"The Ne’er-Do-Weel."  Sunday Times, March 10, 1878, issue 2865, p. 3.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SUNDAY TIMES."

Sir,— In your issue of to-day you state that Mr. Sothern was so dissatisfied with his bargain in respect to The Ne’er-do-Weel that he declined to act in it.  This does not state the case quite fairly.  I have letters from Mr. Sothern, in which he expresses himself in very complimentary terms as to the general merits of the piece.  He feared, however, that the part of Jeffery Rollestone was not suited to him, and in that opinion I am bound to say I concurred.  I may add that, in consequence of the failure of the piece, I have offered to return a thousand guineas to Mr. Sothern, and I have, as a matter of course, offered to release Mr. Barker from his engagement to produce it in the provinces.  Mr. Barker, however, has high faith in the probable success of the re-written and re-constructed version of the piece, and he intends to produce it in the provinces, in accordance with the terms of his original agreement. — I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

W.S. GILBERT.

3rd March, 1878.

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