Life — October 31, 1895 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

GENTLEMAN JIM. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN JUST AFTER HIS FIGHT WITH R. CLYDE FITCH dramatist. LIFE never considered . “ Beau Brummell” a very remarkable play, but the credit of being the real author even of that has been denied to Mr. Fitch, In “ Mistress Betty" he has taken a very similar theme and made a considerably stronger play of it. It is wordy in spots, one of its principal situations is false to nature, but it has good stuff in it, and with retouching should hold its place on the boards. Mme. Modjeska gave us a charming picture of Betty Singleton. \t will not rank with her best performances because it is not a great part, but as a bit of genre painting it was dainty and attractive. has justified himself as a 285 FORTNIGHT ago LIFE commented, unjustly it appears now, on the fact that Mme. Modjeska announced a “ fare- well” tour. The artist is sincere in making the announcement, and supplements it by the statement that she never expects to appear on the New York stage again, except in the event of the establishment of a national theatre in our alleged metropolis. Metcalfe. INCLUDES THEM BOTH. “ AFTER all love and war are the only proper themes for a poet.” “Why do you say love and war? marriage ?” Why don’t you just say THE GROWTH OF GREATNESS. XIX. James J. CORBETT, THE lives of great men all remind us that James J. Corbett is one of them. David with his sling, Samson and Governor Waite with their respective jawbones, Hercules and Captain Williams with their clubs, the lamented J. L. Sullivan and other historical characters, are all con- tributory factors to the eminence of the subject of our illustrations. Each has in his time helped on that admiration for physical and forensic prowess which enables Mr. Corbett to line his pockets with money and fill the newspapers with fisticuffical columns. California claims his birthplace, and was the scene of his early triumphs as a bank clerk and knocker-out of men, But, like Alexander, he sighed for other pugilists to conquer and came East. His successful debate with Mr, John L. Sullivan, who rep- resented New England the memory of the public, and as this meets the eye of the reader, Mr. Corbett may possibly be en- gaged similarly with Mr. Robert Fitzsim- mons, a well-equipped diplomat from Austra- lia, Far be it from us to predict who should be the victor in this contest, but those who study well our portraits will have an excellent idea of the physique which Mr. Fitzsim- mons will have to over- come, and can place their bets accordingly. We are privately in- formed that if Mr. Corbett should win this battle he will retire from the ring, and spend his time con- tributing spring son- nets to the Ladies? Home Journat, THE HON, JAMES J. CORBETT. FROM AN OIL PAINTING CATHEDRAL, IN COLOGNE comicbooks.com