THE CRITIC

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 18, 15 January 1881, Page 171

THE CRITIC

" H. M. S. Pinafore" was played at the Theatre on Friday and Saturday, to poor houses, but the representations were nevertheless superior to those previously given by the Lingard Company. Mr. Westford has worked up Dick Deadeye into a very creditable impersonation, and even Mr. Campbell seemed less of a "stick" than he was before. Mr. Craig's Bosun, however, was, as usual, the feature of the performance. One so seldom sees a really good actor taking pains with a small part that the exhibition naturally excites wonderment, and must excuse my perpetual references to the fact. Despite the small audiences, both Mr. and Mrs. Lingard played with spirit, and towards the.end of the second act, some of us were much entertained by a piece of by play going on between Miss Adelle (on the stage) and Mr. McComish (in the orchestra.)

The reproduction of that particularly maudlin and falsely toned play, the " New Magdalen" was principally remarkable for Mrs. Lingard's exceptionally fine acting in the part of Mercy Merrick. I have seen two other " stars" in this role — viz., Miss Ada Cavendish and Miss Annie Firmin. The first-named lady is perhaps more passionately powerful than Mrs. Lingard, but her acting lacks the intensely human interest which the last named lady throws into it. Nothing finer than her representation of the changes which flash across Mercy's. mind in the second act has been seen on the Auckland stage. The scenes too with Julian Grey would have gone magnificently if only the representative of Julian had been up to the mark. It seems to be my luck to be obliged constantly to depreciate Mr. Steele, but why oh ! why didn't he play Horace Homcroft and let Mr. Craig try his hand at the parson. Ido not wish to be hypercritical, but who — since the world began — ever^ saw a clergyman with whiskers, niustachios, and an imperial. We know Julian was an eccentric, and have doubts about his donning the long pargon's frock and white tie, but it would have been coming it too strong to have gone in for all those hirsute appendages. It was not, however, Mr. Steele's somewhat ridiculous get up which marred the piece. Had he possessed a clear conception of the part one might have got over that. But he didn't. His impersonation was stiff, formal, and lifeless, in two words — a failure. Mr. Craig's Horace Homcraf t struck me very fair, though he would have been more at home as Julian. Mr. Overton gave a capital sketch of the German surgeon, Ignatius Wetzel, and Miss Adelle made a dear little old lady. Of Miss Huran's Grace Rosebery, gallantry forbids me to speak plainly. Suffice to say she was not happy in the part.

On Wednesday night the "Lady of Lyons" was produced with Mrs. Lingard as Pauline, Mr. bteele as Claude, Mr. Craig as Beauseant and Mr. Lingard as Glavis. Mrs. Lingard's Pauline is a very fine performance, in fact, setting aside Ellen Terry and Mdme. Modjeska (whom I have not seen), it would be difficult to name a better one. In the cottage scenes with Claude the lady's acting was superb, and held the audience literally spell-bound. Wretched representations on the part of the other performers,' however, marred the illusion and kept people in a perpetual titter. Mr. Steele's Cluade is — well — what it always was, and Mr. Craig came unmistakeably to grief over Beauseant. Mr. Overton's Damas and Mr. Lingard's Glavis deserve favourable mention, but the less said about the others the better.

Last night (Thursday), too late for notice, "Pink Dominos " was given, and to-night Mrs. Lingard appears as Julia in ' ' The Hunchback." On Saturday Robertson's masterpiece, "Ours,* will be the attraction, and if properly rehearsed, should prove a big success.

