New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-23
ing runs high. The weight of public opinion re-
mains, think. on Mr.. Stanley's side

mains, think on Mr.. SANKEY'S side
General" Booths triumph is very nearly com
plete He had. down to Thursday. drawn Mr.
Gladstone, the Prince of Wales, Cardinal Manning,
who is ever happy to he drawn, ana uoxeh
Bishops of the Church of England; beside Mr'
/ Bancroft the actor. and Lord Aberdeen, WIN
their conditional pledges of $4,000 apiece. NOW
he has drawn the Queen herself Her Majesty
letter runs curiously on the lines OF MI nah-
croft's The willy General Booth has sent her
his book The willy Queen omits to read IT, ou'
commands Sir Henry Ponsonby to say that whiie
she knows nothing about the details OF his schene
she understands that his object is TO alleVia,e
misery and suffering wherefore Her Ma!es'S
cordially wishes him success in the undertaking
he has originated. Thus, in a wholly new sense
does the end sanctify the means NO ma''er
how mischievous or impracticable "ocnerai
Booths plan may be, his object Is gooo, anu %
his plan has the best wishes OF Royalty "eh-
eral" Booth meanwhile is stumping the county,
He has spoken at Exeter Hall, at Bradford asa
elsewhere and has raised or got promise of, some
thing like quarter of million dollars Neither
Mr.. Bancroft nor Lord Aberdeen seems likely to
he called on for the five thousand just yet. The
other ninety eight do not come forward
Mrs Langtry's production of Antony and Cleo
patra"-Shakcspeare's, rot NJ. Sardou Son tues
day at the Prncess's Theatre, brought together
one of the most remarkable audiences ever seen
in a London playhouse Nine raul occupied the
central box in the grand tier, Signor Nicolm duiy
in attendance. Next to her was the Turkish Am
bassador, Rustem Pacha. Opposite were Lady
Claude Hamilton and Sir Agernon and Lady
Borthwck At times during the evening very
striking picture was to be seen, when Mrs Lang
try herself was on the stage, for to the right and
left in two opposite pit boxes, close to the stage
and SO projecting as almost to seem part OF IL.
sat Lady Randolph Churchill and Lady Brooke.
Mrs. Leslie, her sister, was with Lady Randolph,
and Lord Brooke was with his wife. Sir Charles
and Lady Russell, Mrs. Ronalds and her daughter.
Mr.. Lockwood, O. c., Sir Edward Clarke Q. e.,
Mr. Richie, of the Cabinet Mr. and Mrs. George
Lewis, and hosts of other well-known persons were
in the stalls
The curtain went up punctually at 8, and did
not go down on the final scene till past midnight.
Yet during those four hours and more this crowded
house sat with full ranks to the end. They beheld
as their reward a spectacle of much magnif cencc.
Never before has Antony and Cleopatra been put
so spendidly on the stage as now by Mrs. Langtry
with Mr.. Lewis Winglield's help. But both stage
and play were Overbalanced. The Princess has
not room enough for the evolutions of armies.
granted to the eye was denied to the ear All the
real military interest OF the play, and much other
interest was cut out. What with excisions and
transposticns, the plot became difficult to follow
There remained five scenes, but the connection be-
tween them was often lost The tempta-
lions which the part of Cleopatra Of
fered to Mrs. Langtry are obvious. She
might look it if she chose, but she chose to play
it with a milk-white skin. Her costumes were
delightful, her attitudes and movements always
attractive, and her elocution has much improved
But the note of passion or even of conviction was
wanting, force was wanting, the Shakespearlan
touch was wanting. 1t was played evenly, with
manifest intelligence and thorough knowledge of
the business, but did not move the house Mrs.
Langtry in a word, was admirable as Mrs. Langtry.
but not as Cleopatra. Mr.. Coghlan's Antony was
the dramatic success of the evening. His reserve
has vanished, his resources have increased, his
energy never failed, and there were moments
when he stirred the whole audience to enthusiasm.
Mr.. Malcolm, Watsons "The Pharisee," pro-
duced on Monday at the Shaftesbury Theatre with
considerable success, is not piece of high order.
but Is probably capable in good hands of interest
ing an audience. Some of its most obvious faults
of construction might easily be remedied and the
ragged edges of it sewn up into presentable neat
ness, or some closer connection maintained be-
tween the main story and sundry characters who
are now not only subordinate but superfluOus.
II needs above all actress of sympathetic quail
ity to play Hermione. In Mrs. Lancaster Walliss
hands her woes had but little effect on the emo
tons of the audience. No part was acted with
marked ability, but the play ran happily to a
prosperous end with friendly greetings from a
friendly house. You will see it presently, l be-
lieve at the Madison Square.
Mr. Beerbohm Tee desires to deny the Ameri-
can reports that he has arranged with Messrs.
Gilmore and Comstock for an American tour next
year under their management. He does not know,
and never has seen or heard of or from, either of
these gentlemen, and does not intend TO visit
America next year. So much the worse for you.
When he does go. if ever, you win see one of
the most versatile capable and even gifted, actors
of this generation
Messrs Walter Besant. William Black and
Thomas Hardy have written joint letter TO
THE Athenaeum" protesting against the attack
by that paper on Messrs. Harper, apropos of Mr..
Rudyard Kipling. When" said this English
journal to the American publishers, an author
is unknown to fame, they content themselves with
insulting him. When he is celebrated, they in
suit and rob him. No. say the three English
authors, that is not our experience. Messrs.
Harper are as just and liberal in their dealing as
| any English hous. We have always found them
willing and DESTROYS to do what is possible for the
foreign author, whose interests the American law
not only fails to protect but entirely ignores. y
The Athenaeum" prints this letter, but says
| nothing They speaks of THE Athenaeum' as
the greatest literary journal in the country. So
| in sense it may be; but it is owned by Sir
| Charles Dixie, whose personal grudges-of which
he has many to satisfy-seem at times to perplex
| its literary judgment. G. w. s.