2
6
Chen
S
enan
.
—
amie,
lns süisse Mädel.
in her relatiens Alisem Parr, are lnde the almost anduman month.
with those to whom she allies herself in euch pures #fa roligieng #techi. ##is poseibie nt Mr.
in
perilously fleeting bonds. Sometimes, because Churchill intends to write a smelto“ The Inside of
in
she realises thie conditions, ehe gains a tempo- the Cup.“ and hie renders, who will be legion, aro
an
Fräry triumph, more often her fragile nature is
likely to demand it.
shattered against those terriblo awakenings
n
which leave her solitary and desolate.
POLLY PEACHUM.
7ANATOL.“
(STANLEF PAUL. 168 net.)
* Anatol“’ in various ways throws light on Round the central figure of tho original crcator
thhis favourite hewoino of Schnitzler. In onc ofofthe part of Polly Peschum—Lavuna Fenton.
these little pieces there is a farewell supper.
asterwards Duchess of Bolton—Mr, Charles E.
Anatol, who has ruined his digestion by having
Pearce, has written a thorcughly interesting volume
to eat two süppers every night, one with Anna,
on the theatrical and literary life of the eighteenth
his older friend, and the other with a gewer
century. I: was curly in 1728that Gay's“ Beggar’s
fuvoumte, determines to give a good-bye supper
Opera' was originally Produced, and for scveral
806.
to Anna, his friend Max, and himself. He is
successivo gencrations of actors and actresses it was
ant
göing to reveal to her the changes in his plans
cno of the pieces in which ambitious players sought
COr
and position, but, to the intense and sardonic
te gather new laureis, while its latest production was
the
joyof his friend Max, Anna forestalls him witch
in 1886, when a matinéc of it was given at the
1n
the information that into her life also has come
Avenve Theatre, with Sims Rcoves as Macheath.
Ro
a new love. In another of these one-aet plays,
Thouch Mr. Poarce tells tho story of tho picce up to
it
entitled“ Question of Fate,'’ Anatol, verv
the latter date, his volume is primarily concerned
far
anxions aboutce kind of love which Cora fecls
withtha famons croator of the part of Polly Peachum,
put
for him, detefmines to hypnotise her and
with thd original production of thol“ Opera,“ with
ge
diaw from her uhconscious lips thetrue answer.
thocireles about the author and the detress, and with
by¬
Nevertheless, after tie girl is hypnotised he
the literature that grow up around the subject
dares not“ put his fortune to the touch, to win
thanks to tlie furore created by thelimpersonator of
Rt
Vor lose it all,?' but pretends to Max that he is
Polly Peachum. It may bo doubtd whether such
Sa
quite satisfied; while all the time it is casy for
abundanco öf material exists about kny other single
m
the spectator to see that he is as disquieted as
piece and peNformer of.one of the pärts in it, and of
int
that abundank material the authof of this volume
before, especially wiren Cora, awakeneli from
in
has made admirablo use. Ho begins with eome
her trance, shows a very troubled and uncasy
to
acconnt of the fymous circlo of friends who may be
curiosity as to the results of the interrogation.
it
said to have hadtheir contre in Pope’s Thamesside
Perhaps one of tho best-known pieces of
Re
villa at“ Twitnam.“ It was thiere that it was
Schnitzler—and it may be remarked, in pass¬
Hi
written, and presumably there that à random remark
ing, that he is absolutely at his best in ondact
shr
of Jonathan Swift's had set John Gay about tho
plays, and not nearly eo euccessful in longer
writing ei what was 6o prove his möst famous work:
pieces of work—is the tragi-comedy which he
Dr. Swift had beem observing onco to Mr. Gay
calls“ Literature.'' Alady who has gained no
sal
what an odd, pretty sorhof thing a Newgate pastoral
little réputation in letters is on the eve of mar¬
vie
might make. Gay was inclined to try ab such athing
riage with a wealthy barön, who wanis her to
gi
for some time; but afterwards thdught it would be
give up her literary carcer. Stho is not un¬
1
better to write a comedy dn the shine plan. This
willingto make the sacrifice, but only asks that
Mi
was what gave riso to Tho.Beggaf’s Opera.““ Mr.
che may publish one last novel, which, as a
alf
Pearce discusses the rumonks which went abont to
matterof fact, has been composed of love-lettere
18
tho effect that Gay was actually asisted in the work
received from a former friend: Of course, the
by Pope and Swift, but dismisges them while recog¬
older love turns up, and it is discovered that
nising that tho“ Opera'Vis immeasurably superior
he, too, is about to produce a novel based on
to any other of the genial poet’s famatie writings.
