"THE SACRED CATS."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13810, 22 January 1909, Page 6

"THE SACRED CATS."

The tale of the sacred cats whose death forms the basis of' the dramatic piece "The Son of the Sun/' and of the comic opera ViAmusis," was concluded in Loudon a week or two ago, before Mr Justice,; J elf, who said lie would deliver judgment as early as opssible after the vacation. "I shall probably spend hours reading all that has been handed in," his Lordship remarked incidentally, "and I can foresec my Christmas holidays being pretty fully occupied—(laughter)—but it is my dutv, aiid I shall be happy to fuliil it."' Mr William Hermann Scholz, author of "The; Soil: if the Sun," claims £SOOO damages for alleged infringement of copyright from Aiuusis, Limited, and Mr Frederick Feun.

Expert evidence upon the alleged similarities in the. two plays was given by Mr William Archer, the well-known dramatic critic."- He said that, having hit upon ancient Egypt as the scene of their plays, it \vould naturally occur to the authors to-use the grotesque, curious and comic incident in Egyptian religion, the sanctity of the cat. "1 would defy anyone to write an Egyptian opera without bringing in a high priest, after the :cat incident, and it is usual to introduce an Egptian maid. Mummies are also a natural element: in fact, in an account of one 1 wrote some years: ago, ijie mummy was supposed to be revived by ,an electric shock." (Laughtter.) ' Tiie words ". instant, execution ' appeared in each play, and Mr Archer thought the phrase was a very usual one. For instau.ee, ho said, "Of with his head, so much for Buckingham." (Laughter.) His Lordship: I don't notice the words in that. (Renewed laughter.) "No, my lord," replied the witness, "but instant execution was inferred." An amusing interlude arose .when the Court was considering whether execution by decapitation was usual in the davs of'ancient Egypt. . The hero in both plavs rah the risk of being beheaded, and Mr Archer said he was not an authoritv on such matters, and Mr Spence (for the defendants'), said: "It was a rule, fiction, to hang people of the lower classes and behead those of the upper." (Laughter.) Mr Hales was contending that the latter method didiviiot exist anion"; the ancient.s. s but Mr Archer reminded him of the fate of John the Baptist, and his Lordship, added: >• And Goliath, whom David beheaded, you know."