A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5300, 2 May 1885, Page 3

A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON.

♦ (Specially Written for the " Star.") FEMININE FACTS, FANCIES, AND FRIVOLITIES. [Bt "Eloise."] London, March 18. A DOLEFUL COMMENCEMENT TO THE BEABON MILLINERS OUT OF WORK — SOCIETY IN MOURNING. Dear Mr Editor,— The season has opened dolefully, and promises to be as flat, stale and utterly unprofitable as last year's. Fashionable milliners are in despair. In the first place there is to be no Drawing Boom before Easter, a fact unimportant enough to most of us, but which signifies want of work, hunger, and possibly starvation to scores of needy sempstresses. Then some great ladies have decreed that society is to go into mourning for General Gordon, Colonel Burnaby, Sir Herbert Stewart, and the other heroes who lost their lives in the Soudan. The Peeresses' gallery at the House of Lords, during the debate on the vote of censure, presentc-d a strange spectacle. It was filled with ladies, but nowhere could one discover so much as a speck of colour. All wore black. LADY STEWART. Poor Lady Stewart has never lifted up her head since the fearful news of her husband's death was communicated to her. She had only been married eight years, and was devoted to him"* 1 * They have two little boys — the eldest said to be a tiny replica of his father. THE GUARDS. The absence of the Guards makes a great difference to London " society " in heaps of ways. At Sandown Park last week, for instance, familiar faces were missing on

every side. The feminine element, however, mustered in force, and much admiration was bestowed on the numerous tailormade dresses, neat and exquisitely fittin&», which adorned the Lawn. I was not present, but I hear those who were enjoyed the meeting immensely. THE DURHAM NULLITY SUIT — TRAPPING A LORD — THE IDIOT BRIDE — TIED TO A MANIAC. There is but one opinion in London society about the Durham divorce case. The unhappy husband was most shamelessly deceived by his wife's family, and ought to have his liberty. I never saw Lady Durham after her marriage, but I remember Miss Edith Milne*' perfectly. She was at Ascot with the Gerards in 1882, and attracted > a good deal of attention. Her pale, chilly, statuesque beauty was a striking contrast to the piquant vivacity of pretty Mrs Gerard. The pair were surrounded by quite a bevy of men, more especially on Hunt Cup day, when they wore the Sweetbread colours, and (in consequence of Mr Gerard's colt's victory) became the heroines of the afternoon. Many of you reading the divorce proceedings may wonder why Lord Durham did not break off the marriage when his fiancie acted so strangely. As a matter of fact, I believe, Miss Mibier's conduct attracted rather than repelled the young man. She confessed to loving him and knowing he possessed her attachment, her excessive shyness and modesty and her lack of • passion did not trouble him much. "When we are married all that will soon disappear," he said to himself comfortably. The fact is men in Lord Durham's position learn to despise fast women of every clas» whilst "sowing their wild oats." Consequently, when they resolve to settle down and marry they invariably affect shy and quiet girls. Miss Milner seemed likely to make Lord Durham a beautiful and dignified Countess. He knew she was a " very stupid girl," but that doesn't seem to have troubled him much. Her odd ways of going on at times he put down either to girlish coquetry or petulance. No doubt the Milner family took good care Miss Edith should not be too often with her lover. It was only on her "best days," she was permitted to see him. Lord Durham doesn't appear to have had a suspicion of the truth till the marriage ceremony was over. Then as his bride lay back ia the carriage which had just picked them up at the church door, and wildly repulsing his caresses, stared stonily out of the window, the first awful doubt crossed his mind. That night, he knew (or thought he knew), his wife was absolutely mindless little more than a beautiful animal in fact, but even then he had no notion that she was or could ever become a maniac. Subsequently, when the fact of there being hereditary mania in the Milner family transpired, when his wife's mother committed suicide in a fit of insanity, and when that wife herself sunk into dangerous idiocy, Lord Durham's indignation knew no bounds. Was he to be tied to a lunatic wife all his days P Lady Durham's bodily health is perfect. She may, probably will, live for fifty years. He consulted his lawyers, and eventually the case just concluded was laid before the Divorce Court. In the opinion of Society the Milners showed shocking bad taste in defending the action at all. ANOTHER "PAULINE." The likeness between Lady Durham's condition and that of the suppositious heroine of " Called Back " has formed a fruitful subject for paragraphs in the " Society " journals. Many of them take a romantic view of the case, and blame Lord Durham for not making more efforts to woo his "beautiful, silent divinity" back to love and sanity. As a matter of fact the poor girl's case is hopeless. In society a very strong belief prevails to the effect that Lord Durham was principally inspired to take divorce proceedings by love for Gladys, Lady Lonsdale, the famous beauty. LORD LYTTON'S POBTHUMOUS PLAY — JUNIUS, OR THE HOUSEHOLD GODS — GORGEOUS MOUNTING — THE LABT SCENE. Tom took us to see Lord Lytton's posthumous drama " Junius, or the Household Gods," the other evening. Played at some provincial or Colonial Theatre without the gorgeous spectacular effects, countless supers, and powerful acting which now. render it one of the most attractive pieces in London, I can quite imagine " Junius " would be heavy, not to say dull. At the Princess*, Mr Wilson;;Barrett has simply done everything that could be done for the piece. Ancient Rome, ideally classic, picturesque, and luxurious lies before us. The Palace of the Tarquins, the ruined temple of Romulus by night, Lucretia's home, and last but not least, the famous Hall of Tarquin, are one and all reproduced in scenes as romantically beautiful as they are archaologically correct. The old story of the rape of Lucrece and the vengeance of Brutus never enjoyed a more perfect setting. Lord Lytton's lines, too, are sonorous, and often beautiful. One has less tawdry sentiment and more genuine feeling than is usual in his poetic dramas. " Junius " will never be half so popular as "Richelieu," but in many respects the critics consider it a better play. The last scene deserves a ivord of description, though I'm afraid I can never convey to you its wonderful effect. Upon a lofty golden throne, between two massive pillars, reaching to the full height of the stage, sits the tyrant Sextus Tarquin, surrounded by guards, and attended by his trusty councillor the sage Sophromon. Sextus thinks himself safe. Suddenly the awful voice of Junius Brutus is heard without—" Room forthe Household Gods." The gates fly open, the warders drop their arms, 'and a grim procession enters. Lucretia's body is borne in on a bier and laid at the foot of the throne. Junius Brutus, solemn, dignified, inflexible, follows. He denounces Tarquin, and tells the story of Lucretia's shame. Then the tyrant's friends turn away and his soldiers shrink from him in disgust. Appalled, Sextus grovels for mercy before Brutus. The latter drags the dastard back again to his lofty seat and then stabs him, crying, as the curtain falls, " Lucretia, tell the Gods that Rome is free ! " Mr Willard as Tarquin, and Mr Wilson Barrett as Brutus, carry off the honours of the performance. The latter wears what Tom calls "classic toggery" as though "to the manner born." He looks every inch the noble Roman. Miss Eastlake has not much to do, but does it lackadaisically. I can never get over the idea that she's the character I first saw her representing, viz., the heroine of the " Lights o' London." Some actresses seem quite incapable of sinking their individuality. "MASKS AND PACES " AT THE HAYMARKET. " Masks and Faces," accounted by many eritic3 the greatest success in the entire Bancroft repertoire, was revived at fie Haymarket for a short farewell season the other evening. Mrs Bancroft is, of course, once more Peg Woffington, and Mr Bancroft Triplet. Mr Forbes Robertson succeeds Mr Coghlan and Mr H. B. Conway as Sir Charles Pomander, and Miss Calhoun tries to wipe out recollections of first Ellen Terry and afterwards Marion Terry as Letty Vane. Neither altogether pleased the audience. In 1874, a vaudeville entitled "Nemesis," which you have no doubt seen some time or other in New Zealand, made a hit at the Strand Theatre, with Edward Terry in the principal part. This piece has now been revived at the Comedy, with Arthur Roberts in Terry's character, and draws well, they say. "The Denhams," at the Court, is not at all a nice-toned play. I can't imagine what object there can be in dragging such a disagreeable story as it deals with before the public. JENNIE LEE AS " JO." We looked in at the Strand last Tuesday evening to renew our acquaintance with Miss Jennie Lee's " Jo." The theatre was not, I am sorry to say, half full, nor was the piece altogether well played. The Burkett of Mr Burnett, the Chadband of Mr Wilmot and the Hortense of Miss Dolores Drummond are as good as ever, but Miss Ada Ward as Lady Dedlock, and Mr Ben Greet as Sir Lester fail lamentably. Miss Ward is hard, unsympathetic and unemotional to a degree that one would have believed impossible. In the great scene where she tells Esther she is her mother, the house, instead of listening with

