Word: machina
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Dates: during 1910-1919
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...street, I heard strange things. A pacifist and an intellectual of distinction kept insisting that every canvas was wholly "theatrical," using the word in the most disparaging sense. Now it is not to be doubted that austerity in America is a quality rare enough to appear to be "ex machina." But seeing a miracle, to suppose that there must be pullies and cardboard is to be really suspicious and of small soul. A modern scientific mind noticed the utter lack of physical relation between the figures and their backgrounds. He felt a desire to warn the Cardinal, sitting rich...
...done vehicles and it was most disappointing to have the former sing unintelligible tunes well, which were wholly out of place, and have the latter revivify all his old business, which was once pleasing, but might well have been buried long ago. One continually looked for a deus-ex-machina to appear, but he evidently was not so disposed. The settings were attractive and the chorus also, but even these essentials were not sufficient to make one leave the play-house in any frame of mind, but that he had been gulled. Who was to blame was a natural query...