A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Issue 97, 2 May 1885, Page 4

A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON.

(»Y KUBK.)

Feminine Facts, Fancies, and Frivolities.

London, March,

Dkah Mr Editor,—Tho season lias opened dolefully, and promises to be a? Hat, stale, and utterly unprofitable as last yoar's. Fashionable milliners are in despair. In the first place, there is to be no Drawing Koom before Easter, a fact unimportant enough to most of us, but which signifies want of work, hunger, and possibly starvation to scores of needy sempstroeses. Then,

some great ladies have decreed that society is to go into mourning for General Gordon, Colonel Burnaby, and Sir ijorbert Stewart, and tlie other heroes who lost their lives in tho Soudan. The peeresses' gallery at tho ] louse of Lords during the debato en tho vote of consure presented a atrango spectacle. It was. tilled with ladies, but nowhevo couhl ono discover co much as a speck of colour. All wore black. l'oor Lady Stewart has never lifted up herlioad since the fatal news of herhusbnnd s death wa.s communicated to iier. She had only been married eight ycurs, and wan devoted to him. They have two littlo boys ; the oldest, is said to bo a tiny replica of hia father. '1 hu absence of the Guards makes a great diU'erencii to London " society " in heaps of ways. At Sandown Park last: week, for in stance, familiar taces were missing on every hide. Tho feminine element., liowuvor, mustered in force, and much admiration was bestowed on (ho Humorous tailor-made dresses, neat and exquisitely fitting, which adorned tho lav. n. 1 was not there, but I hear those who were enjoyed the meeting iminentoly. There in but cue opinion in London society about the Durham divorce case.' The unhappy husband was most shamelessly deceived by his wife's family, and ought to ljuvo his liberty. I never saw Lady Durham after her marriage, but 1 remember Aliss Kdith Milner perfectly. She was at Ascot with tho Cisrards in ISS'2, and attracted a yood deal of attention Her pa!e, chilly, statuesque beauty was a striking contrast to tho piquant vivacity of pretty Mrs llorard. Tho pair were surrounded by c(ui!o a bevy of men, more especially on 11 tint ('up day, when they wore the " Sweetbread " colours, and (in consequence of Mr Gerard's colt's victcry) became tho heroines of tho afternoon.

Many of you reading the divorce proceedings may wonder why Lord Durham di.i not break oil tho marriage when his Jiancut. acted so strangely. As a matter of fact, I bcliove Jlisa Miiners conduct attracted rather than repelled tho young man. Sho confessed to loving him, ana knowing heposscit-ed her attachment, her oxcessivo shyness and modesty, and her lack of pass-ion, did not trouble him much. "When wo are married that will soon disappear," ho said to himself comfortably. The fact is, men in Lord Durham's position learn to despise fast women of every class whilst '• sowing thoir wild oats. "Consequently when they resolve to sottle down and marry, they invariably a fleet shy and quiet girls. Miss Milnor seemed likely to make Lord Durham a beautiful and dignified Countess. Ho knew she was a "very stupid girl," but that doesn t seem to have troubled him much, tier odd ways of going on at times ho put down either to girlish coquetry or petulance

No doubt the Milner family took good care Miss Edith should not bo too often with her lover. It was only on " certain days" sho was permitted to see him. Lord Durham doesn't appear to have had a suspicion of the truth till the marriage ceremony was just over. Then as bis bride lay back in the carriage which had just pickod them up at the church door, and, wildly repulsing his caresses, stared stonily out of the window, the first awful doubt crossed his mind. That night he knew (or thought he knew) his wifo was absolutely mindless, little more than a beautiful animal in fact, but even then he had no notion that she was, or could ever bocome, a maniac.

Subsequently, "-honthefactof therebeing hereditary mania in the Milner family transpired, when his wife's mother committed suicide in a fit of insanity, and when that wifo herself sank into dangerous idiocy, Lord Durham '^indignation knew no bounds. Was he to bo tied to a lunatic wifo all his days? Lady Durham's bodily health was perfect. She may, probably will, live for 50 year? He consulted his lawyers, and eventually tho case just concluded was laid beforo tho Divorce Court. ]n tho opinion of.' society, the Milners showed shocking bad taste in defending tho action. The likeness botwecn Lady Durham's condition and that of the supposition heroine, of "Called Back" lias formed a fruitful subject for paragraphcrs in tho "society " journals. Many of them take a romantic view of the cuso, and blame Lord Durham for not making more efforts to woo his "beautiful, silent divinity" back to lovo and sanity. As a matter of fact, tho poor girl's easo is hopeless. In society a very strong belief prevails to tho cil'ect that Lord Durham was principally inspired to rake divorce, proceedings by lovo for liladys, Lady Lonsd:ile, tlie famous beauty.

