Punch: Punch (60.1871)

J

PUNCH, OK THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [January 7, 1871.

DOUBTFUL HOLIDAY

for old charles, who has orders "not to lose sight op the young gentlemen

Master Tom looks like Grief at the Hurdles ; Master Percy's Pony has Bolted with him ; Master Arthur is out of
Sight, and on with the Hounds : and Miss Alice is Rebelling against the Leading Rein.

EMINENT MODERN BRITISH DRAMATISTS.

A distinguished contributor to the Athen<sum, distinguished that
is from the others by signing himself " Q.," is now engaged in
giving from time to time his own views of Modern English Dramatic
Authors. " Q,." is evidently well qualified for his task, his freedom
from prejudice being sufficient to satisfy one of the conditions
imposed upon a critic by Dean Swift. As Mr. " Q." has not got on
very far with his work, Mr. P. begs to offer him some assistance,
which will facilitate his progress and enable him to correct whatever
mistakes into which he may up to this time have inadvertently fallen.
Dramatic authors, with these eyes upon them, will now have to
mind their P and their Q, and Mr. P. recommends the critic
of the Athenceum henceforth in theatrical matters to take his Q,
from Mr. P.

We will commence with Mr. Planche. If he is the youngest he is
at all events the most rising author of the present day. His strong
tendency towards the sensational in the few plays of his which have
as yet been produced make us fear for his future. His treatment of
his subject is thoroughly original, and every scene evinces the rough
bold touches of uncontrolled genius. Time will doubtless correct the
faults of youth, and will teach bim that one epigram is worth a
hundred real conflagrations and bond fide express trains on the stage.

Tom Taylor.—Another of our rising young dramatists. His
avowed ignorance of modern languages is certainly a drawback to
liim in his career, as otherwise he might have already been able to
study the works of the Great Masters of Tragedy and Comedy in
France and Germany. Let us remind him that application will
overcome all such obstacles as neglected education presents. His
pantomimes are replete with humour, a great deal of which, how-
ever, we regret to say, is lost by the iniudicious use of large Heads,
through which articulate sounds cannot penetrate. He will be wiser
next Christmas.

John Maddison Morton.—A promising tragic writer. We
regret to see in him a tendency to follow too closely the old classic

Greek models, which are totally unsuited to the time, and, indeed,
are only specimens of dramatic art in its first stage. Mr. Morton's
tragedy Boxandcox has already drawn tears from most playgoers.
We are anxiously awaiting his next effort.

Dionysius Boucicault.—This author belongs to the milk-and-
water school of effeminate drama. Rejecting all situations and sen-
sational effects, he relies entirely upon his dialogue, which is generally
in blank verse, and leaves nothing for the eye to rest on. He will
never take rank among our first dramatists until_ he quits this
school-girlish style, and feeds himself and his audience upon far
stronger meat than he has hitherto done. He shows to best advan-
tage in a very small theatre with little actors; and, indeed, we may
set him down as facile princeps among charade writers and such
mild drawing-room entertainments as may be found by non-play-
goers at the Polytechnic.

R. Reece seldom writes now. His style _ is too laboured for
the present generation; and his subjects, being invariably taken
from some fearful legend of Fraud, Duplicity, and Yice in its worst
form, would hardly, in these fastidious days, pass the severe scrutiny
of the Chamberlain's Office.

Palgrave Simpson. — If this gentleman could be cured of his
love of mere boisterous fun, and a habit of introducing any wild
scenes that may occur to him, regardless of the advance of the story,
and if he would aim at graceful polish in dialogue, and eschew
exuberance of slang, he might with practice some day ach^y?
success. He is deficient in the art of construction, but no doubt
this faculty may be ultimately acquired if he will only persevere,
and carefully study his art.

Thomas Robertson.—More perhaps a Historian than a Dramatist,
as his works tend to prove. His style is somewhat pompous and
high-flown, the fault, no doubt, of his early training under the
Kembles. His works can only be seen to advantage on the boards
of Drury Lane or Covent Garden.

Watts Philips.—Chiefly known by his brisk burlesques. His
chief excellence consists in his power of getting rhymes out of most
unlikely words. His works have always been of an ephemeral