New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-27
LONDON NOTES
LORD BRAMWELL-MR. RUDYARD KIPLIN0
ON NEW-YORK-LADY WINDERMERE'S
FAN-MUSIC-IIALL ENGLISH

| fAN-IC ENNLlSH
London May II.
Lord BIamwell, who died on Monday at eighty.
three or eighty-four, will be remembered for many
| thngs,-as great lawyer, great judge man Of
sense and worth, and as B." lie has for good
many years written short letters under that sigma
ture which "The Times" ioyfnlly published in its
best type. They were excellent. His style, an
mere style, has been overpraised it lacked finish,
and he had an abrupt way OF saying things which
certainly was not literary but was, as certainly,
effective. There was something in his sentences
which sounded like the driving Of nails and each
nail went home. No reader ever was in doubt as
| to what he meant, and, he often wrote on
abstruse matters, that il no light praise. lie had
common sense in its most superlative FORM and
the power of inducing others 70 take common
sense views Nobody dealt harder blows at inn
pastures lie could say the right word at the
right moment and did. lie understood his time,
and mems impatience of vcrbcsity. Even had he
not it was his nature to go straight to the point
It. was one of his merits both as judge and a.
journalist.
The fame of the great lawyer or judge is some
times said to be transtory, or, If not transitory,
to be limited and professional. The Bar remem-
bers him. lie is cmbalmcd in the Reports; his
judgments are lasting: they are law unto future
generations But the general public has no great
affection for law, and perhaps none too much for
lawyers, as lawyers. If, however, great judge
has individuality he stands a chance OF impress
ing himself on the memory OF the public Lord
Mansfelds fame is not confined TO those who
practise law Lord Eldon's is not; he is remem-
bered at least. as the most invctcrate Of Tories
Rut do the public know much or care much about
Lord Wensleydale or Lord Blackburn? Have even
~. Mr.
Lord Cairns name to conjure with? Had Mr..
Reniamin beyond the bar and those circles Of
commerce from which he drew his clients great
rcnown?
These depressing reflections need not he pur-
sued. Lord Bramwe / imagine, cared little for
popularity He cared to do his work well to lay
down sound principles Of law and act on them;
10 do so far as the present state OF the English
law admits, justice between man and man.
He was never sensational Judge; never played to
the gallery lie once said: =" If / had the choice
TO be a great judge or good judge, ] should much
prefer TO be the latter lie had his reward in
the general opinion Of both the bar and public
that he was both a great Judge and good Judge.
To the last, he retained his clearness Of mind his
hatred OF cant. his hatred OF shams. his hatred
Of tie new crotchets about property and soclety'-
which, indeed, are not new but old panaceas ior
old grievances the race Of quacks never dying
out In private life Lord Bramwell was delight
full: his conversation of the most crisp. lucid'
and forcible kind. You would know him Tor
lawyer and know him for man.
Mr. Rudyard Kipling. whose first article IN Inc
Times" spoke of as containing fewer sniiis than
usual at things American has not been long In re-
turning 10 his earlier manner. lie has gwen Us
half a column on New-York; beginning with the
remark that &" no one has yet approached the man
agement Of York in a proper spirit: that Is 70
say regarding it as the shftless outcome OF squand
barbarism and reckless extravaganza. Such Is
Mr., Rudyard Kiplings conception Of proper
shirt: and lest we should be in any doubt as 10
his sentiments. he sums up the city as long,
narrow pig-troughn: from which, suppose the IN
ference may he drawn that the inhabitants there
Of pigs.
lie explains previous failures to approach TINS
subject in proper spirit by saying that reflections
IN the pigtrough are construed as malevoient at
acks against the spirit and majesty Of the great
American people, and lead to angry comparisons
hone not angry Why should we be angry
WHY not rejoice in Mr.. Kiplings verdict that the
state of things in New-York Representative says II
Yond elsewhere be held TO
ordidness and want of capacity? What does II
matter that we offer 10 the British writer ana
eadcr an example Of lawessness; Of the brutal
eyity Of public conscience in regard to puble
luty: the toughening and supplying OF puoho
morals and the reckless disregard for human liie'
pred by mpotent laws and fostered by familiarity
With needless accidents and criminal neglect
We know before that Mr.. Rudyard Kipling was
acquainted with the language of Wnltechapel' ana
, master OF the energetic dictiOn 10 he heard
,nurlv ON Thames barges and the London Docks.
What can be more gratifying than TO Know thae
he people of New-York buy and sell Justice.
criminal and civil. openly and without shame'
They are reproached that they cannot see tat Ny
lntruth and invective il is themselves ana 'nei''
elves alone that they iniure. we'll IL we "eie
bind before our eyes are now opened MI Mp
ing has given us a lesson an obiect-lesson. and
We shall agree heartily with him that by uh'ruVa
nd invcctive it is himself. and himself alone. tnas
e Injuries.
LADY Windermerc's Fan is thought TO nave
tarted on a fresh career OF prosperity by the SUI
ttution OF Miss Winifred Emery for Miss Hahpury
IS Lady Windemere. 1t may be so. Mi oscar
Nlde's play has undoubtedly "caught on, anu
lie reason il not far to seek. The critics VINO cou'
lemned il at first right The puollc VINO"
PERSISTS in going 10 zee it Is right from l'S Own
,oint of view Lady Windermcre's Fan Is SAT-
re upon societythe secret OF its success lies ,net'
society for its part does not mind being satirizeu'
{ only insists on being amused; whether al ITO
wn expense or otherwise matters little. IL doe"
lot desire TO he inviolabe. People who are not
n society are glad OF the satire which they fondv
clieve to lie picture Of social life as II Is To-Day
Neither of these two casscs-those who are III
ocicty and those who are not-concerns lt$n
much about such trincs as dramatic proprleues'
uestons Of dramatic structure. questions OF onsF
ality, and the like. The critics DO. and the drama"
c Deficiencies Of the piece were the burden ana ''''
asis of their ccnsurc They did ample justice "
he literary merits of the play, as distinguished
rom it's dramatic demerits They liked, as others
o, the smartness of speech, the craekle Oh .ne
iaogue and even the effort toward the delnea1on
( character, which, whether successful or ho',
rcms TO have been sincere enough on the part OF