The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-02-13

/ This Paul PrytNh and GOasipy Myth
Is an Invisible Character In Thomas
SIorton's Famous Old EnEIIuh Com
edy. speed the PIow.r
/ Who does not know Mrs. Grunay;
Who does not at some time make con
cesslons to her? And yet who has ever
recorded seeing herr Prim, grim and
incorporating the incorporeai dame
sits as censor on the manners and the
morals Of the time. what win Mrs.
Grundy say?' is 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.
ventional. 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 tangible figure. He
was content with a theoretical per-
sonality, a presence And II is as we'll
II Mrs. Grundy could speak, she would
die as an infuepee. Her strength is
that Of silent censure.
Mrs. Grundy, the name, was the In
vention of Thomas Morton, an English
playwright born nearly a century and
a half ago. It appears In his pastoral
comedy. Speed the Plow," which ran
through many successful London sea
sons and was later presented in this
country. The play concerns the nd
ventures of handsome youth of un
known parentage. Henry, the hero, has
been adopted by Farmer and Dame
Ashfeld, 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 nelghboring farmer, and
of her opinion In all matters Dame
AslIfield stands in 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 In my ears
What win Mrs. Grundy gay? What
win Mrs. Grundy think? Canst thee be
quiet, let her aloane and behave thyzel
! pratty5
Dame Certainly 1 can. TIL tell thee,
Tummas, what she said at church last
Sunday.
Ash-canst thee ten what parsOu
zaid? ~.
The couple have a handsome daugh.
ter, Susan, whose love story forms a
part OF the plot. At one stage OF the
development the following dialogue
takes place:
Ash-I tell We, iced un 81 Susan a
letter. and don't like 1t bit.
Dame-Nor l. If shame should come
to the poor child 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 1t 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
stun 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 (reAectlng)-1 declare shall be
Just the zane as ever. Maybe shall
buy a smartish bride or a zilver backy
stopper OF the likes O. that.
Dame (apart)-And then, when we
come out Of church, Mrs. Grundy will
be standing about there
Ash (apart-T shah shake hands
with all my friends.
Dame (apart)-Then look at her in
this manner.
Ash aparh-How dost do, Peter?
All, Dick, glad TO zee thee WI all me
soul 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
keenly as did ever Dame AshfeId.
Thanks are due the originator for a
term that has come to express a vital
social force more satisfactorily than
reams of explanation.-New York Her
aid.