First night privileges at the principal London theatres are becoming such passports to fashion and the high-r Bohemia as largely to corrupt the independence of criticism. The great papers as a matter of course receive their invivatinns, but there is n great army of provincial and foreign correspondents in London, whose claims are more or less dubious, who are not on the regular list, and who make application for each individual first night. If successful, they are, so happy in being seated in the brilliant and fashionable crowd, that they feel it would be rude to criticise a kind host who has provided such a treat; moreover he might not ask them next time, if they object to his acting. The opening of Her Majesty's Theatre, on Wednesday night, Mr. Beerbohm Tree's new abode in the Haymarket, was an occasion that rivalled in brilliancy the historic rst nights of the Lyceum, The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Teck, the two grandfathers of the new-born aby princess, were present, and great people' in art, in society, sad in liter ature, journalism, and the law, were scattered' in profusion all over the house. Persistent pittites had patiently waited from eight in the morning in an ever-lengthening quave -marshalled by an army of police. " the building is beautiful and com-odious. Mr. Tree's position ae second to and natural successor of Sir Henry Irving is now assured. Had Sir Henry retired three or four years'ago,-it might have been a race. between.Mr. Wyndham, Mr. Alex"nder, and Mr. Tree, as to which would receive from the public the laurels of the primacy of dramatic art; the ques-the opportunity to get a whole year's rent tion may now be regarded as settled. Mr. for single day. There has been a great Tree, not satisfied with public plaudits, is outery in the Press about this, but it does understood to seek social aggrandivement, not seem to me thatthe outery is reasonable. and hopes when the Diamond Jnbil-e If tenants hold premises by the week or shall have passed by, to find himself Sir month, I think they should be willing to Beerbohm. But such desire is now epidedivide' their profit with the landlord, in mic in the country, and everybody is down consideration of his not giving notice." Tt with the disease. I met a mn the other is believed that of all the foreigners and day who did not expect to receive at least colonials in the procession, President a knighthood—but he was a Frenchman.
Faure will receive the most' enthusiastic
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.