The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-28
Tom Taylor and Paul Mer-
ritt's Glove or Lite"
MRS. BOUCICAULTS DISAPPEARANCE.
A Hearty Welcome and a Pathetic
Performance.
LONDON, June 10, 1878.

lame. The reappearanco OF such prime favorits
was OF course, event Of such importance that the
thoatrc--the Olympic-was crowded from PIT to dome
by brilliant ana sympashetie audience ready give
their old friend ana The heroine OF the new play
a hearty welcome. Tho play, written expressly Tor
Mrs Boucicault BY Tom Taylor and Paul Merritt, Is
sntitled .I.ove or Lie,"a domestic drama in three
ACTS dramatized from OF Crabbc's 'Talcs OF the
Halr'-thc poem en.itled ''Smugglers and Poachers"
The announcement Of the play sot everybody huatng
for particulars OF the almost forgotten poet
from whom MessrS Taylor and Merritt had
derived their inspiration. and 1t was some
what startling TO discover that he died SO
recently as 1882. He was, in fact, connecting link
be, wccn the last and the present century. He
patronized and favored by Burke, with whom he re-
sided at Beaconsned, ana there made tho acquaint-
ance OF Fox and sir Joshua Reynolds Anerward he
was the guest of SIR Walter Scott His Tales OF the
Hail. written after he entered the Church in the
quiet rural srciuson OF English parsonage, werc
published 1919, and 1t is said thai the one which
has furnished the subject OF tho drama was suggested
10 the poet by Sir Samuel Romly, whose object In
suggesting IL was 10 dcnounce the landlords, VINO
.took deadly vengeance Tor q hare" and TO hold up
10 Reproduction the hypocrisy OF those respectable
people who, while protesting to hold smuggcrs in
horror, made no conscience OF purchasing contraDand
goodr.
Tho interest OF poem centres in Rachel Shelley,
who Is courted by two brothers, one poachcr, the
pther gamekeepcr Rachel loves the Poachsr, who,
swing TO his Irregularities falls into the clutches Of
he law ana is IN danger OF his lite. They used to
lang men tor smuggling and sharing in those days.
ais own brother the gamekeeper, the prosecutor.
ana makes Racne's marriage with him the condition
upon which he win abandon the case against tho
prisoner 1.-The devoted woman consulis her i'm
turt air hoap
parison with that between Isabella and Claudio, and
he ike Claudio submits TO purchase his life by that
terrible sacrifice II Is made, however in vain The
outlaw returns his guilty PRACTICES and the broth
ers iai ny each others hands In midnight encoun-
ter ana arc found bleeding. by their as
lraS.ed vic,im.n This story has already been
successfully meodranat,zed. aud has supplied
nopul.r picture known as .rne Momsntous Ques-
hon" III tho present play the authors have set back
the dae to 1860 thereby securing moro picturesque
noes OF costume Tor their domestic drama, and they
give on tho play BILLS the following illustrative sum
nary OF the manners aud customs OF the period
OLD TIME LAwLEssSKss.
'srhe lawloss element oil snuggcrs and poachsrs,
which gives It's title 20 the tale OF the Hail. from
which present play Is dramatIzed (and which has
already supplied the subject OF popular picture and
q successful melodramal " but Too rite In Crabbe's
Zine ana was on nI,' inc o.
this play Is laid, on the coast between Sussex aad
DorseL
Of reckless defiance OF the Law by large armed bands
both muggiers ana poachers, hardly credible now
adays, serious and often fatal as poaching arrays
"rhe srin. Of conserving in armed bands. with
Jlacksned otherwise disguised, for tho rob-
berry Of parks warrcns, woods, preserves aud nsh
pouds, was made punishable with death about l722,
~ what was known as the black Act, tho crime which
gavo rise 10 II having been the murder, ty gang
Enown as the aithain Blacks. OF one OF the Bisnop
OF wincnester's Keepers on waitham Chase seven
men were hung in batch under this act In 1723.
