Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/criticdrama00nath Transcriber’s note: Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. THE CRITIC AND THE DRAMA * * * * * * _THE BOOKS OF GEORGE JEAN NATHAN_ _The Theatre_ COMEDIANS ALL THE POPULAR THEATRE MR. GEORGE JEAN NATHAN PRESENTS ANOTHER BOOK ON THE THEATRE THE THEATRE, THE DRAMA, THE GIRLS THE CRITIC AND THE DRAMA _Satire_ A BOOK WITHOUT A TITLE BOTTOMS UP _Plays_ THE ETERNAL MYSTERY HELIOGABALUS (_in collaboration with H. L. Mencken_) _Philosophy_ THE AMERICAN CREDO: A CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THE INTERPRETATION OF THE NATIONAL MIND (_in collaboration with H. L. Mencken_) _Travel and Reminiscence_ EUROPE AFTER 8:15 (_in collaboration with H. L. Mencken_) * * * * * * THE · CRITIC · AND THE · DRAMA by GEORGE JEAN NATHAN [Illustration] New York Alfred · A · Knopf Mcmxxii Copyright, 1922, by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Published January, 1922 Set up and printed by the Vail-Ballou Co., Binghamton, N. Y. Paper (Warren’s) furnished by Henry Lindenmeyr & Sons, New York, N. Y. Bound by the H. Wolff Estate, New York, N. Y. Manufactured in the United States of America WITH HIS PERMISSION TO EDWARD GORDON CRAIG THE FIRST ÆSTHETICIAN OF THE THEATRE CONTENTS CHAPTER I. AESTHETIC JURISPRUDENCE 3 II. DRAMA AS AN ART 29 III. THE PLACE OF THE THEATRE 63 IV. THE PLACE OF ACTING 83 V. DRAMATIC CRITICISM 113 VI. DRAMATIC CRITICISM IN AMERICA 133 _Of all the arts and half-arts--perhaps even above that of acting--is the art of criticism founded most greatly upon vanity. All criticism is, at bottom, an effort on the part of its practitioner to show off himself and his art at the expense of the artist and the art which he criticizes. The heavy modesty practised by certain critics is but a recognition of, and self-conscious attempt to diminish, the fundamental and ineradicable vainglory of criticism. The great critics are those who, recognizing the intrinsic, permanent and indeclinable egotism of the critical art, make no senseless effort to conceal it. The absurd critics are those who attempt to conceal it and, in the attempt, make their art and themselves doubly absurd._ I. AESTHETIC JURISPRUDENCE I. AESTHETIC JURISPRUDENCE I