New-York tribune., 1903-03-16
LONDON NOTES.
Strange Method of Aduertising @
Puzzle PLay.


Times" when his plays have been prosuca5 -
various theatres. He has convinced bi,,,oIs
that he cannot expect fair treatment ,-. -"
Walkley. Possibly he has visited the or, :.
The Times" and complained to Mr. Moba-T-
Bell and. II ne has done So presumably ba b..
been properly snubbed. Whatever NAV r..
been his previous experiences in dispIa,,in,z -,
sonal resentment account Of Mr. waIkIay,,
notices. he has adopted drastic measures -.
protecting his amour propre on the occasion a,
| the first production OF his comedy. 'sVybiteussb
| ing Julia" After an exchange OF confdaro.,
with Mr.. Arthur Bourchier. ne has put his gris,-
ances In writing. and suggested that .aT5.
/ Times should send an unprejudiced critic -
/ witness the first performance Of this pIav W
MOberly Bell took no notice Of the letters of ~
| Bourchier and Mr.. Jones' He probably coDst5
| cred their suggestion an impertinence since =,
| their impeachment Of Mr.. waIkley thav vrs-a
| challenging the fmpartiaty OF the leading Eng
| ish journal. Mr.. Bourchier then decided "a h.
| himself explains the matter, that Mr. WaIkIey,
! should be spared the evident pain and annov-
ance which every new play from Mr.. Jones,z
| pen clearly caused him" When Mr. WaLIez
| visited the Garrck Theatre on tbs night OF tbA
/ play he was not allowed to go IN. The Times
on the following morning briefly announced that
its drar:--:.c olitic was refused admission. Mr..
| Bourchier and Mr. Jones have Immediately pub
| lIshed the correspondence and thereby adver-
tised the puzzle play with TIE offensive and
| vulgar title.
Mr.. Jones in the course Of his letter to Mr.
! Bourchier, which was transmitted to Mr.. Bell
| remarks: In recent years the notices in The
| Times upon me and my work have passed the
| limits OF criticism and have degenerated into
personalities and hints that scarcely stop on the
| safe side of libel" This passage hardly be
regarded as on the safe side Of libel" If the
| charges were we'll founded. Mr.. Walklay was
| not an unprejudiced critic and consequently in
| capable of writing just and proper dramatic
notices for "The Times" Mr.. Jones and Mr..
| Bourchfer made deliberate attempt to dis
credit Mr.. Walklcy with his employers by I'M
| peaching his impartaIity. Their letters were
| calculated to injure him in his profession. and,
| being followed by his exclusion from the the
| atre might be converted into grounds for a
/ libel suit Mr. Bell. however, treated the two
| accusers with we'll merited contempt. He up
| held the dignity Of a great newspaper by de-
| cIining to send a substitute for Mr. "aikley
and by making a brief announcement that the
dramatic critic of The Times" was refused ad-
mission. Mr. WaIkIey could not have asked for
more IoyaI support from Mr.. Bell whose con-
/ Adence and respect he had earned by brilliant
| and painstaking service. Mr. Jones and Mt
| Bourchier, indeed. could hardly have selected 4
more honorable critic as the victim or their cWh
| nettv spite Mr.. Ualkley is a kindhearted and
genial critic who writes brilliant and entertain
| ing dramatic notices without a trace or oitter-
moss nartIsan prejudice or personal i'll will. His
| criticisms are sound and well lntorgled ana MS
| v-orL has real literary distinction Only an
| ovornraised and morbidly sensitive playwright
| ,rorId have taken offence and challenged MS
| ,nor+ia1itv as a. critic. The most lnscrutaoL9
| feature of the puzzle play" which MT. Jones
| .oorns n have substituted for the problem
| r1av ia his strange manner OF advertising Il "
| lbellInE a just and capable Critic
| The seriousness with which current IL 'ai.,a l'0
o-it,cisr, ts regarded by Mr.. Jones Is an lnolea-
tion of lack Of judgment. London H'dIae'i9
are we'll aware that it is not Posslnle I'I any
liter on affairs Of the theatre, nor even Tor All
| a. orItfcs nv preconcerted arrangement eitneT
| "a command success for bad play or ~ DOOM
q good one to failure. new play III L''l"H
makes or mars it's own fortunes II Il nave Vr
| r,ents Of popular interest, one aIdleilte VIZ
| draw another without reference to what Is wiz
| ten about it for the press If 1t lack a''Idc'o4
| for the public. adventitous putting and preJua'-
| cia1 favoritism on the part Of critics VIII ho<
| save it from premature withdrawal west El'A
| r1avgoers as a rule do not read dramatic h'-
| tices for they prefer to judge for theHseI'T'
! and do not wish 10 know the story of 4 nran'S
| before they go to the theatre The pest u'8-
| rna+ic criticism in the London press - d'S'il'
| +;,-oI,- literary In motive and GualtI- anu -
,-ri+tan l suspect mainly for readers VINO ms
good literature and seldom go to the theatre
| have the most sincere admiration for Mt Walk
| low Mr.. Max Beerbohm, Mr.. Archer and otns0
7riters on the London theatre; hut / cann"-
,binL that their work has much t0 4" WIN mo
successes or failures of the stage IR'y enter
| tain literary audiences, hut theE nHIthsr III '''
eunty theatres when new PLAYS are Pi"uU'V.''
Mr. Jones ought to know that this IS So from '1'
own experience. THE ManOeuyres Of Jane "o'
roughly criticised when 1t was first ene't9N'
but II had long and prosperous run IINHle'
the Idol" was praised by a majority NJ the 'II'-
les but It was not, il I remember tne 'I' 'u-'
stances Alright, equally succesSfuI hsI'-
theatre is lottery, and Mr.. Jones mas vi
his share both of prizes and blanks. fe 'Ie
to take his luck as it comes. ana h'' i'S' a.
temper and drag so good natuFVu al"
manager as Mr.. Bourchier into his private DIG
erIngs when a critic of the highest rePu'a'..N
pepIects to take so serious view Of the ar'ls'Io
qualities OF his work as a playwright ~ TX '''
himself
Lovers of the beautiful art Of etching VIII n''1 =
little entertainment in the annual sno" j" "'A
Mall Seldom has there been so comnl'Hp'0'
on exhibition Of the Society OF Painter-hty"
Sir Seymour Haden has ceased TO - o'I "''
work. and that is heavy loss for the Fe'e'''1
| had n s+vIe of real distinction Mr. Strahs a.
Mr Cameron two Of the master HoIhe'S =
black and white are no longer conne'leu
tho society and this is an irretrtevaoie l'SS' 'o
| eood examples of their art would suInce 10 -
scores of mediocre etchings. meZzo'h'S GIN,
drawings Mr. Whistler. who has beeh 'i'e =
the few great etchers Of the generation mas ~