Life — February 28, 1884 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- LIFE: was a queer combination of talent and filthiness. He coddled his own disgusting fancy, yet not, one is inclined to say, because he loved disgusting things. He tried to present, it appears, a profligate world from his own point of view. He saw the very depths of his badness; and he was even apt to find badness where it did not exist. He was a cynical, cruel, heartless ob- server, who merged day into night with mocking levity. He depicted licentious men and women licentiously—evidently in the belief that he was true to Nature. That is why it is now almost impossible to read his play with any kind of patience. His inventive faculty was not remarkable. When he needed a plot or a suggestion, he went usually to Moliére. Even Peggy— wanton and wild and coarse—is a reproduction in his own way of Moliére’s Agnes, just as Pinchwife is a reproduction of Arnolphe.' But the wit and humor of Wycherly, and especially his sense of character, gave solidity to his work. ‘The Country Wife,” in spite of all that can be said against it, is a play for the stage, one of the best “‘ acting plays” included in the Restoration comedy, and one of the most salient illustrations of character. Somebody has said that Miss Rehan does not resemble a seventeenth century girl. Perhaps she does n't. I never saw a seventeenth century girl. But, for all that, she is wonderfully bright and an irresistible Peggy. Why, however, does Miss Rehan persist in wearing baby-dresses and tow-colored wigs? Why does she make mouths at her audience? She is right enough when she has her blue and cardinal boy’s dress on. The young men wear their toggery with grace, and their swords do n’t fall often between their legs. G.E. M. RENDER: VNTO SCISSORS THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE SCISSORS - (CWVHERE shall we find our teachers?” asks an educational ex- change. Well, many of our sweet girl teachers may be found sitting on sofas with nice young men, any time after eight o'clock P. M. — Boston Transcript. ‘Tue Casket, the organ of the undertakers, complains of depression in the coffin industry, and the Pfiladelphia Record quietly remarks that “overproduction is not the trouble in this case. What is needed is more consumption.” IN one of our Indian languages the word ‘‘woman” is rendered “‘kewanojawjaw,” with marked and earnest emphasis on the last two syllables. Even the savages understand the vile and wicked arts of the lying slanderer.—Bismarck Tribune, AN exchange says there are always more women than men in an in- sane asylum. It didn't seem to have time to look up the statistics and explain who sends them there.—Bésmarck Tribune. A woman who invaded West Bend, Wis., and claimed to be the pro- prietor of the'town and the whole conntry, was declared to be crazy, and taken care of by the town officials, This furnishes a precedent for locking up the railroad men who labor under the delusion that they own the earth.—Boston Globe. OFFERING in detail: Mother—‘‘I am afraid Mr. Crisscross is not serious in his attentions!” Daughter—‘‘He is awful bashful, you | know; but he’s offering himself piecemeal. Last night he wanted me to take his arm."—. ¥. Graphic. “TL WOULD like to get this young man on the stage,” said Mrs. de Splurge, presenting her son to a theatrical manager, wearied of appli- cants for histrionic honors. “ Very sorry, madam ; but'the stage’s just gone by ; however there’s a horse car coming around the corner, and you can put the lad on it presently." —The Fudge. HENRY HOLT & CO. HAVE READY IN THE AMERICAN NOVEL SERIES. No. 2. The Pagans. * By ARLO BATES. AND A SECOND EDITION OF No. 1. A Latter Day Saznt, leading English artists. x6mo. $1.00, Being the story of the Conversion of ETHEL JONES, related by herself. r6mo, $r.00. The Queen of Roumania’s Vil, VIII. VicTorRia, Once THERE W. HE TOURGEE’S WEEKLY MAGAZINE. Henry C. McCook..129 and 225 Henry Lewis..........+. Music AMONG? THE AzTEcs. H. CONTINENT. $4 A YEAR; $2 SIX MOS.; roc. A COPY. The weekly numbers now in press contain an interesting series of papers, by Henry BLACKBURN, the distinguished artist and critic, editor of "Academy Notes,” author of ‘Breton Folk,” etc. ; on Characteristic English Art, with over thirty drawings by Sir Joh ‘Special papers on Caldecott and Kate Greenaway to follow; a new story by the author of “ Arius the Libyan,” entitled “* Dorcas,”’ a charming idyl of the early Christi with many illustrations by Will the usual variety of the best magazine literature, well and abundantly illustrated. THE CONINENT FOR MARCH (Monthly Part) Is NOW READY AND CONTAINS: TENANTs OF AN OLD FarM. i Gilbert, Henry Holiday,and other ristian Martyrs, H: Low; Judge Tourgee’s notable papers on National Education ; and Chapters MOUNTAIN PARKS OF COLORADO. wards Roberts............+5 om . 134|MiIss MaRTHA's TuRKEYs. D. Dowler. THE REMARKABLE HIsTORY OF A MYTH. Charles H. Wells.... seeeeeeee RHODA FARRAND. Poem. Eleanor A. Ed- wes 137 Chapters Pilgrim Sorrow. A Cycle of Tales, By QUEEN ELIZABETH of ‘oumania, Square ramo, With an etched portrait by Lalanze. $1.50. “A charming book—pathetic, graceful and touch- ing.” London Spectator. “The last story is almost avowedly an allegory, of the writer's own life. An admirable etching of the Royal author is prefixed to the book, which will find many readers, partly from its undoubted merit and partly from its queenly origin.” Yokn Bull. Habberton’s George Washington. By JOHN HABBERTON, author of ‘Helen’s abies,” etc, No. 4 in the Series of Lives of American Worthiés. x6mo. $x.25. _ ‘Abounds in wit and humor, without running into burlesque. * * * It detracts nothing from the real dignity of Washington. We heartily com> mend the volume to young and to old. It is verit- able history, but it is history in undress and not in court clothes.” The Churchman. “This life of Washington is a real addition to our literature.” New York Observer. XXVItoEnd. R. H. Newell (Orpheus C. Kerr) .ceceece ee NatTionaL Epucation. A. W. Tour- gée. seneceeeses «148, 183, 212, THE 0 - Cius. Chapters XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX. Helen Campbell... 150, 185, 215, STUBBLE. Poem. Clarence T. Urmy.... THE BEGINNINGS OF SCULPTURE. Helen Campbell cisca-ceccossenee eres EE An Dosss’ Wives. Alfred Trum- Memory. Poem. T. M. mers. THe New PoeMs OF EMERSON. Benton... sees THaT CORNER IN WALL PAPER. ace W. Fowler... eses -- 181 A VINDICATION. Poem, Mary B. Dodge 185 Joel Tue SNow Is WARM To ME. Poem, Tobe Hodge........+.eee00+ aba A SCOTTISH-AMERICAN IN IRELAND, D,. Cumming McDonald. S3 EQUILIBRIUM, Poem. obert. jiott.. ANNIE's Lovers. A Story for Valentine ‘Week. George R. Martin. Krao—A MISSING LINK... THE FRIEND OF THE Dyak, Oxley... ENDURING. Ww: Micma. Editorial, THE BOOKSHELF. NOTES AND QUERIES..... REFERENCE CALENDAR, a oe Books RECEIVED. . 161, 192, 224, In LIGHTER: VEIN, . A VALENTINE—Illustrated. James M. In this new form THE CONTINENT is meeting a demand for purchase by single copies (in which way alone it is obtainable), making a handsome quarto magazine, one-thi monthly, For Subscriptions (to the Weekly) address, larger than any other 128 to 160 pages ; 60 to x00 illustrations every month ; 35 cents ; on all News Stands, THE CONTINENT, 23 Park Row, New York. comicbooks.com