TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 6951, 10 July 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

[From Our London Correspondent.] London, May 20. The man in the story who replied to an ardent Gladstonite's asseveration that the Premier was "a Heaven-born genius," by irreverently observing that if so it was to be hoped " Heaven would never again be in an interesting condition," is a very fair sample of the modern Tory.' On mo3t subjects Conservatives will talk reasonably enough. They have, no personal animus against Chamberlain or Hartington or Granville or even Dilke. It is all reserved for the Grand Old Man, the mere mention of whose name excites the maddest maledictions. The Home Rule debate drags its weary length" night after night, one dull speaker following another till at a late hour the House breaks up, and tired members creep sleepily home to bed. Mr Gladstone could have arranged to bring it to an end tomorrow evening, but (as he admitted on Tuesday) it was not his cue to do so. He hopes that before the termination of the debate many of the recalcitrant Liberals will have had pressure brought to bear upon them by their constituencies. How uncertain the issue is may be gathered from the fact that even the "oldest parliamentary hands" confess themselves puzzled. On Monday, for example, the flaneurs of the lobby pronounced the Billmoribund, and on Tuesday "dead as Queen Anne," with a dissolution inevitable. On Wednesday, however, altogether different reports were afloat. The Liberal malcontents, it was averred; were far less numerous than people supposed. Moreover, the unpleasant alternative of dissolution w'as influencing several members with unsafe seats who on.ly squeezed into Parliament last November by virtue of the Irish vote This morning the 'Daily. News 1 pronounces the outlook distinctly promising, though the Bill can scarcely be pronounced out of danger. THE COLINDIES. The continuous rain during the last ten days has,' of course, had a depressing effect en the attendances at the Exhibition, which nevertheless continue far above the averages of the Healtheries and Inventories in similar weather. The present show has indeed one surpassing advantage over its predecessors. At the Healtheries and Inventories, the stalls requiring attendants, the machinery in motion, the working exhibits were all closed in the evening. The Colindies, fortunately, is not a bUzaar, but a bona fide exhibition. . No 'attendants are required, only a few policemen to keep order ; consequently, there is as much to be seen in' the building late in the evenings, as during the afternoons. This is a great booh to the working classes, many of whom never saw the most interesting exhibits at former shows.

