Art And The Drama.

Art and the Drama .

THE DORE GALLERY .

There is a grand new picture now on exhibition here , entitled " The Crown of Eland ' s Laagte ; " it is by F . W . Lawson , an artist well known by his famous picture , " The Cry for Peace , " lately removed to make place for his present production . The picture naturally presents two aspects to the spectator , an earthly and a visionary one . The left foreground r epresents the kopje , where , outstretched in death , lie the brave soldiers who

dearly purchased the hard fought position , at the willing noble sacrifice of their lives , in maintaining the honour of their Queen and country . On this memorable night , 21 st October , 1899 , the wearied living rested , after the terrible battle , in the companionship of their dead comrades , who slept , alas , " the sleep that knows no waking " in this our mortal world . In the visions of that night they see those who have passed away receive the

wellmerited reward of their self sacrificing valour at the hands of their beloved Sovereign . In this vision , so beautifully and feelingly depicted by the poetic artist , in fancy we behold the valiant General Symons signing with his heart ' s blood his name first on the roll in the hall of Fame . Onward , still onward , following in their leader ' s footsteps , ready to award to him the palm of victory , they themselves are content to be absorbed in its far

extended shade . The artist has well conceived his noble subject , and has most efficiently carried it out . We cannot , however , help thinking that the effect would have been better achieved if " grim-visaged Death " had been less prominent , veiled , as it were , in friendly obscurity . This , of course , is merely a suggestion on our part . The picture will well repay a careful study . The next pictures which claim our notice are three masterpieces by

the celebrated John Martin . At the time when these appeared they had a a great influence on the minds of orthodox Christians , who saw depicted in a most realistic form , their preconceived opinions of the scenes cf the Last Judgment . It is a noteworthy fact that the great art critic , John Ruskin , considers Martin as one of those painters who , not only in the present , but also in the future , will hold sway over the Christian

mind . One of Martin s most earnest admirers was Gustave Dore , who acknowledged his great obligation to his predecessor in the region of Scripture illustration . These pictures are respectively entitled , " The Last Judgment , " " The Great Day of His Wrath , " and " The Plains of Heaven . " All possessing the types of the artist ' s wonderfully realistic style , we infinitely prefer the third picture , a magnificent work of artistic

beauty . On viewing this lovely production we seem to absorb into ourselves the spirit of eternal bliss and rest . It has much of the handling and tone of Turner's best works . We have particular pleasure in noticing the two pictures by Handel Gear . We understand he is a young artist—we heartily congratulate him on the fair promise he gives of a brilliant future . He is one of those artists , by no means numerous , who seem to have

" mixed their colours with brains . " These two pictures are " Beauty or Mammon , " and " Vice gambling with Death . " In the first we behold symbolised the war of passions in ^ the soul , which , sooner or later , affect the varied phases of humanity . The artist has wisely placed the tumultuous struggles of emotion in the central figure—a young man , the expression of whose face and his attitude attest the intensity of divided feeling . On one

side stands the figure of Beauty , the upper portion of the figure partly undraped , on the other , seated on a throne , is Mammon . Here , we think , the artist is in error ; in his earnest wish to emphasise his idea he has made too repulsive and exaggerated the figure . Taken as a whole , it is a beautiful , instructive picture , aiming at a definite purpose . " Vice , gambling with Death . " The artist has the courage to leave the beaten track , and

repiesent Death in the female form as an old woman . We have depicted " the lust of the llesh and of the eye and the pride of life " in gambling p lay with the mighty Destroyer , to whom all the human race must inevitably succumb—Vice and Death engaged upon their weird game of hazard , of which there can only be one result . The accessories and minute details all harmonise with and make prominent the subject of the picture .

