taken up with a biography of Cumberland’s life, a discussion of his two portraits, one by Romney, and one by Clover, and by an estimate of his position in English letters. Only twelve pages (pp. 161–175) are dedicated to a consideration of Cumberland’s “Jewish work.” Hence the essay on “Richard Cumberland, Critic and Friend of the Jews” may be regarded as one of the first definite attempts to investigate as completely as present material affords, the Jewish interests of the great playwright.
A word must be said concerning the text of “The Jew” as abridged here by Miss Ernestine P. Franklin. Except for the dialect (which it is urged be omitted in production), the version represents substantially the form of the play as presented by the Confirmants Club on July 15th, and again on November 1st, 1919. The version is admirably suited for presentation by adult as well as by high school groups. The cast of characters in what we are pleased to call “The American Revival of Cumberland’s ‘Jew’” as given at
