The Atlanta constitution., 1896-09-07


London, August 1I--Back In London
again after Il month in Paris; back TO
cleanliness and conservatism where one
is at least freed from the appearance OF
evil, for nothing looks very wicked III
London. There are squalor and suilcrihs
here--lots OF it; there are ladies' that are
not ladies tramping up and down Tlcca-
dlly and Regent streets in the afternoons
and evenings. but most of them are at
least beings who look human-tall, rosy
checked creatures, not painted puppets
with mysterious scarlet lips anu eyes
heavy with ennui and wicked insinuatiohs.
Vice IS vice the world over, but there ls
some choice in the soil wherein are planted
the seeds of evil. Last evening We went
to the Empire music hall. tne smarteSt
and fastest place of entertainment IN Lon
don The Empire corridor. you VIII re-
member. was the place Mrs. orihistoh
Chant had closed against an ofteh-meh-
toned unmentionable class.
Well. after Paris, this Place seemed IKE
a temple of chastity. The bill. from start
TO finish. was a good one-nothinG vulgar
nothing giving even the least suggestion
OF vulgarity, and the grand ballet OF
"raust" which closed the programme
was a thing Of exquisite beauty. L nave
seen splendid productions of TINS klnd pc
fore, but none have ever quite equ;lea H.
and the memory it leaves behind is an eN-
allied one fun of the beauty of reverence
and the reverence Of beauty. They 90 these
things 50 welt here-nover hitch, ana
never a moment of waiting. Scenes ShllI
and vanish before the eyes, like SOFT CLOUDS
on the skirts of a dying day.
Comparisons are always odious, but
have to smile over the constant tax OF
French art after a knowledge or the art
Of Great Britain Nowhere in the Wlde
world does one find such symphonies IN
stage costumes and settings as in lohdoh
COMPARED to the productions here. those
one sees in Partisan theater are art-
fetal and frivolous. Too much Chiffon
too much white and gold stuff too many
spaneIes and foolish howers-that is what
one is overpowered by in Paris Here one
comes to nation acquainted with paSe''h's
and nanoplies. Tho love of substan-
tial and harmonious splendor is in their.
blood They couldn't produce things that
had the appearance Of folly. About the
British hummer gathers the romance Of
medieval days. when testers set sol
emn court to smiling and players put UP
their little tents before the palaces of
kings
We watched the revelations OF beauty
before us with enchanted eyes, and we
wanted TO shake the still people about Us
and make them applaud and wave their
handltorchefs over the privileges they
were enjoyIng-so silently. as matter OF
course.
The figures of fine Young English women
with their artistic legs and slim hips seem
made for the doublct and hoss, anu they
keen beautiful time to the rythm OF martiI
music The scene where MarEuerl'' >
hrother goes off to war was splendid. ~ltt
its KAY drummer boys in scarlet and gold'
its gray aud lilac soldiers with thelf
slashed doublets and kirtles and their soie
waving pIumes. The gathering looked Ike
an autumn field. waving with golden rod
and heather and sumac.
Aftar This the curtain fell. and i'm a mo-
mont we saw a scene like something from
Gustave Dorc. background OF ellis ana
misty mountain clouds shining sort anu
OPAQUE as amethyst cabochons. Dancing
below them were mountain spirits IN dlhl
lilac garments showing points Oh soi"
ana silver on their bat-likc wings ia 4
moment the clouds disappeared anu t"@
snl.pdor oc beauty since the world bean
Law before us In it Faust is in the
cnlIrt of beauty. On one side sits C'eo-
,,,tra I'm. back of her throne shaped Ike
IA. rail Of a pcacock with a thousand Soi-
don, owes the canopy a transparent scariet
cloud embroidered in gold Sca'apS' w w
throne itself a thing Of Spiendor III 80
and Jewels. and the Cleopatra a form %
radiant mystery, dark. dlaphaneus' optl''e'
Helsn of Troy sits on the left, hEu'7
emo fin tba scnsuous simplicity OF al"
ciept Greece. Her throne Is "uI'e "'''
l.nrIanded with flowers. ,.....;.,,-
1,hc attendants. in ciinging. Elitterih&
garments. bear gariands of flowers a~ioN1 ~
,Iotr heads and they dance "ohuetiu "a
dances until tie beauty OF II an e. :"
.,,l,.d through the mind, heart ana hrd'H'
1,i, eraccs. she muses., a nan "o"ch re-
,tn WINGED cupds. the nylnphS ol f'", =
,r. an there making a mad feNei % 80
and rracrauee. one iotEetS li"' '"' '".''
:. :, reality only tnscl and paSteoodt"'
~
re, instead o. being filtered through ttv
,inr,.rs of angels in paradise, ar" hi''ii"S5u
IN. same simple, ret-iaceu lrHoM VINO
drinks "Scotch anu 9o''
4, laae+ ono would forget all this II the
,.,,.,f.r. Isns.tise didn't triumph over All
tb. other women in capturing taust al TIE
aud Of the dance. Tho premiere c'iiScuse
always does this in every Sfahu piounc
.io,,. or '.lraust" and have notion thdt
thc man VINO plays the part resents u IN
u..r,Ilr but I'm sure Clcopatra and Helen
f ,-r5,. must rather dislike il in this par
tieula1. instance. Why Tie poor man. with
an Of his faliugs. has TO pe puiHshed IN
tbts wav I'vc never understood. Ii certain
Il. do,sIl't 20 with the rest of the reallSG-
-,ll,- beautiful mise en- scene. The real
rs,ust would out of the fullneSs OF his
artistic senses have selected the humhleat
lit,lo n,mua IN the train OF Flora, rather
th3n the tcrnsichorcan lady of tights and
tfnsel who Stands on ner toes.
Tu. prcmierc danseusc always seems nor
rihlv ont OF place in a poet!cal spectacular.
Ipstrad of being held aloft i'll the middle of
the picturc al the finish. she should lie
mad. 10 do her dancing ANA retire, or put
on something Greel, and graceful at the
end Of her promoting.
IL didn't seem strange To minds attuned
20 me beautiful wlen Faust Gisensaged
himself FROM the arms of the premiere and
tu,.ned TO the vision of Marguerite at the
climax The court OF beauty melted away
irtn me Niu2.s Of the stage, the temple van
! i.hr1 IKE a tale Of glory that :s told. and
yz-ymA s.Best Liver Pile Made"
zysgcvnawas @sEs@