Various

“ To let her country training be perceived through the assumed airs and graces of a town Madame seems to me to be Miss Rehan's object; and in this, granting her ideas of the country hoyden and the town lady to be correct, she certainly succeeds; notably in the scenes with Sir Peter. For thus is the Jekyl-and-Hyde-ness of her character made apparent: in company, in the scandal scenes, she is to be all airs and graces, but when alone with her husband she, in spite of her perpetual wrangling with him, reappears as her own natural self, with most of the polish temporarily rubbed off. ”

“ William Farren, who, as Sir Peter, is a Master of Arts in the Old School, and Miss Rehan, who as Lady Teazle is an experimentalising teacher in the New School for Scandal. All playgoers, whose memory takes them back over a quarter of a century, must be familiar with William Farren's Sir Peter, which, in our time may have been rivalled, but has rarely been equalled (I do not remember his equal in the past) , and certainly never excelled. ”

“ The descendants of man will nourish themselves by immersion in nutritive fluid. They will have enormous brains, liquid, soulful eyes, and large hands, on which they will hop. No craggy nose will they have, no vestigial ears; their mouths will be a small, perfectly round aperture, unanimal, like the evening star. ”

“ The dance at the end of the first Act brings down the curtain to enthusiastic applause, and, to the end, the old comedy, in spite of various chops and changes, holds its own, as it ever will do, triumphantly. ”

“ The third oversight is in Joseph's chambers, described in the original play as "a library in Joseph Surface's house," where, when he tells Sir Peter that "books are the only things I am a coxcomb in," there are only a very few volumes to be seen, and these are lying at haphazard on a table.
To revert for a moment to Charles Surface's windowless and skylightless picture gallery, the scene takes place in the evening, after dinner, or supper, and how is the huge apartment lighted? ”

“ The question as to what position the Home Rule controversy will assume next Session is naturally one which can only be determined when we have before us all the facts which are essential for the purpose of enabling us to arrive at a definitive conclusion, and as soon as it becomes reasonably plain what the exact position of parties will be when it becomes necessary to decide on what lines the policy of the Government will proceed. ”

“ I may, however, say that, whilst not forgetful in any way of the obligations of honour under which the Liberal party lie to the Irish people, and whilst it will be our duty at the earliest available moment to press forward measures which shall carry out our pledges in that direction, we shall not forget that the consideration of what are not unnaturally termed English reforms is an imperative necessity, to which the attention of the Government will be directed at the first opportunity. ”

“ Mr. Daly never made a better engagement than when he secured William Farren for Sir Peter. About Miss Rehan's Lady Teazle there will be various opinions and, truth to tell, I do not precisely know from what point of view and by what standard to judge of her performance. Sir Peter describes her as "a girl bred wholly in the country," and so forth, "yet," he continues, "she now plays her part in all the extravagant fopperies of fashion and the town with as ready a grace as if she had never seen a bush or a grass plot out of Grosvenor Square." ”

“ Indian affairs are always of interest to the young Britisher, "who will," quoth the little Baronite, "seek and find all he wants in this book."
St. Bartholomew's Eve might be a tale of curiosity, but it is history, and deals with the valour of an English boy during the Huguenot Wars. Being a hero, he does not get killed in the massacre, but lives to fight another day. ”

“ Charles. He don't spend it there—he makes it. My dear Aunt, you ought to feel honoured by having such a distinguished acquaintance. Don't you remember my mentioning the great music-hall star, Walter Wildfire? You must. Well, Clarence Curphew and Walter Wildfire are one and the same person—honour bright, they are!
Mrs. Toov. (sinking back with a gasp) . A—a music-hall star! And I have been urging Althea to—— Oh, how fortunate it is I have been warned in time! He shall not see her—I will write and put him off—at once! ”

“ There is only one point that strikes me as absolutely inartistic, and that is, making Sir Peter give his explanatory speech about his wife after we have seen her, instead of leaving it in its proper place, as Sheridan wrote it, where it serves as a prologue to the subsequent scene between Sir Peter and Lady Teazle, when she appears for the first time in the comedy. ”

