Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. I
General
Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. I
Parodies
"SIR,--In reply to Mr. Hermann Vezin's letter, which appears in your
issue of to-day, may I be allowed to make a few remarks? He says
that on the first night 'some one started a hiss, which soon grew
into a storm,' &c., and he continues to say, 'it is to be presumed
that this opposition came from professing orthodox Christian
people. On the third night the Marquis of Queensberry, a professed
Freethinker, rose in his stall, and loudly protested against what he
considered a caricature of his own sect.' Not a caricature against
my own sect, Sir, which is Secularism, but against an infamous libel
to the whole body of people who have been designated by that name
of Freethinkers. Mr. Hermann Vezin says, here we have a curious
spectacle of the most outspoken opposition from both extremes, and
that neither party has quite caught Mr. Tennyson's meaning. Whether
two separate parties spoke (or only one, as I expect is the case)
it would be as well if Mr. Tennyson himself would explain what his
meaning is; for, coming so soon after the poem, which he issued to
the public a short time ago, entitled 'Despair,' we Freethinkers
can have but one opinion as to what his meaning is, and that is to
caricature and to misrepresent what the outcome of freethought has
led to in its secession from orthodoxy. My object the other night
in causing an 'interruption' at the theatre was not only to make
a public protest against the supposed sentiments of a Freethinker
(on marriage), but to attract public attention to that protest,
and I consider that the end justified the means, considering
the difficulty that we have in getting a hearing from those who
oppose us, and not only who oppose us, but who misrepresent us.
Freethinkers may not be satisfied with the present marriage law--as
I explained the other day in my letter to the _Daily News_--but that
is no reason that they should not respect marriage, and we cannot be
attacked on a more tender point, from the very delicacy there is to
speak on the subject.--Yours faithfully,
"QUEENSBERRY.
"45, Half Moon-street, Piccadilly, November 20, 1882."
This led to a discussion in the newspapers on Tennyson's muddled
metaphysics and absurd theories; public curiosity was thus aroused, and
the management was enabled to run the play much longer than could have
been expected from its original reception.
_Punch_ (November 25, 1882) had a long and elaborate criticism of the
play, giving a humorous analysis of the plot. The opening and closing
paragraphs are much to the point, especially as they include two amusing
parodies.
NEITHER RHYME NOR REASON;
_Or, Promise of May, and Performance of November at the Globe._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account