Volume Ii Part 28 (1/2)
[Sidenote: M. Charles Fechter.]
PARIS, _Sat.u.r.day, Dec. 6th, 1862._
MY DEAR FECHTER,
I have read ”The White Rose” attentively, and think it an extremely good play. It is vigorously written with a great knowledge of the stage, and presents many striking situations. I think the close particularly fine, impressive, bold, and new.
But I greatly doubt the expediency of your doing _any_ historical play early in your management. By the words ”historical play,” I mean a play founded on any incident in English history. Our public are accustomed to a.s.sociate historical plays with Shakespeare. In any other hands, I believe they care very little for crowns and dukedoms. What you want is something with an interest of a more domestic and general nature--an interest as romantic as you please, but having a more general and wider response than a disputed succession to the throne can have for Englishmen at this time of day. Such interest culminated in the last Stuart, and has worn itself out. It would be uphill work to evoke an interest in Perkin Warbeck.
I do not doubt the play's being well received, but my fear is that these people would be looked upon as mere abstractions, and would have but a cold welcome in consequence, and would not lay hold of your audience.
Now, when you _have_ laid hold of your audience and have accustomed them to your theatre, you may produce ”The White Rose,” with far greater justice to the author, and to the manager also. Wait. Feel your way.
Perkin Warbeck is too far removed from a.n.a.logy with the sympathies and lives of the people for a beginning.
My dear Fechter, ever faithfully yours.
[Sidenote: Miss Mary Boyle.]
GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT, _Sat.u.r.day, Dec. 27th, 1862._
MY DEAR MARY,
I must send you my Christmas greeting and happy New Year wishes in return for yours; most heartily and fervently reciprocating your interest and affection. You are among the few whom I most care for and best love.
Being in London two evenings in the opening week, I tried to persuade my legs (for whose judgment I have the highest respect) to go to an evening party. But I _could not_ induce them to pa.s.s Leicester Square. The faltering presentiment under which they laboured so impressed me, that at that point I yielded to their terrors. They immediately ran away to the east, and I accompanied them to the Olympic, where I saw a very good play, ”Camilla's Husband,” very well played. Real merit in Mr. Neville and Miss Saville.
We came across directly after the gale, with the Channel all bestrewn with floating wreck, and with a hundred and fifty sick schoolboys from Calais on board. I am going back on the morning after Fechter's opening night, and have promised to read ”Copperfield” at the Emba.s.sy, for a British charity.
Georgy continues wonderfully well, and she and Mary send you their best love. The house is pervaded by boys; and every boy has (as usual) an unaccountable and awful power of producing himself in every part of the house at every moment, apparently in fourteen pairs of creaking boots.
My dear Mary, ever affectionately your JOE.
FOOTNOTES:
[7] Lieutenant Andrew Gordon, R.N., son of the Sheriff of Midlothian.
1863.
NARRATIVE.
At the beginning of this year, Charles d.i.c.kens was in Paris for the purpose of giving a reading at the English Emba.s.sy.
He remained in Paris until the beginning of February, staying with his servant ”John” at the Hotel du Helder. There was a series of readings in London this season at the Hanover Square Rooms. The Christmas number of ”All the Year Round” was ent.i.tled ”Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings,” to which Charles d.i.c.kens contributed the first and last chapter.
The Lyceum Theatre, under the management of M. Fechter, was opened in January with ”The Duke's Motto,” and the letter given here has reference to this first night.