New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-02

= cpbert. The cable says the Amer
,c.r napers do likewise. Not only eulo-
80, bpt anecdotes abound II is Dis Il
go, story every repartee, every pun OF
- his had been stored up as II ap-
ao.rsd and now they I'LL columns IL
-, he possible 10 quote one saying
- bis which has not been quoted curing
80 last few days. and especially the
So. after his death. which only proves
So. the obituary pigeon hole had long
.,noe been well stuffed. I will try to re-
Des+ nothing that has been in print
Not much remains for me- therefore
.voent N give YOU a personal impression
a,d nerhaps one or two personal incl
derts which have escaped the general
cbronicler because they were personal TO
Gilbert and to me. 1 do not mean 10
,r,nlv that between US there was any
thing like a personal intimacy. There
-o,.ar was Twice. at least, we stood
mon the verge Of a personal quarrel the
last time only few weeks ago. My ac-
ouain+ance with him was social or CLUB
acquaintance. The truth is, he had
warlike nature. His panegyrists lay
stress on the kindness of his satire in
his plays and operas. That is true
enough. and it is true, also, that ne was
full Of kindness in his relations with
his own world. But It is true, also, that
he had an arbitrary temper. He liked to
= - vr-ar- better
than yours or mine. And should think
he got il as often as most men. ASK the
members Of the theatre companies where
he stage managed He was a tyrant at
rehearsals. and I will only add that it
would be better for the English stage If
more English authors had a knowledge
and authority equal TO his.
When I said he was warlike I might
have said military. He looked a cavalry
colonel lie was tall. square shouldered
well set up. with a square forehead, a
piercing eye. sometimes with an angry
light in il. a red-bronze face. a well
trimmed mustache, gray in later years
and an air OF command. Indeed, he had
meant 10 be a soldier, a gunner, as they
say here. meaning an artillery officer,
but the examination was put off till he
was over age. and he had TO content
himself with militia service and the rank
o. captain in the Royal Aberdeenshiye
Hishlanders, retiring after fifteen years
service as brevet major.
But he never really retired. He only
transferred TO civil life his habit Of Civ
ing orders: not on the stage only. When
he had made a fOrtune-a large one-and
become a country gentleman and taken
his sear n the Board Of Middlesex
Magistrates. he issued orders TO his
brother justices Of the peace with a Sc
we're politeness which disguised the form
but left the substance. He was proud,
rightly enough. Of the position he had
won and of his influence on the bench.
7 should despair OF explaining 70 Amerl-
can readers the position and greatness
Of the English Justice Of the Peace,
known 10 the Disconnected and unsuc-
ceesful aspirants 10 that place as The
Great Unpaid"-a phrase which might
come from Dickens and perhaps did, but
! do not know Dickens Nothing could
be more characteristic than the remark
OF Mr.. Carlyon. chairman Of the Weald-
stone Petty Sessions. He thought
Gilbert so eminent a colleague that he
proposed a resolution Of sympathy with
his widow. although Sir William had
never been chairman. and it had never
been the custom 10 give official express
ION 70 their official sorrow for a magis-
t~ate who had not held that exalted
rank. Justices Of the peace are ap-
roi~-ed justices by no less a parsonage
than the Lord High Chancellor, whom
the Radicals have lately attacked in
Parliament because he would not recog-
nize party services as title 10 these
judicial places.
Gilbert liked 70 refer TO his magistracy
and 10 describe cases with which he mad
dealt He desired US all 70 appreciate
his position and authority. A friend who
erlivers his life by pulling the leg OF
friends who Will let him has been known
10 condole solemnly with Gilbert on his
magistral inferiority and his inability TO
make his wishes supreme on the bencn.
I an sure. Sir William. the interests
OF justice would be much better served
q vour. colleagues did not overrule you
50 often
The taurt sturg. and the great humor-
ist Of the stage had not humor enough
70 cover his own case. but resented the
suggestion. and insisted that his judi
ciel opinions were respected and fol-
lowed said the leg puller.
Once in each three months I can get
this same rise out Of Gilbert No man is
so easy 20 draw"
On all subjects Gilbert took himself
seriously. II was only his friends and
the public who were proper subjects Of
jest His knowledge Of the stage was so
vast and his success as a dramatist so
immense that he could understand no
t-ihing with this subject or with hi,---clf
as dramatic author Whether he ever
how much Of his success was
due 20 his association with Sir Arthur
sullivan and Mr.. D'Cyly Carte may be
doubted. He valued himself. at least. as
much on the dramatic work which was
exclusively his own as on the books"
which Sullivan put TO music and D'Oyly
Carte financed The public did not al
ways agree with him. nor the critics but
he never yielded 10 the public or the
critics Criticism he resented. 1 once
heard an eminent dramaust, happily still |