New-York tribune., 1909-11-20

AfNAElalfl INTO FlkilSn VI = -
ara Ie Gallienne. NTH Critique by Ed
ward Ziegler. With seven ful page
illustrations in color after paintings 9g
George Alfred Williams. sto. PIP. \, 90
The Frederick A. Stokes Company
SAVOY OPERAS. BY ". s Gilbert.
With Illustrations in color by W. Rus-
sell Fl!nt. 4to PIP. Nv' 2S The Mac
milan Company.
sHAKEsPEARE's COMEDY OF 'fhE yr..E
MERCHANT OF VENICE ,,,l III
illustrations by Sir James ~. ~. 1:.oygs
r. 4. 4to, pp NNNiN' 10 A"o
a. Doran Company.
sl4AKEsPEARE's COMEDY OF AS
Y0I- LIKE TT" With illustrations by
Hugh Thomson; sto, pp. NANN' no
The George II. Doran Company
RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAY1AM- Zen Zen
dered into English by hoNaIe ,.ls,..s -
Gerald With illustrations by Edmund
Dulac. sto. no pagination. The george
u. Doran Company.
The volume which Mr.. lie Galhenne'
Mr.. Ziegler and Mr.. Williams have col
laborated in producing could hardly have
neen made more comprehensive save by
the inclusion Of the fun score OF Wag-
ner's great work Here. indeed, is all oi
Tristan and Isolde" save the music
and fragments Of this are given-with
rreat deal more that is Of interest 10 the
student. Mr.. l. Galhenno's English Ner-
sion of the drama. a smooth ana clear
performance. IS put In the forefront OF
the volume. and this is. perhaps. a rea-
sonable disposition Of IL. but for most
readers. we dare say, Mr. Zieglers
critioue viii Doe the more appealing. il
IS framed with special reference 10 the
authors belief that passing through
4 Isolde he
came Z. message n chronicle of Wagner's
love for Mathnde Wesendonck." He
therefore devotes considerable space 20
biographical matters first sketching the
period of Wagner's exile. and then de
veloping in some detail the story of his
relations with the woman who could give
him a happiness and an inspiration i'm
possible 10 obtain from his wife.
II is gratifying 10 observe that Mr..
Ziegler eschews the mawkish sentimen-
tality which has driven some commen-
tators 70 a false Interpretation Of this
episode in the composers career. II is
nonsensical 10 Try 10 whitewash Wag-
ners moral aspect in the intrigue. COM
mon sense demands that one should look
the facts in the face. and. with no pre-
tence OF placing a noble" construction
upon them. simply expose the connec-
tion between them and the evolution OF
a great work Of creative art. Mr.. Zieg-
Ter does this in entertaining fashion, and
lie does not stop there. lie goes On 10
give a brief account Of the legend, 10 de-
scribe the drama that Wagner based
upon H. 20 analyze the music act by act
and. finally. 70 tell of the beginnings Of
the work and its first performances. He
has made an interesting and a useful
book. II has been handsomely printed
with acceptable decorative borders and
other decorations in a faint tint. Mr.
Wflnams's Illustrations are picturesquely
conceived and capably drawn, but the
reproductions in colors are a little dis
appointing.
There is only one complaint 10 be
made about the holiday volume Of
savoy operas" which has been pub
Iishod with a number Of very spirited
Illustrations by Nr. W. Russell Flint II
contains but four Of the operas. How
ever, there is consolation in the fact
that this leaves room for further vol
umes Of the same sort. There are hours
Of unmixod pleasure in these pages. We
dip into them az random and find in
Patience" this well remembered mas
terpiecs.
oh. Hollow, Hollow, Hollow,
What time the poet hath hymned
The WTfhiug maid. thc lithe-lmbed.
QuiverIng on amareUthine asphOcel
How can ne paint her woes,
KNOWING as well Dr. knows.
\ That an can be set right with calomel2
n when from the poets pInth
Yearns for Jhe aloe, faint with rapturous
How can Ie HYMN their throes
knowing as well be knows,
That they are only Uncompounded pills?
Il il. and can ~ be-
Nature hath this decree,
Nothiug poetic in the world shall dWeA:
or that iu an her works
SomethinE poetic turks
Even ~ Coiocyuth and calomei-
] cannot tel
Besides Patience" THIS volume con-
tains Princes Ida" 1.-The Pirates Of
penzsnce" and the work which the
author considers the best produced in
collaboration by Sir Arthur sullivan and
himself. ''The YeOmen Of the Guard" In
q brief preface he tells a few stories re
lating TO the different operas. The
Partisan craftsman who supplied the
armor used ia the last act Of Princess
IDA" was astoundcd when he found that
the success of the first performance left
Gilbert quite calm. Il suppose says
the latter. he expected 20 see me kiss
ing all the carpenters" He tells us that
in Patience" as originally constructed.
Grosvenor and Bunthorne were 10 have
been two curates. but as he went on he
saw that "A chorus of comic clergymen
would very properly be resented as a
serious violation Of the canOns Of good
faste." and so the pair We're converted
into aesthetic absurdities. The genesis
Of The Yeomen Of the Guard" IL ap-
hears. was a picture OF a ''Beefeater' on
a commercial poster. and the hint 10
give the piece sixteenth century back
ground came from the figure OF a Jester
in a magazine Gilbert was waiting for
a train when these suggestions entered
his head His illustrator in the present
volume has been well c,.osen. Mr..
Flint's designs are technically clever and
delightfully."- operate in spirit. They
have been beautifully reproduced.
The two Shakespearian comedies which
lie before as in uniform holiday editions
make a brave appeal through luxurious
ia