Punch (95.1888)

July u, 1888.] PUNCH, OE THE LONDON CHAEIVARI. 17

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

Guide-books at this time ot year are our principal reading.
Murray come up! or in this instance, Black come up! as he is first m
the field, though the field is, just now, likely to be uncommonly sloppy.
Where shall we go? I look wistfully.at Black's Ireland. Don't
Hke the association: Ireland's black enough just now; but "dark's
the hour before the dawn," and we'd prefer to go in broad daylight.
Here's Black's Guide to the Isle of Wight. Worth knowing,
this. Black's Wight,—for once. Delightful short trip. York-
shire is the next " Black" Country that's out, and after that
Derbyshire.

Why not for once and away try the Home remedies provided at
Harrogate, or Buxton, instead of Aix and Honiburgh ? You will find
the merits set forth in Black—and white. Give the " Continong " a
rest for a bit. "Better," savs the village Hamlet, "to bear the
aches you have, than fly to others (Aix in Savoy, Aix in Germany)
that you know quite enough of." I have been there, and still
■wouldn't go,—not except upon compulsion. As for the seaside, well,
the best air anywhere is to be got in the Isle of Thanet (which doesn't
want Home Rule at present, and is perfectly satisfied with a decreased
Majority against it) whether vou go to Blushing Birchington-on-Sea,
to the Wild Westgate, to Merry Margate, Baby Broadstairs, or
■Refreshing Ranisgate.

The Geeman Reeds have a lively entertainment just now, entitled
Wanted an Heir—-to which I reply, " The Air of Thanet is all you
°an possibly want." But there are more seasides than one to this
question, and Black's move on the board is Whitby, Bridlington,
and Scarborough, the first being far and away—well, it is "far,"
and a considerable "way "from London—the best. The Tourist
ttust not forget to take Tracked Out with him. The title is
suggestive of a guide-book, but it isn't anything in that line. It is
a sensational shilling novel, written by Arthur a Beckett, who is
the author of Fallen among Thieves, The Ghost of Greystone
Grange, The Mystery of Mostyn Manor, and who will, no doubt,
rn due time produce Picked up among Pickpockets, The Filtered,
Phantom of Felkirk's Folly, and The Crime of Cricklewood Creek.
It is midnight, and I have just opened the book. The lights burn
Wue. To bed! To bed! To bed! Hark! Who's that knocking
at the door ? * * * * Yours, from under the bed-clothes,

The Beave Baron de Book Worms.

A MUSIC SCORE.

Tuesday.— Tin Ballo in Maschera. Fairly good all round, as a
j?8™ ought to be. Jean" de Reszke plays splendidly. Good point
Mat of, his, making a pause just before "E Scherzo." "I think
*Ukio used to do it," says Alfr-d W-ts-n, who wanted to follow
t e score closely, but, having so many sporting and dramatic things
™. think of. has brought a volume of the Badminton Library by
Mistake. 'Very annoying," he says, "but between Acts can
acl the Duke of Beaufoet's preface; always amuses me,—nearlv as
' °7? first enapter of Pickwick." "Die Reszke's first-rate in

■o Scherzo,' eh?" says H-e-ce F-eq-h-r, appealing to H.R.H.'s
^ttorney-General. "'First-rate!" returns the Attorney; "reminds
™e _ ot a chap in some burlesque who used to sing, ' Let Dogs
iJ'Vf,,*0 and Bite' to the same tune. Went wonderfully,

egad. " I remember," observes Lord R-v-lst-ke, "it was in a
Classical burlesque—Gods and Goddesses—all the Olympians." At
wis moment Lord L-th-m looks into the Omnibus Box, but catching

M t ^ympians'' withdraws.
sHa 1jass^le rather cold, but warms up for " En tu," which, it
ftr68^' be sin£s t° perfection. " That's a pretty compliment to
smil T00/' observes a gaUant Major A.D.C. to Mr. Alfe-d, who
bv Sv swee^y> but remembers something similar having been said
At?™ EY, Smith, and glides away from vicinity of the Major,
effect DS£N S and Toice both Pretty- Madame Rolla not so
„„ ^e here as she was when representing one of the Don Giovanni's
of n J"1 ' ?ot 1llite such a Rollaking part. Scaeciii, as Ulrica,
indeed ?»>'~Ww? would Un BaU° be without Scalchi ? '' Where,
Attct™ i s\s* tne composer who writes under the name of Walter

ScAMm o 1 r i°1 f very £°od reason) 5 " but'" he adds< kiudiy. " a
she'd be I " tiJ-- a ^ew lessorLS from me, you'd see what an Ulrica
tbo 1™,,+A.- -"f™?-en-sceneunexceptionable. Total,—good; butnot

