No More Learning

known as
that of any
other region.
stand his feeling as to the difficulty of
Scholars of various nationalities have con-
LONDONERS will soon be able to judge describing the lessons he received so as to
tributed their share to this result; and a
for themselves tho claims of the new school give an idea of his master's personality, yet
conspicuous place among them has been
of Italian Futurists, for an exhibition of the most readers will be of opinion that his
taken by the Americans, whose School at works of its principal exponents is to be attempt is very successful. The accounts
of Liszt's playing in his own house by
Athens is responsible for the publication opened at the Sackville Gallery, 28, Sack-
of Mr. Richard B. Seager's volume Exc-ville Street, W. , next Friday. It will be one who is himself a remarkable pianist
are noteworthy.
plorations in the Island of Mochlos. The under the direction of M. Mayer-See, who
author, when excavating a Minoan settle- was responsible for the exhibition of The
Six Lectures on the Recorder and Other
ment on the little island of Mochlos, near English Pastellists of the Eighteenth
Flutes in relation to Literature, by Christopher
Gournia, came across a cemetery with six | Century' held in Paris last year.
large ossuaries, or burial chambers, and a
Welch (Henry Frowde), is a cyclopædia of
THE KING has promised to lend four knowledge concerning flutes of various kinds,
number of tombs of smaller size; many | interesting portraits, of the Stuart period from and as it has a capital index, it can be used
others, which once existed, had slipped the collections at Windsor to the Loan
away into the sea, and their contents Section of the Royal Amateur Art Society's
a valuable work of reference. The
were scattered over the hill-side. A full exhibition, which is to be held from the 10th readers who are not in any way interested
descriptions will prove tedious only to
and careful description of the contents of to the 13th of March at Surrey House, 7, in the subject.
the different tombs, with illustrations of Marble Arch, W.
most of the objects found, makes a
Lecture I. deals with ‘Literary Errors
markable record. The date is mostly of THE twenty-eighth exhibition of the the Subject of the Recorder,' and
early Minoan period, which is but scantily Société des Artistes Indépendants will open it is shown how vague or inaccurate
represented elsewhere; the most notable at Paris on March 20th, and not March 15th, are the various definitions given of it. Here
objects are an extremely fine set of stone as stated in this column last week. The is just one example: Hawkins wrote,
These are admirably reproduced in 15th is the receiving day for sculpture, “A recorder is a flageolet or bird pipe, "
the coloured plates at the end of the book. while paintings and other framed works will which, as any one who turns to Classi-
There were also found a curious series of be received on the 9th prox,
fication of Flutes,' on p. 6, will see, is
interments of later date, in inverted terra-
Burney, although a rival his-
cotta jars; these appear to have contained ings will open early in April at the Musée
An important exhibition of Chinese paint. torian, merely copied Hawkins's statement,
in all cases the bodies of small children, not, Cernuschi, Paris. The collection will include
without acknowledging the source.
as was previously reported, of men in a only primitive, Buddhist, and early Ming and solemnity of recorders, instruments now
A great deal is said about the sweetness
crouching position. Some seal-stones and
works.
other antiquities add further to the interest
extinct. Pepys went into ecstasies over
of these excavations.
THE Committee of the Senefelder Club, the sweetness of their tone; while Milton
to avoid any suspicion of breach of faith, speaks of the power of their “solemn
announces that, on the conclusion of its touches to calm the mind. "
Fine Art Gossip.
three years' contract with Messrs. Wm.
.
Lecture III. is entitled “Hamlet and the
Marchant & Co. , it has abandoned the
Recorder. ' Different readings of the text
AN admirable still-life, Apples (13), practice of stamping its proofs, while retain-
are discussed, and the author's idea of
by Miss Clare Atwood, and the same artist's ing inviolate the essential rule that no edition
the manner in which the scene should
shall exceed fifty.
portrait in a carefully studied interior, ‘Sir
be played, &c. , gives special interest to the
Frederick Pollock, Bart. ' (226), are the most MESSRS. MACMILLAN & Co. will publish pages devoted to that part of Shakespeare's
masculine examples of painting to be found shortly, in a quarto volume, a ‘History of play.
in the twenty-sixth exhibition of the Ridley Old Sheffield Plate,' by Mr. Frederick Mr. Welch is astonished at the wonderful
Art Club at the Grafton Gallery. We have Bradbury. The book gives an account of acquaintance with the construction and
rarely seen a collection so well. meaning the origin, growth, and decay of the industry, manipulation of the recorder which Shake-
and dull. Mr. Anning Bell (26) and of the antique silver and white, or speare displays; whereas he finds Milton,
rises above his surroundings by his Britannia, metal trade. It contains chrono- though he was reared in a musical atmo-
more scholarly technique; and certain etch logical lists of makers' marks and numerous sphere, and took an active interest in
ings (142 and 153 by Mr. Malcolm Osborne, 'illustrations.
music and musical instruments, by no means
as
re-
on
vases.
an error.
