The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-22
THE LONDON STAGE

The Lord Chamberlaip's Embargo No Joking
with Cabinet Observation-Disclosures the Grim
and Lowe the Lusubrious-Play aud Pam
tOmimcs.
o LONDON, Jan. Q. 1872.
Go ahead That Is the great art aud mystery Of
writing. and It is the plan that 1 invariably adopt
when WELD my risky elliott IN thy service, dear
reader mine. II fellow keeps lowering about In
search OF topic cudgeling his brain for iaeas and
racklng his invention for something starting SO
he win never say anything worth listening to. Let
him thrust his pen into the ink and take headern
ct the paper and all will come right. What he Is
going to write Will shape Itself dennte form as
he proceeds. "Perhaps 1t may turn out song, per.
haps turn out sermon;' but it Is sure to prove
pleasant reading, provided, always, he has for his
audience klnd.hearted and good-looktng people,
such az have invariably the honor to address
In these columns. Handsome myself to perfection
that throws Apollo INTO the shade 60 In for good
looks others, and should not TO write line
for the perusal OF any one not comey and attrac
tive as the delightful person whose happy privilege
IT Is to read these brilliant lucubratons. And as
for SUBJECTS to write abOut-Heaven comfort your
capacity l-they are IS plentiful sands ON the
shore, stars In the sable sky leaves In valom-
br0sa's Vale. Suppose we take the first that
to hand-that all-engr0ssing topic OF sarcastic
versation In all theatrical circles-the recent ukase
OF the Lord chamberlain against iun and joility.
What an age we live ini Would heart Of
man eer think its Only fancy the govern
ment OF what processes to pe the greatest country
on earth condescendng to such lttleness notify
ing the managers OF the various London theatres,
through the medium Of that tremendous oficlal--
the Lord Chamberlan-lhat no references to politics
nor any jOcular illusions to the Ministry would be
permitted,
AT THE PERIL OF THEIR LICENCES,
In any OF the Christmas plays, pantommes or bur-
lesques. Marry come up Things have come to
pretty pass truly, when an embargo Is put even
upon the laugnIer of the people, and that too, in
holiday time. Anything more lmpertinently des-
potic has not occurred In England since the day
when oliver Cromwell locked the door OF the House
of Commons, put tile key into his Dreecnes pocket,
and told the members to BECOME about their bust.
ness. And look at the absurdtty OF the thing, TO
say nothing OF Its tyranny Here we have gov
eminent eternally exciting derison and every day
doing things to provoke the laughter OF mankind,
yet we are forbidden to laugh at them. There Is
Smoilett, in Dickens or Thackerav, more eXqusltey
ridiculous than the exhibitions Of governmental
vanity and Incapacty that we have witnessed dur.
ing the last twelve months; yet Englishmen are to
be forbidden poor satisfaction Of laughing the
In an artlcle entiI.ed ''rhe Government That Must
Not be Laughed Ap' the Su urday Reoiec mas some
observes the reviewer there we're any disposition to
ridcule the government IN the theatrca entertain
not q, c ~
ais They could hardly fail 70 appreciate the Joke Of
getting up series Of costly maasuvrss IN order TO
moment when y was about to be reyoluliobized;
tine broad fun Of sending large body OF troops
tissuepaper bottom; the unfailing ocoslty OF the
Home Once, or the subtle humor OF the artiice BY
which the late Attorney General was qualified for
seat in the Prlvy Council IN Migrant evasion or an
act of Parliament which he had him
the heads Of an irresistible pantonlme scene
almost without the addition or alteration OF word.
The meeting or the hostile candidates. attended by
their most excited supporters aJ the secret nomina
ti0n in q private room; the bewnderment OF rustic
with bit Of paper In mis- hand OF PERSONA
tors and Tepeaters; the perspiring agony OF the
ianche OF voting papers. churning them IN armius
ana mixing them together, wnliean impatient mob,
ton OF the poll-snese and other lauga6ie incidents
OF MIR. Forster's political extravaganza could hardly
stagen II the government Is so sensitive 10 laugh.
Ter 1t has efieciual remedy In It's own hands, aud
should take care IN Its future proceedings 10 afford
less pr0vOcatl0n tO mlrth. There can be no doubt
that
MR.. GLADSTONE IS AT THE BOTTOM
of this dismal escapade which, undertaken In the
hope OF averting rldlcue, will cover with ridicule
all concerned IN H. Gladstone quotna Never was
first syllable OF ms patronymic The second typifes
correctly enough his cold, impassive nature. which
Is stony enough IN oil conscience but as Tor glad.
ness he does not know what 1t means. Gladstone.
forsooth Say rather Grimstone. Grindstone-
stone and Gladstone how immeasurabe is the
distance Mr.. Gladstone abhOrs mrth, and o joke
was Q genial, jovial fellow, who took the world
easily and was content to believe that nfes q
and gay, he all hearts by the sauvlty and frank
ness OF his manner aud he delighted identity him.
eoent Rousn he @
mall woebegone parsonage, whose smiles
%sh Wen Sc 4as FAM 81 50 S wap Raea
Countenance, and might sing with safe con-
science II not with sweet voice. the plaintlve
song, IN Fletcher's grand old play Of "Ihe Nice
Hence all your vain delights,
As short as are the nights,
Wherein you spend YOU folly.
There's nausnt in this iie 81 sweet.
But only melancholy;
Oh, sweetest melancholy
Mr.. Gladstone s the most thn-sknned or Minis
ters and can't endure the thought OF cnafr That's
the reason WI ny he put down the white bait dinner
at Green ich, festive repasG where from time I'M
memorial statesmen were wont to relax the dlgnity
me ar linen. and good fellowship. ChaG was the
order OF the day at the Greenwich dinner but chaIf
pu Tao down cEa dinner and ali and went home 10
pen political article for Scol tsh magazine mat
that he Is testy and queraous to degree ms con.
duct In the House OF Commons clearly proves; but
Ing as to NEEDLE with tie panlomimes and to deny
the people the cheap luxury 81 harmless laugh at
his expense or thai OF MS colleagues was more than
AT the Royalty Theatre few months ago, when
Miss HCdSOn sang IN Tue course OF purlesque
droll parody on the 1avorlte music hall melody, al
ever cease to love- one couplet OF the ballad ran
thus
May Gladstone keep his temper,
II ever cease 10 love.
1t Is said that the Premier was mortay offended
on beng informed, through the newspapers, OF the
roar OF laughter with which these lines were re-
ceved Whether this littlc lncldent has had any
thing TO do with the ridiculous proclamation OF the
LORD Chamberlain Is more than can undertake 10
say, but certain II Is that Gladstone the Grim ''has
stemmed the tide Of laughter with sIgh," and that
we are to have neither cakes nor ale nor pepper
shot the mouth" because he Is virtuous All
well let mm nave his way. The solar system VIII
not be thrown out OF gear py his fr0wns though he
should irown ever so stcrny. For my own poor
part mean TO laugh whenever see MN or hear
ms name spoken; Tor
hold II one OF the wiscst things