Tom took us to sco Lord Lytton'a posthumous drama, "Juntas, or the Household Hods," tho other evening. I'laycd at somo provincial or colonial theatre without tho gorgeous spectacular clients, countless supers, and powerful anting which now render it ono of the most attractive pieces i'l London, I ean,quito imagino " Juntas " would bo heavy, not to pay dull. At the Princora's, Mr Wilson Barrett has simply dnno everything that could be done for the piny. Ancient Rome, ideally classic, picturesque, and luxurious, lies before us. The I'rineo of tha Xarquimi, the mined Temple of Romnlua by night, Lucrotia'e homo, find last, but not leant, tho famous Hall of Tarquin,arc one and all reproduced in scenes as romantically beautiful as (it is averred) they arc archsuQlogieally correct. The old story of the rape of Lucrece and the vengeance of Brutus never enjoyed a more perfect setting. Lord Lytton's lines, too, arc sonorous, and often beautiful. One lias less tawdry sentiment and more genuine, feeling than is usual in his poetic dramas. "Juninp" will nr-.ver be half RO popular as " Richolieu, but in many roapoeta tho critics consider it a bettor play.

The last scene deserves a word of description, though I'm afraid I can never convey to you its wonderful oil'ect. Upon a lofty, golden throne, between two massive pillars reaching the full height, of the stage, sits the tyrant Soxtus Tarquin, surrounded by guards, and attended by his trusty counsellor, the sago Sophronion. Sextus

solemn, dignified, i.<?i. x ihlp ~utus. He denounces Tarcjiiin, nr»d tells til T*l"---of Lucretia's shame. Tier tL I toi7 friend, turn away and hUrfS^W froir. him in disgust. Annalle.) I * grovels for merry before X^ t latter drags the dastard back 2, t T, he lofty seat, and then stab, hfaß^* 01* the curtain falls, " Rome is ftS'i^"* as Mr Willard as Tarquin and Mr Wn Barrett us Brutus carry off "he L BOn i ht. performance The latter J^T." 1 Tomc^.'-clossictoggery.";^B^, tho manner born." Ho looks evJv ? the noblo Roman. Mica EastlakeY mch much to do, but doc, it lackada iec S n 1 can never get over tho idea that sh", th« character 1 first «aw iier renro.« »• ° heroine of tho " Lights^ iffi"^ actressos worn quite incapable of shlT thoir individuality. nl!lllg " Masks unti Faces," accounted h,, critic, tho greatest success in thJZ?I Bancroft rej>erMn,im revived at the Ha? market for a short farewell season th eo Z' evening. Mrs Bancraft is,ofcou™> Charles Pomander," and Mi* ZtZ &' to wipe out recollection of first Ellen OW ■■ and nlrervt-nrds Marion Terry aa "I /' Scnce. "**" &»*Z. '

In 1874 a vaudeville entitled "Nemedi<" 1 which you have no doubt had at B orne tl or other in Isow Zealand, made a'hit «♦ T Strand Theatre, wit), Edward C ft :. principal part This has now been revi ed i at the Comedy with Arthur R ober^ £ ~ Torrys character and draws well, they ■ say. "The Denhams" at the CoatU--■ not at all a nice-toned piny I can't ' imagine what object there can be in dnu • ging auch a disagreeable story as it dm).' ' with before the public. **"' <: i We looked in at the Strand last Tnead»v; " evening to renew our acquaintance with * Miss Jennie Lee's "Jo." The theatre m. ' not, 1 am sorry to say, half full, nor ™ the piece altogether well played Tk Buckctt of Mr Burnett, the Chatbandl of "r Mr Wilmot, and the Hortence of Mi™ '* Dolores Drummond are as good asever but • Miss Ada Ward as Lady Dedlock and Mr Ben Greet as Sir Lester, fail lamentable $ Miss Ward is hard, unsympathetic! and unemotional to a degree that one would liavo believed impossible In the great scene where she tells EstW she is her mother, the house, instead of • listening with wrapt attention, shuffled • wiggled, coughed, and sneezed. Miss Ward discoursed in an even tiresome ' monotone, and the young lady who repre-' sentod Esther Summerson, responded with equal feebleness, and naturally when the'•'■■ curtain fell there was some hissing. Jennie Lee has played "Jo " too often, It is fitill a wonderful character sketch - but it lacks spontaneity. Moreover, too.. much elaboration renders it occasionally inconsistent. At times, no doabt, Miss Lee : really acts "Jo," and then I can quite imagine she harrows people's feeling! to a"> ghastly extent. On Tuesday, I believe she . simply went through perfectly familiarbaa. ness without feeling it one bit. It was all,very clever, andveryinterestjng.butwewere ■' nottouched. When, however, inthedeatk•■'*■ bed scene the actress gave herself a "* little rein and began—so to speak—to take an interest in her own performance, the ,'■■> effect was electrical. Every word and movement went straight home. Toinhad't

to put down his opera glasses and turn " away from the stage, for fear of-as be! ? said-making a fool of himself, and I w-pt .1 copiously for flomo moments. '■/*' Taken as a whole, though, we came to tti, conclusion that Nellie Farren's slight sketch of a street boy is in many respects i truer to life than Miss Lee's. "i'