The sun., 1909-12-19
SHERIDAN COMES UP AGAIN
FAMOUS COMEDY PREFIGURED
ia IN HIS ODE TO SCANDAL.

~ In HIS ODE IU SCANDAL.
Thnt Memorable First Night I'm the Drury
~ Lane Theatre-Early rmpersOnatlons
SHOWED Different Lady TeAzles Even
On those Days--New Theatre MIshaps
! The current revival Of Richard Brinsley
ehe-idan's -The School for Scandal" at
the New Theatre is to be accounted a
public service. 1t is true that at the first
performance on Thursday night there
were not wanting certain indications that
the school needed a new teacher. Some
of the pupils appeared to need discipline.
A little standing In the corner would do
at least one OF them good, while perhaps
one or two ought to be made to stay after
school and write -Arma virumque cano'
on their states FIVE hundred times. But
ON the other hand some Of the pupils
proved very apt students indeed and re-
cited brilliantly with never a slip.
And perhaps after all the real sinner
was the head janitor Of the school build
ing. You cannot expect pupils to take
much Intelligent interest in their tasks or
70 be orderly and quiet and unremittingly
studious il a schoolroom is icy or IL the
steam pipes are rafting all the time. or
u their desks are so indrm and shalxy as
10 threaten constantly to collapse utterly
and~ sometimes actually do fall down.
Surely the superintendent OF schools
should look into the case OF that janitor.
Doubtless steps in this direction have been
taken. and il SO there is every reason to
believe that at the next session Of school
recitations will be given that will be a
delight to all the friends and relatives Of
the pupils and to every friend of our edu-
oatiohal system. In other words the
shortcomings OF the stage hands. which
were 30 glaring on the opening night that
any group of players might well have been
disconcerted, are likely to be- soon made
good.
\ All the same. this production ia a bene-
faction to the public, not only because It
gives an all too rare chance to study the
long dead manners and foibles Of the
sighteenth century life OF London but
because it directs general attention anew
10 the life and character of one of the
most conspicuous and battling personali-
& ties Of the reign OF George the Fourth.
The origin Of Apy great work OF art, such
aa successive tenerations Of critics and
y playgoers have conceded The School
for Scandal" to be, is necessarily a sig
nificant and interesting thing. and. 1t
adds perhaps to the meaning and drift
Of this classic comedy to know that it
nod Its inception in certain events in the
atfe of it's author. Sheridan, in fact,
suffered vastly in his lifetime from the
tongues OF the envious, the malicious
and the ivindictive from the early days
when he Fought two duels with a certain
Capt Mathews after a quarrel growing
out Of the attentions Of the military per-
sons attentions to Miss Linley. whom
( Sheridan subsequently married.
b Even before he wrote his comedy
Sheridan had crys;allized it's central
theme in his mind and had even given il
4 definite shape in an -Ode to Scandal
which is still TO be read in the form Of an
x ancient and tattered pamphlet. stray
Z copies Of which are now scattered about
in.various libraries and collections. It
was not until 1919. some years after the
4 authors death. that this ode was pub
iished. but there is every reason to accept
its authenticity. And it so closely en-
< bodies the essence OF the comedy, its
reflection of the manners Of the day, its
satirical flashes OF wit and the genuine
ness and sincerity OF feeling that lie at
ITS bottom that it is perhaps worth while
4 a. -. - .n-.o;- ....a.uoa H.. L. L..
s1..ss
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Can calm each female breast,
"nose 'oueh M III Spleen > .l'Osa .apoSi'sn muir
M S"h soo'"e oui eaAos '"
-
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~ Thine own mysterious art.
Sale from retalation's reach.
H9t@ To throw Destructon's Dart.
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M 70 wy hanssehuen' p0se'
\, }{cnn uAlv wi.h VIZ. Assuuous . oete
qqf *~0me era'eiu' sae''noo piepAie
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or LOST reputatious
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o surprised onlet doua
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syAee Z" 1ntrlsues by the score
Never heard of before.
shall tae sacrifice daily augment;
lzshN Ano oy eacn norn,ns , F0S'
A victim TO thee sbarl be sent