The end of it is just one of those points — the man standing
alone with the shoe in his hand — where the simple passion
of the Italian actor seems to triumph, in spite of — ^nay,
perhaps, because of — the difficulties of the situation. But
the fault of the drama, as such, is that its main thread is
not disclosed until the second act. The first is interesting
enough as a series of incidents, but leave no definite
expectation in the mind.
Now our examination of these three plays leaves us
with this result : that each presents a new theme,
and treats it in a new way. Each time the author tries




.^ V



J'ho/ogi-aph by



ELEONORA DUSE

In 'La Citt^ Morta'



Sciutto.
Genova



ITALIAN PLAYS AND PLAYWRIGHTS 173

his hand afresh he seems to put aside all his former
researches and experiments, instead of developing his
already approved powers, to turn almost restlessly to
new problems: and yet to overcome them, often with
some approach to completeness, always with satisfaction
to the onlooker. Such work means both strength and
variety. In modem life, men specialise too much. No
doubt Napier Hemy paints the curl of a wave better
than Turner did. But no man will have the soul of a
Turner by perpetually watching waves, more than he
would by perpetually gazing at a barn door. He who
confines himself to what he can do best, will do hardly
anything worth doing, and, with all his masterly reality,
will still be unconvincing : lacking always that wide range
and comprehensive motherhood of Nature, who has room
in her lap for the dwarfs as well as the giants, and by the
side of whose shining glaciers lie heaps of dirty stones.
