A Lyrical Drama

Extract

The publisher’s announcement of this work lays some stress on the fact that its author, Mr. M. J. Nicolson, is ‘the son of the well-known writer of the “Indian Love Lyrics,” “The Garden of Kama,” etc.,’ and that ‘if heredity counts for anything, (he) stands a chance of possessing literary gifts.’ Many critics will be inclined to hesitate before granting that the popularity of the ‘The Indian Love Lyrics’ is due to their literary merit. Their appeal is based to a minor extent upon their exotic flavour and Eastern fragrance. They appeal rather to sensuality than sense. It was only when a few of them were exalted into a song-cycle that they won popular esteem, and this, surely, for the charm of the musical setting, rather than for any literary quality of their own. So that on the grounds of heredity alone, Mr. Nicolson’s claim to ‘literary gifts’ would appear to be extremely doubtful. He certainly does possess these gifts. But they are not just those ascribed to the ‘Garden of Kama.’

The only cumbrous thing about his lyrical drama is its title. Presumably it would have been against the interests of the play to have called it simply ‘The Death of Prince Hassan.’ But that is what its title should have been, as it will be in the minds of those who have read it. The argument that it would have ‘given the show away’ is more commercial than artistic. It is often more interesting to see a man die than live. As a compromise, with ‘Julius Caesar’ in mind, ‘Prince Hassan’ might have been sufficient.

The outstanding anomaly of the lyrical drama is that the lyrics themselves are its weakest part.