New-York tribune., 1899-03-12

change In the relations of the various areas OF
Metropolitan London can be wrought by so arti-
fca and feeble a substitute for centralized loca
government.
AN ANTIQUE ENTERTAINMENT
Last night 7 was reminded both Of the ancient
! glory of Westminster and of the survival OF the
medieval guilds by unique entertainment IN
the Apothecaries' Hall. While Westminster was
dominated for centuries by the Palace and the
Abbey, and the tenants were either retainers oi
the court or refugees seeking sanctuary AS
criminals Of debtors, the hey-day Of its glory
came with the splendOr Of Ben JOnsOn's masques
which were performed by lords and ladies in the
gardens Of Whitehall, under the direction OF the
Master OF Revels. These were magnificent enter
tainments for a single night, staged by artists
like lingo Jones with amateur actors respondent
in silks velvets and jewels, and with music 10y
court composers to fill the pauses The palace
has vanished, with the single exception OF the
banqueting hall, and the open air theatre can
only be identified vaguely with the Duke oil
Bucceugh's spacious grounds and the clump OF
trees in Whitehall Gardens. The Master Of Rev
els has degenerated into a sorely abused Licenser
of Plays and Ben Jonson's masques, with their
classical allegory and pretty verse, are known
only to a few boOkworms. Ben Jonson has IN
deed become so rare" that so brilliant a com
edy as The Alchemist" has to be presented as
an antique by the amateur actors Of the Elza-
bethan Stage Society in quaint hall of liv-
cried company.
This latter day revel was held last night at
Apothecaries' Hall, near Backfriars, not far
from Playhouse Yard. where, on the site or a
monastery, Burbage built the theatre in which
several Of Shakespeare's plays were produced.
The hall was erected in 1910 for the Apothe-
carries Company, which, unlike the other hVer-
led guilds. has retained something Of its orlgina!
trade character Some OF its members are even
now apothecaries and ii exercises the privilege
Of granting licenses for dispensing medicines
and giving medical advice. AT the back OF the
old hall there are to this day chemical labora-
tories for drugs to Justify Garths sarcastic
coupet:
There stands a structure on a rising hill,
Where tyros take their freedom out to XIII.
The company's arms display Apollo in the act
Of shaving the python and haunt the proud
motto from ovid. "As a helper | am still pro-
claimed throughout the world" Portraits OF
lanes | and Charles adorn the antique hall.
which is ordinarily used only for banquets The
Apothccaries' Company is one of the smallest or
the livered guilds. but il has vested FUNDS Whlch
enable il to serve a handsome banquet at least
once = wear II also maintains a botanic garden
In Chelsea 10y virtue Of a bequest made by Sir
Hans Sloane whose name is perpetuated III the
broad thoroughfare leading from Hyde Park to
Sloane Square.
Apothecares' Hall was appropriate theatre
for the production Of The Achemist, FOR Zen
Jonson. as well as Shakespeare, lived for sea-
son at Blackfriars. The play was written not
only as a comedy for the entertainment OF "A
pleasure-loving audience, but also as satire
upon charlatans and quacks, and the Apothe-
carries Company in its earlier period was deeply
interested in the protection Of the community
against imposture. The ghosts OF the departed
uorthice who once ordered the analrs OF the
company in that quaint hall must nave smlieH
grimlv if they witnessed the antics or the
alchcmist and heard the recondite discourse on
claesic and medieval science. old subtle APP
noared in the last act in the same fantastic cos
tunne which travelling quacks wore at BarthoIo-
NEW Fair in Ben Jonsons time, ana NJ dupeu
the strange company which consulted him pre-
cisolv as rnountebanks and imposiors guIled
,b.ir credulous and superstitious victims III Lon
don town.
AN EXCELLENT PRODUCTION.
Co well WAS this old play produced under Mr..
William Poers management that the audience
received a realistic impression OF loW He III 'he
Elizahcthan and Jacohcan age There was noun
ing to distract attention from the prlsk move
nent Of the play and its Keen exposition OF sor-
did traits of character. for the stage curtahed
off AT one end Of the room was mario" one
and no scenic effects were attempted me
alchemist. with his afectailon "i iearhlhg' ms
sly articles and his audaci"us ehoniery was "
figure taken from another gcherau"n "heh
crude imposturc was possible, hut he had the
,a,b oC roal life and he was appealing To