The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

the prominence they have given the ballet, and specially by persisting
in making so conspicuous the offensive postnrings and attitudinising's
which we have pointed out. We care not what may be done in the
theatres of other great towns ; that is nothing to us, and should be
nothing to them. They have frightened, we affi-m, many patrons be-
longing to thewore respectable classes, who might hay, dropp:d in of
an evening, attracted by some pleasant c )medy, or to e a a the'x
memories .4y s,-asing a favourite drama well 1-rerfor,nf.-1.
upon whose good ()platen or forbearance iil9 theatre in the ultimate
resort is dependent for being permitted to 6.,ist. have been scarced
away by the gilded filthiness of the ballet. It cntrsges decency fort
end, save to tickle the palate of veteran rune's and to enslave and
intoxicate those simple youths who are in the first stages of progress
towards a similar vile maturity. There is nothing beautiful about it.
We apueal to artists of every class whether the dress, attitudes, and
motions of the higher class of dan-seuses are not repugnant to every
canon of art and all good taste. Tilere is as much grace in the figure
of a clown standing on his head or walking on his hands as in the
dress and attitudes of a printi,-re danseuse, while the former has the
advantage of decency. In actual dancing to music there is beauty,
and much pleasure to the onlooker; while it admits of entire modesty
of dress. Why then, taking a mere commonsense view of the subject,
is dancing, which is beautiful and modest, and that ought to be popular,
cast aside to make way for the ballet such as we have described it ?
We cannot account for it save by a hypothesis which we would rather
not state. Meantime, we commend this subject to the attention of
social reformers. Trifling as it may appear, it is really of vast impor-
tance, though mainly as indicating something in the tastes of certain
classes which ought to be carefully watched, and, if only for the sake
of the young and inexperienced, authoritatively checked, at least in the
public mode of gratification which we have felt it oar duty to notice.
—Edinburgh Dail' Express.

The lengthened and elaborate article which we have printed Above
will probably be read with more interest than " heavier" matter
during the presett interregnum of political life. So far as it points
out the advantage to 5:.00d taste which might be gained by the aban-
donment of many_ of the forcedrunnatural, and indecorous postures
into which ballet-dancers are tempted, for, the purpose of displaying
their own perverted skill rather than of
,de7eloping the beauty and
grace of their art, we may express a concur, ence in the opinions o
oar cotemporary. But we cannot agree in many of his assertions and
inferences, nor hesitate to caution readers against the general. eon-
demnation of the ballet which may be thought by many the natural
conclusion arising from his arguments. There lasso reason whatever
why the ballet should not be made to afford a refining and perfectly
nisei jectionable gratification to the spectators in a theatre; nor is this
rendered impossible because the performers cannot execute their art
in the °nine' y' street costume of females. Whatever may be the
character of the `Edinburgh spectators we only say what every one here
can confirm, that the greet majority Of English men and women
who witness the ballet in Leaden and Liverpool, derive from it enjoy-
ment of a perfectly innocent and refined character, the natural result
of any well conducted display of graceful and beautiful attitudes and
motions. That this class of spectators are to be deprived of such a
gratifitistion, or horrified by denunciation of itaininiorality, hecaese
some of the " fast younggentlemen," of whom ourcotemporary speaks,
entry with them to the theatre, as they probably would to the church,
some of the impure feelings which idleness and Ignorance engender,
is a conclusion to which we must altogether object. Probably, everY
art exhibition, where nude statues and pictures are displayed, has
among its spectators some who only go there with such objects, and
are filed with such sensations. Indeed, although our cotemporary

would probably net object to the art of the painter and the sculptor -
expressing itself in its highest form—that of reproducing the human
image—because there are minds incapable of 'appreciating it, every
one must see that many of his arguments can be urged; and have re-
peatedly been urged, against the exhibiticn of some of the very
noblest creations of human genius. Besides theie "fast young men,',
there are also many very well meaning and worthy people, who,being
devoid of any of the imaginative faculties, see everything in its local-
tive and merely outward form. To such persons, a Venus or as Eve
in marb:e is only a nude woman, shocking and depraving.to look
upon—the most graceful positions of the ballet only indecent exhi-
,,,hitions, or the gyrations of an " animated scissors"—the music of
Handel, swelling through the voice of the organ, only the putting of a
“kist whistles"—and so on through all the forms of art and genius,
Such persons, indeed, had better not shock themselves with such
sights and sounds. But we are happy to think, that the great majo-
rity at least of the educated, derive a spiritualising and a moral benefit,
even from the least of these things, which appeal to the sense of.
beauty in the inner life of humanity. On this groand the ballet,
when animated by art, and conducted with taste, may safely. appeal
In itsiolin grade to support and approval. It seems a waste of time
to engage in such elementary arguments ; but we cannot doubt that

