New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-27
LONDON NOTES.
The Peacock Room-Mr. Pember
toms Old Fashioned Play.

orative art For few weeks they can sun
themselves In the golden splendors of the two
royal Birds and then the panels ceilings and
mural decorations will be transferred to Amer
lea for the adornment of millionaire's palace
Without doubt they are right when they declare
that the Japanese room taken from the LeyIand
House and now set up in the Obach Gallery in
Bond-st.. is a tour de force of decorative de-
sisn' but they ought not to be too emphatic IN
describing IT as a masterpiece of handicraft
whistler was In the habit of posing before his
admirers as -he heaven-sent genius who could
WORK IN every medium with the masters sense
vi per1ection but he knew in his heart that he
was oiten amateurish and that his improvisa-
lions were not always marvels of technique
ihe Peacock Room, as 1t is now SEEN contains
unrnistakable evidence that he was experiment.
Ing with an unfamiliar medium. The old Span
ish leather with which the room was lined has
been heavily coated with oil paint but the blue
surfaces are uncertain in tone and quality and
the gliding is crude Handicraft fails but de-
Sign triumphs. There is complete and har-
monious japanese effect in decoration and IL
has been worked out with the reticence char
acteristc OF Whlsters art The same hooking
genius who could walk about an art gallery with
a patronizing air. and either describe Raphael
as the smart young man OF his day or wave
aside modern collection with a contemptuous
but 1t all does goodt" the master OF econ
ornies when he painted Whether he was etch-
ing plate or decorating a room. there was not
an unnecessary stroke.
This Is the secret of the harmony Of the Pea
cock Room. There is nothing like overdecora-
tion. either in the window shutters, with their
rich ones OF color; the ceiling. with its circles OF
plumage; the mouldings and lacquer work, or
the broad panel with the vainglorious and ruff
Aa1R
with Japanese veneering. He mastered the
essential elements of It, such as beauty Of de-
sign. suitability for human use. skill in the en-
ployment of natural objects. such as birds or
flowers. and symmetry IN proportions and
effects; yet he remained himself IN adapting it
with sense of reticence and reserve to his own
purpose. He might have been Japanese with
the strain of generations Of native blood in him,
so perfectly had he assinilated what was char
acteristic in the art OF decoration: yet broad
ened the effects and refined the processes with
that subtle touch Of personality which was the
secret OF his power In the world of art. AS one
of the finest modern examples of unity of design
IN decoration. the Peacock Room will be a great
addition 10 the art treasures of America. If IL
can be often seen by decorators and designers
its simplicity, suggestiveness and lack of fussi-
ness and elaboration can hardly fail 70 influence
public taste and TO make the interiors OF Amer
lean houses more restful and dignihed.
Mr.. Max Pemberton has written romantic
play of Gretna Green. the schoOlroom and the
regimentaI quarters, and provided Miss Annie
Hughes with attractive part. The Finish
ing School," as staged and enacted az WynG-
hams Thea tire. resembles Mrs. Ryley's Mice
and Men," but lacks its originality and charm.
The situa lions. motives and characters are -
familiar the eighteenth century costumes.
ri,
schoolgirl and her lover and an interrupted mar
riage at Gretna Green. The famous parsou-
blacksmith. Reuben Laing. is not so merry a.;
he ought to be; and the disInterested friend
David Pugh. who arrives az the Kings Head
like courier to make arrangements for The
runaway pair is not a convincing charaC ter,
but the lovers are sufficiently ardent and iul-
pulsive. and Sir John Vane father of one and
guardian OF the other. is as wrathful. unreasOn-
able and explosive as Sir Anthony Absolute
The bridegroom is sent to the barracks for a
year and the girl to finishing school in York
shire. where she is discovered in the next act.
the interval of year being braeketed in the
programme. The schoolroon scene is enlivened
by the antics OF a dozen or more frclcsOme
girls. the business Of two prim mistresses and
the instructions Of a fantastic teacher OF dancing
and department: and at the close the sef-sacri-
fciug David. who secretly loves the mischievous
Dorothy. but is bent upon marrying her on 70
the other fellow, arrives with the tdings that
her lover has been ordered off to the wars and
is having his last regimental dance that even
ing Dorothy at once resolves to go TO the BAH
In the disguise of a French officer and to see her
lover before he starts for Portsmouth and tbs
battlefield.
The third act is secretly rehearsed by the
spectator before the curtain rises. He foresees
that Lady Rose. Dorothys rival will be among
the ladies at the ball. and that she will cast
languishing eyes at the young warrior. Murray
vane: and also that the schoolgirl. Maynard
and awkward. will appear in Davids French
cousins spare uniform. initiate his accent. swag-
ger about among the officers without being rec
ognized, slap a cOxComb's face. accept chal-
lenge to duel and have long chat with her
guardian over a deCanter of port. The precise
means by which her presence at the ball is re-
vealed-a shoe buckle in this instanee-may not
be anticipated: but the dullest spectator is as
sured in advance that she will rush into her
lovers arms at the critical moment and ride
back TO the school on his prancinS steed- All
these things happen. and the final act comes
without charm of novelty. The masqueradins
French officer Is let into the schoOlrOOm by
young women in night dresses, and before she
can be tucked by them into bed the irate Sir
John Vane is laundering at the door, and the
school rnistresses are shocked TO find that the
demure girl whom they had last seen writing as
a task short sentence two hundred times. has
been having the time of her life Equally
conventional IS the sequel. Dorothy. when con-
fronted with her guardian. repeats. to his diS-
advantage what he said TO the French heu-
tenant is forgiven by him for her indiscretion
and Is handed over TO her lover. who has come
and 10 TOrH