The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-08

LONDON, March 49, 1872
The inventive and constructive faculties are no
longer needed for dramaiists. We live In times
teemlng with illustrations OF the Old saying that
"truth 10 stranger than felton," III we had only
man among us who could paint characters
and write dialogue that Is all that he would have to
do for the manufacture OF the most astounding
dramas. As for plots, the ponies assinornm OF all
English play rights bless your heart --they
plentiful in the streets OF London as blackberries
In Devonshire lane Why should fellow cudgel
his poor brains and put his imagination upon the
rack for thrilling incidents, sensational adventures
and appalling situations, when he has but 10 look
around MIN TO ind all these things ready to his
hand in real life, and that, too, In q state OF
perfection beyond the power OF fancy to con-
celve or words to depict2 Take for example
this T1chborne case. What mine OF wealth 1t
would be to nOyests and dramatists II they
had but the tact and energy to work
I'll Talk Of 'the glorious gifts to high
imagination gven.n When did imagination ever
conrrive anything SO marvellous9 Would heart of
man e'er think IT, A coarse. llliterate slaughter
man from Mapping who can hardly write his name,
crops up In the wilds OF Australia; comes to Lon.
don; calls himself a baronet; approprlates an
ancient and patrclen name lays claim to the titles,
honOrs and estates of grand, historic family; gets
eghty-hve people, some OF them in the highest
ranks OF sOcet, ana almost all OF them OF untainted
reputation TO swear thar he IS the very man he pre-
tends to be; nay, more-marvel OF marvelsl-hnds
woman prepared to swear with her dying breath
that she gave birth TO hlm-that woman being the
undoubted mother OF the very baronet whom this
Mapping butcher dares to personatel Why, II any
dramatic author had pretended to introduce such a
man upon the stage, adding, moreover, that this
aaventurer had impoverished the revenues of an
mOffensive family to the extent OF 100000:
that he had taken eleven jurymen from
their wives ana children for months to-
gether; that he had brought the judicial
machinery OF England to a deadlock and kept
whole nation in an agony OF suspense and wonder
for more than half year. the dramatic author in
question would have been decided 10 be a mailman,
ana the critics would with voice have condemned
HIM as hare-br Drained fellow who IN ft of Wild
enthusiasm had fabricated a tissue Of absurbites
hopelessly beyond the range or human possibility.
Well may we eXclalm, with ST. Augustine, "CredO
qua plposstbueW And then what roaring farce
might be made out OF the personal pecularitles or
the iustrous claimant and his prison experiences
after his case had collapsed AT tins moment he Is
in Newgate but what can the prison authorities do
with him in MS present condition? And still more,
what VIII they be able TO do with him IN the event
or his being found guilty Of the charge OF perjury
ana forgery pending against nm? He weighs SIX
mock bed as they do other prlsoners-he would
bring down the ceiling; they can't put HIM upon the
treadmi-he would smash 1t all TO pieces they can't
put him into bath, for there ne would stick as fast
as wax and they would never be able 10 turn him out
again. He Is the white elephant of the British nation,
and what on earth to do with him they ut their
wits end to determine.
Apropos OF Ilchborne and the drama, am bound
in candor to admit that Suggestion, that the trial
l got the hint from thief. "Ine poet and the
prophet are one" says the classic proverb. and as
much may be averred Of the poet ana the thief. l
know a man by profession thief Ny first acquaint.
ance with him was in Russell Square on snowy
night lew years ago. We mad met in lives
before. Yet, strange 70 say, he had gift Of clair
voyance which enabled him 70 look through my
pocket. anu, SO doing, he unaccountably mistook
my handkerchief for his own and distracted 1t
cordingly. He was tried Tor petit larceny and con-
vlcted. Visiting CodDatns Field Pri,Qn one day
wDcn TichbOrne was still In Iu leaSler whom
should espy but my old TREND. He had just come
or the treadmlll. asked nim now II was that he
had got into trouble again after promising SO ear.
nestly to amend. 81 am an Innocent man, sr,n he
replied. cit seems ii l mad been cut out for the
mill; but the TACT Is am mere Tor nothing worse
tnan borrowing money.u borrowing moleyr
exclaimed They can never have puc you ON the
MAna ~ from whom did YOU norrowy, asked.
''From an Ola gentleman III Fleet street. lie was
rather obstinate, so had TO knock HIM down i've
times and Kick HIM IN the head before he would
lenu 1t 10 mc.n IAN, welI.n rejoined, '.tne Lord
lovetn a cheerful giver and fear that old gentle
man Will not come IN for the Scrlptural benediction;
but, as Tor you, am afraid you are bad feilow.n
mot indeed, sir" he replied; 81 am unlucky but
my word for 1t, sir, that man WIN come to
grief he'll be IN the stone jug before long; but
while he Is on the mill here, gong up stairs ana
never reaching the lobby. they'll be making play
out OF nun AT the Victoria,
AND HALF LONDON WILL BE GOING TO SEE HIM."
SO spoke the thief. and. verify, his words seem IN
process OF verlncation.
world since Christmas seems now an end, and as
Easter approaches the busy note oil preparation re-
sounds IN all the principal metropolitan establish
ments. The few pantomimes which remain all OF
them snorn Of the Observation-Disclosures on The dra-
maulc horizon like the OF night fading In the
light OF the early dawn, as an eloquent critic re-
marks.
Az Drury Lane the dramatic season will close
win MI Chatterton's benefit on Saturday week.
ana or the following Saturday, Aprl 9, MIR. Maple
sons Royal Italian opera wnl commence at the
same house.
ness, win Mr. w. s. Gilberps classical drama OF
"Pygmalon and Galatea," u charming little play,
Robertson mrs. Kendap, as Galatea, lends ad-
ventitious ana Irresistible attraction. Meanwhile
Sae same pay being pey1rmed wt nc great sue
run its appointed course at the haymarket MI.
Gilbert means
TO PROCEED TO THE UNITED STATES
accompanied Dy MISS Matte keinnardt, Miss Caro-
line Hill llrs. Featherstonnaugn. Mr. Warner and
other artists, who Will lake part In the representa-
ton OF "Pygmalion and Galatea" aud kindred ana
sui better drama Dy the same author, entitled
s'Tne Palace OF Trusn.u
Mr.. Fechter Is still at the Adelphi, drawing good.
but not overnowng houses, as Ruy Bias. Ills visit
will be of snort duration terminating, Ii Is SAID,
without fan, on the 30tn inst. Nh. Fechter Was
formerly In great favor with London playgoers, out
they no longer run after MIN as they once aha. HIS
Hamlet deilghted the town by It's novelty and
"uniqueness." The very ''get upn was something
unheard Of before, and the golden locks with which
ne properly enough adorned the mead OF the Danish
Prince attracted crowds VINO mao grown tired OF
the raven hair OF Mr. Charles kean. But with the
novelty The attraction also vanished, and though
Mr. Fechter's Hamlet was a success his other
Shakspearlan representations were unquesuonaDy
failures.
oTHELLO WAS A FIAsC0,
and his lago though q performance OF genuine
merit did not hit the taste oil the town. HIS great.
est riumphs have been and still are IN the region OF
romantic melodrdma. lie 10 undoubtedly man VI
taste ana ability. His grace ana ervor OF manner
are very winning aud the classic elegance and ap-
propraIcness OF his gestures and ATTITUDES
bespeaK his well known iondness LOT scuip-
ture, an art which he once practiscu, Dut
though fancy was lar more poetic ana MS I'M