The Colonial Commissioners continue to feast and.be feasted,. The " Fishmongers " entertained them at a big spread on Friday evening, at which the Duke of Cambridge and Mr (roschen talked nicely about the federation of the Empire, His Royal Highness proposing the toast of " Our Colonial and Indian Empire." Of course, Sir Charles Tupper orated in reply, and at great length. We are getting rather tired of him, and should prefer to hear Sir Alexander Stuart or Sir S. Samuel or Mr # Graham Berry at some of these gatherings. * THE TWO TICHBORMES. A slim, shy, fair-haired lad, with watery eyes and an unwholesome complexion: such is Sir H. A. J. Tichborne, the "rightful heir," on whose behalf the claims of.Castro,, alias Orton, alias Sir Roger, were triumphantly resisted just fourteen years ago. Isaw the young baronet at Cardinal Manning's reception the other evening, where he natttrally attracted a good deal of attention. His Eminence introduced him to Lord Ripon, Lord Denbigh, Sir Charles Clifford, and other notable Catholics, and -did his best to set him at ease, but the young fellow seemed hopelessly nervous and shy. He is just of age, and will have to go about a bit during the next few weeks. . Tire estates have been most carefully nursed during his minority, bo that, despite the heavy costs of the famous " case," Sir Harry is a fairly rich man. On the same eveuing that the rightful hiir made his debut in London society, the luckless " Claimant" lectured at Carnarvon upon his troubles, The room, a friend who happened to be there tells me, was only half full, and no one seemed to take much interest in .the old man's rambling statement. Since his release from prison, poor " Sir Roger " has gone steadily down hill. Even the proprietors of wax-works and penny-gaffs do not find him a paying ". show" now. America, however, is still open to him, and thither he will no doubt drift when his ticket-of-leave expires. Young "Roger" (the Claimant's son), I thiflk I told you sometime ago, has enlisted, and his sister plays small parts in melodrama at the Eastend theatres. It is rather an odd thing that this youDg Roger bears a far stronger resemblance, .to the traditional Tichborne than Sir Harry. At least so people say. THEATRICAL NOTES. The .Australian managers who have purchased the Antipodean rights of Mr Sydney Grundy's "Clito" will (if I know anything about colonial audiences) live to deeply. . deplore their bargain. I went to the Princess's to see this pornographic tragedy last Thursday evening, and came away simply amazed. That the virtuous British Public, which squirmed over "Formosa" and" hooted "Nadzesda" should have rapturously applauded "Clito" seems altogether incomprehensible. Helle, the heroine of "Clito," is a wanton,-not a picturesque Camille, nor an unfortunate Formosa, nor even a clergyman's daughter " gone wrong," but the worst form of prostitute—a brazen strumpet, who mocks at virtue and boldly displays her art?. Every attitude is lascivious. " Such carryings on I never did see," said a worthy matron near me at the close of the third act, and I confess I agreed with her. The consummate art of Wilson, Barrett and Miss Eastlake, combined with the beautiful scenery and mounting, no doubt obfuscates people's judgment at the Princess's, but when "Clito" is' deprived of these and played in the provinces and the colonies'by a mediocte company, it will fail. There is nothing novel in the sto r y- Clito, a youiig Athenian sculptor, has publicly proclaimed the infamies of Helle, mistress of Critias, the Tyrant of Ephor.. She resolves to ruin and degrade him by making him love her, and succeeds. At firs* Clito struggles against her influence, bu* s " e manages to induce him to believe in her virtue and goodness,' and at the end of the. third act, after a terrific scene, in which all the wiles of an accomplished wanton are brought to bear on the- unfortunate man, he gives in. In the fourth act Clito has become the veritable j slave of Helle. Honor, patriotism, duty, his promises to the people, are all forgotten. In vain his friends endeavor to drag him from the wanton's side, in vain to disillusionise him. He has found Helle beautiful, chaste, and loveable, and he believes in her. The woman's triumph is complete. Then she turns on him. With a shriek' of ribald laughter the mask is cast .off. Flinging herself amorously into Crit'as's arms, she scornfully jeers at "the miserable Clito, who falls, stricken to earth by the shock. In the fifth act the populace want to tear Helle to pieces, and she flies to Clito for safety.- He refuses to give her up to them, and they are both killed. After all we are to have Italian opera at Covent Garden this season. Patti will not appear. Her terms (LSOO a performance) were considered exorbitant, but Albani, Cepeda, and two new sopranos from Paris have been engaged, and Gayarre will be the leading tenor. An Italian version of " Zampa," with M. Maurel in the title role, is the only novelty promised. The burlesque of "Lurline," at the Avenue, is a failure, and it will probably be replaced almost at once with Offenbach's "La Creole" (rechristened " The Commodore "),- which was successfully produced at a matinee last week.

"The Lily of Lcovillc," a new comic opera by a young French composer (Ivan Caryll), met with a friendly reception at the Comedy Theatre on Monday evening ; but I scarcely think it will ever get as far as Australia. MINNIE FALMEB's COLONIAL TOT7K. Minnie Palmer and her company go out in the Doric to Hobart on her next trip. I don't know how you will like Miss Palmer's manager, Rogers. He is a very violent objectionable person, always, quarrelling with somebody. His late, leading man,

Arnold (the Tony of "My Sweetheart") has just had him v up at the Police Court and bound over to be of good behavior, for inciting to fight a duel. Arnold, on (lit, was excellent friends with Rogers for a couple of years—in fact, until the latter began to suspect him of being too fond of the fascinating Minnie. Miss Palmer has long been suspected of being secretly married to Rogers. He denies the fact, but if such is not the case his airs of proprietorship and general behavior are inexplicable. When Rogers grew jealous of Arnold, he became unpleasant, cut down his part of his salary, and finally dismissed him. Arnold protested, upon which Rrgers favored him with the following succinct challenge:—" Mr C. Arnold,—My contempt and hate for you is such that only death can satiate., I feel that such cur 3as you aue unfit to live. Name a place and time, and let us go in a room, lock the door, and only one can come out alive to tell the tale.—Your enemy, J. R. Rooeks." Arnold referred the note to Sir James Ingham at Bow street, who made unpleasant remarks about "inciting to murder," and bound Rogers over to be of good behavior in heavy penalties, anil-to pay two guineas costs.

The predictions of our London dramatic critics are about as reliable, and worthy of | notice as those of the sporting prophets. Occasionally they can discriminate between what will fetch the great " British public " and what won't; but as a rule they are consistently wrong. For example, no play was more enthusiastically received by the Press than "Antoinette Rigaud" at the St. James's; but it wouldn't draw, and is new about .to be taken off in f xvor of d'Ennery's " Martyre." On the other, hand " The 'Schoolmistress," at the Court, and "The Pickpocket," at the Globe, were cried down as trivial, childish, and unworthy the efforts of the leading performers; yet there two houses are packed nightly, and seats have to be booked weeks in advance. The truth is, of course, people like to laugh after dinner, and look very indulgently on a' piece that moves their risible faculties.

