The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Grand . —That promising actress M ss Marie de Grey made her re-appearance here on Monday , on which occasion she produced a , newpiece . This , an original hisjh class comedy drama , by Mr . Frank Harvey , entitled , " Lord Marple ' s Daughter , " proved to bo of a weak and uninteresting character : indeed , not till th * end of the lasfc act

was there anything to interest the audience . Nothing to lautrh at , nothing to cry at , or , hardly , any one to sympithiso with . This , indeed , is not a very interesting state of affairs . The author has fallen into an error that always makes a play tedious—repetition . This was most palpable in the second act , where Margery tells the

tale of her lover visiting her two or three times over . The same error was committed in the last act , when the husband's troubles had to be related . Again , Mr . Harvey has written soliloquy speeches which are tedious , and certainly conld be almost dispensed with . In fact , tbe whole play courts the " pruning knifo , " but even then

" Lord Marple ' s Daughter , " could hardly be mad s agreeable or entertaining enough to warrant its being seen on the stage . The play opens at tbe house of Lord Marple , who , consequent on a son ' s extravagance abroad , is almost ruined . Lord Marple has two daughters , and it is soon evident he intends one of them shall be the

means for his retrieving his fortune . One Ralph Garth is staying at the house , and he has fallen iu lovo with Margery . This young lady , however , has secretly bestowed her affections on a penniless man , Wayne Darrell . Garth proposes to Margery , but she refuses him ; however , as she is led to believe that Darrell is false , she accepts

Garth a offer . This brings the first act t" a close . When the curtain again rises we see Garth ' s home in the country . Here Darrell secretly visits Margery , who now learns the trick that has been played upon her . She appeals to Darrell to take her from her husband , whom she declares she cannot love . Tnis he declines to do . Their conversation

has , however , been overheard by Amos Roach , the partner of Garth , On the return of Garth , and Isabel his sister—who by her misrepre . sentations has bronght about the misohief—from a country ball , Margery confronts this sister and tells her bnsband bow he has been duped in order to save her father from ruin . Garth ' s business has

in the meanwhile gone to the bad ; he now requires £ 10 , 000 to save his credit . He appeals to bis friends , but they are cither unible , or will not lend him the amount . He is at a loss what to do , when Margery brings him the money . She has discovered that Roach has been robbing his partner , bnfc he has given her £ 10 , 000 to leave

Garth ' s honse with him . Margery tells her husband she has discovered how he has been deceived . Garth , with others , have overheard this conversation ; the partnership is dissolved , and Margery declares she has at last learned to love her husband . This brings to a termination a play that may be described as of the weakest . Miss De

Grey has secured the services of several well-known actors , bat , unfortunately , has cast them wrongly . Miss de Grey represents Margery . She has considerably improved since we last saw her ; her emotional powers are more developed , whilo her style is both pleasing and effective . The part of Ralph Garth was in tbe hands of Mr . J

D Beveridge , but he seemed ill at ease . The character was altogether unsnited to him ; still he was earnest , if not tolling . Miss Maude Digby , as Isabel , had certainly one of tbe best chara' t r 3 ia the piece . Mr . Matthew Brodie , a fop ; and Miss Agnes Hewitt , as his lover , were good . Messrs . Eille Norwood ( Wayne Darrell ) and

George Warde ( Amos Eoach ) , were weak . Mr . H . Pagden was passable as Lord Murple , while Mrs . Ernest Clifton gave a capital rendering of Garth ' s mother . The , piece met a kindly reception from a section of the audience , bat on the whole the result was not satisfactory .

Strand . —On Wednesday afternoon Miss Plorenco West gave ns another opportunity of judging of her abilities . This time she produced a new and ori g inal comedy , in three acts , entitled " Gladys . " This has been written by Mr . Arthur Law , who can be congratalafced on his latest work , for he has invented a piece that is interesting

throughout . The author has travelled on lines somewhat familiar to the majority of playgoers , but he has made up for this b y framinahis piece with considerable skill . The piece starts at the studio of an artist , where we are introduced to Gerald Lockhart , Prank Meredith , General Sir Peter Peploe , Colonel Faulkner , and Mr . and Miss

