The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-11
LONDON, May 20, 1871.

case Of no small interest to the dramatic pro.
fession and TO the public will shortly come on for
trial at Westminster Hall. Some weeks ago a cer-
tain Mr. Leopold Lewis, gentleman attorney, was
present In the pit OF the Queens theatre during the
performance OF Mr.. Tom Taylor's play called "Joan
or Arc" Finding that the actors, according to the
usual practice Of actors upon the London stage,
uttered the text in an indistinct voice, and with
little regard to the graces of elocution Mr. Lewis
ventured to exclam, "Speak up p an exhortatlcn
which he uttered in no arrogant tone but rather IN
mild persuasive accents Thereupon certain OF the
audience shouted, "Turn him out !" and out &C.
cordugly he was turned, neck ana crop, by
"Bobby" more jealous than judic,ous. Mr.. Lewis
was taken TO the station house. and there given IN
charge by Mr. Clifton, the lessee OF the Queens, for
disturbing the audience. Nothing was alleged
against him except that he had requested the actors
to "speak up" which, OF course, they didn't There
was no one TO speak up for poor Mr. Lewis, whose
crime was SO henous In the eyes of the inspector
on duty that he cast him into cell with the feOns
OF the night, and Kept him there some hours, until
bail was procured. On the casa being brought
before the magistrate next morning the worthy
''Beak' expressed strong Indignation that re.
spectacle manor, indeed, any man. for the matter
OF that-should have been given into custody on
such CHARGE una stronger still that he should
have been locked up in the black hole for no worse
offence than requesting his fellow creatures to speak
up. He IL remembered that Mr. Lewis had paid his
money-current coin OF the realm-to hear those
aforesaid fellow creatures speak up and for asking
them nofrensivey TO fulfil their portion OF the con-
tract he Is ANONYMOUSLY expelled. would heart OF
man e'er think OF t We live in strange times and
they seem TO grow str anger day by day. In the days
OF our sres and grandsires II an actor spoke In too
low voice, otherwise fell short oil his duty, the
audience resented IT, and the Kissing that resoundcd
w q n flon N Epa N na
time Of the 0. p. rlots the Court OF queens Bench
decided that the right 10 hiss at theatre II he did
not like the performances, was among the occult
rights Of a true-born Briton. Now a man dare not
call upon an actor to speak up without running the
risk OF being forcibly elected, and that, TOO, with
the cordial concurrence OF the audience. The CONF
ing trial VIII be watched with eager attention Amy
how, II VIII teach managers 10 keep their hands OF
attorneys, let them expel whomsoever else they
may. But how to know the attorney "irom another
man." as Opnela says. that Is the question. Sup
pose attorneys 20 to the play for the future with A.
L. Tor attorney at law written on the hats, and with
the Law List under their armsf THIS IS valuable
suggestion and it is at the service OF the profession
at Tue low charge OF six shilIIngs and eight pence.
SOlHEkN'5 REAPPEARANCE-"AN ENGLISH GENTLE
MAN."
After long provincial tour, interrupted In the
full TIDE Oh success at Birmingham by MS sudden and
serious illness, Mr.. SoLhern at last found his
way back TO the Haymarket wnere he was received
play by Mr.. H. J. byron, entitled IAN English Gen.
teman. or the Squres Last smiling" THIS comedy
or comedy DRAMA AS II Is nOnse nsically styled
the bills, processes to Illustrate the character and
career OF a certain Charles Cnuckles what namely,
who has no sooner attained possession Of fine
hereditary estate than he Is informed that he has
business there, viii having come to light whereby
bad-hearted fellow named Roderck Arnott
Without pausing to peruse this document the
mansion and all its belongings to his kinsman
makes his way to London, where he Is reduced TO
to game preserving, nor TO gardening, nor to teach
Ing riding, nor to any such resources as might be
presumed TO come handy TO country gentleman in
the OF adversely, but loafs about the streets OF
London. picking up a living as best he may by OPEN
OF porterage. The cream Of the joke is that the the
poorer he gets the merrier he grows. He has 10
his spirits rise with each successive calamity; aud
when his fortunes are at the lowest he finds himself
.s negotiating yssrs r theme for laughter Never
fed the saying OF the Latin satirist:-"Nu
naoet IN Sc durnts i,Jsitr naupo7as quam Quod
hOnsi,eS fdcW ridituOs" In The result 1t turns out
that the VIII by which he had been dspossessed wasa
forged document, fabricated by q dishonest stew
ard whose accompices In the crime were an old
mser and his Inflated daughter. The Squire goes |
back to Rayenhill; now in his turn ejects The
wicked cousin; regains possession OF the estates
and marries a farmers daughter who had been |
true MIN in all his trials; and they did not 1--we
Now may be wrong-I dare say am-but hold |
none the less firmly to the opinion, that such
na as C nc Is SIMPLY mpossioe Fancy
sion OF ine estate az moments notice because he
Is told OF an adverse VIII, one line OF which he oes
not trouble himself to read. He hands the will, I'M.
coat out he goes TO- eesgary. Would
5lt of It, shouldn't mind walking seven miles
bareootcd on broken glass TO see the man who
judgments OF all the courts Of law in England ana
four OF the strongest policemen within the four seas
quarters. And then the notion that young country
gentleman. instead OF enlisilng in the Guards or
ike an Arab OF the streets dong all sorts OF ignobe
things The idea Is absnrd. But still more prepos-
this furnace OF ancuon and be as Jolly as a sand
boy-oking, testing ana setting everybody in roars
OF laughter There never was sucn man on earth,
sieed IN the stall, but sad jade on tue road"
says Oliver Goldsmlth; aud philosophy could
not carry fellow through brakes and briais such
as these and preserve HIM unscratched to the last.
1t Is clean out OF the question. Mr.. Sothern plays
magnlncenty, and keeps the audience. as usual, at
the nigh op-galIanr or nun ana increment. He acts
admirably, and 1t rs no fault OF his that the charac
he can TO make 1t true to nature Miss Fanny
Gwynnc is the mIser's daughter, very tragic part,
dale is the miser, and Mrs Cnippendale makes a
great hit In the character OF an lIliterae parreu
partaking the qualities OF Mrs Henielburg and Mrs.
Maaprop. Despite It's absurdities Tor perhaps be.
cause Of them there Is probably money In this play
as the managers say.
One OF the many reasons for the degeneracy or
dramatic literature IN these times Is that It Is writ
ten, OF rAtuer KNOCKED OH IN suCH naste. |
Formerly n dramatlst sat down deliberately to his
work. laying out the plan OF his story complica,ing
and evolving his incidents, co0rng his dialogue
aud dehneatng his characters with the care ana
precision OF a man engaged in work OF importance.
'Why do you take such tlnie IN painting" asked
q lady once or q famous artist. "lecauss am paint
Ing for poslerity' was the reply. No such thought
seems ever to occur TO painter or playwright In hs
many gates, and look al the result mass ofcrude,
caricature pictures and plays, which can live only 10
be forgotten This Wild, fierce haste has been The
ruin OF many man OF genius. The late
MR.. ROBERTSON
was n case In point. Such few Of hls PLAYS IA he
took pains with have survived but the other two
thirds OF his whole works thrown OF ~ cdDe,o,n
are already forgotten. Everything Is now done ut
nigh steam pressure, Our houses are brick and
mortar bandboxes, which shake and quake when
the cat sneezes. our plafs are nImsy things, but
hall made up, sent INTO this breathing world before
their time ana passing out Of It Ike shadows.
MI. II. u ByRoN's