SO


## p. 234 (#188) ############################################

234
THE ATHENÆUM
No. 4400, FEB. 24, 1912
as a
a
as
M.
accurate in the matter of flutes, and of that 'In a Persian Garden'; Brahms's second set and, as a natural addition to it, a re-
inaccuracy he gives curious examples. of Liebeslieder' Waltzes ; and Mr. Walthew's markable gentleness towards his heroes,
The last and longest lecture is on 'The three Vocal Quartets. We commend the
with no traces of sarcasmthese charac-
Temple Flute-Player and the Tomb-Piper. ' excellent work that has been done by the teristics of Tchekhof's talent appear in
Though notes and digressions abound, it is directors of these concerts.
full in his dramas.
never tedious. The author gives graphic
accounts, with illustrations, of flute-players
A LETTER by Lully, the first hitherto
'The Seagull' and 'The Cherry Or-
at the most solemn of all the religious rites known, was recently discovered by M. Buron
of the Greeks and Romans ; of the treat: Bibliothèque Nationale. He was hunting to English readers and dramatists
among the “Mélanges Colbert " in the Paris chard,' which Mr. Calderon has presented
ment—of the Aute by the early Christians ; borated with Lully. The Lully letter,
for letters of Molière, who frequently colla specimen of Tchekhof's dramatic art,
are well chosen for that purpose ; although
of Tomb-Pipers ; and of the Rite of Wailing
in ancient and modern times ; while at the which has been published in L'Intermédiaire
'The Three Sisters,' 'Uncle Ványa,' and
end are specimens of wailing amongst transfer of the Opera from the Rue de complete conception of Tchekhof's con-
des Chercheurs et Curieux, concerns the
Ivánoff' also must be read to gain a
the Irish, a very characteristic one being Vaugirard to the Palais Royal, up to
taken from Joyce's '. Ancient Irish Music. '
then occupied by Molière's company.
But
tribution to a new departure in dramatic
as the hall in the latter would require art. As for his short stories and novels,
many alterations to make it suitable for opera it is a real pity that, while he is one of
performances, Lully in his letter addressed the most popular Russian authors in
to Colbert gives details of what changes, &c. , Germany, we have not yet in England
Musical Gossip.
would be required. In the margin of the
letter Colbert made a note that Lully's requests
a good, complete translation of them.
THE grand opera season at Covent Garden could be granted without in any way spoiling Readers of The Seagull' and 'The
begins on Saturday, April 20th, and ends the symmetry, or beauty of the Palais Cherry Orchard' will certainly notice
Monday, July 29th. Two cycles will be Royal, and adds that his son would read the at once that Tchekhof's work is as strongly
given of the Ring,' April 23rd, 25th, 27th, mémoire to the king, and receive his orders.
imbued with well-defined distinct
and 29th, and May 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 8th ; The change was effected scarcely three
and two performances of 'Tristan, May 1st months after the death of Molière in 1673,
individuality that of Turguéneff,
and 10th. The Russian · Ballet will and the performances of Cadmus' were Dostoyevsky, and Tolstoy. Every page
appear with Mlle. Karsavina and M. Nijinsky, continued in the new home up to the time he wrote, even in his little stories, bears
and the choreographic director will again of ‘Alceste,' on which, said Lully, depended the stamp of his most interesting indi-
be M. Michel Fokine.
