The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-23
"PROGRESS."
The Failings and Failures of Two Modern
Plnywrights.

Boucicault and Tom Robertson, at opposite
entrances, meeting.
Dion B.-Do J. indeed, behold the modern
Sheridan?
Tom RS this the modern Shakespeare that
l sec before me? Clhey laugh heartily and
shake hands.)
Dion b. (recovering himself)-Well. how are
you, old boy? l think am astonishing them
with FOrnlosd, eh Got up sensation this
time with vengeance, havn't l I've Just
posted six more letters to the newspapers The
six will be answered by twelve correspondents
Fourteen leading articles will be written upon
the eighteen letters. Everybody says nobody
ought to go and see it, and that's the very
reason everybody comes to see it,
Tom r. (wiping away a tear. )-Preciselv the
system that made School 90. Let the correspond
ents fight about something. That's all you
want.
Dion B. with animation )-How's Progress
. Tom r. with great auima,.on.)-Oh very
well indeed. ] have got good sound plot:
besides, you know, go in for moral lessons.
My idea in the piece is to show that we are
progressing-always keep pace with the times
never stand still.
Dion B. Qaughing sardonicaly )-Espe-
cially in dramatic matters eh? We don't, do
we2
Tom r. Continuing $50 I arrange nv
or0,bdtis pe,'sonoe in this wse:-Old fogfes are
always talking OF the past as better than the
present, who always appreciate what was higher
than what is, and who are averse to change or
Dion b. explaining. 1.-The idiots-men who
prefer Lazy Macbeth to FOrm0sa! l hope
you lash them well, Tom
Tom K. (still continuing with increased ami
mation.)-I make my hero an engineer. who
comes to survey the grounds Of an aristocrat for
the purposes of a railway.
Dion B. Gnterrupting) Railway That's
good. Had it mechanically in Afier DdrE. Got
it fguratiyely in Forn,oSd. How do you do il?
Do you explode or run off the line?
Tom II. (eNDlaininG).-NO. the railway is NOT
seen: hero only comes to survey for one Hero
ine relation Of old aristOcrat, sees him survey
ing from the window. Falls in love with him
because he surveys. Love so powerful that it
gives her fever. Atheistical doctor attends her
finds out her complaint, prescribes for, sends
her to sleep, and tells her in her sleep that her
love is returned by surveyor and that old aristo-
crat has given his consent to her marrying him.
Surveyor comes on-meets herOine-grand love
scene. Surveyor Indifferent not knowing he
is loved. Heroine affectionate, believing
herself loved and engaged. Heroine works
upon surveyor: surveyor gives way and declares
his passion. Heroine happy. Canting old
woman comes on, informing heroine that il is
only scheme on the part of doctor and old aris-
tocrat to bring her round from her love-sickness
and cure her of her fever and that surveyor
does not love her, but pities her, and has lent
himself to the arrangement Heroine left alone,
gets delirious in consequence of conduct OF sur
veyor Long window at back leading to bal
cony. Snow seen to fall. Heroine more and
falls harder than ever Heroine tears off all her
things in her delirium to get her death. Every
body Tlshes on. Heroine falls insensiOle into
arms of surveyor. Her teeth chatter as the cur
tain falls. That's strong act, isn't it?
Dion B. with eXcitement). BY Jove it's
done at last. I've waited for it. I've passed
sleepless nights thinking who would be the first
to do it: | congratulate you, my dear Tom.
creasing your dramatic reputation with giant
strides. | must look TO my laurels.
Tom Il. (hattered, raising his hat and wiping
his brow, Jim glad you like the plot as far as
I've told you. I'll so on with it,
Dion B. with gentle irony, intemuptrng him).
No; don't. Let me continue. Last act.
Heroine in a very bad way. Atheistical doctor
in attendance. The doctor again prescribes the
mixture as before. Tells old aristocrat that she
must marry surveyor. Old aristocrat must Get
consent from still older aristocrat-the Duke of
sOmething-not Loamshire, my dear Tom Sick
room business all over again. More physicking.
| Surveyor arrives; again declares his love- Hero
| inc repulses him because she has not got old
aristocrat's consent. Tabloau. The older aris-
| crat, having overheard her, pushes the door
| open. and gives his consent. Tableau. The
| heroine is Immediately cured, and marries sur
veyor. Curtain!
Tom f. with astonishment). Why, youlinow
| the piece!
my dear fellow? | should think l did. That
rascal. Nictorien Sardou, is under sufficient obli-
| cations to me to make me well acquainted with
| him. Didn't | open n thorOughfare for him
upon the English stage with his SerdphiRe in
| the same way that you opened Il thoroughfare
| for him with his DegeL, or what you called A
| Rapid Thar! And to think shouldn't know
| Les GdnacheSi However, it shows progress on
your part, old fellow. I'm glad to see, my dear
| Tom, you are leaving off writing such rubbish
as Case and ours, and going in fer good
healthy dramatic literature, such as Home or
| A Breach Of Promise, or PrOgreSs-yOu do
| it much easier; and, as you have gotta name as
! l have, it pays. Remember that it pays. What
| the screw?
Tom r. (timidly.)-A mere triae-e?O0 a
| night,
Dion B. with passionate gesticulations y
| That all You are spelling the market, old
fellow Why, the dramatic critic of the Times
| would have done ii for that with a column of
Hudos in the leading journal intofthe. bargain.
Tom r. (apologetically. )-I think, perhaps ]
ought 10 have had more, because, you see, go
| in for dialogue.
Dion B. (placing his glass in his eye and
smiling wildly. Precisely You write in the
| English language; Sardou writes in the French.
or BenediX in the German. The critics say,
This is thoroughly Tom Robertson" as they
| used TO say of Labiches tarces; in English
This is thoroughly Madison Norton" Yoave
| got your critics into groove, old fellow, as ]
| have. Make money. You ought to have had
| $500 a night for Les GdndcbeS BuclIy, of the
Haymarket or John HOlllngshead of the Gaiety,
would have given it you, I've no doubt. Stop
| ping and after looking round.) Between our
| greater reason why managers would jump at it.
1t is frghtfuliy discursiye, and there is nothing
| but sickness and physic bottles from the COM
| mencement to the end. It's the ITdbidtd with
| the best part cut oHt-the immortality. The
only actingpart is the old arstocrat, played by
| LafOnt; and where can you find any actor to
| play Latont on the English stage? My system
| is, train mediOcrites; get them respectable.