THE FINE ART SOCIETY . THE CHILD ' S EXHIIJITION . There is a charming collection of pictures to be seen now at the gallery of the Fine Art Society , 148 , New Bond-street . It is called " The Child ' s Exhibition "—a very suitable name . Here little children , and even we ourselves , as children of a more advanced growth , may spend a happy hour in renewing their and our acquaintance with the chief personages of the nursery

legends . It is well for the old sometimes to give fancy free play , and imagine themselves for awhile , at least , transported back to the happy scenes of childhood . The head crowned with the winter of old age will be none the worse if occasionally , lit up by the sunny smiles of dear , innocent children , and the sweet music of their lovely voices , will find ready access to the expectant ears , dulled to the ordinary sounds of the busy world . We

seem to live anew in the lives of the children ; memory will recall the time when we were as guileless and innocent as they are now , and the prayer involuntarily arises in our hearts that they may long be spared an acquaintance with evil and a knowledge of the sordid maxims of the busy , selfish world . Artists of high repute have not disdained to treat the nursery legends with proper feeling and respect . The names of Cecil Aldin , Tom

Browne , Dudley Hardy , J . Hassall , Phil May , Newton Shepard , and Mile . A . Rasponi are a sufficient guarantee that they have carried out to the full the spirit of the subjects they respectively illustrate . We will draw attention to a few , but they are really all so good that it is difficult to make a selection . No . 3 , " Christmas Morning , " No . 45 , " The Master ' s Lunch , " and No . 57 , " Masks and Faces , " by Tom Browne ; No . 12 , " The Arrival of Father

Christmas , " No , 3 6 , " Jack Sprat , " No . 37 , " Jack and Jill , " No . 39 , " A Christmas Greeting , " and No . Si , "A Reserved Seat , " by Cecil Aldin ; No . 6 S . \ , six illustrations for " Weymarke and the Sea Fairies , " by Dudley Hardy ; No . 10 , " Flirtation , East End , " No . 17 , " Flirtation , West find , " No . 73 , " Old King Cole , " and No . 77 , " Tom , Tom , the Piper ' s Son , " by J . Hassall ; Nos . 119 to 126 , "Studies of Dutch Children , " by Phil May

No . S , " The Moon Fairy , " No . 71 , " Bread , Cheese , and Kisses , " and No . 78 , "The Romp , " by F , Newton Shephard ; Nos . 85 to 113 , " Drawings for Mother Duck ' s Children , " & c ., by Mile . A . Rasponi . These are but a few j there are many other good pictures . Let , then , the young and old children visit the gallery during the Christmas holidays , there is a delight in store for them .

Art And The Drama.

CHRISTMAS AT THE INNS OF COURT . We continue this subject from last week . The rules respecting revels at the Inns were strict enough in other details , besides dancing round the fire and singing . At the Middle Temple it was laid down that" Whosoever do refuse to carry up bread and beer to the Masters of . the Bench do forfeit , viz . ; barristers , viiid , and others iiis . iiiid . " At Grav's Inn no Fellow was permitted to stand with his back to the fire , and

penalties were enforced for making " a rude noise " in Hall . So , in the reign of Elizabeth , an Act was found necessary prohibiting gentlemen of the Society from breaking open " any chamber , or disorderly molest or abuse any Officer of this House , " at Christmas or any other time , on pain of expulsion . Evidently , " sporting the oak , " was small proof of security , prior to that time . Ever since the reign of Henry 6 th , Lincoln ' s Inn led the way in the

matters of revels at Christmas . The Fellows do not , like the brethren of the Middle Temple , seem to have been compelled " to keep a solempne Christmasse , " possibly they did not need ^ any ' compulsion , but they certainly carried out the maxim , that the season should bring with it good cheer . Feasting was the order of the day , and "the King of the Cocknies " was throned instead of the time honoured Lord of Misrule . The monarch of

the time was fenced round with rules , and refused absolute sway , for it was ordained that he should have "due service , " but not " allowed to med yll , neither in the buttry , nor in the Stuard of Christmas his office , upon pain of xl . s . for every such medylling . And that Jack Straw and his adherents , should be thenceforth utterly banisht . " This Jack Straw and his attendants appear to have been privileged imps of mischief , whose pranks

greatly added to the rolhcksome nature of the season , and it has been suggested that the lawless lieutenant of Wat the Tyler , who made his " castle " at Hampstead , chose for himself the pseudonym of " Jack Straw , " to hint how he would worry and fret the loyal citizens of London . Whether this be a fact or not , it is a sad matter that the king of the Lincoln's Inn revels could not be entrusted in the pantry or the steward ' s