wrapt attention, shuffled, wriggled, coughed and sneezed. Miss Ward discoursed in an even, tiresome monotone, and the young lady who represented Esther Summerson responded with equal feebleness. Naturally when the curtain fell there was some hi-sing. Jennie Lee has played " Jo " too often. It is still a wonderful character sketch, but it lacks spontaneity ; moreover, too much elaboration renders it occasionally inconsistent. At times no doubt Miss Lee really acta " Jo," and then I can quite imagine she harrows people's feelings to a ghastly extent. On Tuesday I believe she simply went through perfectly familiar business without feeling it one bit. It was all very clever and very interesting, but we were not touched. When, however, in the death-bed scene the actress gave herself a little rein and began — so to speak — to take an interest in her own performance, the effect was electrical. Every word and movement went straight home. Tom had to put down his opera glasses and turn away from the stage for fear of — as he said — making a fool of himself, and I wept copiously for some moments. Taken as a whole though, we came to the cdnclusion that Nellie Farren's slight sketch of a street boy is in many respects truer to life than Miss Lee's. GILBERT AND SULLIVAn'b NEW OPERA. To-morrow we are going to the Savoy Theatre to witness the first performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Japanese Opera. The demand for seats has as usual been much in excess of the accommodation, but thanks to. the courtesy of Mr J. C. Williamson (who owns the Australian rights of the new piece), Tom managed to secure a couple of good stalls. "THE LADY," A .NEW WOMEN'S JOURNAL. Have you seen the new women's journal, The Lady ? It is published by the Vanity Fair, people, and costs sixpence. The first three numbers have been full of interest. Due prominence is, of course, given to the subject of dress (indeed each issue contains a very superior coloured fashion plate of some famous costume), but many other topics of supreme importance to us women, such as servants, cooking, teaching children, and managing a household, are also treated of. The paper is freely illustrated by a new and effective process* and seems altogether less heavy and ponderous than the " Queen." The opening numbers contain, amongst other articles of interest, a paper by a lady graduate at Girton College, describing life there, and another by a lady doctor, narrating how her M.D. degree was obtained. WALFOBD'S NOVELS, ETC. Messrs Blackwood are publishing a cheap edition of Mrs Walford's novels, which should be popular in the Colonies. The first and best of them — " Mr Smith ; a Part of his Life" — is just -out. I can al|o recommend Miss Edna Lyall's " Donovan " to hose who like a serioiiß story. Though expensive (ss) it deserves to be read. Ladies with a taste for works of travel should send for Thomson's " Through Masai Land," or Mr Archibald Colquhoun's "Amongst the Shans." The latter is exceptionally interesting.