“son établissement ou sa ruine," and which viduality, which was a typical product of
MR. HAMMERSTEIN has definitely an-
kept the stage for over eighty years: a definite epoch in Russian life—the
nounced his summer season, which is to
Arthur Pougin has written about this dis-
eighties of the last century. Tchekhof
open about the middle of April and to last covery in last week's Ménestrel.
not only knew intimately—he deeply
about three months. Mr. Josef Holbrooke's
suffered from the bankruptcy of a large
new opera “The Children of Don,' libretto
portion of the Russian intellectuals. "
by Lord Howard de Walden, will be pro-
He saw all round him their defeat in
duced at an early date. Other features
Sunday League, 7. Queen's Hall.
will probably be the production in English Turs. , WED
the war they had waged in youth against
of Tannhäuser,' 'Lohengrin,' and The
the all-pervading meanness of everyday
Mastersingers. '
life. This is why he portrayed so ad-
LAST SATURDAY EVENING there was an
mirably the hopelessness of those years,
excellent all-round performance of The
the intellectual apathy, and, finally, the
Barber of Seville' at the London Opera-
moral indifference of so many who had
House. Rossini's music, nearly a century
known and expressed better ideas, but
old, is still fresh. Mlle. Felice Lyne im-
gradually wiped them from their memories.
personated Rosina. She looked the part, and Thurs. Paul Kochanski's Violin Recital, 3. 15, Bechstein Hall.
Birmingham Festival Choral Society, 8, Queen's Hall.
acted it cleverly, while vocally she displayed
“I'm a good Liberal, a man of the
skill and art. M. Figarella's success
eighties. People abuse the eighties, but
Figaro was principally owing to his capital
I think I may say that I've suffered for my
acting and clear diction. M. G. de Grazia
convictions in my time,”
as Bartolo, and M. Enzo Bozano as Don
Basilio, made the most of their rôles. Signor
we are told in “The Cherry Orchard'
G. Merola conducted extremely well.
DRAMA
by Gáyef, who has reached a complete
At the Symphony Concert last Saturday
social indifferentism, and is only keen
afternoon at Queen's Hall, Wagner's 'Das
to get six hundred pounds a year in
Liebesmahl der Apostel was given. The Two Plays by Tchekhof: The Seagull ; billiards, sending, the red
the service of a bank, and to play
composer wrote words and music specially
" off two
for a great gathering of male choirs at Dresden
The Cherry Orchard. Translated, with cushions in the middle pocket ! '
in 1843, two years before Tannhäuser,'
an Introduction and Notes, by George
of which work there are here and there Calderon. (Grant Richards. )
This absence of hope and Gáyef's
faint anticipations. The performance of
confound-it-all ” mood, into which a
the vocal music by the Manchester Orpheus ALL the
distinctive features of Tchekhof's large portion of the Russian intellec-
Glee Society, under the direction of their talent, which give such a stamp of origin- tuals sank in the years 1880–1900,
conductor, Mr. Walter S. Nesbitt, was ality to his short stories and novels, when Tchekhof's talent was reaching its
excellent. ' The orchestra enters for the appear in full in his dramas, two of which maturity, is what strikes one most in
first time at the section referring to the we now have before us in Mr. George
descent of the Holy Ghost, but it needed a
The Seagull' and 'The Cherry Orchard. '
Calderon's translation. Tchekhof's
much larger choir to vie successfully with
It is impossible to speak of these
the heavily scored instrumental music, which pacity for penetrating into the
very
was played with tremendous vigour by the depths of the human soul-not at its dramas without adding a reference to
London Symphony Orchestra.
tragical moments, but in its most ordinary the Moscow Art Theatre and its admir-
MR. THOMAS BEECHAM will give the first that permitted him to characterize his
moods ; his powers of minute observation, able new departure in the methods
that permitted him to characterize his of staging. Mr. Calderon speaks of it
of two orchestral concerts of French and
heroes SO
Italian music of the eighteenth century
fully, yet leave the
in his Preface, and his remarks
this afternoon at the Æolian Hall. The reader or playgoer entirely to form his own
sure to interest English dramatists and
second will take place on March 23rd. judgment about them a manner which stage-managers. The subject is, however,
A SPECIAL Vocal concert will be given to admirably helps the author in producing so wide and important for the future
morrow evening at South Place to celebrate
an impression of real life; the total of dramatic art, that it would require
the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Sunday absence of idealization; a wonderful soft- many pages to deal with it adequately.
Popular Concerts.
include Madame Liza Lehmann's song-cycle, reminding one
The programme will ness in the different shades in his work, T The main point is this. Every one
of a pastel drawing ; l on reading “The Seagull’ will see that,
PERFORMANCES NEXT WEEK.
Sux. Concert, 3, Royal Albert Hall.
Sunday Concert Society, 3. 30, Queen's Hall.
