New-York tribune., 1877-06-30
LONDON TOPICS
FASHION. SCIENCE. AND TIE DRAMA.


FAILURE OK THE LONDON STAGE.
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TPs TRIBuNEl
LONDON, June 14.-rwo years ago no lady had
ever been admitted to the receptions OF the Royal
Society. Last year the rule which excluded them
was broken in upon and the disastrous consequences
feared by the conservative f. r. s. were so lar IRON
reality that the innovation was repeated this year
with great success. Tho Royal Society has a really
fine suite of rooms in the east wing of Burlington
House, in Piccadilly If they had been planned for
social entertainments they could not have been
better adapted for the purpose. They are large,
lofty opening freely into each other and decorated
with books and other appliances of science. Now
Fashion may say what she likes, but there Is
no form of decoration more effective in its way,
and certainly none more full of suggestive
charm, than that which consists of the backs OF
well-bound and well-arranged books. Fashion only
makes stupid mistake in banishing them-l sup
pose because they suggest the possibility of doing
somethng-from drawng-roOms. The Friday even
ing receptions the ROYAL Institution (which is not
TO be confounded with the Royal Society have al
ways had q peculiar interest and pleasure though,
indeed the rooms in Albemarle-st are inferior III
extent and in nobility of proportion to those OF Bur
lington House. Fashion takes. to be sure. only
qualified interest in Science, regarding herperhaps as
rival Last night saw few of the leaders OF society
paying homage to the invitation OF the distinguished
President of the Royal Society, but the assembly
contained leaven of fashionable celebrities ana III
contained something better, if Mr. Pierrepont viii
permit me to say so, than mere Dukes and Duch-
esses. 1t contained great number of the men
whose researches and labors and splendid abiltles
redeem England from the Teproach which contl-
mental critics sometimes seek to cast upon her-the
reproach of a too exclusive devotion to shOpkeep-
+,l fpix hp
other There was its President to begin with, and
suppose no name stands higher than DR.. HookcTs
in his own department. There was Prof. Huxley, OF
whom need say nothing to an American audience,
bat of whom | will nevertheless say, for my own
satisfaction. that if he had not chosen to devote
himself to science, he wOuld have won such fame
in either literature OF political life, or both, as not
half a dozen men in this generation can pretend TO;
whose writings on scientific and philosophical sub
iects have that grace and perfect form which wonld
secure them lasting place IN literature, even were
tbev not among the most solid of modern cOntnbu-
lions TO pure science aud pure philosophy There
was Prof. Tyndal, who has not diSdaincd to make
his scientific work popular by clothing his lectures
and addresses in lucid and attractive style.
There was Prof. Clifford mathematician and
metaphysican. There was Lord Lindsay, whose
rank has not deferred him from severe expert
heard described by an excellent judge as nearly
The best taught man in the House OF Commensurate
wthstanding hs being brother 10 Duke. Sir Jo-
seph Whitworth was there, and Sir Alexander piot
Wilham) Armstrong; Sir William Grove, eminent
alike III exact science and in the law-which ought
to be but is not, in this cOunlry an exact science;
Sir John Hawkshaw, the sepuagenarlan engineer,
who believes he shall see the Channel Tunnel COM
pleted full twenty years hence; Sir James Paget the
great surgeon: Sir George Mares, who might have
found the North Pole if lie had not forgotten to put
n little lme-juice on his slodgos DR.. Schliemarn,
and Dr. BluutOn, of the youngest Of the Fellows
Of the Society, who won his I. H. 5. by discovering
the remedy for angina pec0ris the disease by which
Mr.. Sumner necdlcsSly perished. The rooms were
filled from half-past nine ill midnight, by which
tlme Il great part OF the company had gone on To
Lady SalisLury's III AriiugO.-St., where Fashion is
commonly 10 be met IN closer company with Politics
than with Science. My catalogue does not include
tenth of the really eminent men who were present at
Burlington House; and il onits altogether the many
ladies to whose beauty and charm nothing bat con-
stitutional shyncss prevents me from paying trib
ute
Mr.. Jefferson appeared at the Ilaymarket on Mon
dav in - Lend Me Five ShilIings" and a becular
Fix" He is heartily and Discriminatory praised
Ly fbe critics. have not vet been able to 20 and
see him. but can imagine that his refined and Te-
strained style must seem singular enough TO pub
lie famiaIizcd with the monotOnOus and bolSterous
fun OF the one actor who has great English repu-
aton in farce. None the less is 1t true that MIR.
jefferson ought to let his gifts be seen in pieces
of higher order than these.
An American is here whois an accomplishedw writer
on the drama, and who has just been for the first
time 10 see MI Irving. asked him what he thought
A.. of rr.a.far itlaf ftta 4 y
was his reply. "but so defonaeG by manuerisms
that his abilities are sadly Obscured." Ny friend
knows New-l0Ik audiences and their ways, and he
* Of opinion that Nh Irving would not be liked in
New-York unless he could rid himself Of these man
ucri,ms. It is only fair 10 add that the piece IN
which Mr.. Irving now plays, The Lyons Nail"
gives him little scope for the display OF ms best
movers Ii is essentially a mclodrama, and Mr.
Iylugs best role is that of HaDid his best efforts
in Hamlet" however being in those parts OF the
play which are pure high comedy. Mr. Irving
himself is said to set but little value on his
pre,eut performance in comparison with his more
ambitious pcIsCnatons. The imposslblity OF filing
4 London theater IN summer by help Of tragedy
NAV perhaps account for ms willingness to assume
an mprateful task. The system Of running a single
play till 1t can be run longer is still pursued at
the Lvceum Lady Pollock's spirited protest against
IL in her clever dialogue For and Against the
Plav,o in the last number Of The -!inceah Century,
is without effect. Yet there few more competent
critics than Lady Pollock, few who know the French
stage so well, few who take more sincere and
intelligent interest in Mr.. lrynss struggles for the
elevation of tie acted drama in London. In a
sentence plainly intended for Mr.. Irving, Lady
Pollock discusses the Of an actor n no likes
long runs from habit of intellectual introspec-
ton" Invited to explain these hard words, she says
they apply TO an aclOr who believes that he Will
penetrate all the psychology Of character by play
| "a Laa bts .b..fe