AN OPEN LETTER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 476, 7 September 1899, Page 16

AN OPEN LETTER.

To T. Hope-Lewis, M.R.C.S., G. T. H. De Olive-Lowe L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., and PA. Vailb, Barrister and Solicitor. Gentlemen, —Happily it is a rare occurrence to find members of the professions of which you are such distinguished ornaments acting in the manner you have during the visit of a lady called “ The Georgia Magnet ”to Auckland. The spectacle of a middle-aged physician, a rising young medico, and a solicitor hitherto regarded as a “ chamber lawyer,” suddenly breaking loose and indulging in a “ fly-round ” has not been at all edifying to your friends or your professional brethren, though your caprice has been particularly amusing to an interested public. So far, no one has publicly remonstrated with you for your wild plunge into the vortex of disorder, but I have no doubt that privately you have had your wool combed for your breaches of good taste and decorum. That you ought to be publicly criticised is the reason of my addressing these few remarks to you. Let me set out the facts of the case, and then I will proceed with my critical castigation At the Opera House we had an American lady giving an entertainment, for which the public had to pay for admission. By the way, I believe a good many doctors and lawyers were invited guests. Did you not receive invitations ? That entertainment was certainly skilful; it was worth the money, and it “ attracted ” good houses. The " Georgia Magnet ” amused a good many people, interested a great many, puzzled a good many, and consequently set the town a-talking. The gentlemen forming Miss Abbott’s first committee, wisely or unwisely, signed a testimonial, which set out in rather flowery language the merits of the lady’s performance. Ido not think they were hypnotised, nor can I suppose they were “led by the nose.” The latter supposition is advanced by Mr Bartholomew Kent, who devoted two whole days to the endeavor to solve the mystery of the Magnet! He finally came to the conclusion that the performance was a combination of physical force and hypnotism. The gentlemen on the committee were men pretty well known, and the only comment on the testimonial was a characteristic remark from Professor Talbot Tubbs, who thought he “ ought not to sign a document written in such bad English.” However, Dr. Haines overcame the Professor’s grammatical scruples, without any trouble. The signatures evidently caused you to worry a little, for you had a Pearson’s Magazine up your sleeve, and with the BartonWright bumble-bee in your bonnet you straight away formed a mild “ conspiracy” to “ bust the show.” “ Doubting Thomas ” was the first to show up. He made his initial appearance on the Wednesday night, but the show did not “ bust.” The next day the Tail of the conspiracy wagged a little, and a letter appeared in the evening paper offering to gamble with the “ Magnet.” Excitement ran pretty high in the streets, and I believe one wordy warfare resulted in a few blows being struck. Friday dawned, and rumours of a very big “ bust ” filled, the air. Night came, and lo! the conspirators were all present. “ Doubting Thomas ” was there, “ The Auckland Magnetia ” was there for the first time, and the “gambling” “ mechanical ” lawyer was there. A very gentlemanly accessory after the fact was present, in the person of Dr Makgill—an authority on bacteria and Rugby football. Doubtless he was the necessary “force” in case of a scrimmage. The three doctors came upon the stage and the “mechanical” lawyer remained in the stalls. The foregoing is, I believe, a plain statement of the facts, so far as you are concerned, up to th<* time of the commencement of the performance on Friday evening. To you “ Doubting Thomas ” I will first address a few words. You are known to possess the habit of “ pooh - bah - ing ” any argument which does not agree with your own view of things in general, and now you have shown that you have none of the Welshman’s wonted sense of chivalry for a woman. Your conduct upon Miss Abbott’s stage was most distressing to your friends, for you not only implied that the “ Magnet ” was a trickster, but you acted most discourteously to the father of the medical profession in Auckland —Dr Purchas. You have with a Dutch—not a Welsh—courage waited until Mr Abbey has left Auckland before writing to the papers to say that you were “attacked” by that gentleman. Attacked, forsooth ! Why, your melodramatic “ I’ve got you now,” when Ming Abbott’s temperature was taken, showed where the attacking party was ! And, now, George de Olive Lowe, doctor, playwright, poet, composer, ventriloquist, conjuror, and « Auckland Magnetia,” a word with you. You are young. I expect you are in love, and therefore within measurable distance of matrimony; so that just at present, publicity ia, next to the darling of your heart the apple of your eye. Advertising means business, but to “ bust ” another person’s show is a very questionable method of advancing oneself in the world, even though the yearning after notoriety be the salt of one’s life. Your anxiety to “bust up ” the “ Georgia Magnet’s ” show is perfectly inexplicable, and I honestly believe that at the present time you are sincerely sorry you ever expressed any such intention. The lady never did you any barm. She paid for the Opera House and gave the public full value for their money. Simply because you read an article in P earson) s Magazine you thought you would “expose” Miss Abbott, and gain much kudos for jourself. Misguided young man ! That task was impossible. Your common sense ought to have told you that the “ Magnet’s ” show built upon a world-wide reputation and a ten years ex- ' perience could not be blown to smithereens at the will of two or three Auckland doctors and an obscure lawyer. You believe and assert that you can accomplish all the “ Magnet’s ” tests. Well the proprietors ot this journal gave you a rare opportunity of displaying your ability. A performance at the Opera House before the public you so love

