The record-union., 1899-10-15

l.
starred, was a translation of Lar
ronge's "Meln Leopold which, in turn,
was taken from "Crochets du Pere
Martin" by Cormon and Granger, pro-
duced at the Theater de la Gazette in
Paris, in 1897. Sidney Rosenfelds "Dr.
Clyde" translated from L'Arronge's s
Doctor Claus" was taken from lie
Gendre M. Poirier," by Augier and Bar
rierre. The French original of Owen
Meredith's Lucille" is we'll known.
while the startling extracts in Welch's
English Literature" from Henri
Taine's work, will be remembered by
all who have read both books. Cor
nellie found it to his advantage to take
word for word the lines on fortune in
''Polyeucte," from the lode to Richie
lieu," that Godeau had written fifteen
years before, although Corneille de-
clared that he was positive the lines
were original with him. Sometimes
that which appears to be plagiarism is
not plagiarism, but what has been call
ed in the case of the Rev. DR.. George
c. Lorimer unconscious assimilation :"
One OF the most remarkable incidents
illustrating the fact that two authors
may have similar ideas, involved two
of the best known and most brilliant of
German writer's. Paul Lindau went to
Leipsig to visit the dramatist, Adolph
Wilbrandt. The latter had just finish
ed a play entitled Natalie" The for
mer brought with him the manuscript
Of the first three acts of his play, 'Jo-
hannistrieb," and read it to Wilbrandt.
Imagine the surprise of both authors
when they found that they had both
treated the same subject with practi-
cally the same details as to action, in
cidents and characters. 1t then turned
out that Wilbrandt had made use of
an actual incident, while Lindau had
found his inspiration in a poem. Each
author then dedicated his play to the
other. Another remarkable incident of
this kind happened in France about
forty-ive years ago, when two novels
appeared simultaneously. One was "Fa
Diese," by Alphonse Karr and the
other Il Heritage by Jules Sardeau.
The plots and their treatments were
almost exactly alike, which was all the
more astonishing for the reason that
the stories We're remarkably involved.
An attempt was made by both the au-
thors and the critics to find a common
source for the two stories, a newspaper
item or anything, but without success.
Not only do the Germans steal from the
French, but the French take without
credit from the Germans. In lie GEN
tilhomme de la Montague" by the elder
Dumas, produced with great success at
the Port ST. Martin, Paris, in 1860, oc-
ours a lengthy scene, which is a literal
translation of one Of the strongest
scenes in Schiller's Robbers" written
in 1871. Moliere's Don Juan" contains
action, scenes and dialogue taken from
the poems Of Tirso de Molina, while
smaller plays find their sources in
Spanish and Italian originals Then,
too, Moliere stole from the real "Cy-
rano de Bergerac." But Schiller and
MOliere.
A newly formed organized organiza-
tion entitled the Anti-Stage League,
has opened headquarters in New York,
for the purpose of rescuing chorus
girls and purifying the stage The
league sent circulars to all the chorus
girls in current productions, and when
few responded out of curiosity, found
they were to be offered positions in
stores and the like The representa- =
tives of the league claim to have solid
financial support, but the chorus girls
are not wholly enthusiastic over the
project.
Forbes Robertson and Mrs Patrick
Campbell will be seen in London be-
fore long in new comedy by Miss
Constance Fletcher, called THE Ca
nary" Mrs. Campbell also has a Sc
rious drama by Turgenieff.
Wilfred Clarke, a nephew of Edwin
Booth, and a son of John Sleeper
Clarke, has been engaged to lmperson-
ate the parson in THE Choir Invisible" I"
which Henry Jewett produces this sea-
son. Mr. Clarke's latest work has
been with the now disbanded Augustin
Daily Company, in which he succeeded
James Lewis as principal comedian.
Robert B. Mantell will present a
number of romantic plays the present
season, and has ready for production
a new piece entitled THE Dagger and
the Cross The play is a dramatiza-
ton by w. A. Tremayne of Joseph
Hatten's novel by that name.
Mrs. Augustin Daily has gone to Eu-
rope to dispose of some London prop
erty. 1t is denied by her family that
there is any ill-feeling between her
self and Ada Rehan. They assert that
Miss Rehan will get all that is due
her, and that Mrs. Daily will be glad
to pay 1T.
There is an actress in New York who
is very fortunate. A box was sent her
containing a snake, which jumped out
when she opened the box, Kissed and
bit her, and she was able to sub
stantiate the story by a doctor who at
tude, the snake was dispatched.
The author of THE Choir Invisible >
James Lane Allen, is a man of three
score, tall, spare, intellectual and spec
tacled. Miss Frances Hastings, who
was commissioned by the novelist to
adapt his romance for the stage, is a
young writer, physically and facially,
recalling strangely the early book OF
George Eliot,
A Frenchman has translated Ca
mile" into Chinese, under the title Of
'The Lady of Tea Flower" 1t is said
that it has been highly successful, al
though the methods of the Chinese
stage and actors differing so much
from that of Caucasian communities