" The Circassian," the new comedy at the Criterion that ought to have been produced last Saturday, is postponed till to-morrow, which will see the last of " Little Jack Sheppard" at the Gaiety. The American oomedian Dixey opens there on the 27th in " Adonis," a piece that comes with a great reputation from New York, where it ran 700 nights. Notwithstanding rumors to the contrary, the previous visit of Augustin Daly's.New York- company must have been financially satisfactory to Mr Terriss, for he. has engaged them again for a summer season, and they open next week at the Strand in "A Night Off." Carl Rosa's English opera season at Drury Lane commences May,3l with the "Marriage of Figaro,'-' followed by "Manon, n " Faust," " The Bohemian Girl," and '-'Carmen "on successive nights. It will almost certainly ruin the Italian venture over the way unless the new prima donna Cepeda makes a great hit. A good story is going the rounds about the well-known elderly actress Mrs S»—, whose malapropisms have. so often been publicly quoted. In the course of conversa'tion during a morning .call our old friend inquired whether her acquaintance'sdaughter was out yet. " Only half out," was the reply ;"I am keeping her back. " I understand," said Mrs 3—-, "demi-monde" TORF CHAT. The Woodcote Stakes on Tuesday is to introduce, us to St. Mary, the two-year-old sister of St. Alvere and Queen Adelaide, for whom Mr Abington gave -3,900 guineas at the sale of Mr Chaplin's yearlings last July. As Peck recently offered Abington 5,000 guineas for the filly it is presumed she 43 a flyei-. ■ The two principal races of the present week were the Great Northern Handicap (run over If miles, and worth about L 700) at York, and the Somersetshire Stakes (of 300 sovs, over ]J miles) at Bath. The former attracted an average field of half-a-dozen, which included Lord Hartington'g Newmarket Handicap winner, Sir Kenneth (4 yrs, Sst 121b), Mr Rothschild's Beaver (3 yrs, 6st 121b), who ran so well in the Chester Cup, Mr Lowther's Swillington (4 yrs, Sst 61b), for a long time expected to do great things, and Mr I'Anson's Bonaparte (aged, 7st 121b) On Tuesday morning Beaver and Swillington divided favoritism. 3 to 1 being laid against each of them, and 4's against Bonaparte. Later Bonaparte was knocked out, and Beaver became favorite at 9 to 4, 5 to 2 being laid Swillington, and 3to 1 Sir Kenneth. Between these three the issue eventually lay. Bonaparte led to the distance, where he was beaten, and Beaver and Swillington came on together, with Sir Kenneth in close attendance. Opposite the stand Swillington compounded, and loud shouts were raised for the favorite, but .Wood, who had reserved Sir Kenneth for a final rush, came with a wet sheet a few yards from home, and, getting the best of an exciting race, .won by a short head ; a bad third. At Bath there were six runners for the Somersetshire Stakes, which fell to the favorite Criterion, who started at the good odds of .5 to 2, and won easily from Mr Leigh's John Barleycorn (4 yrs, 7st 61b),*Mr Stevens's Goggles (aged, 6st 111b), third. Criterion (by Childeric—Mynheer's dam) carried Bst 61b -on his five-year-old back ; and, as most of you. will be aware, belongs to Mr Barclay, of Bendigo fame.

