one of the least popular of
Ibsen's plays.

It was with _Les Revenants_ that Ibsen made his first appearance on the
French stage. The play was produced by the Theatre Libre (at the
Theatre des Menus-Plaisirs) on May 29, 1890. Here, again, it became the
watchword of the new school of authors and critics, and aroused a good
deal of opposition among the old school. But the most hostile French
criticisms were moderation itself compared with the torrents of abuse
which were poured upon _Ghosts_ by the journalists of London when, on
March 13, 1891, the Independent Theatre, under the direction of Mr. J.
T. Grein, gave a private performance of the play at the Royalty Theatre,
Soho. I have elsewhere [Note: See "The Mausoleum of Ibsen," _Fortnightly
Review_, August 1893. See also Mr. Bernard Shaw's _Quintessence of
Ibsenism_, p. 89, and my introduction to Ghosts in the single-volume
edition.] placed upon record some of the amazing feats of vituperation
achieved of the critics, and will not here recall them. It is sufficient
to say that if the play had been a tenth part as nauseous as the
epithets hurled at it and its author, the Censor's veto would have been
amply justified. That veto is still (1906) in force. England enjoys the
proud distinction of being the one country in the world where _Ghosts_
may not be publicly acted. In the United States, the first performance
of the play in English took place at the Berkeley Lyceum, New York City,
on January 5, 1894. The production was described by Mr. W. D. Howells as
"a great theatrical event--the very greatest I have ever known." Other
leading men of letters were equally impressed by it. Five years later, a
second production took place at the Carnegie Lyceum; and an adventurous
manager has even taken the play on tour in the United States. The
Italian version of the tragedy, _Gli Spettri_, has ever since 1892
taken a prominent place in the repertory of the great actors Zaccone and
Novelli, who have acted it, not only throughout Italy, but in Austria,
Germany, Russia, Spain, and South America.

In an interview, published immediately after Ibsen's death, Bjoernstjerne
Bjoernson, questioned as to what he held to be his brother-poet's
greatest work, replied, without a moment's hesitation, _Gengangere_.
This dictum can scarcely, I think, be accepted without some
qualification. Even confining our attention to the modern plays, and
leaving out of comparison _The Pretenders_, _Brand_, and _P