New-York tribune., 1900-12-02


periodicals and weeklies instead Of keeping all
their eggs in one basket An important ngufe
in Journalism Of this class is the serial story
writer in sympathetic touch with large popular
audience In "A Napoleon Of the Press" she en-
Joys the honors OF apotheosis. writing in spien-
did isolation In Chelsea street, living on grapes
and confections. paying the racing debts OF
soldier lord, and in due time marrying MN ana
living happily ever after.
Il may not be generally known that noveiists
of the first rank are forced from motives Of self
preservation to aramatize their stories or TO have
Il done for them II they do not take this pre-
caution some playwright, amateur or profess
sional viii put their stories on the stage before
they know il. and they themselves will be de-
fenceless Mr. Maurice Hewletts Forest Low
ers" was dramatized in this way and has been
enacted although IL is not a romance that lends
itself easily 10 scenic representation. When his
Richard Yea and Nay" written he decided
20 protect his interests author by having
IL dramatized 10 order and copyrighted in Eng
land and America. This was done, and no other
dramatic use can be made OF the book without
his knowledge and consent. Mr.. Zangwiirs
Mantle os Elijah" has been written with view
to dramatic presentation. and the play in due
time win be offered TO managers.
When a new play is presented in London II IS
OF the first Importance that the author and man
aeer should advertise il in advance for precisely
what il is. There is much in the name and the
class under which a fresh work is offered Tor
public approval when romantic comedy is an
nounced il Is dangerous to have it relieved by
farccal touches, whether broad or delicate. The
British public insists upon having delivery Of
the goods which have been advertised, and IL Il
gets anything else it is inclined to grumble and
10 consider itself defrauded. This is probably the
exclamation Of the discomfort Of a small minority
of the first nights audience at the Duke of
YorI's Theatre The Swashbuckler'' turned out
10 be a medieval farcica comedy, with many
touches Of poetic fancy and romantic sentiment,
with much animation Of movement and with an
absolutely clean story, without word or act to
bring blush young girls face 1t was
bright and cheerful entertainment, with pretty
scenery and Costumes, much amusing byplay
and now and then strain of poetry 1t was
well acted 10y Mr.. Waring Miss Millard and
their associates. and Alfred Mansfield, an Amer
ican actor, who made hit in the part Of
AristobuIus at the opening performance Of
"Herod" at Her Majesty's, played with earnest
ness, grace and poetic insight There was
great deal Of innocent merTiment in the piece
and there was not a trace OF indecency or vul-
garity; yet because the spectators had not eX-
pected a farcical play but romantic comedy
pure and simple, few Of them in the galleries
fingered after the fail Of the curtain and "booed"
the author The stalls rallied to Louis Parker's
defence and applauded heartily a work Of deli
oacy and refinement which the galleries had not
appreciated. The Swashbuckler' may not be a
great play but II is an ingenious fabric Of mock
heroics, wiz something of the dantiness Of AS
You Like u" and with much Of the varied
movement and comic relief of THE Three
Musketeers" M F.