their correspondence. The two books fit
ing
together like a glove, and discovery secms cer¬
* The Beggar’s Opera,“ for mank zessons, occupies a
bos
unique position in the history of thefBritish stage. lt 1s
tain. Fortunately, when the baron appears he
not necessary to dwell on its wit, itd hatire, its rollicking toc
declares that he has Bought up the whole eJi¬
usmour—these qualities are patent, jand were recognised
Zion of his wife'e forthcoming novel and has
at its first appearance. That wlsch make“ the opera
saved a single copy, which he proposes to read
notable is the good fortune which abtended every step of
with her at his own fireside. Qnickly the
Rit
its progress, culminating in the happy seläction of Lavisia
lady sees her chance.“ No, let tho sacrifice
Fenton to play the part of Polly
Peachum. Whether
liai
* The Boggal's upera“ made Poll
. or Pally the opera,
be complete,'’ she-cries, as sho flings the soli¬
wi
does not satter very much; what does matler is the fact
tary surviving evidence of her folly into the
tich
that, though for n century and a haif nearly hvery comene
fire.
netress who could sing was never hatisfied uptil she had
MANY MOODS.
Kappeafist aa Polly Pehchum, not bue ever shereeded in
an
gelipsing the fame of the original Polly. Polly Peachum
It will be observed from these and many
is Identilled with Lavinia Fenton, and will ever remaln ##.
pit
other instunces of Seirnätzler’s method that
des
he is a master of all the moods of modlern
GAY AND HIS AUTRESS.
worldliness: He is callous, cynical, flippant,
Indeod, Polly's biographer tells us that“ without
ratirieu serious, by taurns; sometimes laugli¬
inquiring too closely into the fhy and wherefpre, it
ing with a sour grimace, and sometimes pre¬
may be said that the young lady had as muchhright
mö
serving a sombre countenance, with à suspicion
to one name as tho other, fof there is somethihg of
th
of a laugh ab the sorners of his mouth. He is
mystery about her origin, ald some of those ihowit
full of romantic melancholy, and yet he ie fo:
wrote about her in the scandal-loving age to which ür
ever pointäng out“ what shadows we aro and
she belonged did not heritato to allot her e letger!
what shadows we pursue.?' It is part of the
otbe than her putative ouef whom her mother bnd
comedy of existence that we disturb ourseives marriod after Luvinia's bifth. Whether the pläy
abeut thinge that ars reallv trifles, more inte¬
made the fame of tho actres, or tho actress mad#
rested in the froth of the glass wirich life offersltho plav. may be a dispufable point, though it ih
to our lips than in the rel quality und virtue gertain that“ Polly“ got her opportunity in Gay'4# ##
ch
of the drink. Besides, how do we know, in the
niece. and her share in sts euccess was so imme¬

mädst of tho confused phmantasmagoria of
diatelv recoanised that—hér salary was at once raised
alf
existence, which is dream and which is reality?
from 158 to 308 a week!
Mesmerism, for instance, a device wirich
In telling the story c“ Polly Peachum“ and##
Schnitzler is fond of im more than onc of bis
The Beggar’s Opera" Mr. Pearce gives much infer- IPo.
plays, reveals to us a partienk condition of
mation as to the life #f the time to which Gay's
mind, in which the unconscious patient may
work holongs. and showe how some of those who
be telling the exact truth which in bis waking
protestod against the“[Opera“ because of its Now¬
momente he would have conccaled, or may be
gate setting, were acchpting other things of daily
merely repeating words suggested to him by
##
w#currence in the waß of punishments and sports
ras
the operator. So, too, in actunl life itself.
so horrible that it isfdiflicult to believe that thoy
In the litcle volumo of “ Three Plays of
were still in use withmh the past two centuries. But
mi
Schnitzler,? admirably translated into English,
Polly and the play arß the chief themes, and follow.
th
and with a very interesting introduction by
ing their joint story it may well be wondered whether
Mr. Horace B. Samuel, we have that ingenious
anv other lasting sfage reputation is to compire
an
piece of romantic impressionism which is called
with that of Polly Neachum, sceing that she made
da
The Green Cockatoo.“ It is the eve of the
her name in theBeggar’s Opern,“ and left tho
storming of the Bastille, and wearo introduced
stage at the vory zehith of her fanio, when the riece
th
to an underground cellar, to which resort all
reached tbe end of its original run of sixty.two ni##ts.
sorts and conditions of men and women, dissl¬
Sho had acted befoyo Gay’s pieco was produced, and
pated nobles, broken-down actors, malcontents
during its run appeared in various bencfit 1##%
of every kind, men and women of loose life. hirt it was as Pollv Peachum that Lavinia Fenton Se.
Their ebject in coming is to see an entertain-tbok the town, und as Polly Peachum #ug is reinem- of
18—
1

A