Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

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oi the early 'eighties often shov/s a frt nkness a^c ch.- rm which
compensate for the efforts at self-perfection. In 1L#3 she
wrote to tell Winter of the plcy sr.e had been sent by Oscar
Wilde, The Duchess of Pedua. The play must be declined, on
the grounds that "crime IG its sole aspect":
and I cannot deal with crime even in an artistic
way, at least not yet.^
In the published writing, such an admission would have b,en
made as a claim that crime was beneath Miss Anerson*s dignity,
rather th&n out of her range.
After her arrival in Liverpool, Mory Anderson *u d m; de
a pilgrimr>ge to Str tford. In A.ondon she toade preparations
for the coming season, and decided to open with Partbenia,
in Mrs* Lovell*s In^o.aar the Barbarian - it \a-s t sir:, 'le
part, and in it she "could not chc>llenj_,e comparison v/ith
any English favourites" (A Few Memories* p,137)« On August
29 she wrote to winter that despite "struggles" she had brought
hex "artistic rsGociates" round to her "way of thinking":
They havo giveu up pesterin^ me about being
patronized by some gre^t lord or lady - etc.
- etc. - I hcve absolutely refused all invitr tioas
- and wuen esked i;hy I GO so I say I In ve ^ot
come to London for social success but hope forthet
some yo rs hence .;hen I hcve deserved it - tLe
people thc't I hive net are charming - PC everywhere
there are sone scr nc oliters ;,hj have no
respect even for the dead but these poor v.rotches
are or.,ily avoided.^
Araon^-, the "ortistic rs^ociates" w«-u Lei/is Strange ..ingfield.
In September U;3 M; ry Anderson took up residence in f.tiaci
Vale, vulsero the designer had livua since his return irjn
Paris in 1&71 L . In a letter received by willirn ..inter on
September 21 she wrote:
...as for Lev/is Uin^field you tolc mo not: in,^ of him,
and he has been engr^ed - e :d in fact V.TS in our
dr;win c roon talking over the I .p.'- ;• r dresses (; hich
t-re beoutiful) \:l