Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-02
GOLDSMITH.
The Irish Poets Delicious Story ON
the Stage Melts an English Audience
i'm Tears
New York Herald.

New York Herald.
The distance from the grave of Oil
yer Goldsmith In the Temple church
yard in Fleet street to the Lyceum
Theater is not long, but the distance
between his novel, "Fhe Vicar of
Wakefield" and Mr.. Wills play "Oli-
via" founded thereon, as produced a
few days ago by Mr.. Irving is very
great-as great as the distance between
Mr.. Wills dramatic picture of Crom-
well in his play "Charles l." and
Carlyle's Cromwell. Goldsmith in
his original preface asked as to DR..
Primrose, how in this age of opuIence
and refinement can such a character
please? He added that those who are
fond of high life will turn with dis
dam from the simplicity Of the wears
country freside, and that they who
mistake ribaldry for humor may find
no wit In his harmless conversation,
and such as have been taught to derida
religion will laugh at one whose chief
stora of comfort is drawn from futur-
ity.
Mr.. Wills in his dramatic distilla-
ton of GoIdsmith's simple "Story of
a Family" has, by working it's spirit
up to theatrical high proof, through
heat of situation and dramatic energy
in the dialogue, tended to deprive his
foothlight Vicar of much of his inno-
cent excellence and perplexing weak,
ness as originally drawn. Yet a ly-
ceum audience the other evening rep
resenting that very opulence, refine
ment and high life which Goldsmith
feared for his Vicar, was heartily de-
lighted with Mr.. Irviag's Primrose,
because, by his skillful art in stage
business, he turned Mr.. Wills version
of the character into a great resem>
blance to Goldsmith's hero.
The part of the Vicar wnen this play
was FIRST produced at the Court Thea
ter on March 81, 1873, with Olivia by
Miss Ellen Terry, was assumed by
Mr.. Herman Vein, who made as
great a success in it performing it
for 1876 nights as Mr.. Charles Fisher
made as Primrose when, on August
IA following, at the Union Square
Theater, Miss Fanny Davenport, act
ing Olivia, produced the same play.
The social scenery, so to speak, of
the boxes and stalls, as viewed from
the stage, was as strikingly beauteous
as the scenery upon the latter. Lords
Dunraven and Londesborough, with
members of their families, represents
ed the peerage and not far from them
the McCarthys, father and son, and
Mr.. Labouchere represented the COM
raons. Senator Payne, of Ohio. sat
for American GOAL OLD sovereignty.
Railway politics were infused in the
persons of Messrs. James McHenr7
and Robert Garrett. Literature claim
ed Mr.. Lawson of the Telegraph, Miss
Braddon, Mrs. Katherine g. Macquoid
and Mr.. Edmund Yates, appetizing
for his coming Saturday night com
plimentary dinner. Art was embodied
in the stalls by Messrs. Edwin &. Alb
beY, Fred Goodall, Alfred Parsons,
George 81. Boughton and Onslow
Ford, while Sir Spencer st. John, the
veteran d1plomatist, applauded for
the foreign efice Tie striking and
original toilets in all parts of tie
house charmingly contrasted with the
last century costumes behind the foot
lights.
The sets of scenery throughout the