The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-18

plt ol time 10 spare ana SO ran DOWN
to see the monument, which people say
Is one Of the sights of the place, and
ought to be done by all conscientious
sight-seers. 1t Is not anything much
to see, however. am sorry to say, be-
Ing chiefly interesting from the fact
that 1t was erected here, on the site Of
st. Margaret's church, to commemorate
the great fire of London in 1866, which
commenced near here in the house of a
barber named Farriner, in Pudding
Lane.
This column Is of stone, 202 feet HIGH
and has large and beautiful pedestal
On the top Of 1t Is balcony, surround
ID by moulded cylinder of gilt bronze
which was made to resemble flame, ac-
ccrding to the idea of Sir Christopher
Wren, whose work 1t is, and from this
balcony, which Is reached by a long and
weary staircase Of S45 steps, a very fine
view of the great metropolis can be OBJ
tanned.
The Chimneys of London.
There being not much to see below, I
mounted this tiresome old flight Of
stairs and looked at London away be-
meath me for few minutes 1t is most
awfully high, after one once gets up
there, and the great black sooty dome
of st. Paurs looms up in one direction,
the houses Of parliament and West
minister abbey are to be seen in an
other, and all over the lower houses
and other buildings there hangs a mist
of fog and smoke, while the towers and
spires Of the hundreds of churches in
London tower above them and stick up
through the mist, so that from above
they look like pins and needles sticking
in the big cushion Of fog.
There are Latin Inscriptions at the
monuments base, recording the de-
struction Of London by fire and how it
was rebuilt and improved. There used
also to be inscribed upon the pedestal
the statement that the great fire was
caused by a conspiracy Of Papists, "in
order to the carrying out Of their horrid
plot for extirpating the Protestant re-
ligion," but this allegation has never
been substantiated, and the unfair in
sinuation was removed some time ago.
The Wagner Concerts.
The Wagner concerts have now COM
menced for us in real earnest, the first
one last week having been conducted
by Herr Herman Levi, whose name is
so honorably connected with the pro-
duction Of Parsifal at Bayreuth. 1t is
his first visit here and he certainly has
succeeded, though all unintentionally, I
suppose, in raising the biggest hubbub
that has ever struck musical London
fn seo
and admiration has not died down for
a week yet. Everybody Is talking about
him and his work, and everybody is
writing about 1t and one meets 1t on
every side.
OF course have never been here be-
fore and so have never, till this winter,
really had the pleasure or many good
Wagner programmes, and consequent
ly. l never saw any Of these dear old
German giants conduct; but they do
certainly make things hum," and the
orchestras that have played under Sir
Alex. Mackenzie's and Mr.. Henschers
baton seem all at once to have jumped
into a new lease of life under the new
man. They all say that he is quite as
fine as either Richter or Sigfried Wag-
ner, besides being even more interest
ing.
Herr Lewis Methods.
His methods are quite original, or, as
he says himself, he has no method.
For instance. the other evening while
he was conducting the seventh SYM
phony Of Beethoven, and making more
Of 1t than we had ever heard in any Of
the frequent previous performances
this winter by other leaders, and while
all the Beethoven devoteeS were still
staring reverently at the man who had
wrought the miracle, he coolly stopped
work and comfortably contemplated
the band doing 1t by themselves, with
the air Of a modest amateur in the
half-crown seats. In the last move
ment. which goes with the rush Of a
chariot race. he got 1t into movement
in the stride Of few bars and then
putting down his stick proceeded to
blow his nose, rub his hands and other
wise convey to the audience that he
was only the fly on the wheel of the
English band.
And another thing that is wearing
very hard on the nerves of the English
critics is that while Herr Levi was not
only actually delighted as a child with
the excellence of his English orchestra,
but could not rest until he publicly
made known the fact, saying that i'm
Germany his material was not near SO
fine; yet this very same orchestra,
which played like an organization sent
from the Celestial regions for this man,
plays and has played all winter, quite
like little amateur affair for even
such conductors as Sir Alexander and
Mr.. Henschel. It is rather hard on the
English conductors, Just now; but
with all due respect to them, every one
Is acknowledging that the coming of
Herr Levi has made all the difference
in the world in orchestral work.
The next Wagner one comes in n week
or 80, and think Levi is to be the con-
ductor also. Yet, while the English are
Just swelling with pride over his COM
pliments to their band, they are mourn
fully acknowledging that no one but
he ever made 1t play so beautifully and
that their own conductors are not yet
I'D to the mark of these great German
giants in music.
The Queen of Holland.
The little queen of Holland, with her
mother, the queen regent, is on a visit
to England. having arrived yesterday.
It Is called a strictly unofficial visit,
80 I suppose there will be no oppor-
tunity for poor common folk to get a
glimpse at this little lady. Perhaps
they are making the rounds of the
Protestant royal families in order TO
get quite q little look at all the young
princes and pick out a husband for
her. That's 1t, am sure. and they
can't disguise It from me, for one. She
Is about Is now. and all the royalties
go and get engaged very young, in
deed. There is one thing on which this
little queen is to be congratulated, and
that Is that she will have a large as