to morality, then for him the question is at once settled. But do the facts in the case warrant this sweeping cons elusion. Does one never get at the Theater a refined and intellectual enjoyment? Is there always grossness and evil? Only utter ignorance could assert it. It is true, on the contrary, that expurgations of the old plays are frequent in the direction of propriety; and it is a familiar fact, that such expurgations are often made according to the respectability of the audience, which the quick eye of the manager can detect in a moment. During the past winter, in this city, when the performance of Schiller's noble poem, the "Robbers," had brought to 24 THE THEATER. one of our Theaters a respectable and refined audience, I remember that one little speech from the "IRobbers," on which more than anything the propriety of the tragic termination depends, was omitted, for fear that it might be thought unbecoming. It was, in this case, a prudish and foolish omission, and evidently left many in a confused state of mind as to the plot of the play; but it suffices to show how anxious the stage is to be as honest as the world will let it be. Like everything else in the world, the Theater is a mixture of good and evil. Grant that the proportion of evil is greatest, this would not be a reason for ignoring, if we can find it, that which is good in it. What absurdities would one not commit by an indiscriminate rejection of all which has evil mingled with it! No such man could vote, because election days are periods of riot or excess; nor could he live in a city, because cities engender all manner of temptations to vice, and are full of dens of corruption. Such an one could not belong to the Church, because it has many hypocrites; nor accept the Bible, because, along with the beautiful portions, it contains the wicked and obscene records of the Old Testament, which no play known to the modern stage is equal to. We must then, if the Theater be a mixture of good and evil, treat it as such; that is, reject the evil and THE THEATER. 25 rescue the good. Although it is such an old sinner that the maxim that "lone must be esteemed innocent until proved guilty 9" must be reversed in its case, and it must be esteemed generally unsafe, still when we see a play advertised which is not contrary to good morals, when we see an attempt to amuse the public with the dramas of Shakspeare, or the better class of moderns, or with the brilliant spectacle, it becomes a duty even to attend, unless the time must be subtracted from something more important. We should take care to show our appreciation of such attempts to furnish innocent pleasures to the masses. And there is no reason whatever to doubt that if the better class of plays were thus encouraged by the religious community, the vulgar would soon disappear from the stage altogether. We should take care to inform ourselves with reference to the character of the plays, which is very easily done, both by reading and by personal inquiry. This position I have assumed deliberately, as one which I believe reason and conscience naturally approve. It is not at all affected by the assertion that the bar is An accompaniment to the Theater. It makes no difference whether it be in the Theater or a square off; bars will be where there are people —at camp-meetings or Theaters; and the Theater cannot control that as much as the 26 THE THEATER. municipal government. Judging from what we know of towns and villages where there is no Theater, we have reason to believe that, instead of a glass taken between the acts, the whole evening would be spent at the tavern by the class which patronizes the bar; for the same craving for excitement and amusement remains; and if the drama does not better satisfy it, a party of gay barroom companions is very apt to be resorted to. Nor should it be considered as at all affecting the right or wrong of attending, where the play is known to be innocent, that any actor or actress, or the whole company of them, are of doubtful or even certainly bad character. That has nothing to do with it. We are not their judges. Their claim on us is not for the sanction of their characters, but their impersonations. If all of us were to be starved out, crushed out, unless we were free from sin, how many would stand? When I go to see actors whom I know to have bad characters, I am not encouraging their vice, but their virtue —not their worse side, but their better side; I encourage their art. In that, if they are evil, they are constantly testifying against their own wrong courses, and in the impersonations of virtue, are gaining their retributions and lessons. If they have talent for acting, then at least they are enacting God's will concerning theLnm THE THEATER. 27 Calvinism may forsake such as utterly evil, and give them over as reprobates; our faith permits no such thing. At any rate, if the play be innocent, the character of the performer is no more to the point in the moral question of attendance than that of the scene-painter. Both may be and are of the utmost importance in other regards, but not this. Because we support the general government and pay taxes, do we sanction the habits and opinions of its chief officers, or are we involved in their crimes? I will say openly, that, as a preacher, I do not feel at liberty to absent myself entirely from the Theater. Too conscious am I of the tendency of our profession, so fatal to its direct power over men, to seclude itself in studies, and learn words instead of realities all its life 16ng; too fully assured am I of the deep necessity of a contact with men of all degrees, to enable us to deal with their emotions and faculties. If the play were uninteresting in itself, and the performance poor, as is often the case, still there is the pit which is a microcosm, an epitome of the world. I must see by what emotions, passions, thoughts it is swayed; what deeds it applauds, which it condemns. For I am really interested in nothing except Man. He is the inspiration