many well meaning and intelligent people are too apt to see, as our
cotemporary has done, in their zeal for morality, nothing but evil in
all which does not appear to them to tend directly to the enforcing of
some object or maxim of morality. It moy be safely affirmed, Viet a
too rigid prudery never yet benefitted public morals. "The reign of
the Puritans," says Macaulay, " produced the reign of the harlots." It
is but too well known, that in many small country towns, where ballets
" '

are out of the question, and no theatre ever opened, of a higher Wass
than a showman's booth, the average of morality is no higher that
that of a metropolis, with all its temptations and fascinations*
If too strict a prudery does not always advance morality in those
around, we need not say that it is Just as unsafe, as a testof the puri'y
of its professors. In a certain very famous drama, a professor of
religion is too ranch shocked to be able to rare his pions eyes from
le ground, until a harmless girl has covered her neck to the chin.
Our cote,oporary, who does not objact to knowing something of the
drama, will probably recollect that this severely proper int.ividualy
c.wnckdar4tael his no," ar T • mormrim

THE CAPEECAILZIE.—Specimens cf the capercailzie. or cock of the
wood, are to be seen in the pine forests of Monzie —a bird once extinct
in Scotland, but lately brought over from Norway by th Marquis of
Breadalbane, who preserves them ; and t, ey are now beginning to
spread over the neighboming districts —Perth Courier.
The pantomime of " Little Bo peep" was performed at the Surrey
Music Hall, Sheffield, on Saturday, with extraordinary effects. Mr.
Leopold, the clown, came forward and accused the proprietor of
attempting to " diddle " him out of the proceeds of a benefit, to the
amount of about 171. The audience were constituted a special j try to
try the case, and after hearing both sides, decided against Mr. Yondan,
the proprietor, who consented at once to pay the money, which was
thereupon handed to a friend of the plaintiff's. The proceedings ex-
cited great uproar and confusion.
AN Eescroa's STORY.—It is said that the electors of a parish ten
miles the ether s.de of Crediton met, when they heard there waste be
a contest in the Northern Division, and consulted together as to what
they should do, for they ware a united parish, and like to act in con-
cert. Whom should they vote for? They wet e rather at a loss to
say, till one suggested they should go the parson, and ask how he
Intended to vote. A deputation immediately waited upon his
reverence, and returned with the news that the parson would vote
f. .r Sir stafford NorthcOte. "Oh, if that be so," said the farmers,
we know what we should do—we mast plump for Buller." And
plump for Bailer they did—to a man. This is a pleasing instance of
the correct exercise of the reasoning powers amongst our agricultural
friends.— Western Times.
Tun lAW AT A DEAD STOP.—On Monday last the officers of the
Westminster county Court, armed with a warrant of execution
against Parkinson, the owner of a caravan formerly belonging to Womb-
well's menagerie, proceeded to that vehicle, which was stationed at
Thames Bank, Pimlico. Parkinson, who with his wife and tam ly,
lived in the van, refused to admit the officers, and opsning a window
exhib.ted a large joint of pork and some loaves of bread, stating that
they would do for some days for home consumption. The officers then
moved the van to the County Court auctioneer's premises in Vincent-
square. Here, admission being refused to it unless its living freight
were firat discharged, it was allowed to remain outside, when
the inspector of nuisances took possession of it, and by his orders it
was being removed towards the green-yard, but it had only gone a
few yards when the wheels refused to move, and there the matter—
and the caravan—stands.
THE Deus-Ness OF THE PIT.-120113 than two months have elapsed
sin e the occurrence of that terrible explosion at the Lundhill colliery,
whereby nearly 200 men were swept into eternity at one fell swoop.
But it is only no's that the water, admitted to extinguish the fire, has
been so far removed as to allow the recovery of any considerable
number of the bodies. So decomposed and disfigured are those
hitherto removed, that a committee of medical men have pointed out
the disadvantages of allowing any attempto at recognit on by friends
or relatives. The remains hitherto recovers d present the appearance
of having been subjected to the action of both fire and water, since
the pit was on tire for three daysbefore the water was turned in. An
admirable example, In order to avoid as far as possible the dangers
of naked lights, has been lately set at the Balleawidden mines in
Cornwall, where works have been erected, and apparatus is now being
fitted, :or the purpose of in reducing gas into the pit in piece of
candles. We see no reason why the electric light should not be adapted
to this purpose.—Lancet.
A FASHI3NA BE lAEA t.LTICR. IN N .w OILLRANS.—The commercial
circles of our city have been somewhat excited within a day or two
past by the intelligence of the sudden and unexpected disappearance
of John Oxnard, a well known stock and exchange broker, who left
on Sunday morning's steamer, for Liavannah, taking with him a large
amount, estimated as high as 50,000 dols.—of exchange and promis.
sory notes, obtained from various parties, under the plea that he
could dispose of rh. m fcrthwi th. It is said that he famished his own
checks as security for these sums, knowing that he would have time
to aepart be'cr- their absolute worthlessne-s could be discovered.
The True Delta of last evening says :—He left behind him a console.
tory letter for the swindled pieties, assuring them of ultimate pay-
ment—the matter being merely a question of time—and that they
could better afford to lie Wet of the money thsa-personal friends to
whom he was ineebted, ape whom he felt it a m- tier of honour to

