OUR LONDON LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5235, 3 January 1878, Page 3

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(fhoji oub own correspondent.) London, November 15. The great political event of the month has been the Premier’s speech at the Mansion House ; and it has been remarkable not so much on account of anything Lord Beaconsfield said as by reason of the conspicuous absence of the principal personages of the diplomatic corps, wli add a , sort of sovereign dignity to this great municipal celebration. The unspeakable Turk, the heathen Chinee, and the irrepressible nigger, were the foreign Powers present; and everyone asks why. It is not far to seek, it seems to me. Last year in the same plac j , Lord Beaconsfield gave the Czar a sepre by talking of the one, two,-three campaigns England would not be afraid of, if need were. The year before he gave Prince Bismarck a slap in the face by a rather pointed allusion to the proceedings against Count Arnim. The Russian and German Embassies combined have a very great weight with the diplomatic corps here. It is remarkable that under the circumstances the Premier should have gone out of his way to repeat his assertion that the British workman has more real privileges than a foreign noble ; and should have laid su.-h great stress on the sacredness of the Czar’s word of honor, which we all remember was so solemnly pledged not to annex Khiva. The gilded repose of the House of Lords, followed by a recess of wandering from one pleasant country-house to another, have wonderfully freshened up the noble lord’s constitution. It was universally remarked how erect was his port, how fresh his cheek, how clear his voice, and what a very good dinner he ate. It is vary difficult to give you an idea of the passionate interest which is taken here in the affairs of France at present. The English papers, one and all, have flung themselves into the fray with a sort of headlong and thoroughgoing zeal which might make a dispassionate observer imagine that they must be written or inspired by tiie exiled colony of Reel Republicans who dwe I in and around Leicestersquare. Standard and Daily Ncies, Pall Matt and Spectator, Times and Telejrnph, are all combined in the cry of “Down with the Marsha! and every turn of the fray is watched with an interest as keen, if not keener than if the fortunes of our own parties were being tried by a general election. The not very dissimilar struggle which is proceeding between President and Congress in the American Republic, is regarded as a mere commonplace, and hardly excites even a languid in erest. It is announced in to-day’s Times, for example, that President Hayes, elected under such very circumstances last year, “has announced hfs intention of vetoing any Bill interfering wi|th resumption.” I venture to say that ij.o English writer will dream of complaining that such a scandalous menace should be used, to control the councils of the United States Legislature. The truth is, I suppose, that to most of us Londoners America is, notwithstanding common language and origin, a far more foreign country than is France. The great difficulty of the present crisis in France, however, is the attempt and view to treat and to work a Constitution framed on the liners of that of the United States as if the centre of gravity in it were the same as that of the English Constitution. You in New Zealand areiuot without experience of the difficulties of 'harmonising the executive and legislative powers. “The social events of the season are the marriage-! of the Duke of Norfolk to Lady Flora Haitians, and Mr, C. Flower, of a family once well known at Sydney, with. Miss Rothschild. There are great expectations of a magnificent display on the occasion of the Duke’s marriage, which will take place at the oratory on the 21st inst.; but they are doomed to be disappointed. I am told that the ceremony, in ace .rdance with the Duke's tastes, which are of the simplest, will be a very modest affair, except as to the attendance, which will no doubt comprise an assemblage of a great part of the aristocracy of the Empire—the connection* of the houses of Howard and Hastings forming a clan in themselves. Lady Flora is a errand-niece of the unfortunate Lady Flora, whose fate excited much sympathy in the early years of the Queen’s reign. The marriage of Miss Rothschild is not, it is said, favorably viewed by the great Hebrew house, and will not take place with Judaic ceremony, but at the Church of England, and afterwards before the Registrar. The experiment of a revival of melodrama—the real old-fashioned melodrama —with all its extravagance and artful mingling of the tragic and comic elements, has been tried in London recently, and the result is being watched with interest by people who care about things dramatic and affairs theatrical. A few years ago Prince Joseph Inbomirski wrote a clever novel called “ Tatiane, ou la Conspiration,” which was founded upon certain revelations which had been made in Russian society in high places. The work was dramatised, and had a long run at one of the Parisian theatres under the title “Les Exiles,” which was strongly objected to at the time, as bordering upon a usurpation of the rights of the immortal novel of MadameCottin,“ Elizabeth,” which was more renowned in France than was her “ Mathilda,” and ran the “ Paul et Virginie” of Benmrdin de St. Pierre very closely. These objections were, however, overruled, and “ Les Exiles” enjoyed a true Parisian success, the approval of the Press, and long and patient queues at the doors of the theatre. An English version of this melodrama, under the title of “ Russia,” was selected by the management of the National Theatre for its re-opening for the winter season, and as the occasion was largely advertised by means of tbe poll preliminary, a very crowded lions!: was secured for the first representation. The gallery was exceedingly noisy, and the manifestations of anti-Russian sympathies as the play proceeded frequently disturbed the attention of the quieter portion of the audience, and gravely injured the illusion of the prr.ee. Nevertheless, by dint of quite wonderful scenery, strong situations, the careful acting of a few of the actors, and the admirable acting