of my work and its field; and the prejudices and slanders of senseless bigots shall not prevent my tracing his footsteps wherever they may be innocently 28 T HE THEATER. found, and studying freely the whole of his wonderful and complicated relations. Therefore I shall continue to go to the Theater occasionally; I shall do it even at the risk of hearing things which I cannot approve, though I shall try to avoid them. Anl I ask you in deciding whether I am right or wrong in this, only to divest yourselves of prejudice, and look at the matter in the calm light of reason and truth. This is difficult, for we are now under a reaction against a former excess and abuse. It was the abuse of music in Churches, and the excess of dress, which led the honest Quale.r to protest against music altogether, and to clothe himself in drab. Most of the Churches stand for a similar moral reactioni against some social vice of former times. The Puritans represented the same reaction toward the Theater at a time when it had vices which have long been buried. But all will concede that a reaction never represents the exact full truth, but only a fragment of it. The same arguments which would lead us to forsake the Theater altogether, would lead us to dress like the Quaker, as a testimony against the extravagancies of dress, which are always great. There must be, as Paul says, temperance in all things —temperance in our opposition to things no less than our addiction to them. We must not suffer ourselves to be led by a reaction, but only THE THEATER. 29 read its lesson, and let it pass on to its tomb. And therefore we must insist that our prophesies, if they would have the strength of God with them, must call our modern Nineveh to its repentance, not, with the foolish prophet, to its destruction. Ile whose ear has ever caught the rich tones of Fanny Kemble, or felt his spirit leap to leaf and flower under the magic wand of Rachel, KNOWS that there is a power in dramatic art that nothing else can wield; and will long to see the day when the stage shall be so redeemed, that the large volume of strength which is suppressed to await more auspicious circumstances —-which dreads the social and moral forfeitures which the stage involves-may enter boldly, and do its work toward the elevation of the world. And when we shall at length resolve to bring to bear upon it the powers of law, pulpit and press, we shall be sure to find co-operating with these, and more powerful than them all, the whole corps of the stage throughout the world; for these too are brothers and sisters, bone answering to bone, and atom to atom, in them and us; and we have already seen that they are the first to kindle with the newly-awakened aspirations which would call forth from its prison this Ariel of Art, and unfold its wings for all delicate and beautiful services. ~ccultinmun unb WunaIcOinmu~. 399 (acEe rvenigften~ ber b Untertuctung oertf Au uan ten. 3ubem finb eO nutr atriorif[~e @5riinbe, bie man bem-n epititifmu entgeqenftefft; abetr gerabe bie 3eIetrten olUten eO Wiffen, bat in ber ~efc[i4gte be menf4tliien 5eiftel bet Wtriorifmtu fid no4~ reeelmahnig blamirt )at unb baf ber tortftritt ndc) imamer ein eieg beO $3araboren iibet ba 3tIaufibTe, ber Minoritatt ibe' btie 9etaioritat roar. Uenn nun ber (pirititmuO feine fnertennung finben toiirbe, fo ivaren bamit atUerbinug unfere foSiaten e aiiben nod lange ni)t befeitigt; aber bie ~runbbebintgung wtare Wenigften~ getiefert, auf ber bie Q3e[ferung fid) btotaieten anun. Senn wie man foaialen eda'ben griinblict nut baburcd abtelfen tann, baft man if)nen ilre faftcbe 3runbtorteaulung entaieft, jo la8t ficd bie foaiate!Sef[erung nut baburcd) erbeifiitren, bat man itr bie riCdtige trunbborftellung liefert. Iber au biefer tieferen Wuffaffung bet 5efcticdte, an biefer pf')c5oogifijen ~efdcid)tptilofop ie, finb wir nod) nicdt burtgebrutngen. MJlan Wil nodE immer ni4t einfelen, bat bet (eift nutr burt) ben ~eift betalnmpft werben fann. Unfere foaiale QeVeegung Aeigt SaO fefr beutficd. (inerfeitW finbet man bei ben elOi3rben nod) tielfad) bie SJeinung uertreten, baf uiufere RFepre[fitmafiregeln ben Umfiurtplnen gegeniiber geniigen. )ie oaiatifien abet finb auc) nid~t tIiiger, toenn fie meinert, ba~ eine blo e Ummanblung ber aunertliCen eefelIfcaftorganifation fcon ibeale Su3ftanbe bringen woiirbe. 3)aau tommt eO aber auf bie Venfden an, nidct auf 3uftanbe. eogar Iadt fid fagen, ba~ jebe Zrganifationform ilr 6utet latte, unb ba~ nut bie lJa'dnget bet menfcd[ liden Ratur baO l.ebet in fie ~ineinfegen. Ser SgapitaTiemu tdatte fein futea, rvenn nut bie S'apttafien in bie ticdtigen Sanbe tamen. Zer Zefpotimun tiitte fein (ute6, ja er W~are berm - arlamentariqmun fogar tortautieen, wenn beim Zef[oten 3enialitait, (infid)t unb UoTtifoffen beretnigt waren. (S folg nictt geleugnet lterben, baf fu~ere Organifationformen bem -iortftritt giinftige Oebingungen Iiefern tinnen; abet bie UrfadCe beW &orttfdrittW liegt immer im 2nnernt bet Menfd)en. (5ebt ben Jtenfd'en bie Ueberaeugung, baf jebe (inAelne:iftena ton metapt)fifcder Oebeutung ift; ba~ bet Wccent nidt auf ber ~(attung liegt, fonbern auf ben 3nbitbibuen; bat bet Sted betr ~efdidcte in jebem nugenblid fid) erfiillt unb nid/t in einem irgenbwtie gebaditen 3utunftibeaT Iiegt, ba~ irgenbwann ednmat etreidt werben foil; ba~ eO roeniger barauf antommt, bie auhierticden 3ertaTtniffe au beffern, ate unn fefbft au beffern - bura, gebt i)nen jene Ueberzeugung, meltde bet Occutiiwmua begriinbet, bann lerben fid) biefe 2been nad) unb nacd in einer Suflturform materiatiz firen, anu bet unfere foaiafen Uetbe aUmat'tic e urfcdwoinben. MUJiin den. Dr. Rart but $3ref. 4;~ ~.00 i,..,Sie 3ufunft.:iobert Brownin. In einer Whbeit Uiber Renaiffance citirt 9Retuin ein ticttd atu einem tfeinen ~ebitcte ion RJobert Q3rouning, betitelt:,,)er i2cfdof befteft fein 5rab au ( t. $3rarebit". s)ann fagt er:,,~c~ fenne fein aweiteo dtiif englifber $rofa ober ~$oefie, in bemrn. fo ieT ie in biefen 3eiten orn bem (3eift ber Renaiffance gefagt iare, t- on jeiner i3etTicbteit, feinem eoctmuUt, feiner tIeiinerei, feiner tnlUiffenteit ibtier ffi felbft, feiner Qiebe aur Runft, aum 2uXuM unb aum guten 2atein. caft %Ufe6, wat ict) om kern ber Renaiffance in meinen,teinen bon Qenebig' auf breitig ~eiten gefagt tabe, ift tier in eben fo vieTe 3eifen aufammen; gebrangt. 