A CLEVER SATIRE PRESENTED

In some ways this is the critical year of the Harvard Dramatic Club. The victorious energy of the enthusiasm which creates such an organization is not unlikely to spend itself in the efforts of the first year or two; and when the impetus of novelty has gone, is liable to fall. But such fears with respect to the Dramatic Club will beset no one who last evening witnessed the performance of "The Progress of Mrs. Alexander." To make a Cambridge audience laugh at anything heartily means success. To make it shout with laughter at some things that are dear to it, is a triumph; and this "The Progress of Mrs. Alexander" achieved. That the absurdities of western and of Newport society should amuse those present is not surprising. The real power of Miss Stanwood over her audience was shown by the fact that the nearer she touched the local state of mind the more her satire was relished. For the nonce everyone seemed to change his daily point of view and to respond to the wish:

"Ship me west of Massachusetts

Where the worst is like the best,

where there ain't no Copley portraits

And a man may wear a vest!"

The satire is always kindly, and usually illuminating. A captious critic might wish that some of the more obvious and familiar jests, like those concerning baked beans and squirrels with unfinished tails had been omitted; but this would only be because the merits of the old wit had been dimmed by the new. The thoughts that flow like the Charles River, the feather boa with which Boston can see nothing the matter because "It's the same that she's always worn," "the Unitarian who cannot be effectually told to go to the devil," the ghosts of the Beacon Hill mansion who will speak only to legitimate descendants, the "not perceptibly running" Cambridge cars, and the undergraduate who likewise was "not perceptibly" attending Professor Winthrop's course--these hits will not soon be forgotten. When in addition it can be truly said that the plot,--in even the best of comedies of manners likely to be weak,--is sufficiently plausible and decidedly interesting; it is obvious that Miss Stanwood fully deserves the great applause which she received.

Mrs. Howe played the difficult part of Mrs. Alexander-Smith deftly; the manner in which she gazed after the guest who first put the thought of Newport into her mind, and the pretty and yet commanding petulance with which she managed her dependents, including her husband, were admirable. Mr. Duncan. as the impudent undergraduate "with occasional gleams of intelligence," was noteworthy: and so were the footmen and the buttons, Messrs. Lord, Hodges, and Hackes. The Misses MacKaye and Clark played the ladies from Everywhere and from Breezeboro with convincing ease. Professor Winthrop, a part easily overacted, was presented by Mr. S. A. Eliot with most delicate skill. Take it all in all. it was a delightful evening and should place the Harvard Dramatic Club in the first rank among those organizations which are worthy to bear the name of the University, and with which it is a real distinction to be associated.  ERNEST BERNBAUM.

Second Cambridge Performance at 8.15.

The second performance of the play will be given in Brattle Hall this evening at 8.15. Tickets at $1.50 and $1 may be purchased at Herrick's, the branch store of the Co-operative, at the door of Brattle Hall tonight and from H. R. Bowser '12, Randolph 55. The third and last performance of the play will be given in Jordan Hall, Boston, on Friday evening