Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-12-07

| rule fancy not but have heard of one case
where it seemed TO. A few years ago young
English lady wrote q novel, which, to her sur
prise, was an immense success. Some way it
seemed to reach everybodys heart, although
1t was simple story-therein possibly lay
the charm-and like Lord Byron, she awoke
one morning to find herself famous Critics
praised her and reviewers failed to find fault
with her, while the readers of fiction fell at
her feet The success was so great and so un-
expected that it frightened her and she has
never written anything since. No amount of
argument or persuasion can induce her to
make another attempt. Having won success
she evidently breads possible failure.
This book, which by the way is called "The
Lost Love" was sent over TO Mr.. A. X. Lor-
ing with some other of Smith 4 Elders publi-
cations for circulation from his library. On
its first arrival it was picked up by Mr.. Geo.
I. Curtis, who was immensely taken with it,
As he was engaged to dine at the Ticknors' he
carried the book with him. and left it to make
its own impression There was perfect
furore over it, and 80 great was the demand
that Mr.. Loring was induced to undertake
republication. The book has never lost pop
ularity and is read as much now as it was on
its first appearance 1t has always been pub
lished in paper covers. but this year Mr. Lor-
ing has issued it in cloth in uniform edition
with ''Helen's Babies" 1t is simple, touch
ing story, most daintily and exquisitely writ
ten, and carries an irresistible charm | don't
know that 1 wonder because the author has
not tempted Fame again. She cannot afford
to lose what she has so deservedy won and
it is very rarely that first successes are follow
ed up.
The theatres in the city are all given over
to comedy Of the broadest sort, and there is
| plenty of fun for all amusement seekers.
John I. Raymond Sellers is at the Boston,
| Stuart Robson and VIM. II. Crane are at the
Globe, with Bouricault's latest adaptation"
called Forbidden Fruit" which is nothing
more or less than a clarified copy of Pink
| Dominoes." Robson is inimitably funny in
it, as indeed he is in everything he undertakes.
| At the Museum, Augustin Daly's Lemons" is
having a two weeks run. 1t is a very funny
| play, full of the most absurd situations but
there is no suggestion of wickedness 1t is
the very broadest kind of farce, but because
it is divided into three acts it is called a COM
edy. Whatever it may be. however, comedy
or farce, it keeps the audience in roars of
laughter from the beginning to the end. 1t is
to be withdrawn next week and Mr.. Fred Viii
| liamss new play, THE Soldier of Fortune"
| will take its place Mr. Williams is one of
| the most successful tnnslators and adaptors of
| plays that | know of. He always preserves
the unities and never admits inconsistencies
into his plays. If he is adapting French
play, he makes it French in every sense if
| he Anglicizes it in one particular he does it in
| all, instead of leaving a sort of hybrid whose
nationality can never be determined.
Apropos of local playwrights, Robson and
| Crane will bring out next week at the Globe,
| j. r. Bradford's Bachelors, " which was writ
| ten especially for them. and was brought out
with great success in Philadelphia. Bradford
has written plays for Robson before he seems
to understand the comedians peculiarities and
| gives them fine chances for display. He is
| one of the Nleverest fellows with the pen in
Boston. n thorough going Bohemian. bright,
genial. full of genuine wit, trimming over
with anecdote. a charming companion, whom
| you cannot help liking in spite of his eccen-
| tricities, all of which, however, are character
| istic of Bohemia Those who have been so
fortunate as to see it, say his play is immense
| ly funny l am glad, too. that Robson has
got hold of something good. for The Two
|
Harte such fabulous price was disastrous
failure. Harte has pocketed $4,000 by the
transaction the whole of which he compelled
| Robson to pay before he would allow him to
produce the piece. He got well paid for n
| failure, but then it has long been a peculiari-
ty of Harte's that he has been paid the most
for doing the least Of any writer of the pres
ent time. 1t would have been infinitely bet
ter for his reputation if he. like the wise
pf INst Love Ia1 lat We
enough alone and been content to stop writ
ing when he had nothing more to say.
Theodore Thomas is giving a series of sym
phony concerts with his wonderful orchestra,
assisted by the Original Swedish Ladies Quar-
tette and Master Leopold Lichtenberg, n
young violinist, who is the wonder of all who
hear him. Apparently not more than thir-
teen or fourteen years of age, his playing is
| something marvellous he has perfect control
of his instrument and plays as though he were
inspired, until he fairly bewitches the audi
ence. The charm of his playing is his perfect
absorption he forgets himself and his sur
roundings, has no thought of his audiences,
and seems perfectly oblivious TO the sea of
wondering, delighted faces in front of him
Tall for his age and slightly built, he has n
singularly unchildish face that is almost alb
surdly old-mannish when one recalls his years
A shock of dark hair falling over his brow
he sweeps aside with the peculiar nervous mo-
tion which we all remember in Rubenstein.
The musical event of the year is now Thorn
ass visit it is looked forward to and antici-
pated by every true lover of music. Before he
came the only symphony Concerts We had
were the Haryard's, and at these, year after
year, the same works were presented, until
everybody got wearied. The management
seemed to think that to try any thing new was
to forfeit their claims to being classical as, ac-
cording to the belief of the generation of Bos-
tonans which is gradually being gathered to
its fathers, nothing that has not the dust of
centuries upon it, can possibly possess any
merit. 1t has had for its pockets sake to al
ter its opinion and to give to the public in its
later concerts Just what it criticised Thomas
for giving when he first visited us.
Aldrich's Queen of Sheba," which has
been running in the Atlantic, is issued in book
form by ]. II. Osgood d Co. 1t ends happi-
ly and leaves everybody satisfied with the
denouement. The plot is sufficiently odd to
be novel, and the inimitable manner of telling
the story is Mr.. Aldrichs own. The fifth vol
ume of the Autobiography series is out. 1t
has the usual introduction by Howells, and
for a subject Carlo Goldoni, the famous Ital-
ian dramatist, whom Mr. Howells character
ICES as the Goldsmith of Italy" Next to
the Margarine of Baireuth, this is the most
entertaining of the series SO far published. 1t
iseyident from Mr.. Howells's somewhat enthu-
siastic essay, that he is in full sympathy with
the subject of the memoirs. II have person
ally to be glad" he says, THAT his memoirs
was one of the first books which fell into my
hands when / went to live in Venice, and that
read it together with his comedies, SO that
the romantic city became humanized to me
through the life and labors of the kindly
| dramatist There is IA blitheness that is ire