92uferbem ge)t Q3rowningn ~5ebicbt meinem uclte noc tboran3. act ~Ecimmfte babei ift, ba~ eine berartige tonaentrirte Wutbrtudhweife To iet %tu~einanberfatten erforbert, ete ber 2efer fi4c itrer erfreuen bann, bat ben iefer bie ~ebulb Derfaidt unb et bie ~acbe aWt unentarirrbar aufgiebt. lUnb boc bifirbe fie fuir ben (trom ber tacnbtauflgen Z)entueife gteict ~afabin Tafifmattn, fobcab man idn in tfareO [3Uaffer tauct, wenn aucd nictt gana rein TiOtic4 fein, fo bo~ einent teittravftigen Zropfen bieten." Zer ~trom ber tanbtaufigen Sentfeife ift niCt immer,,reineG Uaffer", obgteie er in feinen taufenb ianbbungen fic)er au einer Beit ftarer ift aIW an einer anbern. Qr ivebjfett in Ctarte unb Ri~tung wie in feiner Z)urtc)fictigteit unb umftcIiett in feinen Sogen anu erfttiebenen 3eiten bie tIutten manden SunIu[feO, bom unfct)ufbigen Qtadclein bi aurm giftigen.ibnug9tanaf. (&r empfangt catauer tom timmet unb (penben, bie bem ~(otte Qeitbtfinn bargebractt merben, 3uffiiffe au6 bem itrcbtiteten 3eWadfferungft0ftem unb taufenb anbere Rebengiuffe, gefunbe unb f[atbtfice, ton jegticter Wrt unb jegficter ~ri~3e. Orowningi Zic~tungen finb oft genug unauflIbttar genannt wotrben, unb atr)tcfeintict tbaben fie fitr (inen, ber fie t)eilttraftig erfanb, afemuar s9eun unuterbautic) befunben. S2ber Rutiun tat NRect. Oin Lenfc)enafter, ete ba $aubtitnum ber (igenart bon Z3roWning9 g3erten irgenb wetc~e ufmterftamtteii f[ceente, tat er fie ttar ertannt unb torrett getennuei~cnet. Unb bie Oigenfctaften, bie fie fiir ben etrom ber ianblatufiBgetn entWeife teittraftig mavcen, finb gani einfadce unb altmobifcte. eie inb tnabbangig onr ben berf'ciebenen ~egenfianben ber @5ebi4cte, benn fie gebtren au bem Jencfl)en 3rtoeninqg. eein (tarafter giebt itnen ifren gefunben Bug. ~bgleict er,,ein jeuer in feiner Qruft" t)atte, befat er boc eine gute eonftitution, ein wact)e~ @ewiffen unb eil freunbticeO )era. Q3Vie.teine btn:mmanlue Rant fagte:,,(Sr tar nidc)t nut ein groeer 1tiToeopt, er War auc) ein guter TJtenfc". e3rowning tar einer er bet giicdtict)ften lenfcten. Qr ftammte ben ~obert $ro~ rthltg. 401 einfaclenl.euten acb. Wlvritofratifcte Titef ~at er Weber ererbt nocf ercatlten, nacbem er ein bebeutenber ltann gevorben War. Ser fernfte UorfaTr uon -im, ben bet unermiibicie ~urnitawf u entbecfen im Sctanbe geoefren ift, war ReIfermeifter. tin freunbtice~ fecticf ITie~ Rotbert in einer acmitie geboren Werben, bie tweber reic nock) arm War. Seine Ottern Waaren in gfeicemrn aje frei't on ben ~orgen befcranftter w3er)linige ltie bon ben 3ervucdtungen grtolen eictftum~; fie febten Weber unter fnttberungen, bie fie oitten tart, nocf in einem Quryn, ber fie aitte Weictic n macfen finnen, jonbern fie fc6einen ein rutigea, niicIterneu, fgei~ige, unb bot 2ITem Iiebe; reicieO Meben gefiifrt gu ttben. ~ein Qgater unb f5robUatetr raren 23eamte bet Bank of England. ~ein trobuater, ein rJtann bon gro~er Qnergie unb ci~tigteit, c~tang fict) u einet r oden ~(teflung auf, fcte t wticftige ief4c"ifte ab, latte iwet traiuen unb Swviff Sinber unb ftart mit84 Safren an ~id~t unb Ifter[rtcB ie. ~(ein QIater, eim nei4 begabterer, abet nitt in ber RicItunng befatigtetr ann, bie am t eften ba6 Tor5 wirtttommen berliirgt, bracEte eO nut bit iu einem ac#tenuterten, nict bi gu einem aunge~ei~neten $3offen in bet O3ant. L r war ein Mann bon mitbem nub freunbticem -e.e-en, tief gebirbet, ein Riinfier, emin (pigrammatiter, tiicttig au Staufe in ber Deeoelgie unb in feftenen 3fiic)ern, befa~ eine Qbibiotfete ben 6000 aiinben, Tebte biW in fein fiinunbad)t3igfteO 2atr unb ftarb in tiefer 3eufiebenteit,'Ene jemaut tfraut getefen hu fein. trosening~ M)Jutter War in bernm fcttifaen Zunbee geberen, bie oeter eine6 Zeutfc/en unb einer ~ct5ttin. Zer Sidcter war femit talb!~ngtarnber, ein J3iertel Ieutjcter unb ein 3iertef (c5otte. $Biefeiat war feine engtrifce aialfte ein wenig mirt Reereblut gemijctt. Seine ~refP mutter war eine Wefinbif[e sreolin. Qine igrer Torf,~rinnen ift root 2ttuabin gewefent. eo r ~o)en, ber Tater be Zi$ic~ter, macte in feiner 3ugenb eine Retife nac ~t. AitW, Wo fie eine 3uderLelantage tatte, unb feine )autlarbe War fo buntet, ban, aWt er in bie Sgirne ging, ber ~atriftan itn anufforberte, atu ben ~iiten bet Seifen lerau3uteommen unb fic4 unter ben &arbigen nieberuTlaffen. troweningO eigene *autfarbe Woar olTiben, braun, unb aIt er mit fiinfunbWansig atiarent num erften VCale nactc $3arti tam, Ijieft itn ein Neffe, ber itn noc nict gefeeent fatte, fiir einen 2tatiener. U1Ie biefe Sreunungen oaren, tie geWi$onlicd, gfiicficte, unb irt tonnen unn berftelen, mit bermio$ten bie berfctiebenen Raf[eeigentifimfi4l~ teiten in feinem'fGaratter unb in feinen Qlterten eraungufinben. Q itf gerabe ijene MJlifctung bon fcDettfifer ~tanbtaftigteit unb Si~ puftirfuctt, Negereinfaft unb 2iebe, unb angetffaic~ffcem ct2roung in ibm, bie wir tu finben erwarten Tfoften. Oie greoartigen geiffigen Q3egabungen be U3itoe~, bet Q.infift, beN 3erftiibniff[e unb beO bicbterifrcen?uObrunCt, bie int 26 ,402 Aie Butunft. jebem 2alrlunbert nut emn Paar PJWat lf uammenireffen, in Maiannern aun bem geiftigen (tamme toUn Turna nb ~batfefpeare, tereinen ficf in inim mit einer begablung fiir uRffit, einer Qiebe fiir ~Iana unb garbengebung unb einer ritterticten, einfac1en 91frictigtieit unb 3etarrtfic4teit, bat (inem bie Sgennpiige Uncde Zom6 mer a[f beutli4c in6 Qetuttfein itreten. Ziefe Oigencdaften befj'ranten fi4 teinefteg6 auf beftimmte Raffen, abet fie ragen in beren befien fremptaren ficferftli beultic~ ~erbor, obgTeidc man fie geti~ bort am 2ei4teften finbet, Wo man fie 3u feleen erlartet. ~o finb tietleiCtt bie pnuren feiner beutfclen 1btlunft in ber Ronrtufuttion mancer feiner elite au bemerfen. 