CHARGE AGAINST MR W. S. GILBERT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVI, Issue 72, 29 March 1892, Page 3

CHARGE AGAINST MR W. S. GILBERT.

A Mr M'Nully, an accountant in an Irish bank, has brought a Berious chargo against Mr W, 8; Gilbert, the great operatio author. Se accuses Mr Gilbert; of using the central oa and certain situations in an opera written by him iv " Tbe Mountebanks," now rnunipg at the Lyrio Theatre, This charge is creating some amount of comment, though I don't suppose anyone seriously entortuinß the notion of so successful and so ingenious an author as Mr Gilbert being guilty of suoh an offence, But there seems to be boiuo ground for on the part of Mr M'Nully. 'f In v The Mountebanks,' "says ho, "there isa baud of anarobiats who aim at revenge without discomfort. In my libretto there is a band of Socialists who agitate for lower wages, I Bent my libretto to Mr Cellier long before Mr Gilbert had ever thought of his opera, and after waiting some time for a reply wrote requesting him to return it, whioh letter wab unnoticed." He • tfoe* on v to gito many 1 coincidences in the • ftfo|lwa, h^ i»ysrfl,Qjti atiesu apoo th*|

' automatic maohlnes.' " Ifc is interesting to notice that in Ocfcobor the press announced Messra Gilberb and Collier's onara as "The Clockwork Man." Mr MoNully tells ue that he wrote to the Era concerning fche coincidence, but the letter was suppressed, and soon after it was announced that the title had beeVi changed to " Tho Mountebanks." " The olockwork man, who was important enough to give the title to tho work," Bays Mr MoNully, " bccimo apparently divided into two automata. But the treatment of fcho idea is alike iv both books. My automaton (ameohanical tinker who rc-aolvc3 mental difficulties for the conventional penny) wears a placard with tho words, ■ Drop a penny in tho slot.' Each of the automata in 'The Mountebanks' wears a placard with the same inscription. My automaton becomes embarrassed with the maohinery ; another character exoluims, ' Ah, something gone wrong with the machinery! Let mo see,' and examines the works. The same Bcene ocours in 'Tl o Mountebanks.' One of the automata becomes similarly embarrassed ; th 9 other exclaims, 'Something gone wroug with the works. I'm afraid. Stop a bit— l'll sco, and examines the works." Tho discussion has become rathor interesting and Mr DOyly Carta has written supporting Mr Gilbert, and relating how easy it is for suou ojinoidences to ocour. To him thoy havo often happened, and prior to the production of "Tho Nautch Girl" ho received two oporas from differei fc sources, both having an Indian plot, both containing an idol that oomes to life, and, still more remarkable, both idols answering to the name of ■' Punka ! ' "Those who are acquainted with Mr Gilbert's method of working," contiuuts Mr Carte, ia a letter to The Times, " aro well aware that ho is never disposed to adopt the ideas of others, oven if they are offered to him, and to supposo that he would deliberately appropriate the idens of a librettist sent to v composer, and fchafc tho late Mr Alfred Collier would have connived at such a proceeding is too absurd." It is announced by tho Jewish Chronicle* " with authority," fchafc Lieut Colonel Albert Goldsmid will take supremo command of the nrrangements for the colonisation of Jews on tho lands in Argentina acquired by Barou de llireoh. Colonel Goldsmid hopes that in tho Argentine it will be showu to the world •—after tho inevitable troubles iv tho first settlements have been overcome, that Jewish agricultural colonies, on a larger scale than are hitherto attstnpted, are quite practi« cable. — \Vifch tho objeofc of fosteriug homo industries and adding to fche scanty earnings of the orofters on his estates, the Duke of Portland offered to purchaso fioui his Berriedale and Braemore tonantry all tho cloth which they can make, provided ifc is woven by handlooius from wool grown, carded, and spuu by themselves.