A CRITIC CRITICISED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 428, 10 February 1909, Page 2

A CRITIC CRITICISED.

\ Sir,—One ■ evening ." not' very . long : .' a^o ;: I strolled into :'a Chrißtchuf ch, hall,;"'a' ; dismal, place •.""■ of ''entertainment.Cat: .'any;••'.time, but. then become,-if: more; morgtie-like,.from its'-■ h'aviiig l ; been : for-Sbme-time the; place; of >: "ekeoution" : of musical : imd elocutionary, items by; the -dread process'"of : competition.- The..cpiitests .had.all- been concluded, thecompetitors;-had' been' sentenced. and' : welV admonished by. the-judge, ahdvjn :this, : '-the , ; grand ■ filial disblayi..the/, wdre' lieing -afforded by him .a 16iig-iooked-fqr : opportunity of- observing '■' "hpw; l it. : jbe J Jnfact, in!the showing how , whehl , 'appeared upon, tho'scene;Imagine, •if ;you. dani'.tho dismay 'of 'a police-.man-when he loarne'that.lie has been ordcfed> to jmove. on by:an;;old apple-woman ;■ pioture.. t'd yourself: ths -ieelings.; of;'a~ schoolmaster, who'has ;bpeh. caned; by.-ihe -smallest i.boylin 'tlle\class,iMd;y6u;yiUj''l:.thittky.''cat(is6dme : ' : faint imtireasion of ivhat-must' have , heeri.,the sensations. of '. the .iriofe advanced .competifors as this[".effort of tlie. "Great..Consofious" unfolded -itSolf.- : : ■ -.The.-'piefie \vas ! ;a-.character • sketch. ;Oilr friefld had (although one' 'can hardly''6redit,hini , .fri%:. r^i'ythinglike;;diffi-: donee) sufficient discretion to; eschew anything that' , BeVerely.-"bori'eCt;: : styled of ielboution 'on thri: subject (Of .which' he ,has ib;sUed;Sd. many : ;^catHing ; rebukes/and:;terrify!ing. criticisms;- .Pferhaps this, caution "was "duo : fact-that:he must.hafe.beeh conscious, that; he cannofc -\articulatp- -porfcptly." Bp this. as ■■' it. mttyj; his audience '• we're 1 : ; soqn.' painfully! aware of. thi? artioiilatory deficien-. 'piesj ■:visible;;and ttudibloy,- : /arising• from;this cause.;-. The: character;he : attbmptod't6;,per-': soriatp: wits ■ that pf ■an : " old ./English; cbastal, fishoi'in'alij i .who.irelatPSi/a Vstory ; which; is, mildly,; humorous" in .the opening) '■' but '.-which; becomes' 'stirring', "if iii; itf : de-■ this .perforrner,: thisrorder :ajipeared ,to : ; be sOmewliafc;revßrted..^. It is : tplerhbly. certain'at any,rate,;thai'-the .dra'matic-.climaxvwas/ir-resistibly' VThe;;only,; dialect ;cou]d distinguish": had a. very -prpn()unced-lforeign-rendered.the.reciter's struggles: with the'cnaraotpi's'about as siuccessful as tho ;attempt,of 'a , Cliinani&ri : >ould. be ;to,'imitate■ tHefpbustipersonality;ojf-John , ;.Burris.'.;A^ , fe piece'drewto ■a;'co.iVclHsionj>K;o\vever,./thp',reT citor;threw.;eveh these,:cftide , -:..attempts .at Characterisation ,tP ■- the' ; winds/.. aiid. became his: great; and. only.self. ; : The ;ges'tures;.,were f like; notliiag; , in heaVeii'or' -eartli pr; ~sk\ Waters unflqrvthe:eirth"| : a ,; 'rtite oiJ^ii''';wihtoiU.;:inVfi.fl.^y^sionßy-''-yft^uely-:S ; ug ; i i Kflst,vbut'-; utterly fails, to ; describe''- theny. , ' U^en;j&asy ( tors- clustered "round'to coSgratula'te infmuch ;the': same.^spirit-,as thd^..sajdlites^jpf.'.Norb fidblic;d • tff ;^loji i so?trjat';ty/ano i:i while/this 'was in : progress- l;.'c;ame".away.-;'t : balieve 'ihe • petf priiler in' .questidri ;.tells. people ; ftll;New : ;Zealan'd.-; -'Is" thefe.not'spine "proterb , -; wl|o .have: glass eype: notiurliiig recits ?trl.i.am/; : 6to.y'<' :; -:: 1 ■ v'vir " ■■' "■ '■■■■•'■"■ ''OAStJAIiJ^:;

■Wellington, Febrmiry 4,