“ But then, being on one floor, living must be much cheaper, because you can do with only one servant? A. That is true; but we find that the difficulty is to get servants to do with us. They hate being mastheaded like this; they miss the area, and the talks with the tradesmen, and so on. Q. But they must go downstairs to take dust and cinders away? A. No, those go down the shoot. At least, a good many of the cinders do, though some seem to stop on the way. Our downstair neighbours complain horribly, and threaten to summon us. ”

“ Supporting amendment to Employers' Liability Bill he remarked "Gentlemen who sit on this side of the House are in favour of the amendment; gentlemen who sit on the other side of the House equally approve it; whilst Sir Albert Rollit, who sits on every side of the House, does not object to it."
Business done.—Employers' Liability Bill reported; Government defeated; got into Committee on Parish Councils Bill. ”

“ House, which does not do credit to The Bart (lett) 's many sterling qualities, roared with delight. Stung to quick, Ashmead up again; shouted across table, "I ask the right hon. gentleman whether he can give me any evidence of his being alive——" House, struck with evidence to that effect just given, broke in with fresh roar of laughter. Ashmead stood glaring round at merry circle. When noise subsided, continued: "——any evidence of his being alive to the importance of his duties?" More laughter. Ashmead appealed to Speaker to reprimand Kay-Shuttleworth. ”

“ Charles (to himself) . If I don't tell her she'll only go on suspecting poor old Uncle Theo. (Aloud.) Well, you're bound to find it out sooner or later; and I admire him all the more for it myself. I'd no idea he had it in him. Shows how mistaken you may be in fellows.
Mrs. Toov. I've yet to learn who and what you are talking about, Charles!
Charles. Why, that quiet, modest friend of yours, Mr. Clarence Curphew, if you must know!
Mrs. Toov. I don't believe it. Mr. Curphew is not at all the sort of young man to spend his money in such resorts. ”

“ House of Commons, Monday, November 13.—Tomlinson has for some time observed with deepening disfavour his position in House as affected by, and compared with, that of his friend and companion dear, Tomasso Bowles. Tommy, to drop into the affectionate diminutive, is a mere child compared with him. He is but the birth of the last General Election; whilst for thirteen years this very month Tomlinson has presented at Westminster Preston's idea of the highest form of culture and intelligence.
Employers' Liability Bill offered opportunity for coming to front ”

“ Business done.—More of Employers' Liability Bill.
Thursday.—Government in difficulties to-night. Cherchez la femme. Walter M'Laren had her in charge; a modest little thing, merely asking that women, whether married or single, should be enabled to vote at election of Parish Councils. House not very full; no danger anticipated; but Conservatives joined their forces with Radicals below gangway, and before Ministers quite knew where they were they found themselves in minority of twenty-one. ”

“ Still there would be remarks made if Tomlinson drove into Palace Yard enthroned on top of waggon containing 15,959 addressed copies of Amendments to Employers' Liability Bill. Gave up idea. Electors must buy the papers where, in Parliamentary reports, they would read voluminous digests of his speeches.
Began soon after House took up Bill this afternoon. First group of Amendments covered folio page of print. Read admirably; if it had not been usual for Member in charge of new Clause to explain to House its object and effect in operation success would have been assured. ”

“ Speaker justified Minister's action. One more attempt; one more rebuff; and Ashmead subsided for the night, not quite sure after all that silence isn't golden. At least it used to bring in £1000 a year.
Business done.—A good deal with the Employers' Liability Bill.
Tommy Bowles and the Pilot.
Wednesday.—Another quiet sitting with Employers' Liability Bill. Cap'en Tommy Bowles, respectfully removing his tarpaulin, and shifting his quid, relieved dullness of afternoon by some capital yarns. One drew a vivid picture of dangers that lurk behind the casual pilot. ”