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activity. The fight now will be between the big American trusts and the solid English combines for the domination of the trading market of the world. That fight has already started in more than one branch, and the tobacco war, with its striking incidents, is an example of it which every one knows and follows with deep interest. Is it not quite natural to imagine that this fight will end in the union of both rival parties; that is to say, in the formation of one big Anglo-American trust under the leadership of the ablest and wealthiest men on both sides of the Atlantic-a trust which will control the whole business of one branch of trade and through its overwhelming power dominate the whole world in that particular branch? And if all the different branches of commerce and industry come in the same way to the same understanding, will not Cecil Rhodes' so-called dream have become a reality, that is to say, the complete reunion of all English-speaking countries under the leadership of a sort of governing society, composed of the men of strong brains and immense wealth (Lord Rosebery advocated in one of his speeches a cabinet composed of Messrs. Carnegie, J. Pierpont Morgan, Sir Thomas Lipton and others!)? Such a reunion would have all possible chance of governing the whole world, and if the Latin, Slav, or yellow races were to fight it by uniting themselves, why not conceive the end of all fight in one single combination establishing peace forever all over the world?

from the existing state of affairs, and at present we are still confined within the period of fights between the different countries, and this period is likely to last for some time to come. The English commercial world is making ready for the fight against what has been called the American invasion. Combines are organizing themselves, uniting in the same hands as much capital as possible, for pounds and dollars are the best weapons in the coming struggle. Englishmen of brains and influence go over to the States to study the American methods, to try to discover the real cause of American rapid successes, and come back eager to infuse English business men with the new ideas. "Wake up!" is the general cry. Sir Christopher

Furness, M. P., has cried it out on his return from the States. Mr. W. Abraham, another M. P., has uttered the same exclamation after having visited America, and all are full of confidence. in the final and triumphant awakening of John Bull.

The approaching coronation festivities are acting everywhere as a strong stimulant to renewed activity. England wishes to be seen at her best in every possible way during the next month of June, and every one who follows the development of English activity feels sure that the United Kingdom will make a very strong and very grand show. The whole empire will really stand in all its power and pomp, and will certainly not lack in impressive grandeur. The difficulty is not to lose sight of the real and grand mean

This, of course, takes us rather far ing of the show amidst all the details

that catch our eyes or our thoughts. There are too many "coronation things" all over London, in all the shops, in all the public places; too much space is devoted in all the papers to mere details about the different ceremonies, and we really get lost. among all these trifles. From time to time we have to throw the "coronation articles" away, to shut our eyes to the decorations which begin to invade the streets, and to turn away our heads from the coronation robes and hats exhibited in Regent Street and Piccadilly (and how gladly we do, for alas! these heavy red velvet dresses, with the strangely cut white front, the no less heavy court mantles, also of red velvet; the red, round, and two or three cocked hats in black and gold, are really too sadly ugly, and make us think of a comic masquerade!) We can then feel deeply impressed by the real grand meaning of the coming celebration. Few people seem to know what the coronation means, and are rather startled when told that on the coronation day they will really make use, through their authorized representatives, of one of their highest privileges, that is to say, the right to accept or reject the king, who is at the head of the nation. For such is really the political significance of the coronation. During the ceremony the question will be asked of the people present, who represent the subjects of the future monarch, whether or not they are willing to accept the personage presented to them as their ruler; and also the question will be put to Edward VII. as to the manner

in which he will govern, and he will have to take the oath before he receives the crown. As for the religious ceremonies, they are supposed to impart divine grace to the monarch and to bestow upon him a character more sacred than that of the layman. When King John was nominated to succeed his brother, Archbishop Herbert said: "It is well known to you all that no man hath right of succession to this crown except that by unanimous consent of the kingdom, with invocation. of the Holy Ghost, he be elected for his own deserts."

That the historical and philosophical meaning of the coronation should. be more or less lost sight of amid all the spectacular displays of the coming weeks is really no wonder, and we cannot blame the English citizen if he cares little about his traditional rights in the matter. But whether we have or have not to acknowledge that the moral lesson offered by the coronation is of little weight and influence, we must admit that such festivities are useful to the nation, inasmuch as they not only bring all the British subjects in close touch, but also stimulate every one's activity, both in body and mind.

