按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
an arbitration tribunal。 He finds himself； as we all do；
agreeably surprised by the Russian document； which； inadequate as
it is； shows ability in devising a permanent scheme both for
mediation and arbitration。
During the day President Low； who had been asked by our
delegation to bring the various proposals agreed to by us into
definite shape； made his report； it was thoroughly well done；
and； with some slight changes； was adopted as the basis for our
final project of an arbitration scheme。 We are all to meet on
Monday； the 29th； for a study of it。
In the evening to the concert given to the conference by the
burgomaster and city council。 It was very fine； and the audience
was large and brilliant。 There was music by Tschaikovsky； Grieg；
and Wagner； some of which was good； but most of it seemed to me
noisy and tending nowhither； happily； in the midst of it came two
noble pieces； one by Beethoven and the other by Mozart； which
gave a delightful relief。
May 28。
Drove with Dr。 Holls to Delft； five miles； and attended service
at the 〃New Church。〃 The building was noble； but the service
seemed very crude and dismal； nearly the whole of it consisting
of two long sermons separated by hymns； and all unspeakably
dreary。
Afterward we saw the tombs of William of Orange and Grotius； and
they stirred many thoughts。 I visited them first nearly forty
years ago； with three persons very dear to me； all of whom are
now passed away。 More than ever it is clear to me that of all
books ever writtennot claiming divine inspirationthe great
work of Grotius on 〃War and Peace〃 has been of most benefit to
mankind。 Our work here； at the end of the nineteenth century； is
the direct result of his； at the beginning of the seventeenth。
Afterward to the Prinzenhof； visiting the place where William of
Orange was assassinated。 Was glad to see the new statue of
Grotius in front of the church where he lies buried。
May 29。
In the morning President Low and myself walked； and talked over
various proposals for arbitration； especially our own。 It looks
much as if we can amalgamate the Russian； British； and original
American plans into a good arrangement for a tribunal。 We also
discussed a scheme for the selection； by disagreeing nations； of
〃seconding powers；〃 who； before the beginning of hostilities； or
even after； shall attempt to settle difficulties between powers；
or； if unsuccessful； to stop them as soon after war begins as the
honor of the nations concerned may allow。 The Germans greatly
favor this plan； since it resembles their tribunal of honor
（Ehrengericht）； it was originally suggested to us by our
secretary； Dr。 Holls。
In the evening； at six； the American delegation met。 We had
before us type…written copies of our whole arbitration project as
elaborated in our previous sessions； and sundry changes having
been made； most of them verbal； the whole； after considerable
discussion； was adopted。
At ten I left； via Hook of Holland and Harwich； for London；
arriving about ten the next morning； and attending to various
matters of business。 It was fortunate for me that I could have
for this purpose an almost complete lull in our proceedings； the
first and second committees of the conference being at work on
technical matters； and the third not meeting until next Monday。
In the evening I went to the Lyceum Theatre； saw Henry Irving and
Ellen Terry in Sardou's 〃Robespierre；〃 and for the first time in
my life was woefully disappointed in them。 The play is wretchedly
conceived； and it amazes me that Sardou； who wrote 〃Thermidor；〃
which is as admirable as 〃Robespierre〃 is miserable could ever
have attached his name to such a piece。
For the wretchedness of its form there is； no doubt； some excuse
in the fact that it has been done into English； and doubtless
cut； pieced； and altered to suit the Lyceum audiences； but when
one compares the conspiracy part of it with a properly conceived
drama in which a conspiracy is developed； like Schiller's
〃Fiesco；〃 the difference is enormously in favor of the latter。 As
literature the play in its English dress is below contempt。
As to its historical contents； Sardou resorts to an expedient
which； although quite French in its character； brings the whole
thing down to a lower level than anything in which I had ever
seen Irving before。 The center of interest is a young royalist
who； having been present with his mother and sister at the
roll…call of the condemned and the harrowing scenes resulting
therefrom； rushes forth； determined to assassinate Robespierre；
but is discovered by the latter to be his long…lost illegitimate
son； and then occur a series of mystifications suited only to the
lowest boulevard melodrama。
As to the action of the piece； the only thing that showed
Irving's great ability was the scene in the forest of
Montmorency； where； as Robespierre； he reveals at one moment； in
his talk with the English envoy； his ambition； his overestimate
of himself； his suspicion of everybody and everything； his
willingness to be cruel to any extent in order to baffle possible
enemies； and then； next moment； on the arrival of his young
friends； boys and girls； the sentimental； Rousseau side of his
character。 This transition was very striking。 The changes in the
expression of Irving's face were marvelousas wonderful as those
in his Louis XI； but that was very nearly all。 In everything
else； Coquelin； as I had seen him in Sardou's 〃Thermidor；〃 was
infinitely better。
Besides this； the piece was； in general； grotesquely
unhistorical。 It exhibits Robespierre's colleagues in the
Committee of Public Safety as noisy and dirty street blackguards。
Now； bad as they were； they were not at all of that species； nor
did their deliberations take place in the manner depicted。
Billaud…Varennes is represented as a drunken vagabond sitting on
a table at the committee and declaiming。 He was not this at all；
nor was Tallien； vile as he was； anything like the blackguard
shown in this piece。
The final scene； in which Robespierre is brought under accusation
by the Convention； was vastly inferior to the same thing in
〃Thermidor〃； and； what was worse； instead of paraphrasing or
translating the speeches of Billaud…Varennes； Tallien； and
Robespierre； which he might have found in the 〃Moniteur；〃 Sardou；
or rather Irving； makes the leading characters yell harangues
very much of the sort which would be made in a meeting of drunken
dock laborers to…day。 Irving's part in this was not at all well
done。 The unhistorical details now came thick and fast； among
them his putting his head down on the table of the tribune as a
sign of exhaustion； and then； at the close； shooting himself in
front of the tribunal。 If he did shoot himself； which is
doubtful； it was neither at that time nor in that place。
But； worst of all； the character of Robespierre was made far too
melodramatic； and was utterly unworthy of Irving； whom； in all
his other pieces； I have vastly admired。 He completely
misconceives his hero。 Instead of representing him as； from first
to last； a shallow Rousseau sentimentalist； with the proper
mixture of vanity； suspicion； and cruelty； he puts into him a
great deal too much of the ruffian； which was not at all in
Robespierre's character。
The most striking scene in the whole was the r