Punch (71.1876)

November 25, 1876.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

227

bones. In these fights neither age nor rank are respected. Even
guests (sometimes grey-haired and dignified) are half-killed amidst
the semi-drunken shouts of a pack of brainless and portly subalterns.

Colonel Charles.—But surely, Sir, such a practice must be con-
sidered an outrage P

Mr. Punch.—On the contrary, my dear friend, " bear fighting"
is considered an excellent joke—but only by the British Army !

"BROTHERS" AT THE COURT.

t'?-... /^.hile Me. Cogh-

vEL-~_ LAN'S new play

^Ninnm immmP" Tr is being as un-

duly cried down
as some other
recent plays have
been unduly
cried-up, Mr.
Punch is glad
to record his
humble opinion
that no Comedy
has been pro-
duced of late
years showing
more brightness
, and smartness
/ in its dialogue,
and combining
with its bril-
liancy the needful
spice of humour
and character.
Then the good
things come na-
turally, and the
movement of the
"'^.:c Ijr*"' scene is not

stopped to lug

them in. The " pruning-knife " may have been applied since the
first night, for when we saw the' playdast week it neither dragged
nor halted. Unhappily for himself and his work, the author has
run upon the most dangerous rock of the many in the way of the
English Dramatist. He has dealt too largely in cynicism, both in
the conception of his story and his characters, and as a consequence,
in the tone of the good things he has put into their mouths.

An English Comedy should reflect a corner, at least, of English
society; now, there may he corners in which cynicism is as much
in the ascendant as it is in Me. Coghlan's play, but the exhibition
of it will not please people who do not frequent these cynical corners.
It is a hundred to one that any average English atidience represents
a larger section of English society than the playwright's own circle,
and by an average English audience cynicism is only tolerated as a
condiment, to be sparingly employed. They don't like to have the
taste of it in every plat of their entertainment.

_Me. Coghlan has made his younger brother a cynical Bohemian ;
his elder brother a cynical Arcadian, who if he does a generous
thing usually says bitter ones—a sort of Grandcourt without the
steel claws under his velvet. Even Kate Hunger ford has waded
too deep in the dirt of Bohemia, though she is anxious to get clear
of it. The paternal love of the old soldier-father and the dog-love
of Davenport, are not enough to supply the needful leaven of good
feeling for the British public, which Philistine as it may be, uncri-
tical and unanalytic as it unquestionably is, has sound instincts of
right and wrong, and will not let the dice of life be loaded, or the
worse made the better reason in matters of morale, without protest.

But the admirable way in which the piece is mounted and acted
should do a great deal to save it from the unpopularity to which its
cynicism may tend to condemn it. From first to last it is as well
acted as the most fastidious critic of acting could desire—as well
acted as a well-acted comedy at the Theatre Francois. If Me.
Conway would take something out of the more repulsive side of his
part, by showing us a little more of the better side of the Bohemian,
instead of throwing all the more repulsive points into stronger relief
by the hardness and defiance of his manner, we should find it diffi-
cult to suggest any improvement on the acting of Brothers. Me.
Kelly's old Indian Colonel; Me. Anson's much-enduring Captain;
Me. Haee's cynically spoken but kindly-hearted Baronet; Miss
Ellen Teeey's graceful and pathetic picture of the incautious, ill-
trained, but, at bottom, loving and womanly, Kate Hungerford;
Mes. Gaston Mueeay's formidable widow-of-the-world; and Miss
Hollingshead's bright and pleasant ingenue—all, down to Me.
Cathcaet's discreet and demure family lawyer, and Me. Leigh's
irreproachable butler, are perfect in their several ways.

It is delightful to be able to point to two theatres in London—the

Prince of Wales's and the Court—in which maybe seen, at the same
time, two comedies consummately acted, from the principal parts
to the most subordinate. But Peril is French plaque, and one feels
it. Brothers, with all its faults, is English all through.

When Me. Coghlan has learnt that he may, without goody-
goodyism or conventionality, give to the better elements of life and
character in his play that pre-eminence over the baser which our
Society, with all its false estimates, on the whole secures to the
former, he ought to be able to write a Comedy to which refined and
even fastidious playgoers may give an evening with a satisfaction
not often to be got out of an English theatre. Even with the one
great blemish of Brothers, on which we have been commenting,
there is no play now being acted in London so well worth seeing.

A PLAINTIVE APPEAL.

To Mistee Punch Deae and Oneed Sie,

Seeing as you It the frind of the Pore man I hope as you '11
take pitty upon im as now addresses you which I'm a hinjured
indiwidual and so is my pal Charley. We are both of us Pore
fellers wot tries to urn a onest living by our Etindustry leastways
the French Parisians they calls us Shevalleers of Hindustry cause
we lives by picking pockets and suchlike sorts of andicraft. Dear
Sir 'tis well beknown as how the Lor don't reckernize such industry
as ourn cause the Krushers are employed to clap us into Quod wen-
ever they can ketch us. Dear Sir we dont keer for the Krushers
leastways we dont so much complane of em for they aint mostly
oversharp not even the Detectives which they makes a pritty and of
unting up a case and only seems to Hact when Hinf ermation's guv
them.

Onerd Sir I dont mind telling you as its them skientific coves as
we are most af eard of—them chaps as keep hinventing of the blessed
Lectruck Telegrafs and other blooming hinstruments for bringing
Justice down on us. Dear Sir just you look at this ere wot is said
about Furtoggraphy as Chaeley showed me tother evening in a
book which he diskivered in a covey's carpet-bag as he had collared
at a railway station—

"In some countries every person convicted of any crime is photographed,
and the record of his features becomes part of the archives of every prison.
Of course a hardened criminal, knowing the purpose for which his likeness is
being taken, is not a very manageable sitter."

Hi should think not indeed! Ardened criminal or not, a kiddy
would be precious soft to let em take his Foto agin his hinclination.
I know I'd see em blowed fust—but see dear Sir what appens—

"However no choice is given him * * * While he is being professedly
examined, the concealed photographer does his work."

Dear Sir that's jest what you'd expeck from them blooming
f'oring sneaks. Tis a part of their Spy system to steal sly looks at a.
Cove and they ought to be had up for it and indited for obtaining of
his Portrait under false purtences. Next see dear Sir what toilers—

" The system has been introduced into England, but only very partially.
It is to be regretted that the adoption of it has not been more general."

Dear Sir me and my pal Chaeley we call it most Hunenglish to
use such Hartful dodges for to assist the Krushers. Hit aint fair
play we ses that they should take our Fotos while they wont let us
take theirs and even if we ad em they wouldnt be much good to us
cause them there low and hartful Detectives so disguises of their -
selves that their faces is as wariable as the colours of Cornelions.
Live and let live is our Motter and we ope dear onerd Sir as youll
say something to the Pint for to purtect True Brittish Hindustry
sech as mine and Chaeley Clyeaxee's and to defend our Wested
rights in other people's proppaty. Which I remane dear onerd Sir
your truly umbel and obedient servant to command

Petee Peiggins.

The Three Pigeo?is, Dark Man's Alley, Seven Dials.

Anti-Turkish. Atrocities.

Paeties there are on words who play,
And pun like graceless knaves.

The Servians are no Serfs, they say;
The Slavs will not be Slaves.

The Khedive's Minister of Finance was reported to have died of
over-drinking. He was in fact suffering from an over-dose of sack.

The Fleet at Besika Bay is to be provided with winter clothing.
We hope overhauls will be included.

The Oeiginal Cook's Totjeist.—Policeman X. on his beat.