robert louis stevenson-第19章
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old devil of the mediaeval drama； who was made only to be laughed at and taken lightly； a buffoon and a laughing…stock indeed。 And while he could unveil villainy； as is the case pre…eminently in Huish in the EBB…TIDE； he shrank from inflicting the punishments for which untutored human nature looks； and thus he lost one great aid to crude dramatic effect。 As to his poems； they are intimately personal in his happiest moments： he deals with separate moods and sentiments； and scarcely ever touches those of a type alien to his own。 The defect of his child poems is distinctly that he is everywhere strictly recalling and reproducing his own quaint and wholly exceptional childhood； and children； ordinary； normal； healthy children； will not take to these poems （though grown…ups largely do so）； as they would to； say； the LILLIPUT LEVEE of my old friend； W。 B。 Rands。 Rands showed a great deal of true dramatic play there within his own very narrow limits； as； at all events； adults must conceive them。
Even in his greatest works； in THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE and WEIR OF HERMISTON； the special power in Stevenson really lies in subduing his characters at the most critical point for action； to make them prove or sustain his thesis； and in this way the rare effect that he might have secured DRAMATICALLY is largely lost and make…believe substituted； as in the Treasure Search in the end of THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE。 The powerful dramatic effect he might have had in his DENOUEMENT is thus completely sacrificed。 The essence of the drama for the stage is that the work is for this and this alone … dialogue and everything being only worked rightly when it bears on； aids； and finally secures this in happy completeness。
In a word； you always； in view of true dramatic effect； see Stevenson himself too clearly behind his characters。 The 〃fine speeches〃 Mr Pinero referred to trace to the intrusion behind the glass of a part…quicksilvered portion； which cunningly shows； when the glass is moved about； Stevenson himself behind the character； as we have said already。 For long he shied dealing with women； as though by a true instinct。 Unfortunately for him his image was as clear behind CATRIONA； with the discerning； as anywhere else； and this； alas！ too far undid her as an independent； individual character； though traits like those in her author were attractive。 The constant effort to relieve the sense of this affords him the most admirable openings for the display of his exquisite style； of which he seldom or never fails to make the very most in this regard； but the necessity laid upon him to aim at securing a sense of relief by this is precisely the same as led him to write the overfine speeches in the plays； as Mr Pinero found and pointed out at Edinburgh： both defeat the true end； but in the written book mere art of style and a naivete and a certain sweetness of temper conceal the lack of nature and creative spontaneity； while on the stage the descriptions； saving reflections and fine asides； are ruthlessly cut away under sheer stage necessities； or； if left； but hinder the action； and art of this kind does not there suffice to conceal the lack of nature。
More clearly to bring out my meaning here and draw aid from comparative illustration； let me take my old friend of many years； Charles Gibbon。 Gibbon was poor； very poor； in intellectual subtlety compared with Stevenson； he had none of his sweet； quaint； original fancy； he was no casuist； he was utterly void of power in the subdued humorous twinkle or genial by…play in which Stevenson excelled。 But he has more of dramatic power； pure and simple； than Stevenson had … his novels … the best of them … would far more easily yield themselves to the ordinary purposes of the ordinary playwright。 Along with conscientiousness； perception； penetration； with the dramatist must go a certain indescribable common…sense commonplaceness … if I may name it so … protection against vagary and that over…refined egotism and self…confession which is inimical to the drama and in which the Stevensonian type all too largely abounds for successful dramatic production。 Mr Henley perhaps put it too strongly when he said that what was supremely of interest to R。 L。 Stevenson was Stevenson himself； but he indicates the tendency； and that tendency is inimical to strong； broad； effective and varied dramatic presentation。 Water cannot rise above its own level； nor can minds of this type go freely out of themselves in a grandly healthy； unconscious； and unaffected way； and this is the secret of the dramatic spirit； if it be not； as Shelley said； the secret of morals； which Stevenson； when he passed away； was but on the way to attain。 As we shall see； he had risen so far above it； subdued it； triumphed over it； that we really cannot guess what he might have attained had but more years been given him。 For the last attainment of the loftiest and truest genius is precisely this … to gain such insight of the real that all else becomes subsidiary。 True simplicity and the abiding relief and enduring power of true art with all classes lies here and not elsewhere。 Cleverness； refinement； fancy； and invention； even sublety of intellect； are practically nowhere in this sphere without this。
CHAPTER XIV … STEVENSON AS DRAMATIST
IN opposition to Mr Pinero； therefore； I assert that Stevenson's defect in spontaneous dramatic presentation is seen clearly in his novels as well as in his plays proper。
In writing to my good friend； Mr Thomas M'Kie； Advocate； Edinburgh； telling him of my work on R。 L。 Stevenson and the results； I thus gathered up in little the broad reflections on this point； and I may perhaps be excused quoting the following passages； as they reinforce by a new reference or illustration or two what has just been said：
〃Considering his great keenness and force on some sides； I find R。 L。 Stevenson markedly deficient in grip on other sides … common sides； after all； of human nature。 This was so far largely due to a dreamy； mystical； so far perverted and； so to say； often even inverted casuistical； fatalistic morality； which would not allow him scope in what Carlyle would have called a healthy hatred of fools and scoundrels； with both of which classes … vagabonds in strictness … he had rather too much of a sneaking sympathy。 Mr Pinero was wrong … totally and incomprehensibly wrong … when he told the good folks of Edinburgh at the Philosophical Institution； and afterwards at the London Birkbeck Institution； that it was lack of concentration and care that made R。 L。 Stevenson a failure as a dramatist。 No： it was here and not elsewhere that the failure lay。 R。 L。 Stevenson was himself an unconscious paradox … and sometimes he realised it … his great weakness from this point of view being that he wished to show strong and original by making the villain the hero of the piece as well。 Now； THAT； if it may； by clever manipulation and dexterity； be made to do in a novel； most certainly it will not do on the stage … more especially if it is done consciously and； as it were； of MALICE PREPENSE； because； for one thing； there is in the theatre a very varied yet united audience which has to give a simultaneous and immediate verdict … an audience not inclined to some kinds of overwrought subtleties and casuistries； however clever the technique。 If THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE （which has some highly dramatic scenes and situations； if it is not in itself substantially a drama） were to be put on the stage； the playwright； if wisely determined for success； would really have … not in details； but in essential conception … to kick R。 L。 Stevenson in his most personal aim out of it； and take and present a more definite moral view of the two villain…heroes （brothers； too）； improve and elevate the one a bit if he lowered the other； and not wobble in sympathy and try to make the audience wobble in sympathy also； as R。 L。 Stevenson certainly does。 As for BEAU AUSTIN； it most emphatically； in view of this； should be re… writ … re…writ especially towards the ending … and the scandalous Beau tarred and feathere
