New-York daily tribune., 1865-11-25
partthat Of the miner-and played it remarkably WE'LL
and the piece, as We have said, had temporary sue

Il
Lost in London acted. for the Gst time at this
theater ard, in fact for the first time in this country
1t proves be the original of Jessie NcLane." Its
Lero is Cornwall coalminer, a midde-aeed man,
whose wife. young and Uenuiiful gu is abducted by
bis employer the ner of the mines L. differs, how
ever, in material particulars, from the stoen and
garbed version described above II represents th 1t
the wife was in fact faithess TO her misunderstanding
through vanity end not through afIectior-and. aiIef
portrayng the husbands SORROW and long search for
this erring creature, it terminates with her death. The
Diligence is sufficiently obvious. In the there
Is adultery: in the other there is. The lesson
OF ,hc whole story IT, that married people ought to dwell
together in amty We fail to perceive any novelty in
this idee as any good reason why it should be made
the basis of drama Our stage has been afflicted With
good many plays Of this description. all Of which
merely disgust the mind, by thrustng upon it sicken'
ing details OF weakness and sin without inculeatng
my new truth. and without inlany way mlnisteging
either 10 the qualification Of the fancy the elevation
Of the spiritual nature. Everybody knows who knows
anything that II husband wife be unfahul to the
marriage VOW TINT infdeli'y must assuTedy result IN
10 somebody. This drama of " Lost in London
-skillfuy devised and excecnty well written though
II bc-teis nothing than this. In tie matter OF
IDEAS therefore, il is rrcness ITSELF and since deals
with distressing subject. 10 good purpose and IN
fact TO purpose OF all, the just cito must protest
against 1t as wholly superilaoUs and extremely un'
pleasant There can be mistake about the fact that
adultery IL indecent and revolving theme; and 1t u
equally certain that unless possessed Of some rare aud
remarkable qualities OF ddnctic power and Significance
he drauo which brings in that theme is m unmisnted
nuisance We say this in no spirit Of silly s9ueamsh
ness. when facts are 10 b. met man Of sense VIII
hesitate TO meet them and grarpe with them precisely
as they are Eu il u not every fact that can be treated
upon the stage One docs not wish to sec dis.
gushing or hesri.rendng spectao.os unless there
b. some good reason for L. No such reason
jnstifes the play Of Lost IN London" In respect 10
the theme Immediately involved. Sir. Watts Phillips
had notaing % say and luenty has said nothing.
All that be desired manifely to make people cry.
and he has BIT upon the way Of accomplishing that re
suit, by means Of the expcdicnt II adultery. Ii the
reader would SEQ how the same result can be more
fully ad far more vorthly attained without auy such
revolving dey Ice let him remember Enosh Arden Mr.
Watts Philips probably wrote this pliy. before Enoch
Arden" wns heard Of. bat be bad. doubtless read
David Coplcifelj" and wept the misery and tie
moral grandeur Of poor old reeutiy. And ,herc can
be lttle question that the voice II ambition bids BIN 10
so and do Likewise. This job Aruroyd the hero OF
Lest In Londpn IL inst such character hsfegotty.
ard the paihos of hs l. induced by a citing that
ma unuimou. aud splendid nature with the cruelest
Kind 4 sofrow IT, poor old fellow. robbed Of bis wife
broken hearted. prcuaiaIey aged, ye, achug With an
awful dignity Of honest purpose, and With perfectly
Chris, like cbnrityf aufht that man does can assm-
fate TO tho Divine Master-presenis a spectacle Of
human sorroy and Of moral grandeur which cannot
H.. - a.. .a..f
A spcctace--if only il be superindnced by suitable
meana There was no need 10 violate the principles Of
good taste for the purpose OF intimaing that human
nature can sometimes soar into angelic moods. Lost
In London" violates those principles. and for that
on We do not Ike H. and regret that II has been
represented.
Mr. Lester Wsllack has produced this piece with ap
propriate scenery. which IN sevcInl paticulor re-
markaby picturesque Tie scene in the Cornwall
coal mines is very graphic and so is tha, represent
ing the exterior OF 4 London villa by night in a snow
Storm Mcssrs Ishcrwood and Maeder are the scenic
artists OF this tscater and ii is certain that ncy do
their work with remarkable bkl and taste and iuds
ment. Such scenes as those We have mentioned will
largely contribute to that popular success which this
drama is surely destined to achieve. Plays which re-
late 70 tho question Of sex. and which appeal to the
~ ymnl gland are always sure OF cer0in degree OF
popularity. the more especially when in tins in.
stance, they are thoroughly well produced aud ad
mrably acted This remark brings us TO the east.
which, il peculiar, Is yet remarkably strong. Mr. j.
w. Wnllsck Jr.. is the hero job Armroyd, and
his personation Of the character is simply
peifec His physical and mental accord with
the poor miner makes the Illusion perfect. He is
consistent throughout and 80 tender simple, loving,
and gland In his goodness that cannot but follow
him with tears Of sympathy and admiration. He does
the part than justice; and we can well believe
that Ia Enoch Arden he atnIns the eminence OF posi-
tive genius Mr. Fisher plays Gilbert Featberstone.
the scduccr gracefully and with earneetness and Miss
Hcnrquos performs the part of tie unfortunate wife
Nellie Armroyd. The character il perfectly simple,
and Miss Henriques portrnys il with simplicity, and
with far more than ber usual foelng. Miss Morant as
Tilly ggletborpe and Mr. Young u. Blinker
present characters from humble life. and leck the
drama with stars OF merumcnt. The other parts,
which are Of little specific consequence crcditab
acted Tie first representation Of Lost Ia London
lasted three hours and quartero fect which would
seem 30 suggest the eIpedency Of applying the prun
ing knife IL will be acted again tonight, and will
probably hold the stage for some time y come.
There will be " Sam" Matinee to-day, at the
Broadway theater, commencing at O'Clock. The Matt
nee at Niblo's-" Arrah ma Pogue' begins at 2 The
same play viii be acted In the evening Mr. Forrest will
play Hamlet at this theatcr on Monday The Circus
Matinee commences at 2i The afternoon performance
at Barnum's will begin at O'Clock as usual. Profes'
sor and Madame " iseman will give magical entertain
mens this afternoon and this evening. at Hope Chapel
To.ngh. viii witness the last representation OF " Tho