ART, LITERARY AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1944, 18 May 1880, Page 3

ART, LITERARY AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

[From English Files.! Mr G. A. Farini, so long identified with the Royal Aquariuai, has departed for Amorioa, taking with him Zazel, and a troupe of Zulus. Victorien Sardou is a living and striking example of what perseverance will do. Before his first piiy, "La Taverne des Etudiants," was accepted at the Odeon, where, by the way it proved a failure, ho had had over twenty plays refused at different theatres at Paris, and was in such despair that he seriously contemplated suicide. Now he is the proprietor of a pretty estote at Marly and a fine hotel in the Rue de Clichy, No. 77. Personally, Sardou is the most charming of men —thoroughly free from affectation, and quite one of the most brilliant men in conversation of which Franco —the country far excellence of causeurs —can boaßt. If there is any fault to be found in hiß charming society, it must be that he is a little too quick, nervous, and effervescent, and apt to make one feel " jumpy," for he fiiea about the room like one possessed when excited by conversation, letting off firewoiks of wit every half a second. At the matinee at Booth's—(The curtain had just fallen on the last act of the " Grand Pantomime.") Mamma—" Now, darling, it's all over, and wo must be going." Effie (with lingering impressions of church) —"Oh.no, ma dear, not yet. C«in't we stay for evening service ? " On his acting tour around the world Mr John Jack advertises that he is " now playing Shanghai." A queer rooster is J.J. Victor Hugo has, it is said, completed a new drams, entitled " Les Jumeaux," of which Louis XIT. and the Man with the Iron Mask are the heroes. A " New York Herald" reporter, desirous of learning something about the personal history of "Ouida," has " interviewed" Mr Lippincott, the publisher, who says:— " ' Ouida' is a mystery that no person has yet been able to solve. All that is really known of her is that she ia the daughter of a Frenchman, and her name is Roßa de 1b Rama. She ■was an obscure contributor to the London magazines, glad to earn a pound a page for her stories, when I camo across ' Gronvilla de Tinge.' Struck by its powerful delineation of character, and the dash and brilliancy of its style, I published it under its original name of ■ Held in Bondage.' The book failed to attract attention, and only 800 copies were sold, and that was more owing to our immense distributing facilities than to any public interest in the novel itself. When ' Strathmore' was published in England I republished it here, still having faith in ' Ouida' as a strong writer, although I did not know at that time whether the author was a man or a woman. 'S'rathmore' was a success, and upon the strength of that I brought out a new edition of her first novel, under the better title of ' Granville de Vinge,' or • Held in Bondage,' using the second title to avoid deceiving people who had already bought the book under its original name. It made a great hit, and ' Ouida's' reputation was established. She says she is indebted to me for her success, and is grateful for it."