The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1914-05-20

people. lie mad the pleasure OF possessing the
friendship OF Coleridgc Shelley. Lamb and Wash
ington Irving while in London In fact, Wash
ington Irving was most intimate friend OF
Paync's and they had an arrangement whereby
they exchanged lodgings in London and Paris as
the circumstances required Payne would re
move to the Paris rooms when Irving came to
london and vice versa. When Payne gave ~
the stage his dramatic impulse led him to become
a playwright, and his first work for the stage
an adoption entitled The Maid and the
Magpe," for which he received one hundred and
fifty pounds from the Convent Garden manage
ment His next adoption, Accusation was
produced at Drury Lane James w Waack play
ing the leading role Payne staged his "Brutus"
himself, designing the scenery properties and
Drury Lane. December ), 1918 and
enty-six nights in all Payne had intended to
take the role as Titus himself but the manage
ment thought that an actor should not appear in
his own play, and he did not appear.
Although Payne took care to give credi, to
several authors for suggestions which he had
utilized in his tragedy of "BrumS." still he was
accused OF plagiarism Washington Irving
promptly came to his defense and showed the
public the righteousness Of the accusation
Payne then made an attempt a, Management,
which resulted rather diSastrou,y lie was 10y
means business man and his brief career
a manager sent him to the debtors jail II was
his good fortune while in jail to receive couple
of plays from Paris In OF these. "Therese
the Orphan OF Geneva" he discovered such great
opportunities tina, he had made an adoption Of
it in less than three days and sent it to Dtury
Lane II was rushed on the stage and Payne
attended some of the rchearSals and the first
night in disguise He enabled to pay his
debts and get out OF jail because OF It's great
success He was sent to Paris by the rival Con
vent Garden management to watch for theatrical
successes and make rapid adaptons OF them In
October. 1922. he wrote to Henry Rowley Bishop
who composing the music for Convent Gar
den pieces that he would make three adaptions
Ali Pacha" THE Two Galley Slaves" and
"Clar" for two hundred and fifty pounds Payne'S
financial condition was at rather low ehb at
this time when Charles Kemble, manager of Con
vent Garden Theater, bought a quantity OF his
writings. among them "Clari the Maid OF Milan 3"
II was at Kemble'S request that Payne altered this
play into an opera and introduced into it the
words of Home Sweet Home" CLAIR" is real
" more than an adoption and Payne could not
have derived more than the plot from the
original In turning IT into play Payne wrote
original dialogue and verses. CLAIR. the heroine
elopeS with duke. but Is led to return to her
parents by hearing a company Of strolling play
sing Of her native songs, which in Payne's
version is Home. Sweet Home"
The poem originally written contained two
stanzas, a third and fourth, which have since
been dropped, and the original is neither as sim
pie affecting il became when Payne in
corporated II in CLAIR"
This lyric became what il is by elimination
and not by elaboration The original form of
the poem lacked the familiar refrain and while
il contains many OF the essentials OF the poem,
does not make direct and strong appeal
the more simplihed form. Its paintve melody
and tender pathos will always adorn with affec-
tionate regard the memory OF its author. Home.
Sweet Home" became famous in night, and il
is said that hundred thousand copies of the
song were sold in a single year and it brought
the original publisher over $4,000 within two
years from its publication The following form
OF the poem is tina, with which all are familiar
Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
BE it ever so humble there's no place like Home
A charm from the sky seems to hallow Us there
Which. seek through the world. is ne'er met with