Baker and Farron returned to America in December. G. D. Chaplin was playing with the MaudeGranger Company at Boston when last heard of, Mr. J. L. Hall's season at Adelaide has been a semi-failure. Faircloiigh has "been giving Shakesperian readings at Adelaide to fair houses. Dampier visits Batavia, China, and Japan on his way home. Mrs. Walter Hill and her daughter are taking a well-earned rest. The Melbourne Leader is publishing Wilkie Collins's story " The Blnck Robe." Charles Wheatleigh, as " Nana Sahib " in the Relief of Lucknow. Think of it ! ! It was thought George Darrell would try another season in New Zealand before going to America, but .at the last moment he changed his mind. Mr. R. D. Blackmore's new story will be entitled " Christowell : a Dartmoor Tale." It will be published in Good Words, and commence in January. Miss Genevieve Ward is about to produce in London a version of one of Lord Beaeonsneld's earlier novels. None of them have hitherto been dramatised. The Pinafore "Ralphs" have all been so dreadfully shy in the N. Z. companies that they are known as " Singbad the Sailor." Shall we ever see "Forget-me-not," "Upper Crust," "Hazol Kirke," and "The Pirates of Pen* ' zance " in the colonies ? A new novel by Besant and Rice is appearing in tho Australasian.. It is called " The Chaplain of the Fleet," and deals with some interesting details in COU« nection with the old Fleet Prison. The Veteran Chippendale is taking farewell benefits in England, and the old practice has been revived of putting chairs on the stage and selling them for a guinea apiece. Grattanßiggs, who comes to Auckland shortly is supported by Messrs. Burford, Musgrave, Tyref^ Clinton, Burton, Misses Marie Wilton, Murielle, M'lan, and Melrose. Mr. Morton. Travares (says an exchange) has started business in Brisbane— he has a 6d. carryiug or parcel delivery. Although fallen, he possesses a fine carriage. . -;■

No. 13.— Dr. James Wallis, M.H.R. " He was in logic a ereat critic, Profoundly skilled in. analytic; He could distinguish, and divide A hair 'twixt south, and south-wes6 side ; In either which he could dispute, Confute, change hands, and still confute." Dr. James Wallis, M.H.R., is the son of a Scottish gardener, or in the language of the newspaper— agriculturalist. Wallis the elder was a " Presbyterian true-blue," and his highest ambition was to see his son Jameß become a minister of the kirk. With this laudable object he strained every nerve to secure him a liberal education, and he had the extreme felicity of seeing his son graduate at the University of Edinburgh, and afterwards expound the Gospel in a pulpit in Aberdeenshire. The subject of this memoir was engaged for some time in the work of tuition in Edinburgh, and was so fortunate as to secure the position of tutor to a young gentleman of fortune, and accompanied him during his travels through America and other parts of the world. Afterwards he obtained a ministerial appointment in Georgetown, British Guiana, where his congregation consisted mainly of negros. Here lie enjoyed asalary of £1000 a-year, but, having had a serious difference with his congregation respecting the " bawbees," he resigned his charge and returned to Scotland, whence he emigrated to New Zealand. For a time the doctor resided in the classic region of the Wade, but being again seized with the apostolic spirit, he obtained re-admission to the Presbytery, and was appointed to the charge of St. David's by the Rev. D. Bruce. The stipend not being to the doctor's entire satisfaction, he established a church in Newton ; but the Rev. James Hill having laid a formal complaint before the Presbytery that Dr. Wallis was trespassing upon his theological preserves, and the objection being sustained by that august body, the doctor withdrew from the Presbytery and set up a free kirk in the brick building at the comer of Vincent and Hobson streets, which has since been purchased by the United Free Church Methodists. Dr. Wallis had gathered a numerous congregation, and the little building was found to be too small for its accommodation. It was proposed to build a new church, the doctor just" then remembered that he had a fine site next door to his own residencej subscriptions were collected, and the building was opened with a debt of only £300. He began his ministration under excellent- auspices, but it was not long before dissensions arose which threatened to result in a schism. The leaders of the kirk consisted of nien who adhered to the Presbyterian system of church government, but their chief bete noir was the " kist o' whustles," as they contemptuously named the harmonium, the sound of which, together with such new f angled things as. choirs they had fled from with pious horror, regarding them as inventions of the Evil One, designed to tempt them from the folds of Puritanism into the abhorred paths of Papistry. What these severe Calvanists desired •was to 'manage the affairs of the congregation by means of an elective committee, over which they and the doctor, albeit a declared foe to sacerdotalism, came to loggerheads. The result was a great falling off in the congregation. About this time the rev. gentleman contrived to extinguish the mortgage on the church, and, having never parted with his legal title to the ground, the entire property became his undisputed possession. Theology having proved a somewhat precarious occupation, he began to turn his attention to local politics, .and it wasnot long before opportunity offered of floating into the haven of popularity in a passing breeze. That favouring breeze was the public dissatisfaction with the Counties Act m Eden. The doctor discerned the current of the public mind, expoused the popular cause, stumped the district against the adoption of the permissive clauses, was fully supported and backed by the Star in leaders, satires, prose and verse, triumphed over A. K. Taylor, the local politicians of the day, and came out of the contest ■with flying colours. By this time the congregation had dwindled down to a select few. The doctor tried to replenish their numbers and the offertories by a series of fulminations against the Roman Catholics, and by lay sermons directed against spiritualism. He had held seances in, his own house, with no- greater success than the demolition of a 100 table, and, not having "raised the spirits," he forthwith denounced the phenomena as humbug or "unconscious cerebration." On the strength of the popularity he had secured in the county contest, he was elected to a seat. in the House of Representatives for City West, obtaining the vote of the Good Templars upon certain pledges, of which more anon. In his absence at Wellington he secured a temporary supply for his pulpit, and now divided nis attention between theology and politics. It was during one of these absences that the congregation, having been leavened by Presbyterians, of an advanced type, subscribed

