New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-05

London September 20.
Tonight at the l.yccum Theatre Mr.. Irving VIII
present for the first time tie PLAY OF h'Ncn>
wood" which has been written for him BY Mr.
Herman Mcrivae. FROM Sir Walter SCOTS famous
poctical aud pathetic story of The Bride oil Lam
mcrmoor" The parts are cast as follows;
Edgar of Ravcnswood ............ Mr. Irv,ns'
rale1 T.derssOne NJ; MH M.ins@
IT, % aara": , q S HI,a s%s
Henry Ashton M''i'" ~
Thornton Of Lydda, MIR; laviland
Priest ........... .............. mr. lay
i L." E"a Hehton Mis- Ic There.
Aisle Gsnriay vr' MISS ra MarsioTt.
Annie WiAnie -...''''.''''''''' Mis- Ellen FERRY.
The p]ay of Ravcnswood." as written, is COM
prsrd in four acts, hut acted, Ill six. The
frs, act consists of single sccncan exterior COM
nrsiur the environment Of the chapel which Is tie
burial place of the House Of Ravenswood. rock
bound coast is visible, al some distance together
with the ruinous tower Of "Wolfs CraS which
is Ravenswood's sole remaining possession 1h''
net shows the interrupted funeral Of Alan Ravens
wood, the father of observation-disclosures ten
of the seventeen characters that are I'M
plicated in the piece, and skifuliy lay
ing the basis Of the action by exhibiting the cS-
scntial personalities of the story in strong con-
trast and dcnotng their relations TO each other
Each character is clearly and boldly drawn, ana
with a light touch The second act consists Of
three sccnes-an antique library IN the ancient
manor-house of Ravenswood. room in roadside
alahousc, and room in the dilapdated tower
of Volts Crag. This act rapidly develops the
wcl-known story. depicting TIC climax of antaQ
CuisYl between the Lord Keeper Ashton. and Ed
gar Of Ravcnswood. and their Subsequent recon-
Citation. The third act passes in lovely, ro-
mantle rural scene which j. called the Mcr-
rnaiden's WciI "a fary-lite place in the grounds
of Ravcnswood and in this scene Ed2ar ana
Lucy Ashton, who have become lovers are pllCh'"d
by themselves and parted by Lury's mother LAZY
Ashton. The fourth and last act SHOWS room al
Ravenswood. wherein Is portrayed the bctr"'hai
Of Lncy 70 Bucklaw cunnatu- III EdGars sud
den irrupticn and finally it shows the lonely,
dcsolta seaei'lc place Of the qri"I;sard in winch.
after he has slain Brck,aw. Edcfr of H,v"nsw"od
is cngulfcA. Tie lOU>c that Scott. whra lie wrote
the novel, had in his mind that OF Sir William
Ashton, Is the home Of WINSTON Which sill i stand
ing. not many miles from Edinburgh. The tower
Of VOLTS Crag WAS probably suggested {" HIM
by Fast Castle, the ruin Of which still lures the
travellers eye upon TIE rock-h"und and gloomy
coast Of the North Sea. a fcw miles southeast "l
Dunbar-a place. however which Sir Waiter never
visited and never saw EXCEPT from the ocean
There is "A beach upon this coast. just above Cock
burnspath. which might well have suggested {"
him the quic<>anl and the final catastrophe.
saw it lately. when the morning san was shining
upon il ana upon the placid waters Just ripping
on its we're: and even in II" glad low Of sam
mcr day il was grim with silent menace and nIys
terious with an air of sinister sccrcSy In tie
preparation Of this piece for Tho stage, upon which
Mr. krIiu lay cost.
many months. all the sources and associations
Of the subject have been considered; and tie
pictorial setting, framed upon tho right artistic
prine,le that innsCiratipn should tr"nshGnrr
trlth and thus produce the essential result Of
poetic effect is ~ orc" elaborate and magnificent
And The play is l.y far the hes: one that las
been made upon hi, subject.
The basis Of fact upon which Sir Walter Scott
iniit his novel Of the " Bride of LlmlncrInoor II
given in the introduction that he wrote for II
I'm 1929. Janet Dalrymplc daughter Of the first
lord Stair and Of his wife Margaret Ross. he'd
privately plsht"d herself 10 Lord Rutherford
These lovers had broken a piece of gold TO-
Cctler, and had bound themselves by vows tue
ulvst solemn and the most fcrvent that passion
could prompt But Lord Rutherford was OIL
iectionoblo to Miss Dalrymples parents. who liked
rot either his parents or his politics. Lady Stair.
Il
daughter, in tie person Of David Dunbar, Of
Radoon; and Lady Stair was woman Of Tor
mid.,h,e character ser upon having Ecr own
way. and ACCUSTOMED TO prevail So soon as she
Heard Of Juncfs private engagement to Lord
Rutherford SIC declared the vow to bc undut-
fui and unlawful, and she commanded That II
s,ioild DC broken Lord Rutherford. man IF
enc:cy and Of spirit, thcrcupon INSISTED That lie
wouid take his dismissal only from III" lips Of
Miss Dalrymplr herself. and he demanded and ch-
teincd a.. interview with her Lady STAR rs
present. and such was her aScendcncy ","r ,Aci
d.uchtcg's mind that The Young lady TcuIlinci
lno.iOn,e>s and mnte, Ierinit''ng Ter h'ro'!iL
10 Lord Rutherford to De- broken. and, upon her
mothers command. giving hack TO h'n 'hc piece
Of gold which was tie token Of her prom.s''.
Lord Rutherford was deeply moved, so that he
uttered curses upon Lady Stair, and al the las
rproaclc Janet in these words: For yDu.
madame YOU will bc worlds wonder. After
this sad end Of all his HOPES the unfortunate
gentleman went abroad and died in exile. Janet
Dtlrymplc and David Dunbar meanwhile were
tnairlcd-thc lady bcin@ absolutely passive III
eycrltliu. her i.,Ot:Icr commented OF advised.
As soon however. tie wcdicd pair had r.
tied from tie bridal east hidcous shri"ks
were heard 10 rcs"dnd through the house pro-
ccr,.i,I. from the nuptial chamber. The door WIS
tnerupon hurst open. and persons entering 81"
the BRIDEGROOM stretched upon the fo1r, wounded
and bleeding, while the bride, dishcv cLcd ana
stained with b,ood h,ae erlnnlna III Il paroAysin
OF insanity All she said WAS, Take mp your
bonnv bridc,,roorD" About two weeks liter she
died The year Of these events was 1865" Inc
wedding took place on August "a. Janet died on
Septeml,cr ~ Dunbar recovered, but he would
never say Alat occurred IN that chamber Of h"r
ror nor. indeed, would lie permit any al!uson to
the suEjcct. He did not lpnG survive this iItcIr
cycnt,-havn. been fatally injured hy fall from
his horse, when riding between lc.th and Hoy
rood lie died on March Is, 1852. Tie de I'll oi Lord
Rutherford Is signed ~ the year l6H1. SUCH Is
the melancholy story as ii may lie gathered from