3ft fein ~tit beumtfc%, fofceO 3eutfc4, wie eg Qolvefl in feinem fat) iitiber Qeffing fcitbert, aTI bemrn atnen ergeben unb bas (~teetr nictt actenb2? Er ift nicet beuttfcl in feiner.onfftruttion, abet er gleict bem Seutfclen bvcb barin, bafi er ben Qefer Wtoingt, eine grioe 2enge Sorte im (ebtacltni~ au betafiten, ete er fiebt, torauf ber eaI t)inaut6 tiff. Uenn u ir tun bon ben beiben ftben be6 neuqnaenten 3atrtanbert6 je baO etiidffcen ion acit Wbi neun 3atjren wegbenlen, fo becft ber Refi gerabe ba een Teen enntot. 1Unb wenn itr t0rn biefem ~Refte toeberum eita brei 3atre an jebem f(nbe abfdcneiben, fo bteiBt bie Qebenqeit t3rowninug iibrig. (r War itm Uait 1812 in.ambertwea geboren, faft nocl im tattng-3ereicte ber Zowuegodeten. &otn @trouater utb;Bater )iatte er eine traftige q5efunbleit -u erben gelabt. (eine Mtutter wat jeboct aOn wreniger traftigem ~fofte gefcjnitt, unb bock berbantte er WIatrt f4ceinic4 i)r ZaO, ta6 in feinem u(Saratter am (4cOn'ifen war. eie War eine nertofe unb felbft frantntice rau, Weicf, tiebreic), fromm. 2t3r ~o'n Iat fie eine,,gottftice &rau" genannt. Qiebe fd)eint bie Wtmofpiare bez *aufe8 getoefen u fein. tvrowniung tiebte feine Juftter fo, ba~ er felbft nocq a46 eroactfener Mann nidt neben itr fi1enu tonnte, dbne itr ben.ftrm um bie ZaiUe au legen. Qr war en eintiger totjn untb ~atte nut nuod) eine c2jWefter, bie roei 2afre iinrger War aWT er. (Qr t)at niemaWi eine foiere 9elranftaft befucdt, abgefe)en babon, bat er ein paar 3ortefungen iiber ~riecdiFj am Uniucrfitt (Soffege in Qonbon befudte, in bemt 3a()re, in bem biefeO (&oaege gegriinbet wurbe. lUnb bocd ertielt er, taO unfere (roto, bater bie &raielung eineO ~entleman nannten. tr ternte Qatein, ~riedict)~, Stalienifdc, fran3iofift, Yeiten, fedjten, ~3oXen unb trieb Uufif. Zan fann bon ilm fogar fagen, ba~ er feine,,grogfe Reife" gemacdt,at; benn mit fe~dunb/Want3ig c3aren jatte er bereiti Ru~fanb, grantreidc unb 3talien befudCt. Wlber ber Widtigfte Bug in feinem itlbunng3gang bleibt bie Suneigung, bie 5ater unb Mutter, r3tuber unb ecnefter tu einanber legten. Qenn Wir auf:radf en, erda/ten Witr unfer epritge, lnb bie lofet:t tomtnitng. 403 tadtftli ten un6 ainbern ti4 ctaiter am ~c6Werften. (ein ganlea 2eben finburc mar t3roWnintg eei unb betarrflict in Menen JSeigungen. Ienn id fagen ioffte, mit einem einAigen t3.ort, Wa~ bert erotfiec1enbfRe 3ug in i'tm geWefen fei, ic Wiirbe au antWerten ~aben: bie ~iebe. ~iete fcfeint kein Qeben beferrft Aun aben-. Qiebe ift ber 3nfaflt ber meiften feiner Sictungen. l2ebetr!rmniug6 3eru[f fdeint niemacd irgenblvetfer 3teifet geterrtft tu taben. fWlerbing6 Vatte er eitne ftiiUtige 91eigung au ber biplomatifcfen 2aufbatn; -,ieTfeit)t rarg auc) me)tr da eine bLo[e NReigultg; benn noc) biete 3acre fpater uiinfCte er, fein eotn micfte biefen 3eruf ergreifen. & ijt berbitrgt, ba~ er fic anm eine etete in euner perfifcben t efanbtuifaft bemorben tat unb fetr enttliufdct genefen ift, aTW etr fie nidt betam. Q3iedeictt fat biefer Reigung uad) nut ber QunfcX beO iungen VJtnune6 nu ~runbe getegen, bie 3eIt au feten. (tr war gerabe bon einer breimonatfidsen ZReife au6 Juf[3anb auriidgetetrt, bie er in ~eefeafdtaft be6 ruFfifcden ~enerattonfutW gemacdt tatte. Ziefer fatte itn eingelaben, mit itm Att tommen unb nadt auden at8 fein etetear 3n fuungirent. Browning deint bti i um rtnbe feiner Tage bie NReugier tnb bie Zteifnacme eine Stnaben ffirt.UeM get abt tu ~aben. 2Wber bie 3icd) tung joate fein etbenBberuf fein. lWot) ete er fdreiben tonnte, fdmiebete etr Berfe. Pit 3ialOtf 2alren tatte er einen t3anb ~ebicdte fertig, gut genug, um itm alW (umpfetfung an feinen erfien fiterarifcfen greunb unb Befdc#iiter Au bienen, unb fcdfedCt genug, um bie ~Bernidctung au berbienen, bie er itm naotmad t angebei~ten fielj. Ceeer friijt trat fein Stalent terbor, (Scarattere ten inuen )eraun au entitdetlu..Rit breiunbWanatig 2aren fcfdrieb er:iir etne eitfdcrift - The Monthly Repository - ein ebid)ti iber 3radbeffinationo. r bcfitefte ea,,otyanne~ 1Wgricofa beim )Wacdbenteun", unb at6 er eO faiter in eunem 3anbe Zid~tungen nen bruden Iie~, fiefSte er eO mit anberen @ebicdten nnter ber lleberfcdrift,,3rrentau:fleUen" Aufammen.. ber er bitfutirt nicdt bie $radbeftination in abstracto.o Za ift nidt feine Wrt. Qr madte einen Intdanger ber ~etre urm ~precter. 3otanune6 gricofa ift einer ber utuSn ertmalten, unb er Wei~ e; taut benutt er nacd, mit freubigem.(rfktaunen iiber feine orterbeftiummung, bor (-ott (nabe tu finben unb bie etige ~(etigfeit 6u ererben, wie fear er auc fiinubige; mw~arenb bie nidct Wu-, erwat")ten fidc bergebenu naci beftem Q3ermoigen anftrengen, itre eigene rloiflung ficd 8u erritgen. Wgricota bitbet fic niCEt ein, Au irffen, warum er uT ~eligfteit erforen ift unb Wnbere gur 3erbammnif. Qr iuei~ nut, ba~ eO eine TCZatfade ift, unb a6 genuiigt ibm. ZtOg ~ebict Aeigt fo recdt 3roWning6 ITortiebe, Wll~em bramatifdfe {orm 8u geben unb fidc in 26* 404 zie B3utanft. ~atrattere tu erertifeen. I5)a ~og ittn am (ttrfften an. 3n betr sSrrebe 9u torbello fagt er:,,Zen ltacbrutc fabe ic~ auf bie Qreigniffe in bet fntwictefung einer ~eece gelegt. 3enig Knbere Ifotnt baO etubium.." tber biefer junge ~eeTenforfcer war aucf ein M9ann ber etft. &r ging noc in bie irvte; abetr baO Z;eater fiebte er bo~ bieffleict metr. &r macte teine nftpriicte. ein UWefen woar einfac unb ebbtaft. Jacreabp fagt in jeinem Tafgebuce ton itm, ba~ et au6'aj) unb fprac~,,wie ein junger Iictter". (r Var in biefer 3eit felbft ein ~tuiic OIegant,'piefte tattier unb trug getbe tatenteberne Sanbcrulte. ~deine eigene ~(eefe watr btn jener Sorte, bte i~tr irbifdeO Zabernatef gern gut abgeputtt tat. wt mar niemat6, weber in feiner Wrbeit not in'einer $erfon, einer ton ben Vicftern mit ben rtaffenben Qodcen. IW et fc)on aifter rar, ift bon itm einmal gefagt ~Wrben, er mace ben Qinbrucd eineO Ceeofifiier sa loU W oJtf teiten, et fe emin Pufter ton Wbrettfeit unb ~(auberteit.,$it fiinfunb~Wtnifg ~afren fcbrieb et anl ltacreabt (trjucen ba6 etiid ~tafforb, unb eO nutrbe im (oent-at t earben, teate ter on biefem ~ctaujpiefer unb ton SeTen anucet ate ben gauptpertfnen aufgefil)trt. Sm folgenben 3atre nurbe et nact 3tatien gefanbt unb qing battin at eintiger 3affagtie eine3 ~egefjeiffeO. TierteFn afage tbratncte bet eegler tbi nacl# ~)ibraTtar unb betr oet atr bie ganve 3eit feeftant. Mbe er ertofte fich barb tieber, unb atr fie in ~rieft anfegten, ~atte -itn bet hrapittan fo iieb getonnen, ba~ er itm freie;atrt bit SonftantinopeT antbt. 