New-York tribune., 1907-06-23
LONDON NOTES.
Sha5cLets-English old Masters
Glastonbury Rescued from Yankees.
London, June 3.


There are stale voluptuaries and pedantic
snobs who do not to go TO the theatre un-
less there is a chance OF being shocked. and con-
sequently Mr. Bernard Shaw's fragments are
gathered at the Court Theatre and his admirers
surfeited to safety. The third act OF Man and
Superman" has ordinarily been omitted because
it has been considered too nauseating even for
Shaw epicures; but the morbid taste for his
cleverness and cynicism has become SO perverted
that It has at last been produced for the enter
tainnent Of advanced playgoers. Under the titIe
OF Don Juan in HELP are recited. beyond space
and beyond time" the authors ideas on death'
the future life, creative force, human aspTa-
tions disembodied spirits. the perpetuauoh VI
tho race and the domestic relations OF men aI4u
women: and as the tumble OF philosophy anu
nonsense goes on laughter of peculiarly 1arri.is
and hatAful tone Is heard at every turn. MI
Shaw has sought to protect himself against MIS-
Interpretation by supplying printed ar ui,le- .
in explanation OF his dream but ms auiiii'eI
neglect to give him credit for sincerity OF Se'i
GUS purpose and read into his lines the coafsesI
and most sinister meaning So the deoa'e De-
tween Don Juan, Dona Ana de C4Iod' tIio
Statue and tho Devil becomes more earruiouo
and irrelevant and hilarity over HoeFlIh'SLh n''N
sensuality moro contagious. This passes toE III
teIectual drama, and artists so accomplished as
Norman 4fcKinnel and Mr.. Michael shernrooKe
are employed in enacting It.
To this "philosophic comedy as " 30
scribed In the analytical programme IL aoded
Shaw "trifle" entitled THE Man OF bes4NS'
As there is no Official commentary on the teA''
nIavroers are left in q dense fog and are unaoIc
to catch a glimmer OF tho meaning OF thlS c'uuo
and nmateurIsh piece. Perhaps IL is a IaIi1aS'4c
comedy more or less ironical on the motives Oh
human action: but tho conventional lnnkeepeF
t,ts 1gllre in the quartet at
tho Italian inn. The lieutenant, who loses I'M
portant papers and IS alternately impertIheht
and mutinous, is n music hall eccentric; Napo-
leon as fmpersonated by Mr.. Dion Boucicault Is
q whimsical buffoon without a suggestion Oh
greatness or unique personality: and charming
and resourceful as Miss Irene Vanbrush IS as
an actress, she cannot succeed IN making any
thing except a theatrical figure out or the
strange lady who in her disguise as an Austrian
officer outwits the Man OF Destiny. There Is, or
course n good deal OF talk and while 1t is more
agreeable than the preceding discussions on the
experiences OF disembodled spirits. with side
lights on theology. metaphysics and immortality.
It does not involve any issue moro serious than
the question whether It is better to be unset
ishly courageous for others than to be discreetly
brave r-om enlightened self-interest. In reality
there is neither sense OF character nor cleverness
OF construction, nor entertaining dialogue in
either OF these Shawlets. The puppets are
mechanical talking machines and the dialogue IS
excessively tiresome.
Mr. Charles Wertheimer has not been dis
couraged by the depredations Of art thieves He
has reappeared In the auction room and secured
a fine Lawrence for 5000 guineas. outbidding
competitors. 1t is the portrait of Sir Robert
Peers eldest daughter who married one Of the
earls of Jersey and lived TO old age Mrs
Charles Branding. 1t is charming full length
OF a child with dark hair, dressed I'm pink and
petting a spaniel In the popular engraving II
is known "Childhood's Innocence" and It is an
admirable example OF Sir Thomas LGwrence's
art. rich in color and we'll composed. and un-
marred by what his rivals used to call his man
nerisms. 1t cannot be compared in fascination
with the most vivacious Lawrence in England
the portrait OF Elizabeth Farren, Countess OF
Derby. which is IN Mr. Morgan's London house;
but It Will be a brilliant companion for Sir
Joshua's Mrs. YorlSe and Gainsborough's Nancy
Parsons, when those stolen treasures are recov-
ered the snuff boxes and miniatures have
been.
American tourists have the privilege of seeing
fine collection OF English masters ut the Ag-
new Gallery. 1t Is not brilliant an exhibi-
ton as is arranged every winter In the same
place for the benefit OF the artists benevolent
fund; but it is OF excellent quality, with
portraits and landscapes by great painters. ex-
amples of whose art ought to be In American