office . Masques appear to have found favour first at the other inns , notably at Gray ' s Inn and the Inner Temple , which were almost affiliated . Indications of this are not wanting even now , for the Winged Horse of the Inner Temple is to be found carved in Gray ' s Inn-square , and the Griffin of Gray ' s Inn finds place on garden gates of the Inner Temple . The first recorded Masque was held at Grav's Inn at Christmas , * : ¦; « . and is

described as a " goodly disguising compiled by John Roo , Sergeant-at-Law . " There is pretty fair evidence that Master John Roo compiled this disguising some 20 years prior to its production , but as he portrayed " how Lord Governance was ruled by Dissipation and Negligence , which caused Lady Public-weal to be put out of government , " he was held to be reflecting upon the then all-powerful Cardinal Wolsey , who promptly deprived him of his coif and sent him to the Fleet Prison .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND .

PRESENTATION TO BRO . S . S . PARTRIDGE , P . A . G . D . C , DEPUTY PROV . G . M .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Leicester , on the 30 th ult ., and was very largely attended , no less than 150 being present from all parts of the province . In the much-regretted absence of Lord Ferrers , P . G . M ., Bro . S . S . Partridge , P . A . G . D . C , Dep . P . G . M ., presided , and Bro . the Rev . C . Henton Wood , M . A ,, P . G . Chap ., performed the duties of D . P . G . M .

The annual lodge returns showed a total of 7 S 0 subscribing membersan increase of 13 . During the year 55 new members were affiliated , including 39 initiates and 16 joining members . The withdrawals numbered 42—27 by resignation , 10 by death , and five by " exclusion ; " 118 regular and six emergency lodges had been held , and the work performed included 39 initiations , 39 passings , and 32 raisings .

Bro . G . Neighbour , P . P . G . W ., Secretary of the Provincial Charity Committee , was unable to be present owing to serious illness , but his report showed that Bro . C Bennion , Prov . G . Treas ., the Provincial Charity Steward , had collected £ 419 9 s . 6 d . on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , also that two candidates , viz ., one for the Girls' School and one for the Benevolent Institution , had been elected during the year .

A very hearty vote of thanks was passed to Bro . R . ' V . Vassar-Smith , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M . Gloucestershire , for thc services he had rendered to the province as Secretary of the Western Provinces Charity Association . Bro . W . J . New , P . P . G . W ., was elected Provincial Charity Steward for the year , the Girls' School being the Charity selected .

The report on the " Kelly Memorial Fund" showed £ 303 invested , and £ 87 17 s . 6 d . in bank on the Capital Account , and , £ 38 8 s . ud . in bank on the Relief Account , and the hope was expressed that much greater interest would be shown in the fund , both on the part of the lodges and the brethren generally . Bro . B . A . Smith , M . A ., L . L . M ., P . P . G . W ., who for 13 years had most ably discharged the editorial duties of the Provincial Calendar , was compelled to relinquish the work , and Bro . Rev . H . S . Biggs , B . A ., P . P . G . Chap ., was elected to succeed him .

Bro . J . Herbert Marshall , P . P . G . W ., in the name of the province , presented to Bro . S . S . Partridge , P . A . G . D . C , D . P . G . M ., a portrait of himself , painted by A . Hacker , A . R . A ., and which was hung in the Academy this year ; also , on behalf of Prov . G . Lodge , with a silver salver and address .

In making these presentations , Bro . MARSHALL expressed his personal regret , which he was sure would be shared by all present , at the unavoidable absence of the Prov . G . Master , who , at the last moment , found it impossible to be present . Bro . Marshall spoke of the great skill and assiduitv with which for more than * o vears Bro . Partridce had dischnrorpH

the onerous duties of high provincial offices , and particularly mentioned the many years during which Bro . Partridge had been editor of the Provincial Calendar , Secretary of the Province , and Deputy Prov . Grand Master . He spoke of Bro . Partridge ' s regular attendance at the various lodges , and the willingness and efficiency with which he , at all times , performed any part of the work . No ceremony was