to purchase a harmonium, and introduced, with the doctor's express sanction, the formerly dreaded "kist o' whustle's" to the intense horror of those who —

" Compound for sins, they are inclined to, By damning those they have no mind to ; Still so perverse and opposite, As if they worshipped God for spite : The self-same thing they will abhor One way, and long another for." Another dissension soon followed, resulting in the withdrawal of part of the congregation who formed St. David's Church. The subscribers demanded their harmonium, which being refused, they sent an express with a party ot the secessionists on the occasion of one of the Wednesday evening services to carry off the instrument by a coup de main. It happened, however, that the doctor's better half was a witness of their manoeuvres, and perceiving the sacrilege she raised a shrill alarm, which brought out the minister, despite whose threats and remonstrances the harmonium was borne off in triumph and sold by auction, the proceeds, after returning any subscriptions which were applied for, being devoted to the funds of St. David's. Dr. Wallis endeavoured, without success, to induce the police to institute a prosecution against the raiders. By the time Parliament again met, the congregation had fallen off to a faitlif ul remnant, the doctor could not obtain a locum tennis, the services were stopped, and the church was closed, except for the Sunday-school, over which Mrs. \Yalhs continued to preside with a degree of perseverance that did her great credit. Negotiations were now opened for the sale of the church, and the llonuui Catholics were among the applicants, but a premature announcement of the intention, together with the remonstrances of the old worshippers, resulted in its abandonment. . , . ,- •., It may also be mentioned m connection with the doctor's political, appearances that he distinguished himself by his resistance to the poll-tax levied under the old Provincial Education Act, suffering his books to be seized m satisfaction of the tax, for which judgment had been obtained in the KM. Court. Notwithstanding, however, that he had formerly denounced the secular system of education, he was pledged to its support on the hustings, and at another time when lie was thought not to be

has been so frequently accompanied with qualifications, saving-clauses, and independent advice and condemnation on points of detail, that it is a moot question whether he has not done Greyism as much harm as good. In conclusion, we think the worthy doctor has mistaken his vocation. However successful he might have been as a preacher or a physician, he was never cut out by nature for a politician. It is not that he lacks the requisite cleverness, but he continually kicks over the traces, and scorns the trammels of party lines. We hear that he contemplates retiring, like another Cincininatus, to the plough, should he be rejected at the % next elections, and we sincerely trust he may mid in the calm retirement of rural bliss a haven of repose from the dissensions of schisms and sects, and from the temptations and snares of politics. " O, blest retirement, friend to life's declineHow blest is he who crowns, in shades like these, A youth of labour with an age of ease."