New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-14

seemed to be highly musical people. yet only
the soloist interested them. The chorus and the
orchestra, the climax Of a masterpiece by
GoUnod or Wagner, left them Indifferent They
liked the chansonette, which they learned quick
" and were fond of repeating. They liked
melody, but harmony was out Of touch with
their musical sense
In the theatre they paid considerable attention
TO the dialogues but they seemed incapable Of
any sustained effort Of the imagination to follow
the intricacies of the play except ii the part
bordering the centre of the plot They liked
comedy. and they were often seen at he Theatre
Cluny for the same piece. They lid not enjoy
the Odeon, yet they were never known to hiss
even when others did Their only sign # disap-
prevail WAS silence One day they we're so
pleased with CoQuelin Junior that they rose
shouting Lao! Lao" and talked Of the inevi-
table subscription to send him little present
but were prevented by friends.
THE POLITICAL TOURNAMENT.
In the house they arranged theatrical enter
tainments among themselves, but their favcrite
pastiIne was the poeticaI tournament For this
an examiner, copying clerk and the candidates
for the competition were chosen. Next the
object was agreed upon. 1t was either fantasti-
cal or historical. The metre was heptasylIabic
OF two verses running parallel subjects
containing two words put in a liked place in
each verse. The examiner opened page in a
book the copying clerk named certain lne
the subject was taken from that line and the
competition began. a bell was suspended by a
thread, which half hour later was cut by
candle burning down to it The fall Of the bell
ended the composition Those who had mt
more than one proof were fined trihe. The
successful competitor became examining presi-
dent he fer ctjv
their wits TO a surprising degree While Euro
peans came to the salon with their witty sur
prises already prepared. the Chiuamen's Wit
sailed forth, ever quick, natural, unconscious
On the other hand, their minds closed against
real poetry. Apart from the clever cutting Of
their diamondlike workings. their verses had no
great merit. They were rather uncOnnected,
Hfeless ana unsentimental. without freshness
force OF FIRE. Repetition was sought, while orig
inaI;ty was neglected: memory was kept con
stantly busy. but originality remained asleep.
Although punning on almost everything
everywhere. they carefully avoided politics
Only Inbred people discuss politics in China
Their politics is in the hands Of experts who
are the best men in the empire To discuss
their doings is 4 sin serious that Of dis
GUESSING the rule Of their parents in the fam
lily OF the method Of their teacher in the school.
Even when the ruler is evidently bad, revolt
al ler not QiScuSSlDnr can remove ne evil anu
revolt TO be successful must burst at once with
n previous warning.
During the visit Of Ii Hung Chang many laid
cunning traps for them to find just what they
thought Of him, and his journey. But they had
one inyariable answer under infinite variety
Of forms: oh, yes, We know Il Hung Chang"
When Paris wild over the Dreyfus affair
people tried hard to elicit their opinion on the
subject, but they could sooner obtain the opin-
Ion Of the fish in the Seine than that Of the
Cinnamon