2talten w ar 3roWningf ttniberfitiit, Wie er fagte. (r arbeitete ffeitig im ~iiben. 1840 beriffenttictte er feinen eorbelo. lieber biefe ict)tnng geven feftfame ~efc&itecn um. 3n Sarp~ 2eBen trotninttgB tirb baton eral"Tt: aWt cenntfo[n 2orbeao getefen getabt ftabe, 1)abe er gefagt, er tabe nurt 6wei. Beilen batbn tetr (fanben, bie erfte tnb bie tette, unb bie feien beibe ~iigen. 3etfannt ift bie ~efticjte bon Zougnal qerrofb, bet mit betr 2etiite be6 Q3ucreq begann, nac5bem er ficf eben bon einem tieberanfafL erfoft ~atte. W[N3 er etne talbe ~eite gelefen ~atte, rief er taut:,,~roger o3ftt! 2) ltabe ia ben Terftanb terloren." ~eine trau war betroffen, natm baO Ou felbft tor, Wa~ ein ~tii bartin unb troiftete itn bann etrao burcO bie T3erficertutg, fie ti$nne fict eben fo wrenig einen &3ert barauf mwacjen. troWning foll Za fefbft mit bet grotften eluftfigung Oiftert ertattt taben. WIucT (artgIe 5fof bericttet taben:,,Meine &rau tatS gefe'en, abet am (~nbe tonnte fie fipc nictt tfar bariiber wverben, ob ortbelfo felbft nun eigentlicj eitn fYann ober eine (tabt ober ein uQtc fei."1,,ffaracefu6f" war bon einem rtitifer Weitffdeifig genannt worben unb troetniqng ~atte nun befcjfeffen, int,,orbeTfole,,biibig'" hu feit. R9obert,rolwninu. 405 &r art e atuc, aeber, wie in atten anbern Zingen anc1, eben auf feine ieife. (fr,,befinttt uergniigt bie niebren Rebetfeile" unb befann fic~ ntemafq, ein tinbewtort ober einen Nominaitti auc latffen. 9ber aD f[inb tfeinigteiten. Ufi3e bie Zefonberdeiten einer ~anbfc)rift wlerben fie qinem balb iertraut. Oeine Wrt Au benfen ift biinbig, oft Au boff bon Oebanten fftr bie paar iorte. tr ~atte fic einen fcf)ver begreifbaren ~egenu ftanb butm 2toff erwarifft. Ier (3egenftanb feineq etubium~ ift deine gewtni3ntice ~2eefe unb fie entwuideft fic aunct nicet unter gemoi3tnfid en lmfitinben. (r nimmt eine unnoppufai e Zertfic4teit unb eine unnelannte ~ejrcfictperiobe unb entfidett bann bie eeefe intuitWi auO feinem eigenen 3nnern. ~ein eorbeao ift Wleber ber eorbefto SanteO nodc ein gefcdicdtficer eorbeo iibercatupt. Qr ~att ben gefcdic1tfticen eccaupIat feiner:icttunng im mitteTalterfic en 2tatien griinbfict ftibitt unb er fcreibt, atW ob feine Qefer ben ~egenftanb eben fo an alten tier 3ipfetn i1tten, Wvie bie 2ofatipotifi ivreO etadbtdtenS. (phiter bat er nod) einmar in ber Wpofogie bee XIriftoatne6 in bem felben uertracuten Stife tom atten Wtfen gejdcrieben, wie im (2orbefso bon bem nmittefatterficen ~fIoren% unb 3erona. ~eine (etrattere finb feine mobernen Zamen unb.)erren, bie fic in aftmobifcle autlianbifce Roftiime ma6firen; feine ofcaffarbe gett weit tiefer aWt biW Au Rteibern unb MlUanieren:,,&r fiZSt fic in ben riern be 2Qeben6 ein Sie eafran fTeifcb, NTut, Oein nub 9leA fir:bt." 2ber Wenn manc in biefen 3ebictten auc bac anfiquarijfce Moment bemeiftert, bann bleibt immer nocd bie ectvierigfeit ton Orowning3 befonberer Zenftweife, feiner befunberen lunbruftBart unb feine6 erftaunlicfeen ortjfcatOee. 3ft nman aucn bieferS err geeorben, bann gift e nod)C: ben uirLftict fdWerenteift feinerS)ktitung in 2ngriff ~l netmen, itren egenftanb. roenting i ftqeint eine auterorbentficie ~1radge~tatc angeboretn u fein. )a~ Aeigte fi) fd~on in friiter itnbteit. &(r ~at eO fti ununtera broken angeregen fein taffen, biefe iat)iigteit au pffegen, unb ift fo ein VMeifter erften JangeO barih geworben. t r befat btie Stunft beo reinen QberGbaueO in lunberbarer 3orlenbung unb tat fo giemnict acte Z3erzarten, in benen jematf Qngifid) gebicdtet worben ift, gebrauctt unb uiele neue baqu erfunben.,3n alien betegt er fic) mit gfeidcer eicftigteit. Q(r erfreut fidc an bemn Eurnen mit ber eprade, fitSbt fie terum unb WatfAt fid in itr wie ein Uatfid)c. 3n feinem ernfteften refigioifen q3ebid~t madt er ttnitteluerte, bie eineO S~ubibra3 riirbig Waren, unb am (ingang feiner Sgritoen Zragoebie madct er Zo[eiteten' Wie etatefpeare in Rlomeo unb,utie. Uantce Zicdter taben bie epracde rein unb einfacd belattrt. roWntng i)at auf jebe Ueife oon itr ~ebraucd gemadt, fidc mit itr rebi teiten genommen, aWT waire er itr Serr, unb er tat fie nacd etlieben tertumn 406 Zie 3Bulanft. gewortfen, enn auct nic~t fo ftarr unub fo mutWtifiig wie ~~afefpeare. ~Wber er tat neue i)iaitgfeiten in itr aufgeqeigt, fie nu biGter unbefannten &ormen ber cOi3n)teit gemobeUt unb neue gtanqenbe Mlufter ant i~trem ~toffe gerebt. Selten begniigt er fti bamit, bie btinge in ~effem EicfTte au geigen, er erlanigt ein grefe6 ~eucnten fui fie. Qr fiigt fict nictt ben qelonufeite n be6 Zefer. fSiefer mlln feinen ~inn bet rtt unb 3eife be6 itctter beugeno. Qr giebt nict uact; fo mu~ man ifm entieber fofgen ober barauf berAiCten, iln nu TeMen. ~erabe bie itnqe, bie gu j4ieertig fiur $rofacbetanblung finb, miirfen Witr in Berfen ton iVmm Etinnef)men. (Qr fat aber auc uiete Zicmtungen gefCdrieben, bie leictt Mu lefen finb, weif jebem!3riten bie,been utb gormen, in benen fie f I bewegen, gelaufig finbrt. UInb fie werben in ingfanb auct bon Qefern acter (rabe ber!egabung, J9teigung unb ilbunrtg gefteen. lnf eorbeflo, ben &rau 2 ane U33eIfj (arftte, bie anfterbficie Sert treterin be6 grvoen tf trfini greinemac en6, fo ungentie~Iar fanb, folgte imn nucfften.cafr,,$ippa get tortiier", eine anbere Zi4ctung ober iettemetr etn Zrama; V2aufic) fiir finfsiqg fennige, ba er fo foffte, ba~ eO 2emanb faufen Wiirbe. (6 fpiefte ebenfaUI6 in 3tafien, abet nict in bem be6 -'ittefaItert, fonbern bem,talien in!romning6 Tcagen. gier giebt e6 ntit fo Tfer treigniffe in bet Qntlicdetung einer eeete mie Qreigniffe be6 