New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-01
LONDON NOTES.
VICTORIAN MADRIGALS-NOVELS AM
REAL LIFE-ART IN DREAM
ING DREAMS.

/ Of madrigals written in honor Of the jubilee.
/ group of English poets consented several
/ months ago to unite in tribute Of sympathetic
verse Sir Walter PARROT. the organist OF st.
! Georges Chapel. Windsor, is mentioned as the
author Of the PROJECT The proposal ad-
dressed at to poets and musicians The
nladrigas were TO be written by weil-known
! poets and 10 be set to music by English COM
| posers. The songs were to be published with
| the music in an artistic volume. with heavy
| paper and handsome letterpress. The madr'-
gals were also TO be sung for the first time by
] choir at Court for the pleasure OF the queen.
This was the project; and 1t has been carried 10
the first stage The madrigals have been writ
ten and the Princess has read them 10 the
Queen. with her approval the music Will be
scored by four Of the most eminent English
composers OF the day.
Seven poets have contributed 10 this unique
tribute TO the virtues and glories Of the queen.
BY virtue OF his official rank as Poet Laureate
Mr. Alfred Ausru~ is entitled ~ the first plaoe'
although he has done little since his success
sion TO Tennysor's place Of honor to JUSTIFY
his promotion lie writes graceful verse hut
lacks power of reflection. Mr.. Austin Dobson
il master OF old forms of French verse. ana
is the daintiest and most refined Of the minor
poets of the reigr His me driga Will be quaint
in form and reverent in spirit. unless his prac-
tlsed hand has suddenly lost Its cunning. Mr..
Rudyard Kipng is he most patriotlc among
latter-day English poets. and his song VIII DC
wellnigh certain to have an imperial note IL
will not be easy for him To surpass his own
"Recessional" which is n glorious Jubilee hymn
Mr william Watson turns from The Purple
East" and Abdul the Damned" 10 Merrie fnS'
land and the Good Queen Mr. Edmund hosse
is primarily a critic. but he has written much
anfc Nr H.
ert Bridges is a pensive singer but true word
painter whose art has refinement or method
that is Italian rather than English The Earl
OF Crewe has an inherited taste for letters, ana
has written some excellent verse
This list is | believe, a correct one or the
madrigal writer's. 1t does not include slr'Ed-
win Arnold Mr.. Andrew Lang. Mr. John DAVID
son Mr. w f. Henley. Mrs. Alice Meyneil ana
n few other writer's. who are ordinarily classed
among the minor poets II Is sufficiently COM
plete TO justify expectation THAI the jubilee
tribute will be fairly representative or the
poetic art at the close Of the victorian reign
In comparison with the harmonies 81 the EUZa-
bethan orchestra. IT may be only capricious
tuning Of instruments. and when the state con-
cert comes on at Windsor It will be a quiet In.
termezzo. lacking the splendors of Ben JON
sons mosques performed by the lords ard
ladies' Of Whitehall during the reign OF James
J. but there will be good musical setting AZ
least The composers are Sir Walter Parro's
Str Hubert Parry. Sir Arthur Sullivan ana FRO
fessor Villiers Stanford. They can hardly fail
TO make the Jubilee madrgals tuneful
The rnadriga was originally a SHEPHERDS
song or love ditty. but II was gradually con-
vorted into musical composition with counter
point and harmony. more intricate IN theme
than the idyllic glee II will be interesting TO
nefc md
clans in adapting It TO the requirements Of
Victorian eulogy one Of the penalties OF tho
unexampled reign has been the exhaustion OF
all resources of the Imagination In deVlsin8
fresh phrases. metaphors and themes IN honor
Of the sovereign. 1t is no longer possiple tor
any one to say anything new or noticeable about
the Queen and it is considered bal form to
attempt II. From the limitations or human IN
yention her health is drunk in silence on pubic
occasions. and the band plays GOD save the
Queen" II was reserved for an Ancient and
Honorable Yankee from Boston eighteen months
ago 10 provide a new setting for the time-worn
nhrasing: and when IL done every one
wondered why anything so obvious ana fellcl-
tons had never been thought OF before inc
Yankee however. is nothing II not inventive
The madrigal writer's Will be put On their mettie
In avoiding what IS trte and commonplace In
imagery and expression. Each Will aim TO orinS
fresh incense with a perfume or Its own 10 the
altar OF loyalty.
DRAWINGS FROM THE LIFE
well known novelist recently asked
whether he ever made use Of incidents In real
life which he found in the newspapers He re-
plied that he did not venture TO employ matter
~ that kind. although Charles Reade was In
the habit OF doing so. shall give MS own
words so far as | can remember them
estinp and dramatic story. which VIII suggest
AT once the plot Of novel. II decide TO use
u with certain variations II will be year or
possibly longer before my novel Is completed
and published What assurance can nave
that other story-writer' may not nave seen the
same newspaper clipping and have also ADOPTED
II with variations Of their own as ateriai tor
novels? Before my book is In the hands OF
readers the same incident may have been seized
upon by some other writer. ana then shah oe
charged with plagiarism. The newspapers may
have much truth which is stranger than fiction.
but it is hazardous for any novelist nowadays
~ mako use OF IT, There are too many story
writer's in the field TO render II safe for any one
~ search the newspapers for unusual incidents
In real life.
Another novelist. who was working up plot
FOR a new story. adopted the familiar expedient
Of trying IL on by relating 1t TO friend He
began by telling true story, which group
of well known artists and literary men were
,rrpcated 1t was a narrative OF exceptional
interest which thrilled the listener The novel;
,t considered II an excellent plot for a romance.
hut aid moi feel at liberty TO take II because
soms az the characters were living. and the
story had been told In confidence. He then pro-
ceeded To transform and disguise II with varia-
,tons and outlined the story which he thought
~ writing His listener was disappointed with
the revised edition. II lacked the directness ana
dramatic quality OF the original recital from rear
ufa The story which could not be told TO the pub
lie impaired the value Of the artificial romance,