The New York herald., 1877-10-29
Mr.. HowELL's COMEDY.

A. publishers notice is inserted in tho bound COPIES
OF Mr.. Howell's "A Counterfeit Presentnent'
James II. Osgood Cob by which the public
informed that "lhe right Of dramatic representa-
ton Of Mr.. Howell's comedy has been purchased by
the eminent actor, Mr. Lawrence Barrett who will
produce it In the principal American cities during
autumn and winter Seasons"
Whilo think tho play fairly good as reading
play we cannot understand how 1t could bc acted sue.
ccssfuliy without considerable alteration. The dia.
logue bright. but there situations speak OF
and no action. Tho entro play takes place IN the
same set scene, q country hotel paror, which
| is monotonous. There Is sub plot 10
double the interest," and there is nothing par
ticulary original or striking IN the characters,
which, by the way, arc unusually few. The hero,
Bartlett. Is most uncomfortable young man, flying
In rage and acting like boor because he is mis-
taken Tor somo ono else, and then collapsng ana
wheeling straight around aud doing the over delicate
violently AS he had done tho boor. The heroine,
Constance Wyatt, is nothing but a rag baby, and .
very limp at that She has been lifted
by q scamp Of lover, TO whom Bartlett
bears striking resemblance; consequently every
timo sho sees Bartlett she nops over and swoons.
When sho is not hopping and swooning she Is
weeping quarts OF tears Tho business her part is
nadc up OF gasps aud starts with q little trembling
thrown in. Shoss irghtiuiy hystcrical and ono can
hardly fancy a strong man being amored oil one 80
weak. But Bartlett did lovo her, md when he told
her so she rcpned :-"And you caro- for poor
creature us i-so abjcct. obtuse never TO know
what made her intolerablo TO tho man that cast
her OIL"
BAGrLErr-Man! fle was mani He
CONSTANCE (suddchly)-Oh. waitl IL love him
yeti
However, she listens TO reason. and when hcr father
deepest dyo sho embraces hts counterfeit present
ment and Is happy.
Tho report from Cincinnati, where Mr. Barrett mas
just produced Air. Howell's comedy, Is that II was
very successful We sincerely hope for tho sake Of
the actor aud author that such the case To make
II palatablo TO New York audience The acting ust
be little short Of perfection. such PARIS
at the Theatre Francais, where plays do no; have
DO sensational 10 become popular.
THE AUTHOR OF ZONE SUMMER" HEARD FROM.
That popular little book. zone Summer which
appeared anonymously some tmc since, proved such
pecunary success that the young lady author made
sufficient money from It's sao to spend year Dad
The result Of this soourn IS anothcr little volume
bearing the title OF cone Year Abroad Jaincs H. Os-
good s. Co.. The style OF tho present volume light
but agreeable. times nnd IL gushing
while II Is intolcrabo In age. Tuis writer
while she follows somewhat the beaten path OF travel
does follow the conventional style OF describing
what she she does not tell US that the leaning
Tower OF Pisa was bum many hundred years ago by
and so, but aho tells Of the people OF the town
and OF hundred little Incidents which serve 10 i'm
press more with tho character Of the place than
would a more elaborate volume Of travels. Ono feels
almost as though reading the letters home OF
hts daughter or his niece, rather than printed book
The FIRST chapter "Iamburs AZ aFirst Glance. -
one Of the brightest IN the book la describing
street sights and scenes tho author says:-
easement high above you swings open and dis
closcs a lutte hgure standing IN The rarrow window
out You eaten glimpse oi great white apron aud
OF d neat, sensible, dark cotton gown, made Win u
short pulled sleeve which leaves The arm bare and tree
for work You woador wny tho gil looks 20 long up
ana down the busy street, aud what she hopes TO Sec
10 be sure may DO only Bridget looking Tor
Patrick or worse bridget thinking OF nothIng IN
particuiar SIMPLY idhug away her time, instead
OF sweeping the garrett But " her name perhaps,
uauncuen and she looks from window, narrow ana
hign apd the nor nng sunshine touches her narrow
braids and she stands so still, lar above the hurryDg
feet on tho pavement, how can one help nnding her
more interesting as bit oil human nature 10 study
and enjoy than belouncci and bc.ibDoned Bridget
at hocY Aud when Ia her pic dress, well suited
10 ncr degree she runs about the her ms
tross eriands, carrying many parcel her strong,
rou nd arms. she is pleasant thing to see aud be-
when py chance she walks by the sids OF one 10 silk