WHOLESALE HANGING
ssBut smuggling at the date OF the play and for
Of lawlessness, savage crime and stern punishment
than poucn,ng, though that was dcmoralxing enough
iu all conscience. thus IN l7fS. al the Chichester
Assizes nine men were tried anu executed eight
hung in chains Tor hoggne 10 death OF two custom
Of iudescribable horror In 1919 Thomas Kingmili
five others we're tried NJ tho OLD Bailey aud found
guilty Of breaking open The Poole Custom House,
nhder The guns OF Kings sloop AZ The head OF an
armed gang Of more than thirty men. to rescue
smusglsd cargo OF tea which mad been seized and
logged there. For this daring act (wnich indirectly
LED TO the OF the ulcers already referred
to) three men executed ana two hung in chains
..rnesc smuggling dcsperadoes infested tho whole
Soutnern coast. but were nowhere more daring than
In and about the scenes Of this play.
na "nr aorn even in i,onaon. sbou, this lime
Mart,n's Round house was so attacked W mob OF
thirty armed Temperatures about five years De.
fore the dale oil thus play. Such facts will
account TOR an atmosphere Of Iawiessness which IS
xey to appear exaggerated BY tho light OF conteIn-
IL Is In this iswless atmosphere that Mrs. Bouci-
cuait, "the dainticst most winsome aud most pic
terms ner makes ner temperance before her admir-
Srs anu mus DO confessed that she s0ss through
tnc ordeal OF performing arok oil unrehcvcd pathos
and Joyiess tenderness WIN inmitabis grace and re-
nncment
rHE RIVALS.
The first act, 50 cntteo introduces TO US the prin.
cpa chsracers OF the play the two orphan brothers,
BIchard Oakley, nick namsd "Dare Dcvh Dick" tho
oviaL rccgiess poscher mr. H. NeviIicI John Oakley
iMr Bnhngtonl his exemplary and srespeclabien
brother and gameksepor To the Squire oil the ncgh-
borhood; Hester Mdiurst mrs Boucicauit) daugnsrr
At ho ntSt n lIlRe n "A
old innkc~per, tMr FlocktonL whose sympalhics
are lar more with the poschers than with
she squire IRON whom ho hoas mis- license, and upon
vnose game ne IN Dis youth made many nocturnal
RAID; squire Lockwood tMr. RobsrtsoDL who does
not iinch IRON standing nre In his woods from tho
gang OF marsudcrs VINO perpe,uslly thin them OF
Ineir furrcd ana isathercd inhsbitonts he squire
Is as he rs brave, And likes to get pretty
nsia servants enter his tho 4ial-a lypi.
cAi Engiisn gentleman, In iact, OF the oiuen time.
.ns,.c nd posehed sooa. Who travels sSous nc
county with smart aouBie- bottomed cart, ana IS
'endsry disposed toward toe maid Of the INN, vi
vacious anu bouncing damse named Bessie Tipthorpc
(MIss Kate PDiilipsl The remaining character, Lam.
n,e Aoieswortn, the ostcr Of lns Inn cunning iaio
Who is also cripple aud asPy tNr Patemaol such is
the cast of tne play. The curtain rises upon
Inc courtyard OF tue Inn, ''Ihs Crooked Billet'
admirably set scene, charming In color compo.
sisloO, with .pracIicabc pump In the yard ana a
shed, under which The sinugger pcdler's cart "a
housed Tho opposing factions OF the play are at
once made evident On The one hama Tho squire and
his gamekccper the good brother, and on the other
the psdIsr, tns innkveper and the naughty brother
Hester, In reply 70 tue gamekespsr's often urged
SUIT Gays she never be his wife, and IN a charm.
lhg urges tho poschns Dick. his brother whom
she loves, 70 leave his bad naots ana gain thersby
her hand. She exacts from him promise not 10
Join In poachi1g expedition orgauiz d Tor thai
might and when she returns on the scsns sho nnds
the Two broshers flying al csch others throats nor
account Shc reconcies them and returns ~tthin
doors 10 attend to the demands OF the NOISY crowd
OF poache-s IN the Inn. Mcnnlime the squire wants
nor 10 takc service IN tho Hail, anu makes hcr a
present Of a smuggicd silk kerchici, which he buys
rom FOxCOtg
scorniully bsslows upon Bessie much to the Squres
rt,hcation. Peter and the scouDdrel Lamme tannt
Dare Devil DICK with the assertion that he ~ muzzed
has his teeth drawn. ana he, Wild with excite.
mcnt ninps his promises OF amendment 10 the Winds
JOINTS gun leads the poschsrs VINO are singing
she famous old ditty, "Irs my delight OF shiny
night ~ they are setting forth on their RAID
against the squire's pheasants and hares The
squire and JONI Oakley are made aware OF the
intended raid. and sally out into the woods
10 oppose ihon. Bioodshod ~ Inevitable and pres
emily the baug OF the iowllne pieces Is beard, Lam
mic. tho bandy IsEgea crpple rnsnnE about ~ high