Tues, WED, FRI, SAT. London Opera - House. (Matinée also on
Wednesday. )
Mox. H. S. Appleyard's Pianoforte Recital, 8. 15, Æolian Hall.
London Symphony Orchestra, & Queen's all.
Kichenda Clayton's Song Recital, 8. 15, Bechstein Hall.
Buhlig's Pianoforte Recital, 8. 30, Steinway Hall.
Arnold Dolmetch's Concert of Old Music, 8. 30, Clifford's Inn.
TUKS. P. S. Kelly's Pianoforte Recital, 8, Æolian Hall.
Leon Rains's Vocal Recital, 8. 15, Bechstein Hall.
WED. Franz von Vecsey's Violin Recital, 3, Bechstein Hall.
Alfred M. Hale's Orchestral Concert, 8, Queen's Hall.
Classical Concert Society. 8. 15, Bechstein Hall.
George Uttley, Philip Cathie, and Bewley Cathie's Sonata and
Song Recital, 8. 16, Steinway Hall.
Susanne Morvay's Pianoforte Recital, 8. 30, Æolian Hall.
SAT.
Egon Petri's Pianoforte Recital, 8. 15, Bechstein Hall.
London Ballad Concert, 3, Royal Albert Hall.
Queen's Hall Orchestra, 3, Queen's Hall.
as
66
66
ca-
to
are


## p. 235 (#189) ############################################

No. 4400, FEB. 24, 1912
THE ATHENÆUM
235
But in order to obtain these effects general public, and no permanente valecony Adelity as matter for laughter; but it
à
or
6
66
sea-
manners
in spite of its defects (the tediousness of
THREE PLAYS AND THE
the first scene of the second act, and the
OUR LIBRARY TABLE.
CENSORSHIP.
fact that, a couple of minutes after having
reached the house of her dying brother, MEN AND WOMEN whose public life has
OUR Stage Censorship is nothing if not
Madame Arcádina with her companions lain behind the footlights are apt, when they freakish in its decisions. As if it were not
sits down to play loto), the play contains come to the writing of reminiscencesman
bad enough that the drama should be the
one art kept in leading - strings, its official
all the elements of an excellent drama. almost inevitable proceeding nowadays—to
Even these two scenes, properly staged, happens that many of these volumes con-
Thus it Thugs use their powers of veto with a
curious inconsistency. The Lord Chamber-
may produce one of those thrilling sist of a pot-pourri of egotistical recollec-
lain's office will license plays treating of
dramatic contrasts frequent in real life.
tions which have but little interest for the shabby, or even disorderly, phases of life;
it will pass in-
the staging and the method of acting literature. Mr. Frank Archer's An Actor's fidelity as
must be quite different from what they
Notebooks (Stanley Paul) is notable sternly passes sentence on honest artistic
He uses
exception.
his own personality
effort which tries to handle grave pro-
usually are. At the Alexandrinsky Theatre and his position in the dramatic world blems of religion or sex. It is indulgent
of St. Petersburg, where the traditions merely as a peg on which to hang a
to vulgarity or to innuendo; it will not
were, and are still, those of the classical multitude of interesting facts and im-
tolerate the sincere language of passion
the discussion of
French school, The Seagull’ was a com- pressions of other personalities which are all
social evils, the
plete failure, even though two great well worth recording, and supply a vivid existence of which no one denies. Women
actresses, Mesdames Sávina and Kom- picture of the English stage during a period on our stage may be scantily clothed and
missarzévska, played the two chief parts. The letters which he prints are, with love may not use its own natural speech,
extending over some forty years or so. partially dress or undress in public ; but
But when, next year, the Moscow Art
Theatre took the same play in hand, from Henry Leigh Murray, for instance,
one or two exceptions, noteworthy. Those and must go veiled and smothered under
conventionalities. The hint, the wink, the
and created for it (and for the subsequent which are quoted at some length, are full suggestion; the phrase which takes for
art which
dramas of Tchekhof) a new style of of illuminating information on Mid-Victorian granted--these are allowed ;
staging, it was a tremendous success.
theatrical matters, and will bear careful deals seriously with serious issues is suspect.
reading. Wilkie Collins's letters, too, are
Three plays have recently come under the
The staging made all the difference.
delightful; and there are many others attention of the Advisory Board. Two
The main idea in the Art Theatre was equally pleasant to read. Some exception have been licensed, the third has been banned.
