The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-28


be seen at any playhouse In the world.
drama OF Goodly length opens the evening. ant
then tho Festival" starts In real earnest
Each member OF the stock" eompauy-fol
the Britannia Is conservative enough 10 believ,
IN q stock" and TO make money out OF it
walks on tho stage dressed in the character
no or she II presumed TO have beer
most successful In during the previous nine
months. The effect Ia to produce ''harlequiu
set" Hamlet. the Dumb Man Of Manchester
Boadicea. Jacob M'Closky. Ben Bolt. svenGali
Robespierre. Tommy Traddles. Robert Ma
caire. Lady Audley. Mariana OF the Moated
Grange assemble on the stage and deliver
rhyned lines written for the occasion. Then
commences q friendly bombardment from all
parts Of the house. The Hoxtonltes rain their
thank offerings thick aud fast There Ia
no fondness for Covent-garden bouquets
at the Britannia. No guinea wreaths are
luxurlously showered upon the leading
lady and the premieres danseuses. On the
contrary. severely utilitarian view is taken By
pit, gallery and boxes. The Britannia players
are not stars" They do not enjoy prodigious
salaries, and their admirers are not OF the
jeunesse doree type. 30 the gifts are OF the
strictly useful class. The principal lady OBJ
tains an abundance OF wearing material SUI
fcient to stock fancy shop. Securely packed
boxes come flying from the auditorium, oe-
casionally breaking footlight In their descent.
while tho male members OF the company are
actively engaged In collecting and massins the
treasures as they fall upon the stage.
The Britannia audience IL always very loyal
to Its old favorites. and its loyalty never took
the perishable form OF the bouquets. but sub
stantial presents OF tea. bacon, and even sau-
sages Boxes OF gloves, eollarettcs. stockings,
N . Y IA nal M al 40
tea sets are freely bestowed. In most cases
these offerings proceed from the malo Hoxton-
ties. The female portion confers gloves. neck
ties. and pairs Of braces upon the actors. and
what with the hurricane OF flying packages. the
cheers and shouts. broken with laughter
should ono Of the collectors be struck by
parcel. the scene Is OF unwonted animation,
never to DO forgotten by any who have wit
messed It. What gives chief charm to this de-
10 lite perfect spont BUSINESS. The
donors are quite anonymous. for there are no
stalls at tho Britannia whore tho giver may be
seen and envied by his fellows. Right up to
tho orchestra comes tho great pit. and the first
In are the first to appropriate the nearest point
to the stage. And what q sight ~ 10 on Boxing
Day. when tho Britannia annual" 10 sub
mitted for approval. Mrs. Lane followed the
example set by the late Edward Lamar Blanch-
u
prepared story. And what runs they had
{" FL Flambo." in 1875. and "Turlututu." In
1875. ran for over thirteen weeks. and twelve
weeks has been q common occurrence. Mrs
Lane. when quito an old woman. insisted upon
playing part In the opening" and on the
last Festival" night she seemed as juvenile
IS OF yore.
The news from America that Methodist
arh ihra baa NJ p,,l tpli
works on tho Inder Erpurodtorius because OF
he quantity OF "cuss words and outrageous
slang that he uses has started controversy
,ere carried on under tho headline rs Kip
ing Profans2" The opening letter shows more
critical insight than one would expect 1t 10
rom Mr.. John 7. Markley who writes:
May ask u literary question Is Rudyard
Aipling's poetry profane2 A hot cablegram
rom America told US tho other morning that
iipling and all his works were to be put out OF
Methodist schools library In the States
N the alleged ground OF the poets pagan
lyle Of literary observation. Now. II those
theological censors are right and Kip
ing Is wrong. then not only modern literature.
tut the public morals lie exposed to a danger
IS insidious as It is deadly. SO 1t Is Of inter-
rational interest for us to know where We are
nd how We stand In regard to the influential
4 the day. On different limos. but with equal
musical fulness OF expression. dare deviltry OF
bought and secular charm 0! style, 10 not Kip
ing admittedly the Burns OF modern metrical
motion2 Indeed. the popularity OF KiplIng
ecalls tho wonderful spoil OF magical verso By
rhich Byron. in his responsive age. held tho
ations In thrall. The proof OF this poetic
way 10 not hidden In drawer. or involved in
ny perplexing doubt His poetry is. must
ally. and BY impulse. tho heart throb OF the
ation.
Now. II the American Methodist Wow OF
lipling 10 correct, We have In our midst< , OF
he most potent OF literary evils. RiY -
I'LL feel his blows In a tender part. Domeatio
lie may well shudder at KiplinR's wild oats
rays. Our boys may feed on swear words
'hch warm cold print; and our daughters
nay find tho Poets Vesuvian output free les
ons In barrack-room slang. say this will bo
o II the Yankee Wesleyan view OF KiplinR is
light. But. may I hint that impressionist
oetry. like the Bible. is artistlcally true to ma
ure, in spite OF the contrasts Of observation
nd record. which makes US all In love with the
deal rather than tho seamy sides Of life2 The
est OF books picture mems sins. not 70 advo-
ate pigsty methods OF living, but to mako
immortality look loathsome. Before
iipling came on the scene. history tells US
hat our army swore little in Flanders. And
he New Testament tells the Sunday school
eacher that st. Peter. with the best intentions.
began to curse and to swear'-long after re-
noval from the worry OF his fshing-ne
But neither Macaulay the historian nor the |
inspired truth-tellers OF Holy Writ advocated
he warm language they faithfully recorded as
question OF fact. And am sure Rudyard |
.ipling. under the spirituele glamor OF poetry.
1ould sooner touch the heroic and the manly. |
ather than the coarse side Of the average |
older. But In reproducing army habits Kip |
ng feels his artistic responsibility In dealing
nth wild warrior life as he finds It. painting |
nd throbbing with those Philistne Drums Of |
he Fore and Aft. To idealize barrack life. and |
amt Tommy Atkins as a soft-mannered saint, |
'ould be to deal cheaply in false pictures. In |
ction lola often disgusts US with his tainted |
his tleshly heroines. and HIS details |
nauseating story. But the sins and the |
hams the novelist lays bare really exist. and |
o lace curtain. or imaginative perfumery. |
Iould hide the wrong doing. or help to heal
he moral sores.
And so. in the case OF KIpling, his non-mili-