of Mr. Hermann Vezin, who is steadily rising to a p osition of eminence among the leading members of his profession, the play proved successful, and an unusually numerous muster of dramatic critics pronounced their opinion that “melodrama had got a footing again in Loudon.” The plot turns on the passionate love of one Sohelm (the chief of the Czar’s secret police) for -Olga, a 'noble young lady, betrothed to an English officer, and the machinations by which Schelm involves Olga’s brother and his young wife in a got-np conspiracy, and procures their banishment to Siberia, whither Olga and her lover, however, contrive to get permission to accompany them. The escape of the whole party is planned by the faithful (and comic) truth servant of Cap tain Gordon —played very well indeed by Mr. Shiol Barry, who made his reputation in the pait of Harvey Duff iu the “ Shaughraun"—and frustrated by the Appearance of Schelm, who has had himself appointed Governor of Siberia, and who is, of course, worsted in the end, when love and virtue triumph gloriously. There are plenty of situations, and the scenery is extremely beautiful—a winter scone in Siberia especially so. The entire play is very effective, and as the prices are moderate, while the actors are selected from the highest ranks of the profession, the experiment bids fair to be successful. At her Majesty’s Theatre winter operas are progressing favorably, also at prices much reduced from the extravagant scale of the season. It is ‘aid in theatrical circles that operatic singers have had their day in respect of enormous salaries, that henceforth things will bo more equalised, and there will consequently bo.a better chance for rising talent, and more encouragement for tbe imraenso amount of hard work for which all beginners must be prepared. The system which has no long prevailed reached its height of unfairness and absurdity last sea-on, when the friends of a

young English lady (called by an Italian name), actually paid the manager of one of -the'opera houses £2OO a night for permission for her to appear in a leading part iu light opera. Tbe young lady was not very successful. She has decided upon resuming her studies for two years longer, and has incurred all the additional' expense of the attempt, while the manager made all the direct and indirect profit of the transaction. The veteran actor Mr. Buckstone lias, it is generally believed, made Ins last apoearance ou the stage. He has been acting at Ba nsley, and was taken suddenly ill. He is better ; but it is to be hoped be will not appear before the public again. The publishing season brings iu fewer works of importance and interest than usual at the winter half of the year. The depression which affects trade iu ail its departments, is peonculiarly complained of by the publishers, who say that no one has time to read anything except the newspapers. Among new books there is, however, one which is exciting a great deal of interest. It is “My Life,” by the late Colonel Meadows Taylor, edited by his eldest daughter. This is a remarkable book, being a record of the experience of a man wtio knew more about India than any other man of the century, with perhaps the exception of the late Dr. Mar.-dirnau, and whose strong sympathy with the native races, over many of whom he had great personaliufluence,madehiskuowledge additionally valuable. Ha t Colonel Taylor been a member of the Company’s service be would no doubt have risen to important command and high distinction ; but he entered upon his Indian career iu the service of the Nizam’s Government, which, while it off red him leas reward, undoubtedly furnished him with far greater opportunities of becoming thoroughly familiar with the native races. The “ Life," in addition to the varied interest, of its personal details, adds a very striking chapter to the history—indeed, what may be called the secret history—of the mutiny in 1859, by its narrative c-f the conduct and the fate of" the young Rajah of Shoraporc, to whom Colonel Meadows Taylor had acted a* Governor during the minority of the uufortunate youug Prince. Colonel Meadows Taylor was a singularly accomplished man in other ways than the public duties which he so admirably fulfilled. Your readers are probably familiar with his novels. The best known are “ Confessions of a Thug,” which formed one of tile most remarkable experie ces of his life, for the culprit whose detection and capture led to the full discovery of the terrible system of organised murder known as “ Thuggee ” actually related his de?ds to the gentleman then acting as a magistrate, who afterwards amazed the Eng ish public by the revelation of them iu the work, which surpasses anything that fiction could attain to. Immense interest was excited by the announcement of this book, now more than thirty years ago, and such was the impatience of the Queen and Prince Albert for the sight of it that the pub'ishers were commanded to submit the proofs to them. Subsequently Colonel Taylor wrote several novels, in no respect inferior, in some superior iu interest to the “Thug.” All these are now being reprinted,and will be issued immediately after the publication of his latest novel, which was in the printer's hands at the time of his death. This posthumous novel, entitled “ A Noble Queen,” is full of ac ion and interest, and might well, in the verve and spirit which it displat s, he the production of the author’s youth, instead of that of a man over sixty five. Painting and music were among Colonel Meadows Taylor’s accomplishments, ami his social talents were of a high order. For the first week of next month we are promised the concluding volume of the “ Life of the Prince Consort,” which has been entrusted by the Queen to Mr, Theodore Martin. In the two volumes already published the Queen’s own hand is frequently to he discerned, and it is said that in the third it has been still oftener employed. Nothing at ell remarkable in fiction has lately appeared, and the only event of the year iu periodical Kte- atuve ha? been tbe great success of “ The Nineteenth Century,” which has distanced all competitors, and has taken as firm ahold upon the favor of the intellectual classes as ever did the “Quarterly” and tbe. “Edinburgh” Reviews in their palmiest days.