The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-14 00:00:00

A Speech by Lord Dundreary.

On Saturday night Mr. Sothern appeared for the
second time at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, in the
character of Claude Melnotte, in the '• Lady of
Lyons." In the course of the evening he stated that
he had long wished to see how he would succeed in
that role. Mr. Sothern-excused himself for not com-
ing up to his
.conceptioN ofAhe-part, because, labour-
ing under a severe hoarseness, he was unwilling to
tax his voice too severely. During the piece there
were frequent bursts of applause, and when the cur-
tain fell Mr. Sothern and Miss Leclercq (who per-
formed the part of Pauline) were called forward.
The lady having retired, Mr. Sothern said

Ladies and Gentlemen,—(cries of " Order" in gallery)—
thank you, whoever it was who called order up there, for
if I haven't silence I shan't be able to make myself heard,
I'm so hoarse. Ladies and gentlemen—that is the second
time I've said ladies and gentlemen, though, by the way,
upon my soul I dont see why I should be saying it at all
(A Dundreary laugh from speaker, and great laughter.)
You may think it a remarkably cool thing of me coming
forward this way, but I feel that after the reception I have
met—and I'm not a fellow in the habit of making addresses
of this kind, so when I do volunteer a speech I may be be-
lieved as moaning what I say—for the very cordial recep-
tion I have met at the hands of the Glasgow public, I feel
it might seem ungrateful in me if I did not make some
public acknowledgment of it. (Great applause.) It is
many years since I had a groat ambition to try my hand
at Claude Melnotte, and 16 years ago I filled the part
once as an amateur. I suppose I must have made a •
pretty mess of it - (laughter) —for I hadn't learned to act
then. Of course I don't mean to say that I can act now,
bin judging from what you have seen to-night you may
imagine what sort of a thing I made of it then. (Another
Dundreary laugh Hon) speaker, and general laughter.)
My friend Buckstono has often tried to get me to come out
in the part in London, but I never was able to muster up
the requisite courage. However, when I was coming down
Here the thought struck me that now was the chance, and
I said to myself, Old fellow, I'm blessed if I don't go in for
Claude Melnotte in Glasgow.' (Laughter.) So 1 tele-
graphed for dresses ou the chance of their fitting, and you
know the rest. And this I did because I felt that if there
were any merits in my performance a Glasgow audience
would be certain to find them out ; or at. all events, what-
ever imperfections there might be in it, I might rely upon
the partiality of a Glasgow- house to overlook them. I
have had the disadvantage during the present engagement
of suffering from a severe hoarseness. It must have boon
palpable to every one in the theatre. I caught a bad cold
three or four weeks ago, and have not recovered from it
since. And talking every evening, I have not had time to
got my voice mellowed. If I have been too feeble in my
performance in the Lady of Lyons,' I dare say you will
excuse me, feeling as I do if I come up to my own concep-
tion, I should have lost my voice at the end of the fourth
act; and if I had come forward at the end of that act., and
explained the fifth to you, that I fancy would have been
rather objectionable. (Applause.) An eminent actor once
asked me whether I didn't find Scotch audiences cold ?
`N.),' I said, I don't ; but what do you mean by cold.'