Gladys Fairlie . Gladys Fairlie has been giving sittings to Gerald Lockhart unknown to her father , and on the aft > rnoon the play opens intends to g ive the final one . Gerald his , however , invited several friends to come and inspect some pictures , but , when tbev arrive he gets rid of them at once by telling them tho pictures are

not finished . Colonel Faulkner , however , has his suspici ons aroused , and commuuicates with Mr . Fairlie ; that gentleman vis ts the artist while Gladys is in his room . Gerald , however , ma-iages to hide Gladys , who makes her esc ipe unperceived . When Colonel Panlkner finds tho bird flown , be tries to convince Fairlie that what

he has told him is true ; he shows him Gladys ' portrait , , but Gerald has in tbe meanwhile managed to daub the picture over , so that it , is unrecognisable , thus defeating tbe enemy . Tho second and third ad take 3 place in Junglepore , aud here we see Gladys has married Colonel Faulkner , who is living on what he can swindle

bis friends out of . The play proceeds to show be is detected while cheating at cards by Frank Meredith . In the end Faulkner is killed by a man named Dubois , whose sister he had married some six years previous . This leaves all clear for Gerald Lockhart to marry Gladys Here Miss Florence

West has unquestionably a more pleasing part to perform than thr one she last undertook . Gladys has some dilfictilc work to get through , but Miss West came off with flying colours , and achiever ! a

decided success . Her acting was full of feeling and emotion , while ] n the lighter partti she was certainly at her best , Mr . Lewis Wallet as Gerald was good , while Mr . Royce Carletoa gave us as true a portrayal of tho villainous Colonel Faulkner as we could wish to see .

The Theatres, &C.

Messrs . C . B ' ., ' : iVor > , Ovurifon Cmtfcs , Sidney Ptxtm , Ch irtes Dodsworth , and S . J . itv V > ' oi io . with the hel p of \[ ias Aunio It > se , completed a good till . round casto . A' i . he couclusi m the ptiucipi's were called , af'er which Mr . Law bowel his aokuowlo Igemeuts iu answer to loud calls for the author .

Institute of Painters in Oil Colours . —This exhibition , Ilk" most others in these times , gives evidence of much talent and capability devoted to trivial . and inartis'io on * s . Capable artists , inst 'ad of applying themselves seriously to the business of leirning to paint , en lea von r to catch the pnb'ic eye by some silly joke or inane

story . Every now and again there is a run on a particular kind of subject . One year it is '' Smiptaral " snbj ids that are the rage , another " Lovers , " the next "Poverty , " th 9 next " Babies ; " ab present it is " Babi's and dogs , " or " Bibies aud cats , " or " B ibies and c us and dogs . " One is amazed at the stupendous inanity , at

the untiring iteration , at the plentiful lack or wit of these " enfantilliges . " A foreigner may well wonder whether English art is entirely devote 1 to obtaining the appreciation of girls fresh from the boarding-school , of prattling babes and curates' tea parties . Is there no power , no dignity , no virility ? Luteal of imagination

we have sentiment , iuste id of beauty prettiness , instead of finish elaboration , insfeid of grace elegance . Bat luckily the thing is ouring itself . Grown men and women are getting siok of the maudlin sentimentality aud galvanic hum inr of the popular style . In the illustrated catalogue of this gallery alone there are no less

than six perpetrations depending for their interest merely on aotue pnn connected with animal . i . Now the British public has an extraordinary notion that reoetition is wit . bub wo imagine that it has fonnd ont that , a thing m iy be repeated once too often , and will dismiss not , only this particular br inch of illustration , but everything

that is not an outcome of the artist's own thought , labour , and talent . Indeed there is no occasion for despair . We see in varions unobtrusive oanvases the evidence of a new life and a new departure , wbioh is sure at first to be virnloutly attacked , but which m iy yet greatly influence English art . There ara a few pictures which stand out

from the mediocrity of the whole by their qualities . No . 75 , "An Egyptian Study , " by Cecil M . Round , is an atrociously clever work , finished in the true sense of the wori , that is , every detail stands in its proper place , and does not , as it were , jump ont of the picture . VVe say atrociously , because the effect of the whole is vary ugly and

merely impels ns to admit its unmistakable cleverness . Sidney Starr ' s "Idle , " No . 86 , is charming ; a young girl leaning back idly on a sofa . It is a pretty subject , rightly seen and excellently painted . J . J . Shannon ' s " Study " is most artistic as indeed all his work is , but it is not his best eff > rt this winter . Melton Fisher is a

