AN IMPERIAL CENSOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 14

AN IMPERIAL CENSOR.

•" The Emperor William's • interest ;in the Gorman dTama is • declared ,in the"Tortnightly Eeview," by . Eulerapicgel, :to have oxorcised a'wholesome and purifying ; influence.;! His > predilection.• isv;towards patriotic plays, and his choiceis,.perhaps, guided- moro.:.b'y the' sentiment : than .the merit.. .'One of the chief, purveyors is an,'ex-officer: of ■ artillery.,,..•'• One of • his ' plays is: "Friedrich : . Eisenzahn," which suggested- the" libretto -for .-Leoncavallo's "Der Eoland.' von. Berlin;" An anecdote about; this- play,: the truth;.6f which' can bo: vouched for,.' aptly illustrates the frame, of. mind with which the Emperor.-approaches■;'the ; ; theatre,-; rich TEisenzahn; is 'a citisen of. ( Berlin, who; heads a- furious-revolt-, against'^the Elector' of Brandenburg/ In .-.order, to account l for Eisenzahn's bitter hate, which in tho: play, as, produced, / remains - unesplainea, .Lanff'wove in,;,a, love theme. The wifeof Byke, : Burgomaster of Berlin, figured as ; Eisenzahn's mitrtress, .and. Bheegged on' her , lover to' hostility :against the -Elector because tho-lo'.ter' had hanged her broiiors.the Qnitzo'*s ( the notorious ■Braind(mbTn«\» : play'. was., submitted- inVmanuscript" to -. the Emperor to read, he cot our the whole of this ,-opißode, giving- ihis : ,objections .in;, amarginal -note, pencilled,in his charac-' toristic, big, .upright to the following effect .Courtisano kommt : in einem Hohenzblleristuck_'"nicht- vor" (a - courtesan has' no' -in a': Hohonzollern play). •.■ . -,'- : '"^■■'...-..-■.'■'■'•"]; '>'■]■.