New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
ACTORS In THE SENATE.
Only One Precedent for Coquelin-
Thespian Who Became Monarch.

Il H6SptdN w no ID DCCUuG u W OnQTCH.
NJ. Coqueiin's decision to put forward his candi-
dacy for the vacant Senatorship of the Pas de
Calais Department serves to call attention to the
fact that the only country in which actor can
boast OF having sat in the upper house OF the ma
tional legislature is England; not that the actor
was elevated such to the House of Lords: but
the Earl of Rossiyn became possessed of the dig
nifty Of peer of the realm through inheritance or
his fathers honors. and being compelled TO earn
his bread actor. sometimes under the name
of Erskine and sometimes Lord Rosslyn. took
part in the deliberations of the House of Lords and
voted lord OF Parliament on measures affecting
the welfare of the British Empire, when not out
on the road with his company or playing to mat
inee audiences in London Occasionally he has
been suspended from the exercise of his legislative
duties by bankruptcy But he has always mao
relatives who have come to his rescue, and 1t has
only been for brief periods that the House Of Lords
has been deprived of the benefit of his sagacious
counsel and his extensive experience
lust at present he is fulfilling the duties of pri-
vate secretary to Graham Murray, the Secretary
for Scotland. and representative of the Northerh
Kingdom IN the Cabinet. AS there Is no unoer
Secretary for Scotland, Lord Rosslyn virtually rep
resents the Land of Cakes, at any rate adminstra-
lively in the House of Lords. and the actor mas
blossomed forth into a statesman
There Is one professional actor, however, who can
boast of having become a full fedged monarch,
namely the grandfather of the present Prince OF
Monaco He was an actor at the Ambigu Theatre
daughter of a pork butcher. or "chareuter. VINO
had often saved him from starving until the ao-
vent of his father to the throne and, In partcua'
the death of his elder brother. enabled him 10
transfer his abode to Monte Carlo ana 10 oeselt
the stage at any rate as PROFESSION
OF course, there would be one great adVahtase
in admitting actors of distinction. such as Coque
lin TO the Senates and upper houses OF natohai
legisIatures-for at least they would be aole 10
express themselves with clearness and distinctoh
as trained elocutionists. while, If humorists or
comedians like Coquelin they would certainly con-
tribute to the Tightening of debates
NAPoLEoN's PREJUDICEs.
Coouelin it may be added, has been decorated
with the cross of the Legion OF Honor not as an
actor but professor OF drama at the FarlS
Conservatoire. In this he has been much more
fortunate than that famous French actor rama,
who gave the first Napoleon lessons In department
and elocution. Napoleon felt how much he owed
to Talma, but absolutely declined to gratify the
latter's dearest wish by granting him the cross OF
the Legion of Honor. Napoleon took the ground
that the great actor might in the course OF MS
profession be called upon to receive before the loo
lights either slap in the face or. worse suIl'
kick, and that it inconceivable that knight
of Frances great national order of chivalry should
be subjected even in play. 10 such an indignlty'
particularly in public. The kings who succeeded
Napoleon I, and also his nephew. Napoleon ILL.,
took the same view. and 1t not until the Third
Republic came into existence that some OF the
most famous French actors received the red ribbon
as professors of the Conservatoire.
Other European rulers have, however, manifested
10 scruples. The celebrated Austrian actor
Sonnenthal who has travelled in this country, has
not only been the recipient of many decorations.
both from foreign sources and from his own En-
peror but has likewise received from the latter
a grant of hereditary nobility. Won Haase was
in the same way ennobled by the late Emperor
William and in England Henry Irving. Squire
Bancroft and one or two other actors have been
knighted.
MISS JEFFREYS is THE HON MRS. CURzoN.
While on the subject of the stage, may draw
attention the fact that Miss Ellis Jefreys, the
pretty English actress who has just signed a
contract to star in this country for three years,
supported by a company of English and Amer-
can players and who will open her first season at
the New-Amsterdam Theatre. in New-York is a
sister-in-law of Earl Howe, and that her only boy,
Chambr6 William Penn curzon, now seven years
old. stands fair chance OF succeeding TO his
uncle's peerages and estates. Miss Jenreys OBJ
tained a divorce last year from her husband, the
Hon. Fred Curzon, the custody Of the two chill
dren of the union being accorded to her. She is a
daughter the late Captain Jefreys, of the army
and as a young girl was obliged, when financial
difficulties overlook him. to turn to the stage for
a living. Her grandfather was Chambre Corcor,
of Cor Castle Innishannon. County Cork. and
prior to her divorce she was terms of consid-
erable intimacy with her husbands family and
was on several occasions included in house parties
invited to meet royalty at Gopsall Hall and at
Penn House by her father-in-law, the late Lord
Howe
The present Lord Howe is Lord Chamberlain TO
Queen Alexandra. and his wife. sister or the
late Lord Randolph Churchill and of the Dowager
Duchess of Roxburgh. and aunt. therefore, or
the present Duke of Marlborough and of the Duke
of Roxburgh until she became an Invalid
some months ago. the most famous lady four-n-
hand whip in the United Kingdom. They have
only one child son, known as Viscount Curzon
who attains his majority this year. and failing him.
1t is his uncle. Fred Curzon. the divorced husband
of Miss Jeffreys. and then her son. Chambre, who
come next in the line of succession. 1t will bo
curious to what sort OF reception will be
accorded here to Miss Jeffreys by society. OF all
the foreign actresses who have come TO this coun-
try there have been more gently bred and
educated or whose social position abroad
excellent.
NOT THE wALTz's CENTENNIAL.
II Is difficult to understand why people should
now be talking in England about celebrating the
centenary of the waltz. For Mary Queen OF Scots
incurred the bitter wrath and fierce denunciation
of John Knox and of other divines of the Land of
Cakes for cancing it on ono memorable occasion at
the palace OF Holyrood at Edinburgh. II was the
.'Waltz trois temps" which, originating in Pro-
vence had been introduced from there at the court
OF King Henry II of France at Fontainebleau by
the Comte de Saulte. Toward the end of the seven
teenth century 1t danced throughout Southern
Germany and Austria. the famous waltz tune and
popular song. 20. Du Leber Augustn," dating
from 1870 But IL not until the beginning of
the nineteenth century that it made its appearance
in England when ID alternately denounced and
lauded by the poets of the epoch one bard deliver
ing himself Of the following opinion:
While waItzng females with unblushing face,
Disdain to dance but in a man S embrace,
wbereas on the other hand, Lord Byron writes as
follows:
Fpdearine waltz to thy more melting tune