Why, they don't applaud, you know.' YOu mean they'ro

silent.' Well, I'll tell you what I said to him, and what
I've repeated publicly to audiences in all parts of Rugl and
and Ireland—and mind you it's not a complimentary thing
to tell a house a fact of this sort when it relates to a diffe-
rent set of people altogether. I said, I like silence. I can
act to a silent audience—but of all things I hate an audi-
ence which is continually applauding, and applauding in
the wrong place. It puts me, out. I can't act to it. But.
give me a house that understands what it hears, and when
in the middle of a scene sonic fellow begins to do this (here
Mr. Sothern clapped his hands), cries " hush," "order"—
that's the sort of house I like.' (Cheers.) Silence I con-.
sider*he highest compliment that can be paid to an
actor. Of course, at the right times—when the curtain falls
or between the acts—then any amount of applause you
like. It puts a fellow in spirits to go through with his
part. (Great and prOlonged cheering, on the subsi-
dence of which Mr. Sothern, making as if to retire, said)—
There, you see, that applause has finished the speech for
me, and I'm glad of it, for 'pen my honour I don't know
what I was going to say. (Mr. Sothern, returning, con-
tinued)-1 am sorry to leave Glasgow; at the same time,
Ido not know why ; because I am afraid, if I had got an
engagement for four or live weeks, I would not have lived
to the fifth week. (Laughter.; The excessive hospitality 1
met with is such that it almost seems as if I never go to
bed at all. I'm a quiet, domesticated man_ when I'm at
home —(laughter)—and like to keep good hours; but hero
there's always some friend who says, Sothern, old fellow,
let's have another cigar. Don't go to bed yet. Have a cigar
and another nip—(laughter)—it's only four in the morn-
ing.' (Greatlaughter.) And so you go on nip, nipping,
until your mind gets so mixed about the hours that you
think it better not to go to bed at all. Really the way
you manage things in Glasgow quite surprises me. You
come hero and see your bed, and say, All right ; there
it is, It is a very nice thing, and some day or other,
I suppose, I shall sleep in it.' (Laughter.) But really
your hospitality is so great that I very seldom do so
in Glasgow. I don't know whether I shall got to bed
to-night or not. (Great laughter.) Ladies and gentlemen,
I bog again to thank you for your kindness." (Applause.)
The performances concluded with Mr. Byron's extrave
gauze of " Dundreary Married and Done for," in which hts
lordship was as amusing as over. At the conclusion of
this piece, too, Mr. Sothernre was called before
curtain,
ands to
and in bowing his acknowledgmen!s kissed Lis hands
the audience by way of a farewell.—North b` ft ,1
~
1 Daily

Civil List Pensions.

Subjoined is an authentic statement of the Civil List
pensions recently granted by her Majesty :
Dr. Arthur Hassan, £lOO a year, on account of his emi-
nence as a scientific chemist and his services in connection
with the inquiry into the adulteration of food.
Mrs. Carpenter, £lOO a year, on account of the services
of her husband, the late Mr. Carpenter, as keeper of the
prints and drawings in the British Museum, and of her
own merit to portrait painter.
rea
'firs. Sykes, £75 a year, on account of the services of her
husband, the late Mr. Godfrey Sykes, to the industrial
of the country and to the Museum at South Kensington.
firs. Coulton, £75 a year, on
the
literary
i lalunsctof
tthis
oiartsrof
merit
and
of bor husband, the late Mr. David Coulton.
£75,
literature
lecturer,
yedaarni
in
m and consideration
minstrelsyse rl:ri
e.
e Patrick
atr is
and
ankndb a White,n
urtdhior,
cpublic
modern Ireland.

Mr. Henry John Doogood, £4O a year, for many years
engaged in literary pursuits and in connection with the
public press as a preliminary reporter, and now blind and
paralysed.

Mr. George Thompson, £4O a year, on account of his
services in connection with the periodical literature of the
day, being now afflicted with blindness.
Mr. Robert Young, £lO a year, in recognition of his
services as an historical and agricultural poet in Ireland.
Miss Mary Craik and Miss Georgiana Craik, £3O a year
each, in consideration of the services of their father, the
late Dr. Craik, as professor of History and English Litera-
ture in the Queen's College, Belfast.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

OXFOED, Nov. 13.

In a Convocation to bo holden on Friday next, the 16th

inst., at 2 o'clock, it will ba proposed that the University
sett be affixed to powers of attorney for the sale of £6,000
stock to replace stuns of money spent in purchase of lands
during the ex-Vice-Chancellor's tenure of office, such pur-
chases having had the sanction of Convocation.

In the same C6nvoCation it will be proposed that the de-
gree of D.D. by diploma be conferred on the Iron, and Rev.
Charles Brodrick Bernard, ALA., of Balliol College, Bishop

designate of Tuam.
In the same Convocation it will be proposed that the Rev.
Shad well Morley Itarkworth, M A., of Worcester College,
be permitted to proceed to the degrees of B.D. and D.D.
accumulation.

In the same Convocation it will bo proposed that William
Henry Smith, M.A., fellow of St. John's College, be per_
mitted to commute from that degree to the degree of B.C.L.
and proceed forthwith to D.C.L.

•
Stfrg Un.