New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-15
NOTES FROM ABROAD.
ENGLISH LIFE THROUGH FRENCH SPEC
TACLES.

have only to got him On foreign ground Inc
reason is simple. He does not care to maser the
facts. TIE Gaul who wrote guide to London ana
was demonstrated with for IFS inaccuracy retOrtod'
ayes, but look at the style" NJ. Maurcl-Dupcrre
the author Of Rotten Row." n comedy IN throo
acts just brought out at the Theatre de POdeon'
would probably make the Same answer to his
critics. He has gone, quits needlessly, to England
for the story Of his play. Possibly the English
coloring was expected TO divert attention from the
similarity between his plot and one of BaHacs.
lie had better have taken trip to Central Atica.
Ii would have been moro difficult to discover his
mistakes Even french critics have detected
errors: and in pointing them out have made as
many more.
Rotten Row. is love story. Walter Grant,
writer on The Saturday Reridc. has lost his heart TO
Diana Simpson, whom he has seen in Hyde Park.
whose name he does not know. who is betrothed to
Maurtius Turncy, London banker. She is rich,
Walter Is poor-so poOi that he cannot afford him
self horse to follow his heroine III her daily prone
nades She is also romantic has read Grants tales,
and one day takes 1t into her head to require OF
Turney as proof of his affection story in Grants
manner. Turney applies % Grant himself to WHO
it and he consents and turns out in fortnight
neat romance wherein the idyll OF his love, his pow
erty and the rest is told Diana is enraptured with
It. and in her turn seeks Grant out at the Office OF
his paper to entreat him to review the book, which
he does But Dana's suspicious are aroused by
meeting Turney at the Office, where he had gone 10
pay Grant and are confirmed by the singular
ignorance he shows aGterward of his own work.
The secret meantime has been cOnfded by friend
OF Grant to friend Of DIANA who OF course reveals
it. When he comes to take leave OF her Tor inc
exile to India 10 which his hopeless love has driven
t.lta mt
Turney and can marry nobody but the author OF
this story And in about two minutes Tnrney is
thrown over, Grant is made known to Diana's
father ~ the nephew and heir Of Lord Tower. and
the curtain comes down to the music OF marriage
bells
The first two acts pass in tho editorial office OF
The Saturday Rcrier-a large room, where it appears
to be the habit of the contributors to that journal
to write their articles under the eye OF sub
editor and subject to continued demands from the
printers for more "copy.' 1t would perhaps be
unreasonable to expect French dramatist to ac-
quaint himself with the manner in which this
journal is in fact conducted; the more so rs the
editorial sanctum is not supposed to be open to
every conner But NJ. Maurel-Dupeire, had he
thought it worth while to spend the sum of one
franc might at least have famarized himself
with the character and contents of this review.
For that sum he might have discovered that The
SATURDAY. does not publish novels a serial or any
other FORM that its articles not signed, that its
book notices do not appear on tho first page and
that it has not printing Office of its own. When
Turney wants to find Grant, he makes his way into
this extraordinary establishment unhanOunced
without the least difficulty aud keeps his hat on;
which NJ. Duperro is careful to explain is the Eng
lish CUSTOM Mr.. and Miss Simpson and her friend
Ellen gain access TO it with equal facility in the
next act in the course of which poor Grant. after
being haTasSed by the printers, is sent for by the
editor to be Iebuked. as we are told, because the
last number had to appear without the continual
ton of his story. The omission had left all the
young meeses" who are it appears, the principal
readers OF The Saturday. in distress.
The English. as we all know, are eccentric
people. and Mr.. TuIney-whose given name OF
Mauritius is, presume common one in England
is no exception TO the rule lie is rich, moves in
good society. and during the height of the London
season walks the streets III Tweed suit with
whito chlmney-pot hat. and a bouquet rs big as a
saucer in his button hole. Grant and his fellow
hacks in the Office however. are arrayed at high
noon double breasted and tightly buttohed frock
coats and light trousers Mr. Simpson appears
early in the afternoon in full evening dross Miss
Simpson and her friend Ellen arrive at the Office in
riding habits and their horses are at the door;
where they surely must have created establishment
among the residents OF St uthampton-st. Tie way
in which all these people talk to each other is not
less remarkable Grant is called by Miss Simpson
sometimes Mr.. Walter Grant sometimes
Mr. Walter which yon will please pronounce
Vahtalr-seldom Mr.. Grant Miss Simpson is an
only daughter. but is habitually addressed by Giant
and the rest as "Mees' Diana; sometimes as
" Noes" simply; once or twice, accidentally as it
were in the conventional way.
OF Lord Tower we do not hear much, but he in q
nobleman whom many of his peers would envy.
Spite of civil service reform and competitive ex-
aminati0ns, he retains the power Of disposing of
Offices in India worth $4,000 year lie hands a
commission 10 Grant which Grant tears up; but
that does not prevent Lord Tower from Offering it
again little later. Without much reason he is
rcconcilel to the nephew. who has deGed his
authority and spurned his offers If there be II
reason perhaps it IL because lie has heard that
Walter is IN two three years to be the first pen
of England; a sort of Scott and Dickens, As we
learn, combined.
The whole piece turns on the writing of the stcry
by Grant for his rival. The motive, and the sole
motive, which oyercomes his repugnance to the task
is his desire for horse. NOW horse suitable for
riding in Rotten Row cannot he had NJ. Dnperre
tells us, for penny less than s2I0 or 81 POO The
fact thai this is at least three times tho average
value of the steeds that appear in Hyde Park may
not be important, but we might have been allowed
TO know why Grant did not hire a hack as ne
might have done for half guinea. Nor does it ut
first appear why. IN order to buy horse at f2IO,
Grant should have cxacted 600 from Turney for
his book But there is reason 10 suppose that the
difference between these two sums represents to NJ
Maurel- Duperre's mind the price of saddle ana
bride. Other ideas of his not less princely.
1urney requires of Grant 10 get his book bound,
and the price Grant sets upon the binding is lust
800. When the little book appears in Dianas
hands il Is seen to be clothed in half morocco the