It is, therefore, perhaps a little disappointing to have to state that the literary activity does not seem to have increased under the impulse. Some good books have been published, of course, during the last months, and I intend recommending some of them in one of my next articles, but no real startling work, no book of striking interest such as make a deep impression on a period, has appeared for a good long time.

The London stage has given us a few new plays, but only one of them is of particular interest, and that is "Paolo and Francesca," a tragedy in four acts, by Mr. Stephen Phillips, the successful author of "Ulysses," given at the St. James Theater. I am sorry to have to confess that this tragedy, with the natural poetry which the well-known story gives to it, and which is increased by some very pretty passages in the English text, with the charm of a fascinating love story which has moved all of us to tears when first read in Italian, with the beauty of the scenery, of the costumes, of the whole staging, has not made upon me the impression I expected it would, and has left me unmoved. Ary Scheffer's beautiful picture of Paolo and Francesca floating in Hades impresses me far more whenever I see it than Mr. Phillips' four acts did. It is rather difficult to explain the impression which, I hear, prevails quite generally. Perhaps it is that the principal personage in the drama is neither Francesca nor Paolo, the only two which we really know, but the humpbacked and limping Giovanni, the husband, the cruel murderer of youth and love, whom we have been used to hate. Perhaps, also, it is that Giovanni, the tyrant of Rimini, attracts our sympathy by gentle manners which we do not expect from him, by a certain poetical turn of mind, above all by his deep and profound love for his younger brother, and the entire confidence he keeps so long in him. We begin to feel sorry for the poor, betrayed tyrant; we resent the betrayal, and lose

the sympathy we felt at first ready to give to the young lovers. We ought to approve of the motto, "Youth goes toward youth," and yet when Mr. George Alexander says it with such deep sorrow, such intense feeling of misery, we regret that the motto is true, and our sympathy goes all to Giovanni. The performance is, nevertheless, most interesting, and a true sense of delicate and refined art reigns all through it, which gives much credit both to the poet and to his chief interpreter, Mr. Alexander, who has made a very striking and powerful impersonation of the tyrant of Rimini.

The Prince of Wales' Theater is giving every night a comedy by Mr. Arthur Law, entitled, "A Country Mouse." That Mr. Law possesses a great deal of dramatic ability, that his dialogue is often clever and witty, his irony sharp and to the point, his personages are very up to date, perhaps a little too much of it, nobody will contest. That Miss Annie Hughes displays great ability in the part of the young girl from the country, who is supposed to know nothing about life and society, and with a delightful mask of innocence plays with the nasty men who run after her, and gets an old roue, the Duke of St. Kitts, to marry her, is another acknowledged fact. But the audience also has to agree that all these people are too nasty a lot to be of much interest, that the man who pays attention only to married women is really objectionable in his ways, and that the whole plot does not catch us very effectively. And yet we all laughed a good deal,

and this is a great compliment to the and of Miss Kate Phillips, will not author.

"The Princess's Nose," played at the Duke of York's Theater, is not by far as good as some of Mr. Henry Arthur Jones' other plays, and it has been a decided disappointment, though Mr. H. B. Irving plays very well the part of the French prince, and Miss Irene Vanbrugh very effectively the part of his wife, who forgives everything to her husband because the woman he was flirting with, and for whom he was ready to leave his home and his wife, has broken her nose in a motor-car accident. The wife's nose had always been rather jealous of other noses, and is delighted at the mishap! Lucky wife, and not less lucky husband (though he does not deserve such luck).

The Avenue Theater has given lately one of the best adaptations of a French farce that I have ever seen. And yet I am afraid "The Little French Milliner," notwithstanding the good acting of Mr. Herbert Vyvyan

meet with great success. These French farces are like high flavored game. You cannot swallow them without a good deal of red pepper, piment, and strong sauce, but with all these accompaniments they are excellent, and we take them with a wide smile. But how can you expect an English audience to enjoy the bird alone, without the strong seasoning? And if English stomachs are not strong enough for such seasoning, would it not be better not to offer them the bird at all?

At Drury Lane, "Ben Hur," which all of my American readers have, of course, seen, is meeting with very great success. Such success is well deserved, as immense efforts have been made to make the play a marvelous spectacular show, and such ef-. forts have entirely succeeded. Long life is assured to "Ben Hur," and the chariot race will be one of the features of the coronation period.

London, April 12, 1902.

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