The Irish standard., 1905-12-30

ANoSS WIN tulrSI aICer q dramatic
spectacle of the first order-whim-
sacal. droll, full of sympathetic
spirituality, should not fail to see
Francis Wilson, who is now playing at
the Hollis Street Theatre. in '"The
Little Father of the Wilderness" saws
The Boston Republic. 1t marks the
high water mark of excellence in Mr..
Wilson'S career and reveals him in a
light that few even in wild dreams
would think Of investing him with.
A. the missionary priest repulsed at
- gay and frivolous court rof Louis
XIV. and achieving his true recogni-
ton through the brave Frontenac. MI.
Wilson achieves a triumph of sympa-
fhetic Interpretation and beautiful por-
traiture
The Republic strongly urges those
Of it's readers who are anxious to do
their share toward the elevation of
the drama to see Francis Wilson as
Pere Melotte, Priest-Hero
Certainly the Catholic and the Celt
have done their share toward the up
lifting of the drama. The New York
news, as it reflects the stage, speaks
frequently of the Catholic and the Celt
in relation to the drama.
Two facts brought to mind by the
recent death Of Sir Henry Irving
one that his wife was an Irishwoman
and the other that the last appear.
,ance of the distinguished actor was
in Beckett" of which George barley,
a native Of Dublin, had written
very successful version before Ten
nyson-serve to recall the fact that
the contributions of Irish men and
women to the old English drama have
never been sufficiently understood, GER
tainly not in Boston.
lous, development which is now TAX
ing place under our very eyes in
every department of human activity in
Ireland, and which includes a revival
of the Irish drama by native play
wrights and exponents of histrionic
art, makes it doubly necessary that
the amount of talent and energy which
Irfshmen have contributed to the glory
of the English stage should have its
due, albeit tardy, recognition.
The names of Oliver Goldsmith and
Richard Brinsley Sheridan, play
Wrights, and Peg Wellington and Dora
Jordan, actresses, practically exhaust
the list which many Irishmen would
be able to give if asked for the names
of eminent Irish dramaturgists or ac-
tresses. Besides these, however, there
are hundreds who, if they have not
been enshrined in popular remem-
brance, have almost an equal claim to
be included in the list.
The purpose Of this article is to Sc
cure for these, the comparatively un-
known or the forgotten, what the
Hanscendent genius or the enormous
popularity of the others has secured
for them.
And before touching on this special
subject it might not be out Of place
to touch on another but closely analo-
,gous phase of the questionable sum-
mary manner in which the English
people claim as English" actors every
actor Of note who has appeared on the
English STAGE One notable instance
is that of David Garrick.
He has been called the greatest of
English" actors, but he had as mat
ter of fact no English blood. His
grandfather, a French Protestant, fled
to England to escape persecution. His
son, Peter, a captain in the English
army, married the daughter of an
Irish clergyman, and David was the
Issue of that marriage. He was, there
fore, half Irish and half French. but
if it be true that brilliant sons derive
their talents from their mothers, then
David Garrick's talents were wholly
Irish.
Garrick was born in England and
went to school at Litchfield, where the