Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/548

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. v. JUNE g, 1912.

'No THOROUGHFARE ' (US. v. 363, 414). Our valued contributor MB. CECIL CLARKE has for once made a slip. ' No Thoroughfare, the joint work of Dickens and Wilkie Collins, was, as Forster informs us, during " Dickens's absence in the States transformed into a play for Fechter, with a view to which it had been planned origin- ally" ; and on Boxing Night, 1867, it was brought out at the Adelphi, when Fechter took the part of Obenreizer ; Neville was George Vendale ; Benjamin Webster, Joey Ladle ; Mr. Billington, Walter Wilding ; and Belmore, Bintrey. Miss Leclercq played Marguerite; Mrs. Billington, the Veiled Lady ; and Mrs. Mellon, Sally Goldstraw.

The cast was strong throughout ; Webster as Joey Ladle

"had a character-part, which was not only all Dickens in its spirit, but admirably fitted also to the actor's peculiar idiosyncrasy. It was truly a most genial bit of acting."

The scenery was by

STANTON AND DICKENS (11 S. v. 344). In the notes by MR. FRANCIS it is stated that at the dinner given to Dickens by Mr. Sumner, Mr. E. M. Stanton spoke of himself as the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern forces. This is an error, as Stanton was never more than Secretary of War, which is a civilian office. mander-in-Chief of

Grieve, and The

Athenaeum of the 4th of January, 1868, from which I have quoted, said :

"It is seldom, with all the modern appliances enjoyed by the scenic artist, and mechanician, that a play is placed on the stage in a state so complete, and under conditions so satisfactory. It is, in fact, in all respects a decided triumph, whether regarded in a dramatic or merely theatrical point of view." ^ It was on the 10th of January, 1863, that Fechter began his management of the Lyceum with ' The Duke's Motto,' in which he took the part of the gallant Capt. Henri de Lagardere. The Athenceum on the following Saturday said : " Mr. Fechter's management has commenced with a decided success."

In 1861 Fechter was at the Princess's, where he played Hamlet, a character by

which he will ever be remembered. The Athenceum on the 23rd of

Of this March,

remarked : " M. Fechter does not act he is Hamlet/' In 1872 he reappeared at the same theatre in the same character.

The ' Dictionary of National Biography ' contains accounts of both Fechter and Webster. JOHN COLLINS FRANCIS.

"MR. CECIL CLARKE is, I think, mistaken. I well remember seeing ' No Thoroughfare ' at the Adelphi in 1868, with Benjamin Webster as Joey Ladle, and Fechter as Obenreizer. Mrs. Leigh Murray, Mrs. Alfred Mellon, and Carlotta Leclercq were also in the cast, if I remember rightly. Fechter's management of the Lyceum had come to an end in the previous year.

G. F. R. B.

[THE REV. A. B. BEAVEX and MR. TOM JONES also thanked for replies.]

The President is Com- the Army and Navy.

The error is due to Dickens, who mentions the title in a letter, and who must have misunderstood Mr. Stanton, as the latter could not have described himself as a commander-in-chief.

HENRY LEFFMANN. Philadelphia.

WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT (11 S. iv. 503, 522; v. 75, 274, 313). In the ' Histoire des Chats ' (dr. 1727) of F. A. Paradis de Moncrif ('Neuvieme Lettre,' pp. 95-7) one finds how French embroidery can embellish an English theme. " Whigtington reconnut la voix de la fortune qui 1'appeloit " is surely excellent !

" Quels avantages n'ont point e"te" occasionn&s par les Chats. Une des plus cdldbres maisons de 1'AngleteiTe leur doit sa richesse & son illus- tration. Richard Whigtington dans sa grande jeunesse, d^pourvu de tous les biens de la fortune, mais n4 avec d'excellentes inclinations, voulut aller dans 1'Indo, chercher une plus heureuse destined. II se pre"senta comme passager pour s'embarquer. On lui demanda avec quels secours il comptoit de vivre dans le trajet, il re'pondit qu'il n'avoit pour toute richesse qu'un Chat, & le de"sir de se signaler. On fut touchc" de cette franchise noble avec laquelle il exposoit sa situation. On le re?ut, lui & son Chat, & le vaisseau fit voile. Comme ils 6toient dans les niers de 1'Inde, une tempete les surprit, & les fit e'chouer sur une c6te oil bientot les naturels du pays s'emparerent de leur navire & de leurs personnes. Le jeune Anglois, portant son tresor entre ses bras, fut conduit comme les autres devant le Roi de ces peuples ; & tandis qu'ils 4toient a son audience, ils apperc.urent un nombre immense de Souris & de Rats, qui parcouroient le Palais & s'attroupoient jusques sur le trdne du Monarque, qui en paroissoit tres-ennuye". Whigtington reconnut la voix de la fortune qui 1'appeloit. II ne fit que laisser aller son Chat, & voila un monde de Souris et de Rats Strangles & le reste mis en fuite. Le Roi, charm^ de 1'espoir d'etre bientdt de"livre" du fle"au qui de'soloit ses ]tats, entra dans dos transports de reconnaissance qu'il ne savoit comment exprimer assez vivement. II embrassoit tant6t ce Chat libe'rateur, & tant6t le jeune Anglois, & pour accorder a Tun & a 1'autre de dignes marques de sa reconnoissance, il de"elara Whigtington son favori & donna a ce merveilleux Chat le titre de Ge'ne'ralispime de ses Arme"es, n'ayant" eu jusques-la d'ennemis a combattre que cette immensit^ de Souris & de Rats, qui 1'assi^geoient sans cesse.

" Whigtington, soutenu par la consideration que lui donnoit le Chat son e"mule, surmonta toutes les Cabales de la Cour. II gouverna