New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-25
ANGLO-AMERICAN TOPICS.
NOVELS, NEWSPAPERS, AND THE DRAMA.

IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TBiBrSTl
LONDON, May I2.-It Is, admit, hard to think or
write tins week Of anything but politics. Stil,
have said as much as - dare on the great questions
OF the day. and there are half a dozen minor things
on which viii try to say word. here is for IN
stance, Mr.. Pierrcponts speech at the Press Fund
dinner lie has made a number of speeches lately
II seems to have become the fashion TO look to the
Minister Of the United States TO speak for his diplo
i..stic brethren, whenever tho representatives of
foreign Powers are toasted. As the English phrase
Is, NIr. Pierreponts name is occupied" with the
toast. / should think that must be toast-master's
English, and the toastnaser is superior being of
whom should no more try to give description
than Of the mysterious funky whom the Lord
Mayor carries about with him. There was once
theory that he was the Lord Mayor. Within few
days, however, Mr.. PicrrcpOnt has found rival IN
the Chinese ambassador, whose harangue | have
carefully abslaincd from reading. Mr. picrreponts
| read, but il was some days ago. and good many
speeches have been made since which ! have had to
read, and no copy of our ENJOYS Is procurable at
the moment. / am writing al a club where they
have the excellent habit Of destroying all
papers more than a day old. However, remember
that, when / read It. thought Mr.. Picrrcponts n
very good speech lie paid proper tribute, per
haps an cXtrayagant tribute, to the power OF tue
press; a subject on which remarks have bcen made
before his. But he coupled" il, rather oddly, with
the fashionable novel, az IN indication Of ,hc pre-
vaiag temper of the times. / don't think that
will hold water. Let Us suppose two historians of
the future undertaking cach for himself to repro
dnce tho image Of the year 1877. One Of them
takes the fashionable novel. The other takes tho
fashionable newspaper. What sort Of likeness
would there be between the two plctHres Perhaps
Mr.. Picrrepont Will tn us in lis next speech |
should not myself thak it would be close The
newspaper of 1577-whatcvcr else NAV be said fit
is edited and written with great and various ability.
The novel; mean the English noyel-of 1877 rep
rc,ents as a rule OF the lowest forms of intel
lcctual activity known TO the world Aud the news
paper Is, GA the whole, improving; which Is more
than can be said Of the novel
But Mr. Picrr, pout is not the only American Who
has come to the front this week. Nh jefferson is
another. lie has been figuring as defendant in a
chancery suit IN which Mr.. Chat'criou is plaintiff
Mr.. Chlttcrtou is q man of whom anybody who has
ANYTHING 10 do with the nw-T mean professionally
OUGHT to Spea. with gratitude. he must DE
a steady source of revenue 90 the proie-,ion-not
less $50 than NJ Cyrus cd used 20 be 10 the tea'n-
ship companies between Liverpool and Acw-l OH
used To be-. but is 40 longer Mr. Chattcrion Is
lessee Of three theaters and Is pretty constantly m
hot water about orc of them. lie ENGAGED Mr. Jcicr-
SON to play Rim Van Wrinkle at the Princess for
cicht weeks frun the ~ o. April last, "witb mu-
trial privilege of extension" Presently il appeared
that Mr. je .r,on had made au agreement 10 80 10
the iiaym1rhct on the expiration OF hrs eight weeks
term with Mr. Chatterton. Against this Alr tiIt-
t.ron protests and applied To the court for an in-
junction 10 restrain 4ir. Jefferson from playing oI
adv.rt rising that be would play at any tnt'tcr ou'
the Priuc..-'s. tie base, his claim On thc phrase
4 n ,-it..l d
phrase.
What makes II sill more exciting to the American
nation +, the fact tba-ls wac urged az Tie hearing
this phrase isan "Amcrclni,m" Mr. ChaiiertJn'
who belongs TO the Tribe Of john Bu.l says it means
tat either ha or Mr. jefferson could insist on re-
u.val If the engagement. Mr. jefferson says 1t
means that the engagement may he renewed by
mutual consent and no5 otherwise and that this Is
its well-undcr,to)d Specification an theatrical circles
ON your side. Mr. Nic.-Jhaucciior Aaiins SAYS he
doesn't know Tor care what it means IN America,
bat that 20 his judicial mind il means 80 nearly as
possible nothing at all And GA this highly salts
factory groand he dismissed Mr. Cnattcrtou5 blil.
leaving Mr. Jefferson to play where and when and
what ne will when the eight weeks from tho "a Oh
April shal have come to an end
Thi, is all very well, but Sir Richard Mains, be-
inc by nature and habit laxative person, thought
{
mark, Of a moral-anJ hence judiclal-chaIac-
fer which are not so well. He read both Mr. Chat
torop and Mr. Jefferson lecture on the de,irabilty
If settling such disputes as theirs without coming
IN cbanccry That is good advice 70 the lliigIoua
Mr.. Chatcrton, but less suitable to Nr. Jcs rson'
who was dragged into court whether he would OK
no. The Ycc-C Chancellor further observed thal Sir'
J.n.rson might have rendered his services alicsh TO
Mr. Cbattcrion before engaging himself elsewhere
Mr. jefferson indeed, said that his health was such
rs would not permit Of his playing "llp an III
kle" and nothing else every night Tor more 'Hah
eight weeks But his Lordship could not account
for an actors being fatgued just at the time
,chcn he had another engagement nyiew-" whether
for larger salary or not was not apparent" Hh
III Difference TO the Bench, and in the stricestmcan-
ING Of the word this remark is impertiuent. But IL
H. unhappily. tho custom OF Sir Richard Malins to
inter dic;a which are not pertinent. Ii would not
much matter EXCEPT that they seem TO confuse ms
own mind and lead HIM, in the present case TO
upose fines on suitors whose ethical views do not
Lappcn 10 coincide with his own. DO not quite see
how anybody's mind could be expected to run on an
fours with that Of SO eccentric judge as Sf ich-
ard Mains. But because Mr. Jeiicrsons did nos, he
finds himself compelled 20 pay his own costs, which
any other Judge would certainly have compelled MI
Chatterton to pay.
II came out incidentally that Mr. Jefferson was 10
have as compensation two-thlr.s OF ali the receipts
OF each night after dejueting $500 from inc gross
sun The th.ater holds at least ! 200, 50 that II
IL were fulI Mr. JciIer,on's salary would be 5000
rigbt. Half that would not lie bad pay, nor would
even 5000, which is the sum Mr.. Jefferson would
get if tie tLeater were only half full. 1t Is no
bodys business, but in these gosaiping days moth
Ing seems to excite 50 much interest as the det'ls
which do not concern Us, but concern somebody