_
pay. Col. John Oxnard kept fine and fast horses, splendid and
fashionable women, lived high, and played high at the clubs and
gambling saloons, and was, in the bigheat sense of the term, a fast
man.—New Orleans Bee.
EDIT,JRS' FICIRTS IN QUINCY, ILLINOIB.—Tbe editors of Qeissay.
Illinois, are never in a very amiable n ood towards each other. The
other day Batiks, the editor of the Heral i, published the editor of
the Republican as a " son of a dog." The editor of the Republican
met the offender, struck him with a " light hi, kory," then closed In
and "put him on his back." Their they were "part. d." The editor
of th?lßepublican comments afterwards thus :—" The editor of the
Herald says that we' are a bigger man' than he. He is, indeed, a
small specimen of humanly if we are. We weighed, at the last
weighing, just 1351 pounds, while the Herald man mast weigh 150 or
163. We are of the Shanghae corder—scant of legs, scant of body,
and perhaps scant: f brains; such a man, In fact, as 1 out Hyers
would look upon with contempt, If the editor of the Herald expects
to make any capital out of anything of this kind he will have to find
it where he and we are not mutually known. The editor of the Herald
says 'hat we were ' three-fourths drunk' when we made the attack
upon him. If we had been' drunk' the other fourth we wonder what
Would have been the result ! The editor of the Herald says that he
tore our under lip nearly off in the encounter we had on Saturday. If
he did we have to announce one of the most remarkably sudden cares
of the age, for from the moment of the affair the wound healed np,
leaving not thefirst sign of a scar."
PAUPER DEroarariosts.—Margaret Ct free, aged 82 years, was
sent here by the parochial authorities of Glasgow, in the steamer
Lynx, on the 18th ult. Superintendent Magee's attendee was
caned to her; she was scarcely able to walk from the effects of old
age and infirmity. She stated her native place was the county
Monaghan, that she had been In Scotland for the last seventeen
years w.th her two so rs, who were employed in public works there ;
they both died, bat on the death of th- last the authorities sent her
to Ireland. Sir, Magee sent her to lodging s where al-. M'Bride
supplied her with breakfast, and brought her in a car to the Ulster
railway, where he pa d her fare to Arm igh, and gave her money to
pty her expenses to her native place. Margaret Daffy, aged 28 years,
was se .t here with her two children, by the authorities of Girvan on
the 17th ult. She had been in years in Scotland. Mr. AV ilride sent
her backto the steamer Lynx, as all her friends were iu Scotland. Th.
following persons were sent by Mr. M'li, ire to England and Scotland
from the 18th to the 22nd nit.: —Two tra lesmen and one woman who
could get no employm,nt here; they were natives of Scotian Three
English tradesmen, who could get no work here, bat were in a state
of destitution ; Mr. M'Bride gave them lodgings far two days, and
sent them in the Semaphore to Liverpool. He also sent ten men,
women, and chi (Ten to Glasgow in the steamer Lynx, in search of
their friends. Bridget Farhat was sent here by .he parochial authorities
of Dumfries on the 26th inst. ; she is about 5o years of age, but was
In Scotland 25 years. She is a widow, and has wo children. Captain
Di'Bride sent her back to Glasgow in the same boat that brought her
kere.—.Belfait News Letter.