not only to impress upon the audience might be taken to the inclusion, in a volume of the former pair, one is Sir Arthur Pinero's
The Mind the Paint" Girl. '
the dramatic conflicts going on in the minds of this kind, of a long series of letters from comedy
It presents for our delectation (at the
of the chief characters of the play, but the author's brother, written from Paris
Duke of York's) a raffish crowd which, we
also to draw the audience into “ the atmo- during the horrors of the siege in the Franco-
German War, but for their graphic style of a queen of musical comedy.
are asked to suppose, might form the Court
sphere of the play”—to make it enter
It is a
which compels one's attention. A succes.
into the surroundings of the poor sion of interesting
that
figures pass before rather squalid picture of
gull’s ” drama, to make it feel the author's us—the Bancrofts, Charles Reade, Salvini
are free, not to say rowdy; of hilarity that is
mood—Tchekhof's Stimmung-while he (of whose Othello the author gives a
forced, of pleasures as flat as stale soda-
wrote the play. They succeeded so sound, if enthusiastic criticism), Westland
water. The problem of the play is whether
well that one felt (as the author wanted Marston, F. W. Robinson, Joseph Knight the actress-heroine shall marry an eligible
young peer or throw herself away on a man
one to feel) that the personal drama of the (for so many years our dramatic critic), and
many another.
who, in dangling after her, has wrecked his
seagull” is only an incident interwoven
career and income; and incidentally the
with the whole life of Russian society at
influence, good or bad, on our jeunesse dorée
a given moment, and a consequence The Nest Religion. By Israel Zangwill. But for the charm of the latter as played
of the Gaiety girl comes in for debate.
of it.
(Heinemann. Whenever a motto comes
by Miss Marie Löhr, her hesitations and
Readers of both 'The Seagull’ and to be needed for that elevation to knight, changes of mind over the bestowing of her
* The Cherry Orchard’ will fully realize hood which must surely before long attend
hand would be as tedious as they are un-
this themselves if they will look upon
the progress of our energetic Censor, an convincing.
the two dramas from this point of view. appropriate one may be found in the words
It is doubtful whether Sir Arthur's know-
:
Mr. Calderon's translation reads very against me! ”.
How all occasions do inform ledge of the musical-comedy world is up-to-
Mr. Zangwill's play, which
well, and follows the original most con- Mr. Brookfield in his wisdom has branded lower middle-class origin, hold her own
date. Would a girl such as Lily, who is of
scientiously. If something of the dim, as unfit for public performance, proves to to-day against the recruits from the profes-
veiled poetry of Tchekhof is lost, this is be not only as innocent and as truly inspired sional classes ? So, again, her associates seem
probably due to the impossibility of by a fine ideal as :The Coronation, but also either downright caricatures or characters
rendering it in a translation. A single
more deeply religious than most sermons.
which might have been veracious a dozen
exception must be taken. It is difficult Any thoughtful person reading it must find
years ago. The technique, too, of the
himself murmuring:
to see why Trophímoff, who appears in What
"But where ? - What? playwright is old-fashioned; he uses up two
conceivable offence ?
the original of The Cherry Orchard' Mr. Brookfield found all this seriousness
Probably out of his four acts in creating“ atmosphere
which does not even then convince us,
the eternal student (der ewige extremely dull. It is perhaps true that huddling all the action into the rest of the
Student), is described in the English version the seriousness is a little too uniform; and piece. Better work should have employed
" Pierre the Ploughman. What the the attempt to break it up by the introduc. Sir Arthur Pinero's talent.
author meant was, that although Tro- tion of a comedy bishop and his wife is
phímoff is nearly 30 years old, and Arthur Pinero—who, however, could not,
touch of caricature. Sir 'DEAR OLD CHARLIE' at the Prince of
Wales's Theatre failed to provide any trace
entered the University ten years ago, he we think, have written the debates of the of method underlying the madness of the
has not yet graduated, and remains husband and wife could have produced a Censorship. Founded as the play is on
the enthusiast he was ten years earlier. far better pair of dignitaries. To what degree deceit under the guise of friendship, relying
Like many Russian students, he has the play would be successful upon the stage on innuendo so thinly veiled that the
been excluded twice from the University, is difficult to say. The matters debated audience attracted to this type of play is apt
has been exiled twice, and now that he has
are so vital, the emotions so universal, as to to clip sentences with over-ready hilarity,
returned to the University, probably he characters are not strongly individualized, sowing of wild oats as devoid of evil con-
come home to every spectator ; but the and presenting deliberate and sustained
will never graduate.
