The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-09
Reception to MeSSrS. Gilbert and Sui
Ivan at the LOtOS Club.
WHY THEY CAME TO AMERICA
Graceful Addresses by the Two
Distinguished Visitors.

bert, the authors or "i1naiofe' A' "-.i'o.
law Reid presided. and the aisunsuisneo
guests sat on either SIDE After oountitui dinner
had been done ample justice to Mr. Reid extended
the hearty welcome of the club to the guests of the
ave,i,g ..as men who had used their undoubted
,e,ius 10 GOOD ends and who had added to the hap
niness of their kind" He first called upon Mr.. W..
\ Gilbert the author of the text, to respond
When Mr. Gilbert he was received with
hearty applause aud cheers After these had suosded
ne spoke follows:-"Mr Chairman and gentle
men:-As my friend Sullivan and myself were
driving to this club, both very nervous and
very sensitive men, and having vividly
before us ordeal in store for u.s. We cast about
for comparison to which we might iiken our
Selves At first We likencd ourselves to composer
and author driving to a theatre where piece OF
theirs was to be played for the first time. We dis.
missed that faulty. inasmuch as in the case
OF piece by ourselves there was always
a chance of -Qaughter)-wheress. in the
performance in which we were to take part. there
was nothing before but humiliating defeat. We
found we were rather in the position Of prisoners
surrendering to their ball. and we beg you will ex.
tend to us tho mercifu consideration OF the court
mo LIGHT MATTER"
1t is probably expected OF me that in replying to
The toast should do in tone of the lightest pos
sible comedy. 1 am not sorry that ! cannot
do this. man who has been welcomed, we
have by the leading representatives Of literature
and art in this great city, and who can look
upon that welcome simply as q suitable
peg upon which to hang string of small jok es
offers the best proof in his power that he is the
cipien of honor to which he is not entitled. 1t
country ard find himself, as we have done. en-
lLatically, unmistakably, and in the best sense
O the word. lat home" lApplause) 1t is no
h We been taught to regard as strangers, and whom
we are astonsned to find intimate friends. That
friendship is dear to us that am disposed to
stray from the paths of after-dinner oratory
and to justify ourselves to certain extent in
a matter of which | have reason to be
l have paragraphs to the effect that
we have grievance against New rk managers be-
share of the profits In that respect we have
no grievance whatever. Our only compla ut
is that there is no international copyright
act. The author OF play-and by author
| beg You Will understand also composer
and author of the musical piece-in which there
position of the nearest living descendants Of a
deceased u thor whose copyright has expired.
am not aware that our LONDON publishers are IN the
habit of seeking ont the nearest living descendants
of authors. with the view OF paying them part
OF the profits of their works II they do so
hand knows not wha, the left hand
does. Laughter.) We will assume, therefore,
that they have not done so. If the descendants OF
eminent authors were to appeal to managers or pub
lisners Tor share the profits of their works they
would be met with the reply. "The copyright in
the o WORKS ,s expired" 1t We uld be sufficient
answer and nobody would dispute It And acre,
ii we should suggest to the managers of this
try that we were entitled to share OF their profits
they would reply that ''your copyright never
existed"
mot MUCH TO DE pIrIED."
And that our copyright never existed is due en-
tirely to part We consulted American law
yer, and informed that although an alien has
to o hs play Which we all hVs
in OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES: that is to say,
no siatnte rs required to make that our
10 whether shou keep 1t in manu- ript for
selves whe Their we should publish it. We finally
determined upon thelattera rnative. We imagined
that the piece was so pure national, SO purely in
sular its character. that it would not be APP
preeiaied on this side OF the Atlantic. Events
it conclusion to which
arrived with open and we have nobody to
blame for it but ourselves As it is have realized
b. the sale of the book in the house and the sale of
the pianoforte score over the counter 1900 each.
aud under these circumstances we are not much to
be ptied. 40 not propose myself as an object OF
compassion.
There is another matter OF which would like to
speak. We propose to open at the Fifth Avenue
The tire the LIST of December with performance
Of "pinafore." will not add the prefix because l
have desire to violate any republican sympathies.
paragraphs to the effect that we have over
her to show you how this piece should
BE- played. 1 dsclaim-and have my colabora-
eur's authority for disclaiming on his behalf
Any such arrogant intention We came here to teach
nobody. We have nothing to tearh Perhaps
shall have no pupils or all the managers in the
United States reason why two should
be the only who not to be permitted to play
this piece Great laughter
THEY HAVE COME.
Apart from that consideration nave distinct
and legitimate object in opening with it. We have
no means of knowing. except by hearsay, how the
piece has been played in this country. BY all
counts 1t has been played more broadly than
axe We me se to ,o Iiayhs s ne Gnsi n,
another n the fulness Of time-the longer 1t is de-
layea tine letter tor us. aughter.) The success of
that piece depends upon Its being presented to the
arG ences ia precisely the same spirit in which we
in the habit of presenting .'Pinafore"
t. the London audlences--that is to say,
in perfectly grave, earnest and serious spirit
not allowing the audiences to perceive that the
gctors scio rs of the ahsurdity of the pet
! sincerely trust that n ay not find ourselves
ms takeu. We upen with ''Pinatore" with the idea
Of showing how that which follows is to be played
and of ~ eparing the au licences for perfectly
serious trs an cit OF high y preposierous story.
The kinuness with which we have been received
Ibis evening emboldens me to believe that perhaps
Tou will not consider this explanation altogether IN
3ecent ill-timcd. / have nothing more, gentle
men, to say. except to thank you most heartily for
The complimentary manner in which you proposed
health and to assure you that it is a compliment
which IL to m p'r~onally, delightful IL is
deserved. tApplause)
sULLIvAS's REMARKS.
Nr. Arthur sullivan WIS next introduced, his
b~ing greeted with great applause. After it
A.. sub lied he spoke - iollows:-Mr. President
anu u ,ftiemen-in all earnestness and sincerity
THINK you or your kind welcome this evening. Mr..
gilbert mas - Bripilicfly described what may
ca suffering down here that
1 will no; eater into tina; more, except to con-
graduate him that his ordeal is Not until to-
hight has it been my privilege to hear my health
proposed in terms OF such graceful eloquencc.
or to hear it accepted with such hearty.
genuine, spontaneous sympathy. l cannot help
Kug myself the reasons They re not
hard TO fin T. In the first place. American
hospitality is an English proyerb. lApplause.) This
hospIia lty. Enow. is ony the out~aru expression
OF az innate Kindness OF natural generous sympa-
thes. Ii may be also that there Is in this kindly
reception u natural expression OF sympathy on the
part ot the members of this club toward fellow
work.r Aho mas striven to the es of his ability
coiiscieniiously 10 fill his vocation. lie the
reason what 1t may am satisfied with the
res is aud thank you most heartily for extending
to me the right hand of good-fellowship this even
ing have been but short time on these shores
so that l have not yet acquired that hnen
grace of oratory which IL seems every
American gentleman possesses. My friend
Mr.. Gilbert has anticipated something OF wha
| WIS going to y. AZ n composer generally take
tn words from him. Great laughter. In this case
he has taken tn words out OF my mouth. vii
only refer little to personal matters. One Il
that this visit of mine Is the result OF 'ong