Oinffuffe6, be6 unbetrutten uinfluffe6 einer eeefe auf anbere. Pippa passes ift uictt biitnengeretf. Q6 ift eine @5efEic~te mit einer M2oraf, einer aIten MP2oraT, atbet bie JoraT ift in offiftanbig ortgqinefer eitfe num 2uXbrudc gebractf unb bie efctficte iftl eben fo au6gefc)miidct. Q6 ift eine $rebigt wie fo biete ton trowniug6 ~ebicten, eine.)omitie bet 3ugenb tie Ra!bbi ben (cra eine Seomifie be6 WfterO. ipipa (zofeform fitr e&Tippa) ift ein junge MaJbet, eine arme -eibentinberin in ben abtrfften uon Wfofo. eie ~at jebeo cafr nur einen eintigen &eiertag, ben Weujiargtag, unb ba6 ~ebidCt fcifbert, tWac fie bann tout. (g beginnt bamit, tie fie abenbN unt 3ett geet mit bem ~efangbuct6mort auf ben 2ippen:,,3or utnterm ~ott gift jeber Zienft ba6 TNeite~". Zer TRttumlt6 be febrtgeftprad/e be6 WJMaibcen6 loecdfeft, Wie ficj bie 3ebanuten burcd ifren Ropf jagen unb Wie fie in itrem groien, airmlifeu, luftigen Simmer balb gett, bacb tanct, baIb fingt. Zer 3er6 ift eine WIrt bon ibeatifirtem @~egenftiicd bcau, ba6 mufffafitif ri)Tlidfeit utnb Qrnft biefe6 einfaenu, Tuftigen, guten, tIeinent barfiiigen afbrtfminabcenu Wieberfpiegeft. eie bentt an bie bier Qeute, bie an bemrn age in Wiof to otf bie gfiiicttfiette finb. Qin eontnenftrat)f fangt fi0c auf ber aicfferffaie itre6 Iafdfbeden%6, /iipft bie ~ecde ttiauf unb la~dt fic bann atuf bie ~Roaert 3trtoinatg. 407 einsige QTIume nteber, bie fie Iat. Oie bier 2eute in ber etabt, bie nac ilrer Utleinung bie ~tiicftficften finb, finb fammtlicf feft in B3erbre)en tert ftrift unb elenb ober am 91anbe be6 $3erberben.~ Za6 Geib unb i~tr ~iebtaber, bie itreu frtfieren ~atten gemotbet i)aben unb bie, tei~ bon ber ~iinbe, itre iaben bet fiijten ~t orgenunft 3ffnen, rihren i're ~timme fingen, rai"renb fte boritberge)t:,,funb ba Sabr if itm ttriuting, fnb bie 2ertce ffiegt atuivirt Sn ber triit) ifi betr zag, nub bie ~ctnede, bie rtubt, funb frii) if uitm fieben Unb oftt ift tm.itmmeI, nbu ber b aut perIt im igag. 1nub bet Belft, be gebt~ gut." Pit jiafem lUmrfd)ag bet timmtuntg padt ben RYann Qntfeten ioe feinem u ertretent. (tr fiett fi) unb ba6 feib jett at6 Za~, Wa~ fie finb; benn':,,ott iff im itimmet." Zer jung terteirattete Jiibfauer, bem feine Jitcatabemifer einen elenben ~treict gefpieRt taben, ber itn at)rfcteitnlic fiir fein gantseg eben ruiniren toirb; ber iunge 3attriot Quigi, ber auf ben Jorb Seffen fint, bet iOm ein Ztrauu e rfceint; ber atte 3riefter, ber im T5egriff fte~t, ein somtornmi~ mit betr iunbe tu ftrelieen -- fie tIIMe ~tren nacI einanber itren (anug. Wm 3enbepuntt jeber ~sene, in bentm 9ugenbticd ber Qerfuciung, bc gett $ippa otriiber; hir Qang ffutiet uon ber etrace er-t auf, unb 9Recit unb lunreet tinb tfar gefteiet. fInbewuft rettet baO fTeine Zorfmaibcien an itrem eitligen {eiertag bie bietr uicific[ften unb te)rt am Tbenb in itr airmicteO fuftigeO 3immercten 1urii, Tegt fict niebet unb finft in c~tfaf mit ben 3orten beO WeujarwtfiebeO auf ben Qippen:,,Sor tuferm (oftt gift ieber Zienft bac 3teidce, (S giebi fetin c rfit tub 2ett inu etnem Rteidye. Rntr $iuppen finb tir Zbm, Jo gut vie fcdtedt." Zie 2bee ift faum ortiginei, abet bie 2uffiitrung fit eO. 2ebe Wvefenticte QinAelnteit fit liebebolI beatet; jeber Wuftritt ift lebenbig. (iOn teiI ift in $roja gefcrtiebeu, martig unb tumoriftiicd. 3m ~angen ift bie Vicitung im etife einfacier ata bie meiften feiner fonftigen UElerte. Wber tr Wtare ia nit)t trolnintg, iwenn afef ber Wrt bware, ba~ eO 3eber, bet fefen fann, faffen fiinnte. ZIne aufmerffame~ (tubiren ift bie gan3e tunfi barin nictrt 3u erfaffen. 3iete eteUlen, bie bei einemtfuicfitigen ticfe eben at ein Sortgewoirr erfcteinen, ficd To entig abteben roie bie ~tec~te amn feTIen ober rie ein Titb ton Turner, ba erft gefteioen rerben muSf, ete man feten tanu, wOa W.ITIe brauf if, wertbent ict unb totI (ectnueit unb einun, Wenn man fie erft bemeiftert (at. lnub )ier bereitW finben mir 3rovningl Qbangeiutm, eitn Pt aterialprintip, feine frode Totfdcaft an bie Uett, bie agte feine V3erfe burcnjiett: --,,(ott it im rtmmet, funb ber ectt, ert gettb gutt." 408 fZie 3utunft. Qacb nacd Pippa passes trat bas uitctigfte (reigni~ in Otroutnitng 2eben ein, feine Qerteiratjung mit 9i~ (Oti4abet6 Qarett. Sie ~eftidtte biefer Q3erteirattung ift ttunbertol; fie fc~eint faf htt u i3n, um watr tu feitN. t riebte unb gemann hum r3eibe eine ber am ~iottickt jfen begabten &rauen, bie je gefebt taben. Zie Wrt feiner Z3erf)eiratfung ift auterv orbentlict ctaratterifirtfc fiir fein romanti[feO unb ritttericeS Uefen. (Sr geoann fie ficr trotl i~rem iiberfireben; benn fie tatte feine )offnurng auf Miebe unb Z(te. Nacdbem er einmtc itre Qiebe geWeunnen catte, trug er fie babon tie ein ectfer tRitter, troe iktrem tarten, mitfeibtefen t3ater. (fr naftm fie ficT gegen bie cidfafctTbeftimmrung, benn er entrit fie fafi bem Robe. Unb trot..ebem lat beod biefeitcft fie itn fict erlaIbtt. ~Zacferatc) fagt ja, ba~ bie &rau ftetf anfaingt. (r Watr uiber breitig, fatte maei traucrfptefe unb liber Amanaig Zi)t, tungen tberiffenttlict, bie fc~fectt beVanbeft ntb ltm grif3ten')eite bon ber gfeicdgiftigen 3eTt nict beacdtet torben oaren. ~ein 3reunb Senton, ein Qetter ten ) Qi.T harett, gab itm ein ~:empTar ton 2ab~ ~eracbineO &ourtfitpt. Za war eS i~tm, atS ob iljm eitne tiebe teine S anb fiir einen Wugenbfift bargeboten tritbe. Oin paatr 3eien geigten'ttm, ba~ fie feine 53Uerte tannte unb fcti1ate. Oin erquidenber ~abetrunt fitr ben 3ernacd) Iaffigten. Zer Tapf:ere tat ZTeiInarme gemr, ungeacttet feiner Tapferfeit. VSeTer MJann, Iwekcer Ziiter, befonberS toeIcer bertannte Zicbter, fiurbe fein gera nicrt fcttfagen gefii6Ut unb ben Sunfc geEegt taben, eine joftce treunbTicdteit mu ertibernt? Renton riett bem &reunbe, an Qti~ arrett tu fcreiben, nict um itr au banten, fonbern um itr tu fagen, tle tiefen (inbrudf ifre Z)ic)tung auf itn gemacet iatte. lunb fie tatte ion tief ge; troffen. (r fcrtieb unb fie anttortete. 