National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-14
lnUsEKxErs
a npIrIo cR1rrcIsEn.

at the National theatre, eAs You Like It." On
Thursday morning cur neighbor, Of the CkTOHfels,
printed scme criticism Of the performances, from
which the following paragraph Is copied;
CHR. Barnes, the young English actor who
sslroorts Miss Neilson would 90 well 10 initiate
that lady in her strict regard for absolute fitness
h detail. He should remember that the Shel-
held manufactures were not established when
shakespeare wrote aAs You Like IT. and conse-
quently that exquisite little pocket knives were
among the impossibilities Of that epoch We sag
gest that when he carTes Rosalind' name sgaIn he
do It with hunters knife, and one Of the period
Audy might ssespt our adylee sso Sna ca t 1s5
q modern iaok-knifs.n
The first sentence Of the above paragraph is
well enough, and shows the writer to be one Of
those keen, incisive "a gaeious wits in whose ter
rIble presence
"The hddlers trsmble as they look around,
For fear Of some false notes detected toH."
Now, If our learned friend had stopped with the
very nrst sentenee-if be had stuck pin right
there, and said nothing about the impossibilities
Of that epoch-he would not have furnished the
critical world with another demonstration Of the
fact that - little learning is dangerous thing"
and Orlando would have been permitted to mar
trees with verses ond pen knives and Audry TO
hack the pungent turnip with ''nodern jack
knifer without the dread Of being charged with
violation Of absolute fitness Of detail - whatever
that may be. Now, we don't pretend to say that
Orlando was furnished BY ShakspeGre with an
'sexquisite little penknife, or that "a hunters
knife' would not be the exact instrument with
which to carve lady's name on the trees. We
will provoke no controversy with cur critical
friend on that point. We stand in dread Of en-
countering such acumen and profundity as is be-
tokened In his theatrical criticisms, and would
rather surrender the point than encounter his
ineisive pen. We might surrender the pen-knife
50 far a. Orlando Is concerned, but We viii never
admit that the jaek-kniie with which Audry cuts
her turnip, and TO which our critic objects, is
,samong the impossibilities of that epoch"
True, the Shefaeld manufactures were not es-
tablished when Shakespeare wrote and yet We
have excellent reason-very excellent reason as
the logical "Touehstone'' would put it-for In
sisting that jack knives and eTenpen-kniTes were
not unknown when he wrote "As You Like IT.
Shakespeare wrote "As You Like II" in the year
looO. The Book Of the Prophet jeremiah (which
our critic will find embraced in most translations
| Of the Bible) was written atleast couple thou
sand years before Shakspeares day, and in the
tEenty-seeond and twenty third verses Of chapter
| xxxyi Of that book We md these words;
HNoW the King sat IN the WinteT.house In the
| ninth month; and there was FIRE on the hearth
| burning before him. And 1t came 70 pass, that
when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he
cut u tpith the PENKNIFE, and east IL into the re
that was on the hearth Until AZ me roll vas con-
Thisis SUFFICIENT warrant for Orlando's man.
ner OF cutting Rotalind, and We hope Mr.. Barnes
and all others who essay the character OF that
| much admired youth will go on cutting Rosa
llndan name on the trees with an exquislte little
pocket knife" and not be frightened from the
''sbsolute fitness Of detail" BY the hoWlngs ofthst
CATenicle man.
THE FIELDS LECTURE.
Mr.. james T. Fields, the former editor Of the
"Atlantic Monthly and the wsllknoWn Boston
publisher, opened the winter course for the
| Young Mems Christian Association at Lincoln
hall last hight, with his renowned lecture,
HCharles Lamb" The audience, although Sc
lect, was not as large as the merits Of the lee
turer and HIS subject demanded, and the CONVEX
rational style in which the really meritori0us ef-
fort WAS given caused It TO fall like wet blanket
on the assemblage. They evidently looked more
| for display than merit, and they were disap-
M Field was introduced to bis audience by
Hon. Marshall Jewell, Postmaster General, with
EelLtimed and appropriate remarks and at once
upon the utility Of the English language, such as
| can only be written and read BY one thoroughly
| eonversant with It. Then came sketch In gen.
eral terms Of the eminent Of the DISCOURSE
/ why he had been chosen for the opening lecture,
9 resVme Of his habits IN boyhood, youth aRd age,
his associations and labor, and hnally his grand
/ triumphs. His clerkship In the once Of the East
/ India Company and his quiet demeanOr
w na,sSni Ms ASSOCIATES upon the London
| magazine, where he achieved his FIRST literary
triumphE, were given in the most graphic style.
1
/ becoming incidents and anecdotes, were referred
! to. and then the lecturer, warming up with his
subject, passed on ana reeitea ~ tne p9Test nan
subject Of hts lecture. II was complete In its way
| II led the audience willing captiyes through the
eventful life Of Lamb, introduced them 70 his Pc
culiarities eondoned his feults, praised his Vir-
tues, and finally summed up for him such char
acter as even his most ardent admirers must have
| appreciated. Taken all in all, II was . most
scholarly production, such one as AIr. Fields Is
capable producing, and az his subject certainly
/ day November l6 on which occasion Mr.. Fields
viii deliver his lecture, sidney Smith,"
! FORD'S OPERA HoUSE-MATlNEE To-
DAY.
large and brilliant audience greeted Mr..
TooIe last evening, the occasion being the bsnsht
| Of that gentleman. "Dearer than Lifen served to
show tho star in the most favorable light.
tits very pleasing play full Of pathos, fun
and strong dramatic situations. Mr.. Toole did
full justice to the sentiments Of the play, ana
received. frequent and deserved applause:
His humorogs lecture and the sketch entitled s1
enjoyable entertainments Of the season
This afternoon uncle Dicks Daring will be
gives, and Mr.. ToOle will bid his many Washing
ton admirers goodbye tins evening In "DeareI
than Life" and the "AFtful Dodger." He ma;
rendered himself great iavorite here and VIII be
doubly welcome when he visits Us again.
THE NATIONAL THEATRE-MIss NEIL
SON.
Tonight Miss Nelson will appear at the Ma.
tionaI as Juliet. The bill has been changed in
obedience to general wish on the part Of the
public 10 see this lady Of royal gins once more 10
the part. There viii be q crowded house. II
will be q wise thing to secure seats during the
day. The picture Of Juliet presented by Mis-:
Nelson Is the most beautiful one In the world.
THE SACRED CONCERT.
Special attention is directed to the advertise
ment Of the second concert tomorrow evening At
the National theatre. Miss Eva Mills will exc
cute one or two choieevoeal gems, and Mr.. Miller
a noted bssss, will also assist. The orchestra
will make selections from Rossini, Mozart, Orsini
Beethoven and Wagner, and altogether most
pleasing entertainment may be expected.
THE THEATRE COMIQUE.
Last night Of this weeks programmes. Those
who have not seen snip the Pretty Flower, should
improve the chance.