Imperial Valley press., 1907-08-17
OUR SOCIETY CENSOR
ORIGIN OF THE INcoRPoREAL BUT
 ALERT MRS. eRUNoY.

MOrtOn's Famous Old English Com
 edy. "speed The Flow"
 Who does not know Mrs Grundy? Who does not at some tme make con. sessions to her? And yet who has ever recorded seeing her? Prim, grim and uncompromising, the lncorporeal dame sits as censor on the manners and the morals of the time. "What will Mrs Grundy say?" is a phrase that suggests tremendous power and authority. but no one has ever reported just what she did say Referred to on all social questions, the inspiration of the con ventonal, sung by poet and considered by writer, no one has yet been found bold enough to attempt her concrete description Even the man who, con scious of her existence, first brought her to public attention did not intro duce her as a tangible figure. He was content with a theoretical per sonality, a presence. And it is as well. If Mrs. Grundy could speak, she would die as an influence. Her strength is that of silent censure.
 Mrs. Grundy, the name, was the in playwright born nearly century and a half ago. It appears in his pastoral comedy, Speed the Flow" which ran through many successful London sea sons and was later presented in this country. The play concerns the ad- op n 0P known percentage. Henry, the hero, has been adopted by Farmer and Dame Ashfield, two characters whose rustic conversations supply much of the hu- nor of the piece. Mrs. Grundy is pres ent in spirit only. She is supposedly the wife of a neighboring farmer, and of her opinion in all matters Dame Ashfield stands ill mortal awe, greatly to the annoyance of her husband.
 In the first few lines of the comedy Dame Ashfield has occasion to mention her formidable friend with this result:
 Ash-Be quiet, wool ye? Always ding, dinging Dame Grundy ill my ears What will Mrs. Grundy gay? What will Mrs. Grundy think? Canst thee be quiet, let her aloane and behave thyzel pratty?
 Dame-Certainly 1 can. I'll tell thee, Tummas, what she said at church last Sunday.
 Ash-Canst thee tell what parson zaid?
 The couple have a handsome daugh- ter, Susan, whose love story forms part of the plot At one stage of the development the following dialogue takes place:
 Ash tell ye, I zee'd un gi' Susan letter, and don't like it bit.
 Dame-Nor I. If shame should come to the poor child-I say, Tummas, what would Mrs. Grundy say, then?
 Ash-Dom Mrs. Grundy! What would my poor woald heart gay?
 At another place Henry is hard press ed for money, and his adopted parents plan to sell their goods to obtain it for him. The farmer asks his dame how many silk gowns she can dispose of.
 Dame-Three, Tummas, and sell them all; and I'll go to church in a stuff one and let Mrs. Grundy turn up her nose as much as she likes
 In the final act, when everything is comfortably settled, the simple pair fall to preparing for the festivities.
 Dame-And then, Tummas, think of the wedding.
 Ash Uefiecting)-I declare 1 shall be just the game as ever. Maybe l shall buy smartish bridle or zilver backy stopper or the likes O that
 Dame (aparO-And then, when we come out of church, Mrs. Grundy will be standing about there
 Ash (aparD-I shall shake hands with all my friends.
 Dame (apart-Then look at her in this manner.
 Ash (apar0-How dost do, Peter? An, Dick, glad to zee thee wi all me zoul (bOws toward center of the stage).
 Dame (apart)-Then, with kind of half courtesy, shall (She advances to the center also, and their heads meet.)
 Ash-What an oald fool thee bees, dame! Come along and behave pratty, do'ee.
 From this small beginning grew the tradition of Mrs. Grundy. It has been seized upon by succeeding writers and succeeding generations, who have felt the existence of the austere critic as