New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-30
W. S. eIIsERT 1sHoRs IND 4sz0xr:
nvm YAs Lo.don vosF&

VS. GILBERT ASHORE IND AFZOzx:
From TAs Lo.don vossG (
"Hyou will let me advise you rs Trend sn5G'
the magistrate, "yoa viii not taks cut > sp.na9ul
agalnst this cabm.n Il will giys yeu Rrsas essi ~
the dranstisi: .but tho man has BEEN ihsolsats
Never eve y mind chat. Mr. Gilberts think q -
Way rsmind sosr worship that 7 @ not ilrsst
cute eabmen az q means Of hyeiilno0dy rs ~
This short scene gves bettr idea thao pAeee "a
DESCRIPTION of the keen wit and leieteileot 3
inventor OF what may be called the !ronicai Co.
wen tilted 70 The spirit q ne DAY bus G VIII
ply no adequate conception Of the 6xtxaordiuexy-
sf IN sustsss s reps % Mr. n aSss q %
freshness aud brightness. ~
Lake many men who have madc their marx II
dramatic aud other liferature Mr. Gilbert CONS ~
literary stock His father, Mr.. Wllian osl5>4e
tbe author of the " lpqusit0rs" and of1ef n1X11>
wrote the s story s5 vi Which S,. the ass q
Mr. Gilbert himself was caflod TO the ~ ~ ~
pending thst accession to dignity, was slekk =
Taylor in his Official days, wrote much copy upe
Governments paper. For several years no vas Qa1k
gently employed IN writing sud drawing tor Deyu-
M paSeas a urodnesd Che
we'll as letterpress Mean while be produced many
ss for ss gsn nsaa,sg IN
daips Thumb aCreatures Of Impulses ard th9
Princess IL in the latter work that ~ ar,e
displayed on the stage that ironically comic ven
iads.a ;,
In the beginning Mr. GiIberys new theory Of fan3
met with bot scant appreciation among those So
lected to interpret it. The reason or this dihcnlty
obvious. It had become almost q stage tradition !.
that the actor TO take the audience mtg
his confidence. III low comedian, IL was expectod
of him, it supposed, by bis peculiar audience;
and his individuality, as eyInced OK we, we'll.
tricks and gestures, also went, as no thought nor
M a dse found himself obliged to stem this tide
ironical comedy it was above all Things necessary
that the actor should appear UNCONSCIOUS that whed
he was saying or doing was funny. He was to play
his part in good faith and let the amusement or the
audience arise from the incongruity between bis
manner and appearance and his acts, words and
deeds. Ii Is perhaps, not easy to utter the odoem
lines without betraying some consciousness or gDeR
strangencss; but the inventor OF this method naf
succeeded in many cases In getting his intention
time past at least opposition to his view from the
artists who represent his pieces For the most paxe
they display the best intention, and II they do nos
exactly eaten his idea IL IS from 10 want Oh Kooo
will.
This grasp on manager and company. as we'll as
public has not been gained without immense labor
of various kinds Like the survivor of the captain
and the crew of the Nancy brig, Mr. Gilbert has
absorbed in himself the functions OF manager stage
manager. scene-pain ter, author aud actor. Ills
method of procedure Is worthy OF study. a. he pur
sues it in its earlier stages at his house In the Bob
tons an oasis of South kenSington and the centr9
the Pleione, schooner Of sxty-three tons. quite
used to the sea- for she made VOYAGES TO the STACK
Sea and Iceland before she became she properly e
bert writes his pece-that is performs the smaiie8t
part of his work-with infinite comfort. His great
collie dog, Roy, lies down at his elbows and IS tna
Pelone slips along, ideas follow swiftly enough
| Blank verse, a favorite medium OF Ar. Gilbertx
| comes easier afioat than ashore. Tho author OK
| " Pygmaionn is strongly in favor OF verse COM
| positiOp. Prose is well enough in Its way but
blank verse compels severe attention, and rhyminx
Mesa "Wby :Pinafore'P il IL asked, as fresh
cigars are lighted what neat and lucky name =
the author san
| when the gallant captain comes on beard, must
| have something to rhyme TO IL. "Semaphore" was
| the first idea but this subsequently set astda
for Pinafore."
Work does not go on quite so rapidly at the Boil
tons as on board the Pleione, Tor there are inter-
| ages, appointments. no people craving Tor I've
minutes,S no rehearsals. Happily for the human
| race DO monster has yet invented q telegraph tof
| keepng a Yacht in perpetual communications with
the shore But the Boltous is not Tar from
aud quite within easy reach OF the pillar post nes5
| which stands the valuable policeman Of liked
pointn whose aspect scares brass bands and BARREL
organs from the neigbborbood. Ambulsnt mnsi.
to the green shades Of the Bottoms. where no ofsn
sive sound jars upon the ear save the distant soa
| ing of the bell at Brompton Cemetery. TINS would
not be In itself serious disturbance. as MI Gubert
paints out If it were not hts destiny 20 write comic
rhymes but it s very difficult TO indite the lines a
| the Monarch of the Sea" or the Modern Majox.
GcnsralS TO- the accompaniment Of hs
| passlnQ-bell. So there are double wind0va
| To tho library Of his pleasant house In
which absolute silence may be enjoyed,
Opposite the window, looking on 20 the lawn
already marked out for lawn tennis sits tho naseex
OF the snug little domain mainly occupied. Accord
ING to Appearances, in getting through bis quantun
Of . dozen and 3 half cigars day, aud only ncx
correction in that which is already written. aia
method of working is entirely opposed TO that Grow
| ing in favor every day. The opinion y now hc!d
that literary work to be good SHOULD % done W
arst thing In the morning; that the scribe should
rise about Ave or six O'clock light bic own ire
| make his own coffee and in the chill RTayf tho
morning drstil such eoquence, logic, snd wit - hte
brain may be able % produce. The suthcs o. -:
little actual writing by daylight preterng yesy
much the midnight oil, or rather that burnt ~
tween eleven at night aud three or four O'clock p
| the morning But tho mere writing n IN ~
| cninion the smallest part of his work. Tho rxses
thing the author does is to take little rest 70 iee
the sst work blow clear out OF bis BRAIN tho next
- 70 avoid Whiting anything. In cabs snd railway
carriages, aboard ship. or during quiet strols ne
| Pork the motive of the new venture shapes itsen
| out.