The San Francisco call., 1899-07-02
1.-THE ADVENTURE OF
THE LADY URSULA"
- most pIays one sees ideas tend to

TN most plays one sees ideas tend to
| repeat themselves, acts to recall SINH
J. lar acts, but Lady Ursula does not
invite comparison. a person of tena-
cious memory might be dimly conscious
that a Sheridan atmosphere was closing
about him and find a Whit of time from
the absorbing business of feeling new in
fluences to say that he was glad of it.
To us it seems one of those unimprovable
plays that at great intervals dawn upon
the dramatic horizon 'Tis not especially
attractive at the first look, but grows
upon you gradually, until it possesses
beauty you scarce felt it could contain
purposes that, except to the author, are
inscrutable, but here each figure has its
reason and charms by its skillful coloring,
We should like 1t to be our fate to walk
through life hand in hand with Lady.
Ursula, and if it were not for Sir George
Sylvester, in the person OF MIR. Miller,
certain defeat. From the moment my
lady comes within the orbit of our vision
we, like the impressiGnist, have but one
point of view, and those who would be in
the picture, except as grateful masses of
background color, must keep close to her
in stage womanhood, Il distinct creation
The frank enjoyment she gets. from her
escapade. even in the midst of threaten
ing disclosure bespeaks the ingenue-
by prudish education. AS she gropes her
timid road to manlineSs by copying the
sling of Sir Georges legs and. the man
ner of his strides, she plows her way into
our hearts with the deepest and softest
OF burrows. Who would not love her?
Who could account her light. or unre-
spectable2 Who could see aught but the
thoroughbred, whose very security lies in
her never feeling the need of protection?
Words are plenty, but they cling to our
pens for very shame at their inadequate
ness when we would describe the love
scene in the third act. The subtle some
thing that gives to music its insidious in
fluence is there in perfection. Our antici-
pations are keenly alive to a climax How
can. Sir George resist the temptation In
fold his arms about her? He is but hu-
man. And yet did he break the spell nv
so much as a touch we should rebel
Thank you; Mr.. Miller; add one more
laurel to your already crowded wreath.
Il don't know what ! am mad with but
mad am" We want the lights kept low
the hands held tight, the silence un-
broken. But suddenly our unwillingness
to break the spell is SWamped in our viii
lingness to let them know how true thew
have sung. The effort costs US a few
tears, but what of that?
We have had occasion before to sneak
or Miss Anglin's pauses. In Lady JJr-
sula they are quite as eloquent as her
our vis-a-vis to take the privilege of talk
ing from us keeps us from scoring half
our points Go and. learn a lesson in
Coul tSS rom Iile society Lady Ursula
moves in. No one would dare to pre-empt
one of her pauses by so much as a gest-
ure. Her portrayal of the character is
above criticism.
Mr.. Miller's Sir George Sylvester is
well, it is Sir George Sylvester, and who
can say more? The Mr.. Dent of Joseph
Alderman is a fine Characterization He
absolutely bristles with the duel spirit of
the age. Mr.. Morgan as the Earl Of Has
senden but strengthens the impression he
gave us in THE Liars We regret the
part is not a larger one. The minor parts
are all played in perfect harmony with
the main theme, and this is art The
These people, if they spent their sub
stannA generously. at least did it. like q