and would need very good acting to make sequences, it may be said that the Censor
Mr. Calderon's translation should show them alive. It is easy in the theatre of the from his own pen has given us plenty of
what treasures Tchekhof's novels and imagination to form a company in whose justification for our opening paragraph.
little stories contain, and will lead, we hands The Next Religion might be made We are quite as well aware, as even the
hope, to a full translation of a writer, a great play, though in weak hands it would Censor can be that to-day things in
who, as Tolstoy said, undoubtedly created probably fail to hold an audience. Assuredly themselves essentially beautiful have been so
in Art something of his own.
it is not one of those dramas that can be perverted to ugliness that their presentation
P. KROPOTKIN.
said to “play themselves. ' But it is a on the stage is necessarily difficult, but what
sincere and highly honourable piece of work. the Censor seems unable to realize is that
as
as


## p. 236 (#190) ############################################

236
No. 4400, FEB. 24, 1912
THE ATHENÆUM
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS.
A COC
GEOR
PINIA
THE HISTORY OF RELIGION.
NEW YOLUMES.
ASPECTS OF RELIGIOUS
BELIEF AND PRACTICE IN
BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA,
By MAURICE JASTROW, Jr.
With 54 Illustrations and Map. 8vo, cloth, 98. not.
“Professor Maurice Jastrow has raised himself to the
foremost position among modern exponents of Baby-
lonian culture. "-Jewish Chronicle.
I NEW
FE
THE E
PAILA
P!
CE
scenes
FRES
Se
B
ASTROLOGY AND RELIGION
AMONG THE GREEKS AND
ROMANS.
By FRANZ CUMONT, Ph. D. LL. D. ,
Member of the Académie Royale de Belgique.
8vo, cloth, 68. net.
This
B.
8
PROS
H
LIST
LITEI
SCIES
.
M
Fine
PI
MUSIC
G
LOVE AND MARRIAGE.
By ELLEN KEY,
Author of The Century of the Child,' &c.
With an Introduction by HAVELOCK ELLIS.
Crown 8vo, cloth, 6s, net.
“The author is absolutely in earnest, has thought
deeply on her subject, and has, therefore, written to
interest. "-Pall Mall Gazette.
STAR LORE OF ALL AGES.
By WILLIAM TYLER OLCOTT.
Fully Illustrated. 8vo, cloth extra, gilt cloth,
uncut edges, in box, 108. ed. net.
A collection of the Myths, Legends, and Stories of the
Constellations of the Northern Hemisphere.
DRAM
ISDE
the masking of reality has never made for notion of the “ new sin is living at all
progress.
at the cost of other persons' misery, though
The acting of Mr. Hawtroy and his com- his friends argue the folly of helping the
pany is useful in concealing some of the helpless.
faults of a play as ill-constructed as we Max, this man's brother, degenerate,
hope it is possible for a play to be.
bloodless, inhuman, is Mr. Hastings's big
achievement, to which he is greatly helped
Mr. Phillpotts's dramatization of his novel by the art of Mr. 0. P. Heggie. But he
The Secret Woman’ was given at the owes no less a debt to Mr. Wontner, who as
Kingsway Theatre on Thursday afternoon. Hilary, the man in possession, was full of
It demonstrated potently how isolated the humour and sincere sentiment. Delightful,
drama is from the other arts. It did not too, were Mr. Malcolm Cherry as Hilary's
swing to its end with the inevitability and friend and Mr. Poulton as a blustering
rhythm which are inseparable from good capitalist, whose death at the hands of
drama.
Māx provides the most dramatic situation.
The play contained many,
of
singular impressiveness, including one or
BEFORE the production of Othello,' Mr.
two of exquisite comedy, but they were
Paul Potter's version of Trilby' has been
never wielded into a composite whole; they revived at His Majesty's. Though never
were separate unities, not one unity,
a very satisfactory piece of work, and
The play deals with the evolution of the palest reflection of the novel, the
sexual irregularity, consequent on its dis- play retains sufficient of the charm of the
covery by persons in emotional relationship. heroine and of the uncanny magnetism of
It neither shrinks from those consequences, Svengali to make these two characters
The revival of
nor stigmatizes the parties connected directly effective in the theatre.
