New-York tribune., 1895-06-23
LORD ACTON ASA LECTURER.
HIS OPENING DISCOURSE AT CAMBRIDGE
ON THE UNITY OF HISTORY"-MME.
BERNHARDT AND SIGNORA DUSE
MIR. LESLIE STEPHENS b.
''- OGRAPHY OF HIS
BROTHER.

London. June II.
The last week has been marked by several
musical dramatic and literary events OF some I'M
portance We have had the production in Eng
lish Of a new opera at Covent Garden; the reap
pearance Of Patti at the opera. the performance.
almost sinnulta neously. OF a new part py the TWO
r,va, oucens OF tragedy. Sarah Bernhardt and
Eleanora Duse: the first appearance IN LONDON or
a pianist whom some Of the critics describe as the
greatest OF virtuosi. Herr Roscnthal: the puohca-
ton of two biographies of important public men.
and Lord Arton's inaugural lecture at Cambridge.
II will easily be understood that the London world
made n great point Of welcoming Nine Patti back
To the stage and that those who had seen her or
old rushed 10 her again. while those whose
opera years began since her retirement were all
the more anxious TO have an experience Tor wh'ch
they had believed themselves born too late. Ine
audience Of course. was very brilliant. so far as
birth, wealth. diamonds. beauty and varied en-
,nence can Justify that adjective. and even the
music Of "Traviata" found TO be all that
music should be- Nine. Patti looked half her
age and H. just here and there a critic couid
note some difference in the voicSfrom what 1t was
In its golden prime. still. by means OF an almost
fsultless knowledge OF her own limitations, by
showing her strength and Disgusting her weak
ness the great singer charmed every hcarer ana
created an enthusiasm that was by no means all
of II the resul: Of association and Of "aull lang
syne" 1t does not appear to be known whether
Nine Patti will sing very often but she Is an
rounced to repeat "Traviata" on Saturday next
II the audience went last night to hear Patti that
which assembled on Saturday went partly out or
curiosity az TO the first English performance ever
given at what used 70 be called the ROYAL
Italian Opera. and partly 10 compliment Sir Ed
ward Malet our distinguished Ambassador at
Berlin the author OF the lbret'o. Sir Edward
Is a scholar and a man OF letters; his Haroid
was historically very accurate and, IN literary
sense. we'll composed: but the musicians seem to
think that Mr. Governs music is not of sufh-
ciently striking kind 10 give life to a subject so
gloomy and even heavy as this Is. Ii Is pity
but though we have several musicians of mark.
none OF them seems TO be able to write an opera
which can hold and keep tie stage: none OF them
seems to be- will not say a Mozart or Wagner
but a Gounod. or even a Mascagni.
Meantime. the world that prefers the theatre
10 the operatic stage is for the moment talking OF
nobody but Sudermann and his two grea: inter
prefers his French and italian Magdas. AS
write We have only had the French interpreta-
tion In which Nine. Bernhardt. well knowing that
she must exert herself to continue to hold her
own. has scored n new and a very great success
a success very dineren. from that which she has
reached In the series of tricky melodramas which
make up the larger part Of her later repertory.
Tonight Sgnora Duse appears In the same part
OF Magda at Drury Lane. and everybody-inean-
ing thereby everybody who can spare an evening
from the thousand and one engagements OF this
exhausting seasons going u see her. II is In
teresting TO be able to say that tho fears which
many of us felt as to Signora Dusc being able to
All Drury Lane. in either sense of the term. have
nroved groundless that the knowledge OF her
,,noue powers has spread and that. while her
voice IL proved 10 be on the whole adequate even
to that great building. she happily finds herself
playing to good audiences on Tuesday week we
are TO have the Daily company, who open with
THE Railroad OF Love" and in whose programme
for the season I.ondoners glad to see the
names of at least three shakespearian plays.
The two books of which spoke are Mr.. Shands
Life Of the Late Sir Edward Hamley and Mr.
Leslie stephens biography Of his brother, SIT
James Fitzjames Stephen. our great criminal law
yer. jurst and critic Of men and things. Probably
the name of Harnley is very little known In Ameri-
ca He was a soldier of considerable distinction.
but he was more celebrated In England as a writ
er on the art of wer-it was under that title that
he wrote his principal book-as a leader of mill
tary and politico- military society and as the hero
of a rather famous quarrel with Lord Wolseley.
1t would hardly. however, interest American read
ers if were go into the details OF this quarrel
which arose out of what Hamey believed 10 be
the un lust neglect Of the services OF the division
which ne commanded at Tel-e-Kebir Military
people are still divided on the question whether
those services were inadequately recognized or
not by the General-in-Chef. but there can hardly
be two opinions as to the breach of military eii-
quette committed by Hamley in publishing MS
complaints. soon after the campaign. in popular
review signed by his name. The matter Is ancient
history now and had been forgotten long before
Hamley's fne, soderly figure passed away for
ever from the circle Of his friends in Parliament
and AT the Athenaeum Club. His biographer has
revived it, as was inevitable: bat the chief value
Of the book is as the record Of the life Of brave
man and an eminent tactcian. who was at the
came time far beyond the average OF his profes-
sion an excellent writer of English
more permanent place in English biographical
literature will be taken by the second book that
have named; the memoir Of very remarkable
man. set amid the records Of highly interesting
family by a writer who is not only his subjects
brother but also one OF the most skilled dog
raphers sanest judges. and keenest intellig"nces
OF our time. This is a good deal 10 say OF any
man hut II ,s certainly true OF Mr.. Leslie stephen.
man whose services to English letters nave
never been recognized by the general public as
quite 90 great as they really are. As one takes
I'D his volume it Is impossible not 10 feel pang
of regret that 1t should appear at such a SAD
moment In the writer's history; for whatever
success the book may have-and its success Will
assuredly be great-vill be lost upon the author
newly stricken DOWN by the most terrible blow
that can befali a man. II is but few weeks ago
when the book was already written ana printed
that Mrs Leslie stephen died. after very briei
Illness leaving desolate one OF the most delight
fui homes in London. and leaving large circie
Of true friends the poorer for the loss OF most
rich and beautiful personality. In the presence
NJ such a calamity the author OF James Stephens
,,,e utn care little for whatever the world may
.av about his book: and yet It Is a book In which
the world will naturally feel great interest foi