LITERATURE, MUSIC, AND THE DRAMA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7002, 26 April 1884, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE, MUSIC, AND THE DRAMA.

(Axthont Tboixope's last completed hovel, "An Old Man's Love," will soon be pubi Uahed by Blackwood. , „ ;. . ~ , A volume on " Aspects of Scepticism," by »n English author, will soon be brought out by Thomas Whittaker. ~ The Irving Company were bo successful in Chicago ■" that arrangements have been made-for them to pay a second visit. The fortnight's receipts were over £7500. -::Mr.-. Edgar-Brace's new theatre, "The Prince's," is said to have cost from first to las £120,000. : A comedy from trie pen of Mr.Jas. Albery to bemoHnted there. _ -Miss Mary : Anderson' had received an invitation, or "command," to appear before the Prince-and Princess of Wales, at Sandringham, prior to the unfortunate death of Prince' Leopold. ; •' "On the Stage" is .the title of a volume containing studies of theatrical history' and anecdote which has just been very successfully published in London. The author was the late able but caustic critic Dutton Cook. - Mr. Comyns Carr and Mr. Hugh Conway have completed the dramatised version of the latter's powerful story "Called ' Back," which -has - been secured - for the • Prince's Theatre, by Mr. Edgar Bruce, and will be produced there some time during the coming season.

' Salvini, the Italian tragedian, commenced a season at Covent Garden on Feb. 25. He was announced to play "Othello," "King Lear," " Macbeth." and "The Gladiator," with Signora Piemonti as his leading female artist.' His " King Lear" is an artistio hit at Signor Rossi. . Mr. Sala wants some one to write a book on "The Extent to which History has been Fasified by Poets and Painters." A writer in the Catholic World presents as a subject of one chapter the story of the Cenci. -■ He writes ■ of • the beautiful Beatrice as of an Utterly depraved wretch. "■•Mr. E. Noble's'translation of M. Tourgueniefs romance, "Smoke," undertaken on the suggestion of Mr. Ralston, is now approaching completion. Mr. Noble is also preparing a small book on Russia, to be entitled "Pnstinia and the Pustinians," the result of his residence in that country during the greater part of the past two years. 1 On Easter Monday the new theatre in Leicester-square, some time. known as the Pandora, was.to be opened under the direction of Mr. : Alexander Henderson as the Empire Tneatre, The entertainment will be of a spectacular-opera and grand ballet character, produced with gorgeous and novel effects. Mr. H. B. Farnie will be responsible for the stage management. ; Canon Liddon is devoting himself assiduously to his literary labours in connection with Dr. Pußey's biography, but has been much delayed by the difficulty of settling the datea of the mass of letters placed in his hands. The other great piece of ecclesiastical life writing, the "Memoir of Archbishop Tait," is also progressing in the hands of the Dean of Windsor and Mr. Benham.

•The balance-sheet of last year's Musical Festival at Leeds has just fjeen issued. The total receipts amounted to £10,307.153 Sd, while the total expenditure was £7629 8s Id, leaving an available balance of £267S 7s 7d. Of this sum £1050 has been given to the Leeds General Infimary, £525 to the Dispensary, and £375 to the Hospital for Women, £728 7s 7d bsing carried over. The expenses of the band, railway fares, &c, were £2052, 18s 3d. The conductor, principal vocalists, and organists cost£l62S 17a 3d, and the chorus, including railway fares, £1497 17b 9d. ' Church and stage seem to be getting very near together. Mr. William Archer has written an article proving that the theology of Claudian' is not quite sound. The reply to him is to be made by Canon Shuttleworth, the new. rector of St. Nicholas Cole Abbey, who is going to prove in the Church Beformer that the theology of Claudian is the " Theology of Hell, " and the true meaning of helL Claudian ia cursed, and he brings sorrow on all whom he loves. His love is a curse. To love him is to suffer, and the worthy, canon holds that this is a dramatic picture of what does happen now. The love of a good person for a wicked one can bring only sorrow and suffering npon the good, and the redemption must be wrought by the love of the'wicked one for the good, and his awakened sense through his love of the sin he haa committed.