or indirectly with them. The characters are
the piece is worth while, therefore, if only
elemental, but, immediately the tragedy
because it enables Sir Herbert Tree to repeat
is under way, commit actions under the
one of the most telling of his studies in
stress of an inordinate sense of duty—their the bizarre. The new Trilby, Miss Phyllis
passions retained, but their instinct for Neilson - Terry, is winsome and appealing,
self-immolation enormously magnified. The and has not quite so helpless an air as Miss
thinness
of the play is perhaps the Dorothea Baird.
outcome of this exaggeration. The position THE Ellen Terry and Albert Chevalier
of the Censor stands out here in startling season at the Savoy began on Monday
perspective. He is the foe to Puritanism; he evening with a triple programme which
anathematizes a somewhat excessive nobility could not fail to rouse pleasant memories
of character. As for objectionable passages in all old playgoers. Miss Ellen Terry, who
in detail, they are simply nonexistent.
gave a recital on The Pathetic Heroines
The tragedy is not great drama, but we
admire its cleanness, its honesty, and its She imbued her chosen heroines with a
in Shakespeare,' received a warm welcome.
unflinching devotion to realistic and altru brave nobility not always associated with
istic ideals. Miss Janet Achurch's impersona pathos, but, whether she was portraying the
tion of Ann Redvers was grim and powerful, constancy of Desdemona or the courageous
but she was frequently inaudible. The rest love of Juliet, or the madness and loneliness
of the cast acted with splendid sincerity of Ophelia, she was equally charming.
and insight, and the production itself was
inimitable.
In 'The House' and 'The Pantaloon'
Mr. Albert Chevalier once again scored a
great success. His study of the worn-out,
poor, and aged man is wonderfully artistic,
and the savoir-faire of the old roué of the
Bramatic Gossip.
union, who does not “play nap for nothing,”
is inimitable.
It is a pleasure to be able to welcome
Mr. Macdonald Hastings as a recruit to the
TO CORRESPONDENTS. -L. R. F. -W. W. C. -Received.
ranks of more capable dramatists.
L C. -M. -C. J. -Many thanks.
Here is an author who in The New Sin'at
No notice can be taken of anonymous communications.
the Royalty, notwithstanding the handicap
We cannot undertake to reply to inquiries concerning the
of a scheme which permits of no love- appearance of reviews of books.
interest or feminine characters, can keep the We do not undertake to give the value of books, china,
interest of his audience at straining point pictures, &c.
and make constant appeals to its intelligence
as well as its sense of laughter. Its very
audacity recommends 'The New Sin,' but
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS.
there is more than audacity in it, there is
honest spade-work-wit, invention, feeling
for character, drama. Mr. Hastings is of
the modern school. He is almost too fond AUTHORS' AGENTS
of paradox, too ready to sport with grave CHAPMAN & HALL
problems and give rein in Mr. Shaw's CONSTABLE & Co.
manner to extravagances of speculation. EDUCATIONAL
ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA
He has some of Mr. Galsworthy's humani- EXHIBITIONS
tarianism, and his liking for the collision of GREENING & Co.
LECTURES . .
quaint types, but he has, besides, moods of
LONGMANS & Co.
cynicism and caustic common-sense. Fortu- Low & Co.
nately also, though he delights in dialectic,
MACLEHOSE & SONS
MACMILLAN & Co.
he is not above elaborating a plot or afraid MAGAZINES, &c.
of handling grim and exciting situations. It MISCELLANEOUS . .
NOTES AND QUERIES
is his plot, however, based as it is on a far.
fetched idea, that is most open to criticism, PAUL & Co.
and leaves the playgoer rather sceptical PHILLIMORE & Co.
in the midst of genuine emotion.
PROVIDENT INSTITUTIONS
The whole action turns on the will of an
PUTNAM'S SONS . .
eccentric millionaire, who disinherited the
SECKER
only energetic member of his family, and SHIPPING
so arranged matters that the rest would SITUATIONS VACANT
benefit by this son's death. The said son's TYPE-WRITERS, &c.
SITUATIONS WANTED
210
HUMAN EFFICIENCY.
By HORATIO W. DRESSER, Ph. D. ,
Author of Living by the Spirit,' &c.
A Psychological Study of Modern Problems.
Crown 8vo, cloth, 58. net.
of
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or:
dise
HEROES OF THE NATION8 SERIES.
NEW VOLUME.
BLUCHER, AND THE
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By ERNEST F. HENDERSON, Ph. D. L. H. D.
Fully Illustrated. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 58.