New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-16
.on to complain Of the support In what they de-
.crihe as a melodramatic comedy.

.cr,be as q melodramatic comedy.
The play is in reality subtle essay on the
r.es and abuses of the human will. and in the
uyht Of pare science II is no.. perhaps entirely
convincing. II introduces Sir Henry Irving for
the first time after many years OF cos;uming in
clothes Of the period with a Mayfair and White
chapel environment. This is novel but not I'M
portant What is the really interesting problem
is his ability to hypnotic audiences as well as
cage subjects. and to convert DR.. Tregenna into
a great part. like Matthias in The Bells" He
succeeds in making ii weird rather than impress
sye That there Will be an increase Of mag
,e,c power over the footllghts as the perform
once is repeated is certain. but n psychical part
IKE this Ii not easily understood and involves
q triumph Of mind over the anomalous motive
lsss matter OF the playwright. The actor mana
ger seems to have forecast the inherent difficult
Ties Of the players art, and 20 have set up ade-
ouate safeguards against commercial failures by
n-oyding realistic melodrama for the galleries
and dra vving-roon costuning and byplay for the
stalls.
Mr.. GLADSTONES WAITING.
The pathos OF Mr.. Gladstone's patient waiting
Tor the final call is relieved by unceasing demon
STATIONS Of public sympathy and respect. No
incident has been more conspicuous than the
ACCESSION OF Sir Charles Tenant TO present the
famous Millais portrait to the National Gallery.
and the popular approval with which ii has
heen received. This is the portrait Of Mr. Glad
stone for which his lifelong friend the Duke Of
Westminster could find no wall space at Grosye-
nor House after the Home Rule conversion 1t
was exhibited last winter at Burlington House
IN the Millais show. and by common consent Is
one Of the greatest treasures OF English art The
Duke Of Westminster is one Of the most eminent
and public spirited millionaire peers in England
ard has repented long ago Of the vagary Of
Judgment by which ne was betrayed into an act
o. petty partisan petulance. MIR Gladstone in
the serenity Of an exalted Christian faith is now
high above the low levels of partisan thought
and personal resentment, but he would be more
than human IL he were not touched by The an
nouncement that the rejected portrait is 10 have
a place OF honor in England's chief treasure
house % art.
Another gift to the nation IS Millaiss "Order
Of Release" which was bought for Mr.. Tate az
the Renton auction for 5000 guineas. II will be
presented by him TO the Tate Gallery. where
THE Vale OF Rest and other splendid examples
% Mlas's art are in the possession OF the ma
ton. The spirited bidding for this picture
forced the price up 10 record figures for a Nil
lais. but Mr. Tate. II now appears. was de-
,ermined have it at any cost. The great
painter had revealed in confidence TO him an
ardent desire that this work should he kept
where the public might see it. This IS the pict-
ure which when first exhibited forty five years
age was known TO have portrait OF LADY Mil
lais in the Highlander's wife giving the order of
release to the TALLER in uniform. She sat FOR 1t
precisely as Mr. Dickenss daughter now Mrs.
PeruginD was the lady In The Black Bruins
wicker"
The Renton sale has offered new proof or
the value Of art collections a financial invest
ment, since all the prices we're heavily in ao-
vance Of first cost The Heckscher sale has con-
frned the same judgment respecting unique
curiostics one Of it's unique features was a
collection Of snuff The most precious of
these was purchased some time ago for II 900
The new price at auction for the Tiny gold box,
three inches In length. $3.50 guineas. II
was a superb Louis XIV tabatiere. OF exquisite
workmanship with finely chased borders and
four enamelled portraits after the Lancrets or
the National Gallery. An art collector is not
without practical instinct He lays up treasures
for his own recreation and the profit OF his
heirs Collectors are now ransacking the shops
for early prints and engravings Of Mr.. Glad
stone and the prices have sharply advanced
In the course Of a decade and generation The
value of these scarce enGravings will ne in
creased tenfold. l. y r.