New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-13


must satIrize society; OF which he knows, ap-
parently, but little. take the evidence ne pio-
v,des The evidence is this play and II one
hod "a form an opinion from this play 1t would
be that he derives his knowledge OF society IN
mar. from the society journals and in part from
tho romances which are favorites in that worid
,rovr &C high life below stairs: or from the
,radesnan's emissary who comes to the area
door for orders He lays on his coiors Win
coarye brush and heavy hand. II ne mas
really had an opportunity of observing what Is
called society. at first hand so much the worse
The verdict Is inevitable; he can neither observe
nor describe There is enough, and more IMAM
enough. In the social world OF LONDON "h'c"
Iends itself TO criticism. But cheap carlc"'u'e
&c not criticism and burlesque Is not the me'hou
bv which follies are laid bare. THESE Johes-se"-
,,or,ar ard Ionas-lad,es have the language and
the views of life with which their creator en-
,s ,hor, Nowherc else on the face OF the
Garth IS there anything like it, But TINS IL Is
which we are invited to regard as "unsparinS
analvsis" This Is the searchlight wnicn
brings ont with startling vividness some strange
features of this throng Of masqueraders' lhey
are strange but it. Is when he tries 10 reproduce
actual life that Mr.. Jones is best entitled TO the
praise of invention. And the literary hnish
~ his method is seen to advantage in the remark:
II could scarcely keep from shriekinS OUT 10
him. YAH yah. yah. isn't 1t strange!
Meantime Sir Brce has lost all MS money ana
thinks this party-scene good opportunity 10 tell
his wife that their net fortune amounts 10 ABOUT
dollar. The astronomer ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the play everybody overhears everything. and
things are kept going by this original device
Going IS too strong word In the second act
t. 1rQn
the story does not advance; 1t has to stand still
while Mr. Jones satirlzes society. But the
cavesdropping astronomer. who. in the interval
has come into fortune-another original device
places his bank account and checkbook at the
DISPOSAL OF Lady Skene, and 50 departs.
Nine months roll on between the second and
third act which passes I'm a hotel az Nice. Lady
SIiene has vndiclted her womanly delicacy by
drawing on her lovers bank account TO the OK
tent OF $4,000 Sir Brice has spent 1t all. wants
more and tells his wife she mus; get lt-no
matter how but get e. "Iie loves you and you
love him.-gct It," She draws the Hire at $'0coO
and refuses upon which her husband threatens
to take away her child. whom also she loves
At this crisis enter the lover; about to embark
for the fever coast OF Africa. with telescope
and a prcsentiment Of death. I"cy say i'''-
we'll In each others arms, tablcau upon VINO"
tho husband returns 10 gaze al nrst Win mp
proval then with anger when the money is moi
forthcoming Remon sauntcrs toward th' ho'r'
Of "satisfaction." or other expressions common
on tho lips Of the outraged husband or dc'cc''u
paramour. there is nothing. Instead Challenge
70 the lover to play double or quits Tor the '''pV'
Mr. Jones shows further knowledge or the WoFId
IN the careful explanation by Sir Brce that ne
has not a penny In the world. Remon refuses 20
plav cards with him: then changes his nina. ana
announces that he viii stake his whole fortune
n cool million against Sir Brice's VII" ana chil".
They cut for 1.-THE best two out Of three Need
1t be said that Sir Brice wins the hrst event
and loses the second. that David cuts first FOR
the third. and turns up one Of the lowest cards
I'm, that Sir Br!ce. after a pull A. the brandy
bottle. goes lower still. ana iosos' h'in'n
snrincs on him ike a tiger. and with his hands
on his enemys throat makes him 'aNe an o''n
never to interfere between his wife or child
and himself.
The scene was magnlnccnuy played and the
house responded by such iong-contnued' re-
sounding cheers as are seldom heard I'm theatre
or anywhere else. 1t was an appeal. and a most
successful appeal. to the gambling Instinct IN
the British breast PIT and gallcry-cvcry man
Of them with his half-crowns on the favoritc ios
the GuIneas-went Wild over the wager. nc
cards the stakes. the sport that was shown HIM
And this scene was transacted, the wife looking
on while husband and lover gambed Tor hc''
white the man whom she hated and the man
whom she loved rtskcd their lives and hers and
her child's on the turn 81 a card Ih'Ec - MOI
4 word to indicate that Mr.. Jones was aware "i
the degradation he was innicting ON the woman
or Of the atmosphere Of vulgarty In which MS
great scene passes What 10 him is truth OF
refinement. or literature or probability WINE
those cheers are ringing through the mouse he
has offered them all upon the altar OF s'aBe-Auc-
cess and he has won his success.
Having won H. he IL frightened by It. ana ne
dare not pursue his theme to the end. Thus Tar
he has shrunk from violence however gro
tesnue and from no commences. Bu' the ""l"'
form OF Mrs Grundy now appears To nm. lie
breads her verdict II he suffers the lovers wh"'h
he has united really to be lovers ana cohV'n-
tional vice to triumph. So. on her ARRIVAL lh
Remon's observatory. Lady Skene Hreparaoy
BY the visit finds that she has :
scruples. Take me II you VIII. but XIII INC
aftcrward. or shall Kill myself" lie eSpostu-
lates. She persists. She invites him To 80 INTO |
the next room and gee her baby. IL goes sees the
baby. is converted to goodness, returns gives way
saws he will go to Africa and de Of fever after ALL
hut there will b, a future in Andromeda. And |
with this last touch Of Astronomical pcdhh'ry
some OF the critics call It poctry-down comes
the curtain for good and all upon chilled ana |
comfortless audience. Mrs. Grundy Is not con-
cliated: she Is bored. 1t appears that, after all
she prefers her ginger hot In the mouth one
thinks the last act weak. the ending unsauSiac-
tory tho play trailing off into starlt space
and nothing 10 show what becomes OF
Lady Skene or OF the astronomer; ana !
the baby's future all nebulous. But i"r inc
lack OF logical courage shown IN 'his ihysu-
fication at the end the story OF the piece Is en-
tirey trite The two instances IN "hch MI
Jones departs from the commonplace are '"oSe
on which have dwelt the kissing auction and
,ho gamble for the wife. splendid audaclty!