W ^ ^h.mg this Season.
STnil umlay-~Day out for Operatic Birds. Druriolanus gives
o'A i » a e 0 Clock" at St. James's Hall. .Goes "like One

Si°ok- , Albaki, Nordica, Ravelli, & Co.
Bm, • «9t.T" Guglielmo," or ourold friend "William" Tell. Big
Crmf* j my dear eyes ! wllat' William ! " exclaims Lord
the ^i3,11- sP^ts a pair of brand-new white kids when applauding
e grand trio and magnificent chorus at the end of Second Act.
i sav ^v.W S WOuld be a suooess- "Sure, didn't I ' Tell' you so ? "
| ys the Deputy Judge Advocate General to Druriolanus, who

is beaming again at the appearance of an entirely new set of ballet
costumes worn by Merry Swiss Girls, Merry Swiss Boys, and a novel
array of Bounding Swiss Beefeaters. " Can't be Swiss Beefeaters,"
objects C-mpb-ll Cl-eke, who lives on the Continent, and knows
more of Switzerland than most people would imagine; "must be
Goateaters."

Then he whispers in my ear, "Jepars pour Paris demain—beg
pardon—I mean I'm off to Parry to-morrow: give you my idea of
the political situation,—little sketch—when this you see, remember
me, and he bestows this upon me as parting gift.

France. " Mate ! "

DerouUde and Boulanger, "Not yet. We have another move! "

Mile. Bauebmeistee as Little Jemmi. Might as well put " Little
Bil-lee," into Italian Opera. As a matter of fact, " Big Biixee"
is in it, being Guglielmo xrimself, played by Lassalle. What a pair
of conspirators, Edouard de Reszke as Walter (not of The Times,
but of this Opera), and Lassalle as William ! Both "very fine and
large." Little Arnoldo (M. Prevost) shouts his loudest against
them, but he's only "a mealy-mouthed constitutional Leader,"
only a foolish O'Donnell or a mildly genial Justin M'Carthy
against the gigantic Swiss Parnell and Davitt, "nobly struggling
to be free." This is an Opera that Floral Hall enjoys. He looks
upon Guglielmo Tell as a Home Rule work, and wishes the G.O.M.
were here, instead of gardening-partying at Dollis Hill. _ "Dollis,"
says the Floral One, very much in earnest, " sounds too like Mario-
nettes, but here's the real thing." "Ah," sighs S-th-bl-nd
Edw-eds, who remembers the palmy, and the Gnisi,_ days, "com-
pared with Maeio, all modern tenors are but Marionettes"—and.
down this goes in his note-book, in which, like Count Smorltork,
he is collecting material for his next new book to be entitled,
Changing Tenors, a companion to his latest Prima Donna in two vols.

Act First ends with the excited exit of Edouard de Reszke and
De Vaschetti going outtoboganning, and disappearing down a steep
incline. Act Second ends magnificently. Act Third ends noisily.
The pippin has been shot off little Jemmy Bauermeister-singer's
head, and when presented to Grim Gessler (Signor Miranda), the
Tyrant of the Tyrol, proves to be an apple of discord. Act IV. An
apple—no, an appeal to the Cantons— Suivez mot.'" by Arnold,
who with a sword, goes through Aenold s exercises, rescues The
Grand Old William, saves the boy, is married to Matilda McIntyre,
a Scotch Italian—(same sort of family combination as The Scotch
Italian, McIavelli)—who has done what was expected of her in first-
rate style. So in Guglielmo Tell, or the Story of the Apple, all ends
Apple-ly, as it ought to do. Don t think I ell a heavy Opera, not as
done here to-night: full of life,— I ell" est la vie. Too long ; not
life, but Opera.

Saturday.—Considerable excitement to hear new Carmen. Every-
body here, and very soon Everybody likes Mile. Zelle de Lussan.
Gallant and-far-from-Rustic Swaine, Major A.D.C, says, with best
French accent, " Can't have trop de Zehe here." Applause. After
First Act bosquets, not bouquets, carried up on to stage. Out of one
of these Pretty Prima Donna wrenches flowering shrub, as a Reward
for Ravelli, the Reliable. After Second Act, same business with
Signor Mancinelli, who receives small tree for his good conducting
and for his knowledge of music m all its branches. Too much of this
Floral Tributmg. Occurring so frequently, it looks like a "regular
plant." Brilliant House and brilliant performance. Toreador
Druriolanus contento.

Tag for the recent Jockey Case.—"Then (Jury) Box and
Cox are satisfied." (Curtain.)