Punch (90.1886)

June 26, 1886.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 301

A MIDSUMMER MID-DAY REALITY.

Whatevek the Crystal Palace is, it certainly is not " No Manns
Land," for Mr. Manns with his hand reign supreme. " The Mid-
summer Night's Dream," with Mr. Manns' excellent hand, Men-
delssohn's music, Katti Lannek's children, Mr. Stedman's hoys,
Mr. Feknandez's company, and Mr. Oscak Bakbett's assistance,
was excellent. The musical portion of the entertainment was

absolutely faultless. Madme Katti Lannek's pupils danced as
well as ever, and insisted upon introducing their talented instructress
into Act IT. Miss Alma MuBBAr was a picturesque Titania, and
Mr. Fernandez as Bottom, the amateur player, reminded me of
Phelps, but was not sufficiently idiotic. The representative of Puck
was perhaps too pantomimic, hut on the whole the show could not
possibly have been better.

JACK'S DOG; OH, THE MAN WHO SHOT IT!

Take Le Testament de Ccesar Girardot as a sound foundation;
scatter over scraps from Augiek and Sandeau; add the whole
of the will scene, word for word, sentiment for sentiment, and
business for business, from Bulwee Lytton's Money; jerk in
scraps from Good for Nothing, two Bohemians quarrelling over
a good-hearted girl; garnish with scenes from immortal dog
dramas and there you have the new and original four-act comedy,
Jack 'There are some pretty bits in it, but they are all borrowed ;
there are some strong scenes, but they are all plagiarised. The only
satisfaction to be derived from Jack is the definite discovery of the
man who really did shoot the dog. We have got him at last. He is
not Jack, but Jack's friend, a vulgar,_ low-minded reprobate, who
pretends to be a Bohemian, and acts withmcomprehensible ingratitude
that would disgrace a savage. Jack and his friend live together They
rescue Nan and both love her. Jack's friend wins Nan, and Jack
wipes away' a manly tear. The successful suitor comes unexpectedly
into a fortune, whereupon he insults Nan, cuts his Bohemian pals,
and shoots Jack's dog. Jack, disgusted, sneaks back to his attic,
and finds Nan awaiting him. They foregather and naturally dis-
cover that Jack is the real heir, and not Jack s friend

The do? is dead—but no matter, for the play is ended. It is inte-
resting^chiefly6 from the fact that Miss Dokothy Dene has had
another chance, and availed herself of it. Nanm Good for Nothing,
is not her line at all. She is not a simple, quaint, sympathetic
actress, fortified with tricks of art that only experience can give. She
has heart she has voice she has power, as we saw the other day at the
Greek p ays. A girl who can play Cassandra should not waste her
time on a^dilutef Nan, or give her fresh youner energyto a pro-
sriTnme that beo-ins with plagiarism, and ends with fustian. It can
do ITcTever yonng^ ladylike Miss Doeothy but little good to be seen
in Dean Street, when such an appropriated original pkyas ^cTfe s
followed by one more tedious imitation of Heney Ikying, and still
another empty echo of Mowbkay Mokeis's played-out joke of the
critics, the chicken, and the champagne ! A young actor, or actress,
does a distinctly unwise thing when lending influence to any
entertainment initiated on frivolity, and based on bad taste The
acting of both Eben Plympton and DokothyDene is too good to be
wasted on dog comedies and doggerel burlesques. Mr. Henley
was once strong at the Gaiety in a very brief Irvmgesque imitation,
but is now, in view perhaps of Eegatta tune, Henley Weak

PAPER-KNIPE POEMS.

{By Our Special Book-Marker.)
"A FALLEN IDOL."

This hook you '11 read, I'm sure
you will.
It soon will show to you,

That Anstey finds some mischief
still

For Idol hands to do !

DICKENS' DICTIONARY OF THE THAMES.

'Tis exact and full of fact and

clever observation,
Crammed with useful Hiver-lore
and varied information!

If upon the Thames you go for

quiet relaxation,
Dickens' Die. you'll take with

you, without much hesitation:

Me. Teendell's stout volume is

worthily filled
With Essence of Colonies, deftly

distilled:
Statistics and history, legend and

fact,

You'U find in a nutshell here
cleverly packt.

HEE MAJESTY'S COLONIES."

A Handbook that's handy and

bound to attract,
Exhaustive, amusing, concise and
exact:

It will popular be—there is no

doubt about it—
The Colinderies crowd cannot well
do without it!

DICKENS' DICTIONARY OF LONDON.

With information 'tis replete,
Concerning show or church, or
street,

And leaves no point of interest' This comprehensive guide to
tmdone: London!

Heke Dickens takes you every^
where

To theatre, to park and square,

" SOCIAL VICISSITUDES."
E. C. Philips here gives you, in pleasing variety—
A number of smartly told tales of Society.

" GOOD QUEEN ANNE."

All about players, the drama,

the stage—
As found in " England's Augustan

age "—

Poets and painters, and sights

and shows,
With men of letters, and belles

and beaux :

Soldiers and sailors of vast re
nown,

You'll find described, with the

life in town,
In a well-writ hook, which you 're

bound to scan,
'Tis Davenpokt Adams's Good

Queen Anne !

QUITE A NEW PINT.

Is there any seer who can see into the middle of next week ?
Then he has insight enough, perhaps, to read between the lines of
the subj oined transcript from the '' Personal'' column of the Times:—

"Notice.—Burton.—Shakspere. — Kobert Burton having been,in all
probability, the author of the writings known as Shakspere's, all BOOKS,
&c, used by him, will have a peculiar value, and should be carefully

pre served."

There was good strong ale in Queen Bliss's time, but we refuse
to believe that the Divine Williams owed inspiration to draughts of
Burton.

Mem. by a Martyr.

{Whilst listening to a long After-dinner Speech.)

Ah me! in life's race, on a Crack or a Screw,
There are chances a many, and tricks not a few,

That keep us as winners from scoring.
For " pulling'' and " roping," and other base acts,
The world social penalties sternly exacts;

Oh, would there were one upon " boring " .'

The Standakd oe WaoNG.-The French Flag at the New Hebrides,

Nokth v. South. — The Daily News Correspondent, recording
Mr. Gladstone's speech in the Edinburgh Music Hall—it ought to
have been a song—on Friday night, says: " It was a sultry June
evening." Was it? Not in the Sunny South—meaning London:
not a hit of it. We were putting on our wraps and great-coats!
ordering Christmas cards, and looking forward to a week's skating.

King Theebaw's " Sacred Hairy Family," now being exhibited
at the Pall-Mail Gallery, is an illustration of the respect which that
Monarch and his subjects paid to the Haireditary Hairy-stocracy.

"Bad to Beat" is the title of Captain 'Hawley Smaet's latest
Novel. The heroine is whacked by her husband, who gets punished.
Moral—It's " bad to beat." N.B. We have net yet read the hook.

?9£. TV.