Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-12
NEW DRAMA.
"The Pedigree, or, The Admir-.
ais Daughter" by r.. b. MIL
Ter, OrMemph's.


has been earnestly engaged for several
months past in writing a play in five
acts, to be called "The Pedigree; or,
Tho Admiral's Daughter" The dra-
matist handed the first act to the re-
porter yesterday evening with a re-
quest to criticise it as it deserved.
Have you. made any arrangements
to have it brought out2" was asked.
mot yet" was the reply, II have
had Mary Anderson in my mind ever
since l began writing it, and shall
begin negotiations with her as soon
as tie play is finished"
"Will you finish it Soon2"
II am now engaged in preparing
i" Squire Millar said. II am chang
ing it to blank verse Of the same style
as that used by most playrishts-
about nine or ten sylables to the line.
| notice, however, that to do this l
must often sacrifice the grammar to
the metre, and am at a loss for rem
edy,p
1t might as we'll be said right here
that if the world loses this play
through any cause, such as untimely
death ofthe compositor whe is engaged
to put it in type, the paralysis of the
agent or the sudden taking off in con-
vulsionS of the actress who essays
the leading part, it will loose
the most novel production of the age.
1t is SO thrilling that if it is ever pro-
duced, the audience, baldheads ex-
cepted, will be obliged to glue their
hair down to keep it from standing on
end; SO pathetic that a gutter will
have to be made around the dress
circle to carry of the food Of tears;
so permeated with tenderness that the
ugliest girl in the audience will be in
danger Of being Rugged on the spot
by her escort; and so full of throb-
bing, burning passion that couple Of
steam fire engines will have to be
placed behind tho scenes to keep the
theater from burning down. The gen
tie reader may think that this is
drawing it rather strong, but in that
he makes grave error. The gentle
reader has not seen the manuscript in
all its pristine glory-the burning
words as they fell, hot and throbbing,
from the pen Of the dramatist
upon the paper. Some of the
words were injured by the fall and
crushed almost beyond recognition, it
is true, yet this is only another proof
Of the power Of the dramatist. Itmay
be possible, however, that the critic
has chosen rather unusual language
and made use Of expressions not
strictly in accordance with good taste,
in giving his opinion of chs play.
When it is explained, however, that
he has been recently promoted from
police reporter to irresponsible posi-
tion Of critic, il will be easy enough to
understand that he has BOT yet been
able to break away from his former
sensational style of writing.
A few extracts are given below, iu
order that the reader may be his own
judge of dramatist Miller's genius. 1t
will be observed that the photography
is little different from Webster, but
then his book is very stale reading
compared with "The Pedigree"
The following extract shows the
authors power of description:
Bow majestic are those towering mountains
" uiOu pIOI00NfO ltI TUG seas on
Either sides Of this beautiful bay;
They wind their rock clad arms around
This HARDER, and forms one of the most
formidable forts In the world.
The intervening valleys are decked in green
Foliage Of trees and plants barring fruits
And flowers, which ill the air with sweet
And balmy fragrance.
The city, compact with granite houses and
Nermillian rooves, glimmer in the gunbeams
Like streams Of LIQUID gold"
The critical reader will take notice
of the beautiful smile, the poetic
thought, Of the last three linesl
Many writers have attempted to
describe music OF the spheres, but
few have succeeded half so we'll as
this writer:
Early this morning ere the day stars had
Commenced their morninn hymns, or the
81. had she'd its solemn srangure Of night,
A giant wave leaped and caught her trembling
form
In It's strong embrace, where she seemed strus-
Cling
To free herself from her soft bod of foam
And mount upon gentle zephyr and
Floate TO her cytherial home, or ioin her