Manuscripts

Settled on the arm of a fjord cut on the coast of Norway stands the town of Trondhjem. Hidden in the dark dust of archives of the Association of Science in this town, lay for many years a manuscript. Last week it came to light: a rough copy in verse of Love's Comedy--second important play of the greatest of modern dramatists, Henrik Ibsen.

The manuscript of the second play of Oscar O'Flahertie Wills Wilde came to light, too, last week. The Duchess of Padua, written about 1883 for Mary Anderson (but never acted by her) lay for many years on a printer's shelf in Bloomsbury, London. The printer's son slid it into a nook in his library; forgot about it. Last year the printer's son happened to mention the manuscript to Mitchell Kennerley, President of the Anderson Galleries, Manhattan. Followed desperate excitement on the part of Mr. Kennerley; a desperate search by the printer's son of his London and New York homes for the manuscript; finally discovery at his English country place. There are 226 faintly yellowed pages in Wilde's exquisite script. The printer's son is George Arliss, famed actor.*

*Came to America to Play Zakuri in The Darling of the Gods with Blanche Bates in 1902; with Mrs. Fiske in Becky Sharp, Hedda Gabler, etc.; Disraeli in Disraeli, 1911-15; the Rajah in The Green Goddess, 1921; Sylvanus Heythorp in Old English, 1924.