New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-27

this at the hands of respectable dealers.
A copy of the so-called edition de lure of Dckens's
works thirty volumes royal octave, is offered for
sale and advertised in The bookseller of July ..
1884. by Manchester dealer, for the sum of SIS,
OF something under 800. The asking price for the
same book was SIS. or 500. The speculative
American importer will take note. But whether he
sticks to his demand of $500 for this deprecated
work | am not in position to know. G. W 5.
TWELFTH NIGHT AT THE LYCECM-NEW
PORTRAIT OF MR.. GLADSTONE.
IRON THE REGULAR coEREsroNDEYr OF THE rRIprSEl.
LONDON. July g.
The first performance Of d" Twelfth Night at the
Lyceum yesterday evening wound M with scene
not down in the bills. There were calls. both loud
and general for the actors. and for Miss Ellen Terry
and Mr. Irving in particular. When the latter ap-
pcared he was received with applause by the greater
portion of the audience and with few Kisses and
groans from the gallery. As he began to speak
these were renewed whereupon MI Irving turned 10
the malcontents with the remark that during his
absence the character of the Lyceum audiences
seemed To have changed, and proceeded 10 read
them n short lecture the improperly am lnGral
tude of their conduct. company OF a'i!hllapIe
comedians. he reminded them, had been acting for
the FIRST time a very difficult play IN manner that
ought TO call forth their admiration. lie could not
understand how anybody could be otherwise than
grateful To tins company for their edorts, or deny
tribute OF praise To the general Interpretation OF the
piece. As for himself in the part OF Mdto'o ne
had suffered much during the evening but ne III"
not intend to avenge himself even on his enemies
if any such he had by making them long speech
What he did say, nevertheless. though uttered
quietly enough IN tone was delivered with rtso-
luton of manner which the gallery rightly inter-
nreted rs a defiance Most of those in the upper
~. a.tf. t.. hons gIfi el
Mr.. Irving and the fcw ccnsors were soon slienced
whether by Mr. Irving. iirnncSs or 10y the over
wbelminr sentiment of the immense majority IN
his favor may not be quite clear But sliencrd
they were and when Mr.. Irving retired 1t was amid
unbrokcn and cordial applause Most oi ms
friends ncvcrthelcss felt that he had better nave
left the minority nuoticed His speech tHoHgh
well done If il was to be done 10 all, compelled the
pres, to enlarge upon an incident which mISht
otherwise have passed wthouU notice, or with only
SO much attention as was due 20 the insicnllcance
of the protest.
As VaIroIo Mr.. Irving once more proved himself,
what so many of his admirers consider him. pre-
eminent in high .omcdy. He put aside the merely
comic view Of tn, steward liGlro'o in ms hands
has di-lItv character almost the bearing of a gen
tleman Save vanity he has nothing absurd about
him. and be is distinctly unconscious Of his own
absurlitv: indeed. it is this INCONSISTENCIES winch
helps make him absurd. HIS stllted demeanor Is
not an aiiectaton it is the natural expression OF
conceit which penetrates his whole beng and gov
EN-, every act Mr. Irving makes up the part with
singular skill and shout Of applause greeted MS
appearance III black OF srayish black doubiet with
longitudinal stripes, with brccches OF the same and
hose of black silk the whole set of by mantle and
ruff The figure bad stoop. the face was the face
OF an elderly man, suunounted by scauty gray locks
f1f Inc "a -
mustache gray and waxed at the tips, the beard
gray and pointed. Most striking of all is the ar
rauccmcnt of the lines about the mouth and eyes,
each one denoting more accurately than the other
that SNUG sclf-satisiaction and sel1-worshlp when
lifelong indulgence has stamped ON his features.
Nh Irving played with a care and effectiveness
which were admirable, with method 10 which art
for he most part had said s last word ingenious,
original iust This is what IN actor may do who Is
sure of his audience. who can command attention
by means supple as they are striking Perhaps 1t is
not altogether Mr.. Iryings fault If be failed 10
please in the last two acts. The IN the dark
room made visible for the first time is painful and
nobody can find enjoyment in seeing Ndiroto
wailowing i'm straw and lamcntng. or in his pteous
appeals for help The note OF comedy IS lost. sui
further has II vanished in the last act where the
moor man has recovered his liberty and vents his in
dignation on bis betrayers Mr. Irving exit hiss
inc ont with stormy wrath the words, III be re-
venged on the whole pack Of We was hail melo-
dramatic half tragic and wholly distressing Yet
a moment before the play of his face had been
sing,larlv fine.
The yioLl of Miss Ellen Terry is probably, on the
whole her best performances 1t is. at any rate the
FIRST character I have seen her play in which the
character fairly got the better Of the actress have
often admired Miss Terry rs an individuality. Last
uirbt she showed "a power of merging her own at
trlct.ve and charming person in the person of the
,utIor's creation. Ii was not Miss Ellen Terry of
whom Won saw most. but Tiolq Nor had she lost
any of the graccs familiar to us in this trausiorma