3tr triefwecTfet narm Au. tr bat um btie rTaubnit, fie mu befucnet, unb fie fcTfug eS itm ab. ~ie mu~te eq ilm abfctlagen;' benn bie groee Zitterin rar ein Strfipel, ber fi nut mtoifdcen Oett unb ~efa bemegte.,,Wn mir ift nictS tu jeten", fcrtieb baO arme V31tab4cen,,,bon mir nit)t mu tifren. 2ct bin am ~eeignetften fiir bie (rbe unb itr Suntel". (tifabett Q3arett war ein giiudticfe, gefunbeS, IebenbigeO, tteineO Vatiben gewefen. 23re ~amifie febte auf bem 2anbe, unb eineO Zageq, aWI itifabett ungefadtr iertetn 2atr Wtar, fattelte fie itren 3ont). )abei ffiirAte fie unb tertIete fit bas Ruiidgrat. Zie genaue rtt: ber 3ertetaung War tuerft nict betannt, abet nacf megreren 2eibenijatren war fie bauernb intatib getorben. ~Riemanb ertartete, fie WiUrbe je graft unb ~efunbetit Wieberbetommen. ~ie fag auf itrem Q3ett wie 8eine in feinem trab bon 9Matraten, aber nut um, irm unglei~c, noc~ einmat in biefem 2eben eine frStotiite Kuferftefung tu f ofM em (Tfitde au f)aben, ba~ fie um feinettiffen bie etoige Sefigteit preitgeben tolate. 1obert ~romUning. 4090 hro>wning namt bie Wbroeifung nitt an. &r beftanb auf feiner 3itte, fie befucen 8u biirfen, unb lutetit Wifigte fie ein. ~leict bei ber erften Q3egegnung fcdeint et itm tlar geworben f u fein,,,Wa3 itm bcat 2eben adW $reie gefetlt tatted", ibglei fie itn aut izrem Stiffen fiegenb empfing nunb er nicrt Wuste, tb fie fic~ je viirbe uon bort er)eben te3nneno Uie i)re Qiebe fich Weiter entWidefte, miiffen rtir unu felbft actumalen, fo gut Wir eben Ott nnert; benn bie TIiictticen eraF~Ten W.nberen Zc)a gewoi~ntic nice. acct unb nctca trbe eO immer fc[limmer mit ltifcabet) OtrettB 3efjunbteit. Zie Werqte empfacten itr, ein warmere gtTlima aufiujucIen, abert itr 3ater Wie6 eO 3uriid, mit iOr ben enogtijcen 3oben 3u btert[ffen ober fie in Oegleitung eineO i~rer Oriiber fortgufenben, obgfeicf er ein reidcer UJtann roar.- UaArfrceintic gaoaubte er, eO Voerbe nicet Yefeno. Qr War einer btn ben Uannern, bie ficf yon Rtiemanb beletren ober be, einltuffen laffen. (ngtanb war gut genug. (ie mufte ia bioc einmar ftertbenr ca ctam itr bie 2i[ebe 3u gSiife. ~r uiirbe fie nac Staulien bringen. 2ie wiffigte ein, fein t 3eib $u Werben. & ift eine riifrenbe ~ef#cicfte, luie fie bann auf einer- ~lapierfa)rt ben tutfcter an einer eitnamen ~tefle beB $3artfe3 taelten liet, )erauO auf ben Rafen ufieg unb einen 92ugenbticd frei baftanb. Zac War ein 3erfuc), unb fie fanb eO befrembfi4 feetfam, fo' wieber einmal auf bemrn oben 3u fte)en in freier 2uft. Im wouBfften eeptember 1846 gting fie rutig auO, lie~ fic mit im in ber kircTe ~t. 3ancrat trauen unb ging gerabenWeg6 Wieber teim.!ine 19D'ce paiter fcffiitte fie, iWa~renb bie g3ren bei Tifce facen, tincaul. tur itr uiinbcten I,,8uj1 natjm fie mit.,,Z Plut'" ftiiftcrte fie,,Wenn Zu einen 2aut otn Str giebff, bin icf berfIren". 3tr ~5atte ervartete lie unb fie ftioen nadc $ari3 unb bon ba auc3 nac 2tadien. )iefe fatcere, rac4e STat Warb burn ifren Q(rfotg qere4tfertigt. S)em giudtIic)en ~efio41pf war eine neue 2eben~frift beifUigt. Qiebe ift eine gute V9Mebitin. Zie (tiictfice braud)te nun niCt metr atuf bem ~ofa fu tiegen. ~ie wurbe frtiftiger, unb nact tei[ 3abren gebar fie Robert Orooning. einen ~otn, unb breigetn Weitere 2acre be3 tiicdee tergingen, bi~ fie in feinen W2rmen itre ~eele au4taucte. Mcan mui Woiff[en, Wac fiir Qrowoning fein Ui[eib war, utm feine weiteren Zitdtungen ~bal"ig berfteten tu thnnen. Sn einent 3riefe an einen &reunb, aTe er nuletlt boc~ nock beriitmt geWorben War, fprictt er uiber fei ne unb iiber bie Wrbeit, bie er noc~ tfunn au tinnen tofft. Wber er eagt nictt tbon Nu)m unb ioffentlicer Q3eretrung, fonbern nut:,,co~ [effe, no&) tiel metr Au ttun, unb loffe, bac bie 3liitu e baton irgenbSie in itre -ctnb gelegt Werben oirb." tInter feinen @~ebicten 410 bie,3utnft. finbet rfid eini mit bem Titet,,The Householder." &( ~anbeft ton bern Qeben W beS dertittweten @5atten, aber ntict den feinen toffnungen, fonbern lton ben Qerfuclutngen unb bem (tenb bet (~itnameiti. Zfabei ift,,ba gStauS" nidt nutr ba6 (eebaube, in bem ber einfame MJuann fitt, fonbern aauc bas feic#ticfe tauO, in bem bie 2eefe wvoEnt. Zie gtiiiffticen 2agre fetner ~e finb nict bie fructtbarften in ber 9rbeit fiir itn gee1erten, abet bie bitbenbften fir itn, unb mancte bon feinen feinften eifftunfgen aug ber (ammtung,,9mnner unb &rauen" finb bamaWg entftanben. ( tirb erpifift, bae er ritt unb fpatieren ging unb a)kteicle fiiften in ~Toon mobelirte unb b a~ feine &rau wfinifdte, er mbckte fice regefmaditger feiner eigenttficen ebentaufgabe, bernm Sicten, Wibmen.,,obTert ift gan8 eigeu in feiner Irt, aT SZticter tu arbeiten", fcfreibt jie.,c~t labe mit itm ein lSenig iiber biefen l3untt tu tlampfen gelabt benn mteiner Meinung nad) ~at et nicet Rect, b. l. e rioirbe fitr mice tic1t gut fein, Wenn i6 fTo mac te. 2betr obert Wartet auf bie 2tuff 3ur Strbeit unb fctafft trudetie. i (r fagt, er Iann nictt anbert, unb fein Soqf ift 0Do on (O ebantten, bie in ~ipS unb tnarmor tu brubt finben foffen.:.ck feene micl nac S2iebern, aber er iiberIa"it e8 augenbfictficf mir, roeTe au bicten.",!ber biefe VUJetfobe ober VJYettobenTofigfeit war boed nidt bie IRegel. JMli~ Tfaderae ~at bag (tepaar einmat befudct unb erinnert fica, rie trowmning gefagqt at:,,(g mag 2nen fretfarm fdceinen, ba~ (fttra.Mie 3oefie fi) jeben cag regeTm~iig Au bet felben etunbe fdcreiben a~it. Wber treobem dertft)ere idc) ie, eS ift eine Tatfacde, ba~ meine grau anb icd un8 jeben jTltorgen getrennt Au unferer Wrbeit nieberfetien. ~ie fcdreibt im ealon unb id fdctreibe tier." )abei Oiffnete et eine TiiUt in ein fteinneS fintertimmer mit einem {3enfter nad) bem S)ofe. &r war oirittffi tein 1fiiiggaanger. 