LITERATURE, MUSIC, AND THE DRAMA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7020, 17 May 1884, Page 4 (Supplement)

LITERATURE, MUSIC, AND THE DRAMA.

Thb pew Prince's Theatre, London, is said to have cost £120,000. '~, ■ . Araene Houssaye, of Paris, is writing a biography of the great autress Rachel. : ■ It is stated that each performance of " Cinderella''at Drury Lane costs £300. ■ ~ • George Macdonald, the novelist, is charged by the Contemporary with being a literary kleptomaniac. - ' ■ «• • . Mrs. ' Langtry has purchased, near Hew York, a bijou residence. The price was about £35,000. Messrs. Longmans have in the press a new birthday book,, compiled from the speeches and writings of the late Earl of Beaconsfield. ■ The concluding volumeß of Mr. ironies biography of Thomas Carlyle are ready. in a long preface Mr. Froude replies to the criticisms'which have been passed upon his action as Carlyle'a literary executor. • There are now iu Loudon 401 newspapers, , the provinces 1177, in Scotlandl6l, m Ireland 156, in Wales SO, and m the British I sles2o- the total thus being 2015. The magazines, including the quarterly reviews, number 1260. . . ; Miss Florence St. John is now playing in "Nell Gwynne" at the "Royal Avenue Theatre, and with Lionel Brough and Mr. Arthur Roberts there is a phalanx of talent there which is irresistible from the point of view of mirth. ', . Literary Frenchwomen are on the increase, and theirorgan.theGazettedes Femmes, states that 1883 was the most fruitful year of femmine writings yet known in France. Two hundred and five works by women were publißked—novels, however, predominating. ; A sardonic English writer has brought out a book called " The Wife-beater's Manual, eivine a horrible list of attacks by men on women in England. The book is intended to help a Baron de Worms, a legislator, who proposes a bill inflating flogging on wifebeaters. ■ ' - . : ' Messrs, Harper Brothers are about to issue a " Lovers' Dictionary." The volume is described as ■" a poetical treasury of:lovere thoughts, fancies, addresses and dilemmas; _, and it will be indexed with nearly tenJsf ou . sand references as a dictionary of comyV lment3 and; guides to the study of tender § ,-•«;"'* R. Sims went t* Liverpool'to look after tLe production of «-In there, the band played so loudly that much of the dialogue was lost. ••What the deuce is the matter with your band" asked Sims of Bumbridge, the lessee. "My band.'sir 2" replied Bainbndgeprondly_; ••Mr sir. It's played under Carl Rosa." "Then I wish," retorted Sims, "it Would play sub rosa now." Mr Joseph Hatton's new boot will be called "Irviug's Impressions on America. itwiU contain chapters describing Irving's impressions before ooming to America and aftfr? nights in New York before his first appearance.and after; Irvings opinions of African art and criticism ; his general jmSons of the country, carefully exploited ,V Hatton's own setting of descriptive sketches and chronicles ; the whole prefaced by Henry Irving himself. The season of French plays, which will commence at the Gaiety in the month of June, will extend over.six weeks, of which the first three will be given up to Madame Jodie, and the last four to Madame Bernhardt.' The repertoire of Madame Judic will consistof ••■HinVche,""Mam'zelle Nitouche, Sd "La Cosaque," and that of Madame Bernhardt of "Fedora" "Adrienne . I*. couvreur,' "Frou-Frou," and " Rny Bias. MM. Porel, Pierre Berton, Christian, and Lassouche are the more prominent members of the general company. M. Mayer will be the manager. - The distinguished preacher Pere JDidon is about to publish a book on the Germans, which is said to be remarkable for its generous impartiality. He warmly praises the patriotism - displayed by the Germans : ••Kings and Emperor, Chancellor and Ministers; ioldiers ana literary men, students and workmen only dream of labouring for their country. They have but one the Fatherland before everything! Their patriotism is beyond dispute.' He adds : •«I Bhall never forget my indignation and anguish while reading the French newspapers in Germany. lof ten found in the columns of a certain Parisian journal more insults apainst my country than in all the voluminous gazettes of Berlin together.