GALLIC GESTURE

The sensitive feelings of the artist are often given a cruel blow by the jibes of an unsympathetic critic. Having delivered himself upon the high altar of his art, to say nothing of the lucrative desk of defiled Mammon, the minor playright shudders at the crudity of those to whom it is not given to understand the scope of greatness. That criticism has constructive as well as destructive powers is forgotten by the mangled remains of budding genius forgotten also that there are standards which must be realized, a public that must be informed and protected.

Such is the case of M. Pierre Weber, who has taken as personal affront the remark of M. Rostand, fils, that his play was vile and did not contain a single amusing word. Whether or not the young author's anger was aroused by the first or the second of the allegations is beside the point. In any event, his friends sought out the critic with a challenge. After deliberating during the week-end, M. Rostand made it known that he would not be one to set a precedent of killing playrights since such "recourse to arms was inadmissible" and since M. Weber had no skill in the arts of self-defense. It is further mentioned by the intimates of a critic-poet that duels take place at dawn, a time when M. Rostand is usually indisposed.