Mr. Jones on "The Modern Drama"

Mr. Henry Arthur Jones, by the invitation of the English Department, lectured yesterday afternoon before a very large audience in Sanders Theatre on "The Corner Stones of Modern Drama."

For the last two hundred years, said Mr. Jones, English dramatists have produced only three permanent pieces of literature, "The Rivals," "She Stoops to Conquer," and "The School for Scandal." French dramatists, on the other hand, have been producing and are now producing dramatic works that are a part of the literature of France. This is because their drama and literature are wedded, and the French audiences know that their drama is intended to depict life, and not to amuse them by clownery.

In England and America the divorce of drama and literature, the contempt of the men of letters, the absence of pride, the elevation of incompetent "stars," the poor translation of foreign drama, the lack of a national dramatic school and theatre, and the mistaken point of view of the clergy and the public have caused the great lack of permanent dramatic literature. The English people are either amusement seeking, moderately indifferent or religiously hos- tile to the stage. In spite of all opposition the drama will always exist. Why, then, is it not better to enlist the energy of the cultured for its benefits? What antiquarian Oxford ignores. Harvard, through the work of Professor Baker, is teaching, namely, a true conception of a most influential art.

Since the dramatic instinct is born in us, and follows us through life, should we not foster rather than ignore this possibility of a school of counciling, fearless, uplifting truth