HARRY LAUDER AND "SYLVIUS."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2118, 8 April 1914, Page 10

HARRY LAUDER AND "SYLVIUS."

■ ■■■■~ ..'■.'. '% *?S5£" tTo . llw Editor.) ' ' ■■' ;■ ■ worthy contributor • 1vius,' , in ins theatrical-notes- of Saturday last-,'is "inclined to swilo" over tho fact thin- Harry Lander was wscortod to his hotel in Sydney'by.-.a. procession ot Highlanders, headed by a ppo tend, i.u other words, it tickles, -him immensely to think that an ."cx-ocwl.-.HUiiei', ailci, ; at his best, only a. stager ;of {scotch LOHiic songs," should be- accorded such an honour, whilstothurs.of great renown, distinguished' and grand, and of really high art and dramatic fame,-must needs i pass on unheeded, or, at tho riiost, lie w>iit<snt with n simple, common little Mayoral reception such as is usually given to footballers, boxers, and other gallant athletes of such , similar '.lotortety. It docs sound a bit - "off.- ,, - In fact, it isn't rigjit, and, ia- line with many others, l> admire;"Sylvius" for his kind outspokenness, an<! his very, estimable desiro to set out things ill their true perspectives. ■■ First of' a3J, let us consider, let- us think it out seriously, and quietly, without bitterness «r-spleen of any kind. 'Tis truo, "Sylvius," I am Scotch, but not, I hope, wholly blind to tho virtues that lie or lurk in others equally as inipuriaiH- and as -necessary in tbo affairs of this world. Travel, yau know (and I bare done a fair bit of it in my time) widens ofte's outlook eensidorably, clears- tlw Way, as it wctti, for a better understanding of inen ajid tilings, and at the same time makes us wondrous kind. Uven the derelict-, • t]i6 "sundowner" on .the highway, buffeted about by tho four'winds of heaven, down at the heels, and shunned by societ.)') ovea ho comes to think cheerily of the worst j elements of life. And wouldn't ho fußt (know how to appreciate- tho jiumouT, say, of his triuniphai entry into the City of Wellington with tho Garrison Band ahead.of him playing "Seo the Conquering Hero Comes!" But to get back to .Harry Lander, Box, for "Sylvias" honours him thus, and in lettorti that stand-out clear above the rest. Only a coal-miner, he! AH hail to those who go down to tho pit in cages, down, into the darkness and tho dirt—heroes as they often prove thomEclves to be ia tho face .of danger and of death.

"Die rank is but tho guinea's stamp, The man-s the gowd.fer a' that." And this quaint little Harry, tho friend and pleader on behalf of the ponies that iivo thetr: life- underground, tin's singer of Scotch «omic songs, singing in a language that is hara. to understand; tho son of a nation that tho world over has an unchallenged reputation for a certain unadulterated kinder meanness when it comes to the parting of a sixpence; this Sydney reception to a- •common eoal-miii&r, whem , his father .called Harry, and his mother • filonod in, is, in tW eyos of "Sylvius,", apt to difr count the value of .precessnonal ream. ti&is ia distinguished people. Oh, ''Sylvius," dear heart 1 If I. thought you were one of those kind old ladies whfl cannot go wrong, I would kiss.tho sweet taste of the rongo.' irom effi thy clocks and thrsilvery groy locks I.wottJd press to my bosoiii. For. I, too, Isye to think land dream'of, and.eveft'.kype to,associate with-those amongst . wham . vou mfet have-lived ated; lad your being, and nbf witti'tte comnwi'herd, wfami we in all sincerity would not deign to oven notice, tar less honour by our presence. • As for giving them a tccetttisn a ia mode, the idfia is simmy pretiosterousl And plain Harfy Lander lad-only tfte Highlanders aftd the pipe hjnd to nsher him in, and the skirl oi the bagpipes is so • distasteful to many people—quito horribles in fact. "Sylvius," dear, pass my high-glass that T may see you thus the more clearly. All, yes/the that really count; the memory of th«m and those that are to cornel Immortals, every one of them! Tho fine pedigree they'sport, the coiisummate art they display, the classical speech, the toettivii).g and liigh-kickirig they' indulge m; thoir imwte modesty, the glorious com* pany they are, the balos of romance and renown that siirroiind them! But funiiy little Harry, singing his way choeril? Me the hearts of \ tho common u'copie, bringinc to them the lilv and llie swiuK aiad the music of s*roething which Siey themselves wi!l turn to gladness when things sem sad and lonely, and somehow wrong; Harry, with his sacred solos, sincerely stmg, to hMp fill the ctoirch of a struggling parsfcn with a ifloek that is apt to stray: Hnrry, in'tlie pii'lpit, niid happy hi his homo life,' giving his homely talk in » homely way. -There's ft beauty in simple things th'at somehow appeals to one. It- -irould be.too mueli to say. that Harry might eyen be a messenger j from Heaven. But. with his great poVer-to dra*i oven. "Sylvius" ■mtist' admit that silfliough only a coal-miiier, and at his best, only a Btnger of Scotch comic Sonus, at tiio s-amo time it is quito prissible ho miglit yet be within reach of higher and flit- nobler things. We havo actors -and dancers galore tliat. are here to-<ky and away to-nior-row—good<. bad, and indifferent, nii<3 they are soon forgotten. But there are others whoso cltaraster and whose methods precede them. Amongst them, fanious dancers wlm bnre their bodies to gyratd and writhe in a sonsunlistk allviring fashion to tfie acftempaiiiment of music diviiiely inspired, we are told. All this in.the name of Aft, and with tlw approval of gleeful, d(jlighti?d men and rapturo.us'jv-omeiifolfc jvjst as reckless and as delighted as th«y. To =«y nothiiMj.of''the'critic- who rnshes l«s "daily" or "weekly," as the ease may Ise, -with his poetical outpourings en a theme that must specially.-appeal tt> him. But Harry-singe a simple song of his bdunio lass, his dearie o' 1 . Among the nurpk heather, and of various other tiiiflgi! that gentle men. and gentle women folk love to think suitl dtoam qf tho 1 world over. To pat it is a clean show at his own special request. And turning to hnfo-*orshi.p, after all, in those modern times, it all nmottirts to-v«*ry little. Popular idols come and ■ro —tho fancy of a day, a year, or less. The roally great nioii live forever. There's Livingstono, and Rhodes, and Captain Seatt, avid others.ef the. same fiwo calibre. Their character and achievements we an inspiration! "Stl* vins, !! we shako liands andpnrt!—l ahi, C °' ! WITH EVERY GOOD WISH.