The collaboration of Mrs Campbell Praed and Justin M'Carthy in that capital Anglocolonial novel " The Right Honorable" has prayed sufficiently successful to induce them to continue working together. They are,' in point of fact, already busy with another story of.a similar description, called " The Ladies' Gallery," and in addition Mrs Campbell Praed has a tale of Australian life nearly finished, called " Miss Jacobson's Chance." Both these will probably be run serially' through colonial weeklies before publication in the three-volume form. Another old friend of yours, B. L. Farjeon, continues to turn out a lot of work. "Aunt Parker" (his latest effort) will be published next week. It is a puerile tale, quite unworthy of the author of "Grif " and "The Sacred Nugget." Farjeon was selected by the S.P.C.K. to initiate their series of "Penny Novels," the idea of .course being to supplant literature of the." Loudon Journal" type with something wholesome. Unless the forthcoming tales are more readable than Farjeon's contribution to the series the experiment will be The printing, cover, and general get up of "Three Times Tried" are admirable, but it is a tract, not a story. Mr Baring Gould does the next one. By the way, his masterly novel, " Court Royal," which has been running through 'Cornhill,'is just out in the three-volume form. Everybody ought to read it. The author of "Mehalah" and " John Herring " has struck quite a new groove, and most successfully. " Demos" and " Court Royal "■ are the novels of the seasom I can also recommend Andrew Lang's venture.in "shilling dreadfuls," " The Mark of Cain." Its first chapter, which describes a card-sharping episode at a London club, " would, by itself, make a capital " queer story." THE ENGLISH ZOLA. George Moore, whose ghastly realistic novel,." The Mummer's Wife," created such a sensation two years ago, has just completed another work. of a similar kind, called "A Drama in Muslin," which professes to give an unvarnished description of firl life in the upper middle classes. It will e published shortly by Vizettelly, at 6s. I met Mr Moore at the Albion, in DruryLane, a few nights ago. He is a red-hairedj untidy, bilious-looking ' Bohemian, who can talk well, but garnishes his language with too many realistic expletives for sensitive people. Naturally Moore thinks Zola the greatest living writer of fiction. His next novel will deal with fast life in London, and touch on many of the topics delicately alluded to by Mr Stead in the notorious " Maiden Tribute " articles. • I must say I would far rather trust Moore in such matters than Stead. The Mrs Jarrett who succeeded in humbugging Mr George Moore would have to be a remarkably clever woman.

The craze for translations of French novels grows rather than decreases. Till recently Vizetelly alone issued such works ; now Remingtons, Maxwell's, and Griffith, and Farren have entered the field against them. Maxwells announce a seties of "French masterpieces" at Is, the initial volume being Boisgobey's "L'Ange du Bourdon," rechristened " The Blue Veil, or the Angel of the Belfry." It is a criminal

romance of average interest, not equal (for example) to "The Golden Tress" or "The Severed Hand." "demos," The most notable novel of the hour is unquestionably "Demos," a tale of English socialism, by an anonymous author, who must, however, be "somebody," otherwise Smith, Elder would never have published his book. The hero of "De nos "is a working man, a clever artisan and an uncompromising Socalist, who advocates the breaking down of class prejudices and distinctions ; would abolish the House of Lords, in fact preaches the gospel of Burns, Hynd" man, and Co. A large fortune, with an ancestral estate in the country, falls to him unexpectedly, and his principles are tested to the uttermost. At first the man rejoices in the possession of wealth, because of the good it will enable him to do. He devotes money, time, his whole soul to " the cause "; starts ironworks on the communistic pnncipleon his estate; provides the workmen with wholesome homes and means of education and recreation; in fact, honestly acts up to his professions. All goes well till the Socialist commences to associate with gentlefolk and falls in love with a lady. Then, from various causes—described with rare insight the mau's whole morale deteriorates. The author evidently understands the London artisan thoroughly. 'Arry, the Socialist's brother, is the type of thousands. One« recognises his reality at once. With gentlefolk he scarcely succeeds as well. A well-born young man, presumably introduced by way of a contrast, faila to interest. But the descriptions of Socialist meetings of everyday life amongst the best class of working folk are admirable. The book is unquestionably a very able work ; and if, by a new man, indicates the advent of another powerful novelist of the Christie Murray stamp. The cheap (2s) reprint of Fronde's "Oceana" is selling like wild-fire. Three editions have already been exhausted, though the Exhibition is only just open. Another re-issue "much in demand is the 2s 6d edition of Sir Charles, Wilson's "From Korti to Khartoum," and Smith and Elder's 2s "Vanity Fair" promises to be a great success. Hitherto Thackeray's masterpiece has not been obtainable under ss. I also notice 2s editions of Mrs Campbell Praed's "Affinities" (her weakest work), and of " Portia," by the author of " Molly Bawn " ; aud also a 6s reprint of Hugh Conway's "ACardinal.Sin." .'

The latest "shilling dreadful" comes from the fluent pen of Mrs Alexander, who would be better-employed preparing another work of the stamp of "The Wooing O'ot" than in writing such stuff. Nevertheless, "Beatonjs Bargain" will be found readable enough. It is the story of a " marriage by advertisement." The fortune of an orphan heiress is left in the hands of an unscrupulous lawyer. He hits on the idea of selling the girl and her fortune to some needy aristocrat, and advertises, in cautious ternis, for, a husband. Hugh Baton, a worn-out rou6, answers it, and the unfortunate heiress is nearly forced into wedding him when a. catastrophe occurs, of what nature you must learn for youraelves.