was offered you free of cost. Why hide your light under a bushel basket ? A little judicious—and genuine—advertising could have been done, and as the “ Auckland Magnetia ” you would have boomed—that is if you had successfully come through the ordeal. You should have taken the tide at the flood, now alas! the opportunity to make fame and fortune has gone by, and we all wail with Vaile over the “ what might have been.” And you are variable too. At the Opera House on Friday night you wanted to be allowed to do the “ tricks,” I believe. Why would not this week serve as well ? You positively assert that you will “ bust up ” a woman’s show, that you were at the Opera House with that intention, you want to do all the Magnet’s feats, and then when you are offered the opportunity to show your skill and dexterity you get out of the difficulty by saying your patients would not like it! Ahem ! What did your patients say about your “ busting up the show ?” Where and oh where are the “ two or three hundred friends ” who asked you to do the “ busting ?” Let me point out what yonr instinct as a gentleman should have prompted you to do when you found your scepticism pretty nearly “ busting ” you. You should have gone to Mr Abbey, told him your doubts, and you would have been granted a ready permission to bring a sackful of committee men and you could have worried the affair out in a plainsailing, gentlemanly, and satisfactory manner. Instead of doing what you ought to have done you went round the town singing— Oh! it’s Georgia here and Magnet there And Abbey mind your eye, For there ain’t no bloomin' Magnet When Lowe begins to try. “ Lard sakes,” as the Magnet would say, what a rollicking chorus you, “ Doubting Thomas,” and

the Tail of the conspiracy must have made of it' And now, Doctor, as a final word, let me suggest to you that it is scarcely fair to “ go for ” a woman as you have done, and that it is very impolitic to go “ bald-headed ” for an American showman, for you are bound to get the worst of it in an encounter of that sort. That you offered Miss Abbott your apologies for any harm you might have done her by your ill-advised efforts at “ exposure ”is a point in your favour. Your eleventh hour repentance and request for forgivness evidence the fact that you are not without the finer feelings ; and Miss Abbott’s gracious acceptance of your apology, and the subsequent hand - shaking, gave a very pretty finishing touch to an affair which never ought to have taken place.

Fi. ally, my gentle, theatrical, and advertising “ conspirators,” may I offer you a few words of friendly advice ? For the future try and avoid such departures from all the canons of good taste, confine yourselves to the practice of the profession your ability or your luck has put you in, and, above all, do not rush up and down a road where angels fear to tread. The will-o’-the-wisp of notoriety has brought many a good man to grief ere this. The “ Georgia Magnet ” has proved your ignis fatuus, for your attempts to “ chase ” her on the stage of the Auckland Opera House have led you whence you never should have travelled. Gentlemen, adieu ! I am, Your obedient servant, Petbonel.