well-trained artist ; "In Misk , old Venetian , " is a powerful study , and anybody who wishes to know what flesh-painting means should not miss it , bnt somehow we s ; e in this what is more obvious in bis other picture here , —No I 9 r > , " Flirtation , " a kind of continental vulgarity , which reminds ns of a box of wax vestas . No . 228 , " News

from Abroad , " by A . Cnevalier Tayler , is a delicate arrangement of cool greys and pinks , rather in the style of Fred Brown ' s work . B . J . Gregory shows his ^ raat powers in " Kept In , " No 637 , a gorgeons portrait of a salky young beauty . Among landscapes are noticeable No . 150 , " A Slumbering Village , " by Joyston

tletherington , with a pale citron sky . " Harvest Moon , " No . 503 , by Edward Stott , seems to have been inspired by Millet , and has much of his poet'c charm and imagination ; but also his faults , tho thick paint and the spotty colouring . Why , for iustiuce , should a white duck be dotted over with pink and blue and green dabs ? White is white .

Arthur Hacker ' s " Cockle Gatherers , No . 637 , is a broadly painted work , but as with many others in this Exhibition we see that the artist is accustomed to water-colour , and does uot quite utilize all the advantages of oil as a medium . There are probably several other works which would reward a careful search , but private view , day being really public reception clay , neglect of such is unavoidable .

The three-act farce which we announced last week has having been submitted to Mi : Edward Compton , is eotitled " B ichelors' Wives ; " it will be produced at a special matinee at the Strand , loth . Dec . Mi 33 Lottie Venue and Mr . Yorke Stephens will be in the caste . Mr . Henry Irving has accepted the dedication of Mr . Edwin Drew's new volume , Reciting and Reading .

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T 7 NGRAVINGS . —GEO . REES , Cheapest Houan in London . All I V j Briton Rivioro Rrnmvinis an I Btchings on viow—Sympathy , His Only Friend , Night Water ., Poaxnors , Cave Caueai , and inauy others . T ? NGR \ 7 LSGS . —GEO . REES . —Jnst Published , a fine engraving , Hi "Tho Day of Roakoriing , " by Waller . Prints will be 21 s / Artists * proofs are now at a premium , two ' or throe only lets . T 7 IXGRAVINGS . — GEO . REES , Cheapest House in London . — l ^ i Lui'en assortment , of lOn . graviiigs and Krehings , from -is to Ills each . Our t . ew Design . Book for Frames , with , instruction for making , !) stamps . qiNGRAVINU : * . —GEO . USES , Cheapest House ; ., London . — i 1 Jul 1 Lots , " . Six" of l . tunlsBur for ' . ils . Also A . nsilo ' , 1 Sots , of Six Shooting , 15 s Ditto Stalking , 15 s . —f } K ' . > . Iti'JI'lsJ , U . 3 Strand . C 1 NGRAVLVGS .--GEO . REES , C • * - . est House io London . The 1 _ J largoso Solootioti of all the he a . / : 'lures on view . — UKO . HERS , 115 Straml , nuar Waterloo Liridgu . Established JO years . rpNGRAVLYGS . — GEO . REES , Ghonvst llmiso i „ London . —Sir Hi 'V . Loigh . aa ' s , P . H . A ., " Wedded , " 'Day Dreams , " " Winding the Skein , " " Viola , " " -Vtorctta , " & c , at : 21 s . "The ilusic Lesson . " A few artists' proof ' s only .

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FiiJJJaF , SAILS properly carried out and personally attended in 1-oudou or Country by Bro . G . A . HUTTON , 17 Newcastle Street . Strand , W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations made iS 20 « —Tou . v . cco : mTs C OUMIUTCIXG . — Au illustrated guide , rcgd . ( l . 'Jii pp ) , " How to Open Bcspoetab . / ' ' run £ 20 to £ i 0 iM . " 3 Stamps . H . . UVESS & Co ., Cigar and Tobacco Alvsrcttantis , 107 to IU Barton Road . Loudon , Wholesale only . Telephone No . 75 J 1 . General Shopfitters . Estimates free ,