Morning journal and courier., 1886-01-09
MAX 0'RELL'S LETTER.
Lord Salisbury's Haymakins-ssFa At the LyceHm-Parisian Gaiety- The Dangers of Paris Streets-A Shrewd ssBeltsario,s-A Police court Dialogue.

| AL the Ayco0m-Faf1SIdn Galety- The Dangers of Paris Streets-A Shrewd s'Belisarie''-A Police court Dialogue.
 Special Correspondence of the JOURNAL AND CoUR- TER. All Rights Reserved.l
 LONDON, Dec. 26. To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER: When we see government shower titles, places, pensions and decorations on their friends we generally say: This is the begin ming of the end. Lord Salisbury is making hay while the sun shines, but we already wonder if it is not sign that he is contem- plating retirement. It is not surprising that a cry of indignation should be raised at the
 gross case of nepotism which has been shown
 by the government in the appointment of
 Mir. Graham to the clerkship of Parliament.
 If ability in long and faithful public service,
 says correspondent, were to be recognized,
 or if the Attest man was to be chosen for the
 post in which thorough knowledge of the
 constitution is indispensable, Sir Erskine
 May, the clerk of the House of Commons,
 was marked out for this post worth three
 thousand pounds. Quite true; but Mr. Gra-
 ham had the good fortune first to be private
 secretary to the late Lord Cairns, Lord
 Chancellor of the Earl of Beaconsfe1d's Cab
 met, and then to marry daughter of Lord
 Cranbrook The present government has
 been described by MT. Chamberlain as gov-
 ernment of caretakers. The description is
 true in 50 far as they take good care of their
 friends. The editor of Truth says that any
 government but the jobbing, self-seeking
 gang that are now in office would, as a bare
 act of justice. have given the place to Sir
 Erskine May.
 The event of the theatrical world in Lon don this winter has come off ''Faust'' has
 been given at the Lyceum. Infinite pains and an open purse together have conduced
 to the production of perhaps the most thrill ing performance ever seen on the modern stage. The play itself, as adapted from Goethe's masterpiece by Mr. Willis, is not faultless. It drags somewhat in the first acts and the shortening of these would i'm prove the whole. The interest of the play really commences with the entry of the de- mure maiden whose sweet face and mien move the reiuvenated Faust to an outburst of fervent love. Miss Ellen Terry and Mr. Conway as Margaret and Faust made an ideal pair of lovers, and when I have told you that to Mrs. Stirling, the incomparable Mrs. Stirling, was given the part of the Co., quette Martha, it will be unnecessary to say anything about the quality of the acting. The central figure of the piece was of course MT. Irving as Mephistopheles. Many and manifold had been the conjectures of those not Gin the know' on his makeup. Would he adopt the now traditional flame colored costume of the operatic stage, or adhere to Goethe and attire himself in the dress of gallant of the perioda One thing was sure and that was that the character would fit him te a nicety. So by the time the curtain rose every corner of the house was packed with listeners from all classes of London so- l ciety, from the Prince and Princess of Wales | te the thoughtful workingman. One of the | latter order, J hear, presented himself at the l pit door at eight in the morning, provided l with food for the day, and patiently passed ] the December hours awaiting the evenings l pleasure. Neither he nor any other to be disappointed, and when the curtain fell | as the clock was on the stroke of midnight l seat had been vacated, though | Londen is vast and metropolitan trains wait for no man. All sat chained to their seats the unfolding of the sad tale of the sweet Nuremberg girl, for the interest of the piece increased steadily from the second act The scene of the witches' revels on the sum- init of the Brocken baff1es description. One sazes with fascinated eyes and curdliog blood while unearthly, shapeless creatures dance whether of demoniacal mirth or of pain it is 1 sst and primeval rocks glow with vivid ed light which grows more and more in ,ense as the horrid rites grow ever madder md madder. Then the crowd of horrors lee and Mephistopheles, flame colorsd fig Ire, mocking and terrible, is left alone on he mountain summit. The other scenes are ,f rich and tranquil beauty. The fair old ,ity of Nuremberg, with it's cathedral, it's pires and gables, is beautifully shown to us y Mir. Hawes Craven's scene painting, and indeed the whole mounting of the piece is uperb. I should not fail to mention also hat music from Berlioz's 'sFaust and Me- is used with wonderful effect, ldding to the mysticism of the performance. 1 The fact is that MT. Henry Irving is not only great actor, but student and great ar ist, and when one enters his theater it is to lave ones eyes and ears equally delighted. t is easy to predict huge success for this lew venture of an actor who has done such ,reat things for the English stage. I hope ,ou may be able one day to see his ''Mephis. opheles." E'
 Parisian gaiety is reviving little just at present. and people are dancing hard. Balls t the Tribunal of Commerce, at the Grand