The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-07

death. said: He had raised
money and squandered it, by every arti-
fee OF acquisition and folly of expense.
But let not his franties be remembered;
= he was "a very great man.
That may stand as the epltaph of the
poet whose fine comedy. SHE Stops to
Conquer" presented at the Columbia
Theater last week by a most excellent
company. was the dramatic treat OF the
week
The history Of the play is very inter
esting. Goldsmith had long had disre-
gard for the plays of his day. Humor
and cleanliness did not seem compatible
in the minds Of the dramatists and this
Disguised poor Noll" Sentimental COM
edy was seemingly the vogue. and Gold
smith could see nothing in q. At a time
when he was in sore financial straits the
author OF THE Deserted Village. s The
Vicar of Wakefield" and the play Of
THE Good Natured Man" undertook 10
write a comedy All the time that he
worked on fl he was facing the debtors
prison. Completing IL. he called it The
Old House "a New Inn, but subsequent
ly changed this To she Stops to Con-
quer; or, The Mistakes of a Night" 1t
was no trouble for Goldsmith 10 write
the play but OH what a trial to get il
hearing
George Colman was the manager of Co
vent Garden Theater. and Goldsmith
asked of his friends. David Garrick and
DR.. Johnson, TO intercede IN behalf of his
work with the manager. CoIman agreed
10 read the play. Finding il so different
from the style of work then asking atten-
tcn, he Immediately rejected il. he could
see absolutely nothing in il, and back il
went 10 its author with its blank pages
filled with harsh criticisms. Johnson liked
the comedy. and so did others of Gold
smiths friends, and they so importuned
C3lman that finally be agreed TO produce
IT, Some Of the actors east for the play
taking their cue from Coinan, threw down
their parts and would not appear in such
drivcl" During the rehearsaIs Coiman's
original fears regarding the outcome of
the production so developed that he re-
fused 70 spend a pe7ny on its production.
1T IS Il barrel OF gunpovderF ne de-
ciJrcd. and win blow every one connected
with j, TO pieces
On the day OF the production-March H.
l13. Goldsmith friends invited him TO din
ner in order 20 cheer him. Reynolds re-
hates Of the dinner that Goldsmiths mouth
became so parched from the agitation of
his mind that he could not swallow "a
mJuthfuL" Too nervous 10 enter the
theater the author walked in 81. James
Park. A friend meeting him induced him
10 enter the taeater during the fifth act
As he did so he heard "a hiss and took it
for granted that the barrel Of gunpowder
was exploding. The play made a great
hit The single hiss which Goldsmith
heard was so unfair that it became the
talk OF the town.
TWO hundred ana forty-tbree years ago
she Stops TO Conquer was written.
and set such is the universally OF its
charm the old comedy is as fresh to-day
as it ever was. and while thousands of
mcretriclous plays have died since this
comedy was born. theatergoers are still
eager 20 go aud hear the fine old lines.
II seems funny now to recall Horace
Walpoles polite displeasure at the humor
that was 10 be found in the low CONVEX /
satiCu of mere servants. Wrote WaIpole.
The drift tends to no moral. no edin-
cation of any kind-the situations how
ever. are well imagined. and make one
laugh iR spite of the grossnsss of the
dialogue, the forced witticisnis, and total
improbability OF the whole plan and con
duct
1t was because Of the success Of "She /
Stops to Conquer that the wretched /
kendrick. driven mad with envy, was led l
10 attack Goldsmith's The Jassamy
Bride in his bitter criticisms The result
was that timid. shrinking, gentle Gold /
smith summed up courage enough to take /
an oaken cudgel and try to chastise Ken /
drick. even as DR.. johnson had threatened
Go chastlse Fuote when that comedian i
had threatened to "take the doctor of
The affair ended in Goldsmith having TO 1
pay nifty pounds 10 a charity and the /
pack of critics turned or Goldsmith. whom 4
they accused Of having invaded the lib |
critics of the press. Goldsmith wrote 4
letter ia his defense, of which Dr. john |
son said. He has indeed done It very
well; but it is "a foolish thing we'll done" |
He remarked further TO Boswell: WHY. /
sir. / believe it is the first time he has |
beat; he may have been beaten before |
This, sir is a new plume to him."
The old comedy was NEST worthily pre- |
scented by Mr.. Crane. Miss Jeffreys. and !
their able supporting company. talked to /
Mr. Crane in his dressing room last week !
and recalled the fact that his old partner. /
Mr. stuart Robson had made his last
success in the play oliver Goldsmith" |
a play which dealt with the rehearsaIs /
and the production Of "She Stops to /
Conquer" Yes, said Mr.. Crane, "and 1
twenty-five years ago / was playing in |
this same play and the Diggory was Mr.. /
Robson \ curious coincidence
1t was fine east that presented the |
play. each member of il highly efficient |
and entering with great spirit into the at
mosphere Of the play. 1T is, indeed, a i
star cast" said Mr.. Crane
"The star cast" he says, lis a mighty
excellent thing for the public. It is q
good thing for art The revival of The
Rivals had an effect which the man
ayers noted AT once. In seeing good
and artistic actor playing what would be
considered an Insignificant part with so
much skin that it stood out in relief
opened the eyes of the theatergoers.
They saw the necessity of good COM
panies, and hence demanded them. Man
ayers We're forced to exercise more care,
and 10 pay more attention 10 a mans
worth as an actor and less TO his salary.
The strengthening Of companies Is all
due 10 the public being educated TO a de-
sire for better things, by doing this the
star cast has helped the theater. and the
Present revival of She Stops 10 Con
peer' is bound to increase the good ef-
feet
In some ways George Conan. the clever
Z aupdiau who has inst concludes an an (