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

73
Phenyl had. inherited a fortune which is lost in the failure.
Consequently Mrs Gilfillian and Minnie are impoverished, and
take up temporary residence in the rooms. So does the shocked
and ailing Wedderburn. By the end of the play Minnie has
decided to accept the proposals of Horace Bream, Lavender
returns from her exile, Wodd rburn 's creditors release him
from his most crushing obligations (thanks to Phenyl, who is
chief creditor). Everyone is the better for their experience,
especially !>rs Gilfillian, who was dragonish in the days of
her wealth and is now gentle and affectionate. We L re not
told tacit V/edderburn will marry Ruth - indeed he yromices
never to reveal Lavender *,s origin.
The plot is entirely conventional, an optimistic picture
of what ought to happen in the circumstances, rather t/u.n
what ni^ht. For Wedderburn to marry his mistress v/oulcl be
unacceptable? for Dick Phenyl to renounce his claims on ,Yedderburn
for the sake of the failed banker and his relations is
praiseworthy and, in the play's terms, probable; that Mrs
Gilfillian should be chastened into humanity is in accordance
v.ith tho best Hobertsonian virtues. Scott, an ard, nt supporter
of those moral standards and t -.ic achievements of Tom Robert son,
found plenty to appeal to hio susceptibilities. The play uses
aorrlity, rat -LOT than submits io to any scrutiny.
v/hen Sweet Lavender waa published by Ileineman in 1093,
as one of a series of Pinero'e /Layo, it appeared with a
preface disclaiming any serious intention:
The very simplicity and impretmtiousness of
this doaustic comedy have app.-ron-ly disarmed
any antagonistic criticism which might have "been
expected fron thoce.critics of cynical temper
and pessimistic mood who are wont to look for
the stern realities of life cvon in tae most
our osely genial of theatrical entertainments.
The author "rwo\vedly cesi^ed the dece as a pleasant enter
tc.iiL-uent", and \vc-.s content to hrive it rer;rr^ed as "a sort of
modern fairy-tale ratlier than actual and realistic study of
life" . This ic not quite in accord r;itii the -olay's description
in the programmes (and in its printed text) cs "an origin, 1
domestic drr.raa", which suggests more strenuous ar/bition. viic
"Caotious Critic" of The Illustrated Snorting and r; w tic
ITovvc took the point up: