“I have been meditating a long letter to you for many
weeks past; but company, and rural business, and rural sports, are very
unfavourable to writing letters. I have now a double reason for writing, for I
have to thank you for sending me in safety a beautiful specimen of our English
Michael’s talents in the cast
of my venerable friend Mr Watt: it is a
most striking resemblance, with all that living character which we are apt to
think life itself alone can exhibit. I hope Mr
Chantrey does
| LETTER TO ALLAN CUNNINGHAM. | 37 |
“I have perused twice your curious and interesting
manuscript. Many
parts of the poetry are eminently beautiful, though I fear the great length of
the piece, and some obscurity of the plot, would render it unfit for dramatic
representation. There is also a fine tone of supernatural impulse spread over
the whole action, which I think a common audience would not be likely to adopt
or comprehend—though I own that to me it has a very powerful effect. Speaking
of dramatic composition in general, I think it is almost essential (though the
rule be most difficult in practice) that the plot, or business of the piece,
should advance with every line that is spoken. The fact is, the drama is
addressed chiefly to the eyes, and as much as can be, by any possibility,
represented on the stage, should neither be told or described. Of the
miscellaneous part of a large audience, many do not understand, nay, many
cannot hear, either narrative or description, but are solely intent upon the
action exhibited. It is, I conceive, for this reason that very bad plays,
written by performers themselves, often contrive to get through, and not
without applause; while others, immeasurably superior in point of poetical
merit, fail, merely because the author is not sufficiently possessed of the
trick of the scene, or enough aware of the importance of a maxim pronounced by
no less a performer than Punch himself (at
least he was the last authority from whom I heard it)—Push
on, keep moving!—Now, in your very ingenious dramatic effort, the
interest not only stands still, but sometimes retrogrades. It con-
| 38 | LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. |
“If, however, you should at any time wish to become a
candidate for dramatic laurels, I would advise you, in the first place, to
consult some professional person of judgment and taste. I should regard friend
Terry as an excellent Mentor, and I
believe he would concur with me in recommending that at least one-third of the
drama be retrenched, that the plot should be rendered simpler, and the motives
more obvious; and I think the powerful language and many of the situations
might then have their full effect upon the audience. I am uncertain if I have
made myself sufficiently understood; but I would say, for example, that it is
ill explained by what means Comyn and his gang, who
land as shipwrecked men, become at once possessed of the old lord’s
domains, merely by killing and taking possession. I am aware of what you mean,
namely, that being attached to the then rulers, he is supported in his
ill-acquired power by their authority. But this is imperfectly brought out, and
escaped me at the first reading. The superstitious motives, also, which induced
the shepherds to delay their vengeance, are not likely to be intelligible to
the generality of the hearers. It would seem more probable that the young Baron
should have led his faithful vassals to avenge the death of his parents; and it
has escaped me what prevents him from taking this direct and natural course.
Besides it is, I believe, a rule (and it seems a good one) that one single
interest, to which every other is subordinate, should occupy the whole
play,—each separate object having just the effect of
| NOVEMBER, 1820. | 39 |
“I will return the manuscript under Mr Freeling’s Post-Office cover, and I hope it will reach you safe.—Adieu, my leal and esteemed friend—yours truly,
