THIS WEEK'S BOOKS JORN MASEPELD has written a new play,
The Trial of Jesus (Heinemann) ; but, alas ! it is no great play, and we should prefer that it had remained unwritten. For Mr. Masefield's ideals are gentle and thin ; we cannot see that any passion or strength has gone into the play. So merely amic- able is Mr. Maiefield's spirit that where he quotes from the sayings of Christ we feel some incongruous vigourL–we know that it is not thus that Mr. Masefield would have had Christ speak, if the creation of idea had been his own. And where Mr. Masefield adapts the words of the Gospels we feel that the virtue has gone out of them :— " MALLUCH. I am cut on the head.
OFFICER. Keep your men from us or you will fare the worse. JESUS. Put up your sword, for all that take the sword
Shall perish with the sword ; think'st thou I cannot Pray and be saved ? But now thus it must be.
OFFICER. Yes, thus it must be : so, come quietly."
The play is written throughout in this mixture of styles ; and it 'becomes distressing to read, though, we have no doubt, Mr. Masefield's intentions were excellent.
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