"COX AND BOX."
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."
Sra.—With the " piece of musical fooling which, in the opinion of many competent judges, Sullivan himself never surpassed," as " C. L. G." writes in the Spectator of December 29th, I am sorry not to see my name associated, feeling sure that the composition of this operetta. Cox and Box, was the starting- point of his successful career. Sir Arthur and myself had together witnessed a private performance of Offenbach's Les Deux Aveuglee, rendered by George Du Manrier and Harold Power, at one of the delightful " Moray Minstrel " gatherings ch.ez Arthur Lewis. Wishing to present something novel to my guests at a musical and dramatic supper-party at my own house, the notion suddenly occurred to me of turning our dear old friend (Maddison Morton's) Box and Cox into an opera. Years before, as a boy, I had come across the title burlesquely Italianised by Albert Smith as a foggestion, I fancy, for the opera season at Covent Garden or Her Majesty's. Here was the opportunity. Meeting Arthur Sullivan in Bond Street, I confided to him the "happy thought." He took to it enthusiastically. We had about three weeks before us for carrying out the design. I went to work at once ; topsy- turvied Box and Cox into Cox and Box, and metamorphosed " Mrs. Bouncer " into Sergeant Bouncer, so as to give an opportunity for a martial air. I took my " words," as each of the " numbers " was finished, to Arthur Sullivan, who lived at that time close at hand ; and in a very few days his work was completed. Then came rehearsals, always at my house. The operetta was performed for the first time by Messrs. George Du Maurier (Box), Harold Power (Cox), and Johnnie Forster (Bouncer), at a late hour, 11.30, to suit the convenience of many of my " professional " guests (among whom were þ and Buokstone) who came straight from the theatre to Belgrave Road. The representation was a genuine success. It made a great hit. When the " Triumvirate" operetta was selected for the Punch performance at the Adelphi Theatre (for the " Bennett Benefit Fund "), Arthur Sullivan at the last moment wrote an overture for it. When it achieved public success, and we began to receive fees for its performance, the author of the original farce, Maddison Morton, was of course taken into partnership in this " going concern,"—a curious literary, musical. and dramatic history, by the way, as Maddison Morton had concocted his capital farce out of three light French pieces (1 have two of them at hand), from one of which some of the quaintly humorous dialogue was taken bodily for active service in Box and Cox.—I am, Sir, &c.,
F. C. BURNAND.
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