3ie't offftdanbige.uogabe feiner Zid4tungen, bie totr etn paar 3atren erfctieneu ift, befteft auO 16!annben ton je fiber 350 eeiten unb entfaTlt gegen 150000 Seiten,,tonuentritten Zeti", Ion benen itm wojTf rWenige im ~cdIafe getommen finb. Uie jalfta[ff bon fit fagte:,,er fie~ fidc feinen s3eruf aneur twerben". Zennocd ribmete er fid) bei QebAeiten feiner jrau mef)r bet;irforge fiir fie aWT ber Wrbeit. Uatrfc[einlicd fat fie nidt geWuft, ba eiorge ffir fie izn am ftetligen Wrbeiten 1inberte. eeine Wrtbeitweife War ton ber ilren fetr terfd~ieben. ~ie tonnte auf cdnittef fdreiben, fie Wegfteden, Wenn 2emanb Au!3efucd tam, nub bann, wenn bie Unterbrec)ung borbei war, in itrer Wrbeit fortfafren. &r War ba~u nidtt im etanbe. ~ein ~ebicdt The Flight of the Duchess A. 5.. ift nidt fo gefd)rieben otrben, Wie er 3uerft beabficdtigte, benn ra"renb er bamit befda)iftigt war, tam ein Rapitan 2fotb au Befucd, unb 3roining erinnerte ficd ftetM, Wie bas 9iobert 3votvnintg. 411 Rnarren bet (cartentftit feiner 2nripration eit Qnbe macdte. Qine Same, etne enge &reunbint bon iunen, fagte iEm einmai, fie gie~e feine Zticttung bet feiner ratt bor. Qfr antWtrtete:,,ta greifen fie fetf, gang fefI. Eie ~at ~3enie. 3cf murn mic bagegen abarbeiten. Rtnnen tie fic fo einen ftugen (ngeT borftearen, ber finnt nub plant nub berfucft, (tmac auf~att bauen. (Er mocte gern, ba~ eie eO fegeni, Wiee er eO fiegt, 5eigt 3Unen einen ~eticWttpunft unb fiftrt Zie au etnem anberen nub aimmert 2tnen fo in ben SRopf, oa6 er mbcEte, bac eie einfeten joften. Unb Wailrenb bieler ganqe Umficanb or fif) geet, Tenutt bet amaticftige ~ott einen tfteinen ~tern ab -: Zae ift ber Untercfcieb >3itcfen unq. eie ~at bie ec)te ~coipfertraft, ntc ic.",aiftrenb feiner Q(e bertoffentIi4te 3ronnting,,(Sriftabenb nub fftertag", ba6 ein gro3er ~3eitfic er,,baO crriftfickte ebtcat be6 3atr~unbertV" genannt atben fofi, airenb ein ct beret er aW6 ben,,)eteroboxen ~elbftbetrtag eineO &reibenferV'" beeictcnet tat. Zaneben fte1en noc~ bie fiunf~ig ~ebicte Men and Women, bie etr in bem (pifog,,1od ein sort" teiner &rau geWbibmet att. Qrft 1864, brei SaLre unact einer aittin Zobe, erf[tien efne teitere eammfung bon acit)eun ~ebicjten adf Dramatis Personae. ini ge ton btefen ftnb S Warfckeinli nock wadrenb if)re8 2ebenu entftanben. tn bem 3anbe finbet fitc Rabbi ben Ezra. Orortning War nun fiber fiitnfig, unb bie ~(ttmmungen biefe 3ebidteO itaren [feine eigenen, obgIeick et fie bem actberiijmten jfibifcjen WrSte in ben MlUunb gelegt fatte. Zer Oanb entaift aucd bie ounberbare Efene,,(in Zob in bet i~ifte" bie ben 5ob unb bie Ietten Uorte be6 Wpofte8 2o=atnne fctifbert, bet bei einer 3erfotgung uon ein paar ergebenen 3iingern in eine SOiife in bet'uilte geebracct worben fein fof. ite ~5ejc\ickte wirb itn torm eineO imaginatren erlgamentee etraittt, ba6 ntt,,bo amnpTar, bem Wntiocfier" terriiw)ren Tfol. Za6 ~ebikt enbet naci bemnt obe be6 T2oftee6. em raatITer fteett morge bet er ampf mit tilben Zieren betor. nJitt Dramatis Personae beginnt bie 4eriobe uon rooninpg groiiter $3robutttiitdt, waitrcnb eoetfer The Ring and the Book unb feine Ueberv fetIung be (turipibe; unb Wfef'ckto8 entflanben. Ract betr letinung eineO feiner 2tiograpten ift,,ien and Women" fein fjcironfter Q3nc; Sac mag fein, aber,,9ting nub ttcu" ift bo WootI feine bebeutenbfte Zicktung. ~(ie ift nac einem ${an aufgebaut, ben noc ttein Zickter torker erf erut katte. Zie ecktickte lirb fo etta gaotfmat erahtft ulib bie eiTnamnte be8 2efert wtirb, tie To oft beit 3romning, eben an bern $untte erwedt, Wo fie bet anberen ecriftfteaern auftort, - namdick, woenn betr efetr 2Ife erfa)ren lEat, toa eO nu t if[en giebt. Qttifce unb tteofogifc $o ee rt) eme einen auf [rolt ning efnen eben 412 Bie 3utunft. fo fiarten JRei8 aufgefibt faben eite aritmetifce $3robteme auf ~Tabftone. 3eber c1Eotte foe ein geborener ~Teotoge fein. troeoning )atte mtit feinent 03iertet Cfvotticfd en OtfuteN einen metr ag prroportionaten Zteit jenea 2Rationaft ~ugeg betommen. 1Im eg jebocl otI 8u entwidfeIn, iitte er fic itn ogtift unb 2Ratlematit autbitben miiffen. 3n biteen 3Wveigen aber catte er nictt nutr eine tlebung, fonbern iibertantpt nie lnterrictt ertaften. Uttb agt et in bem entjtrec)enben 2ebengatter fic betogen fiittte, eine tieotogicqife WbtanbIung ober ein Iatubengbetenntni~ unb eine ftIauben3rec)tferttigung. tu berifffentticten, ba fianb iEm teine anbere MleJteobe 6ur 3ertfiigung atG bie, an btie er gewtint war: bie prattfifce Wrt, bie cace nicrt hu bedeifen, lonbern Au ituftriten, niclt einen fofiben O3ereig Au fiiren, fenbern ein einnetmenbeg 3ilb 8u 3eidcnen. Orowtning Ijat biete tteotogifcj e Wuffate gefcfriebent unb t/eologifce Zidtuffionen gefatten, ete er in reifem ftEer - fetbft fiir einen %Teotogern -- erijftat beroiffentticqte. namatf war et namricd fcton fiber fiebenitg. Qon fetner faft tnabentaften ~t$ie b ter 3rabeftination in aSotanneg WgricoIa an finb jeine Stubien in biefer Uiffenfdcaft fetr alttreid) unb bielfeitig, obgeic - mit.Wunnafme ton Christmas Eve and Easter Day - bi u?erifpta~ bie meiften an erfter etefIe (Jaratterfrubien finb unb S3ogmenftubien erft an 5teiter. tber fie peigen bocE) ein intenfiteb 2ntereffe an bem (rtubinnr. Ualtrenb jebod fein (3ecifctf in ber (Staratter: 5eiinung Wnnberbar unb besaubernb ift, mur man ungefteeren, ba~ fein togifct)e (ejfTid bamit lange nicet gteiden tc ritt aitt. ntuittion, nimt riinbe, 3nfpiratfion, nicrt Oeretefiitrung, ift feine ftarte ~eite. &r wei Z)ag auc gqanA gut, ea fc)meret in aucd nictt, er freut fic) fogar bartiber.,,~ctt ftiiftert nut U3enigen ton unn in8 0tr", jagt er,,,3ie Wnberen moigen argumentiren". Iber trotbem argutmentirt er an bieten. 5teaen tnb fcleint oft Wnafogien fiir Oemeife au jatten. $n &eritftat finb aroitf tertcfiebene ~ebictte enttiaten. 2ebeg non itnen betanbett ein fdc~ierigeg 3roblem aug ben QeAiegungen beg lYtenfcTen 8u o30tt. Uie gewioBntict fjcreibt trooning nic)t in feinem eigenen Rameln. -(r tegt feine rtiinbe einem perfifcen Ueifen namen6 &eri[fta, in ben Munbv bet manctmra afdein ftrictt, mancmat nodc mit einem 2iinger bitputirtt. Zie atWBf ~ebicdte finb in O3tancterfen gefcdrieben, aber jebem folgt ein fteineg Qieb, in bern ber e ticter felbft, unb nictt meer jerifflta~, eine fc)ione perlfnidt e.nrenbung ber gewonnenen 636eig)eit giebt. &erif{tat ift rotWning6 letiteg 3ucT). Wm rtaiotften Segember 1889: ift ber SZidter geftorben. Zunmor in ~d5otttanb. 9i~nbreW lJarl tatf.