Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-05-25
To THE Error CO TIE Esau1aEn-
SIR

The proposal lately published in your
pepper, for the erection Of Theatre in the City OF
Richmond, is exciting considerable discussion in all
the variety Of circles of which society compo-
sed and has at length become the subject of ulpit
dcRRnciG.ion. Having acquired tits IMPORTANCE,
trust you will not exclude from your columns the
tooS ing observations, written with ne other view
than t. dciend those persons from unmeritcd re-
proaeh, who have advocated the project and to ex-
plain their sentiments y opinions You will doubtless
aeSuicsce in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT this request, when
you reject, that the advocates OF Theatre, O.
whom Iproiess Myself to be one, have no other
means left them TO the otium attempted 10
be cast upon their motives, than by resorting to
free and untettered press il! this attack could be
repeliedin whatever place It is made. there would
be no occasion for asking this Indulgence bat, Sir
there is something deservedly sacred in the pull
pit, that hope the time is far distant, when any
but its ministers VIII dare to make il Theatre
TO: moral and literary discussion.
The drama may be considered in two points Of
vlew-trst, as an absolute good and secondly, as a
succedaneum for greater evils. Many are dispos-
ell e. support 1t ON the last confederation who en-
terrain considerable doubts about the frst-Yet it
has, under some form or other, in all cip,Hzed
countries and in every age, been cultivated not only
asa rational and polite amusement, but as a serious
art, affecting the moral conduct of men, aud infu-
encing the condition Of society" Men of exalted
talents " otthe most exemplary fdcty, have aeknow-
iNuSSu ITO oCHeHlS COuQ!DuIeI TO Us powers OF
instruction. Among these may be reckoned Add.
son, aud Johnson, and Milton, and Home, and
Thompson, besides many others, to who's. efforts
the cause OF truth, morality and religion are qt least
under AS many Obligations 10 any tigh-laced re-
former OF the present day. In the gath No of the
IGttlCr, the author rema ks that after endeayour-
my to recOiect what passages had left the STRONGEST
impressions upon his mind, he is convinced that the
impulses he had received from theatrical repressn
tatons were the Seliest and most lasting--that al
ter play, he never failed to come home full of
such IDEAS as affected his behaviour and made him
nsensibly more courteous and humane TO his lends
undergraduates, and concludes by observing that
1t IS not the business OF good play to make every
man an hero but it certainly gives him a HueLey
sense OF virtue and merit than lac had when he en-
tered the Theatre. - This great and venerable
authority is confirmed by the expe iance of ali man
kind, with the exception Of few over rigid moral
lists, 40, like the French author that en,Ieavoured
to affiS upon C0rneile the irnputaton ola profape
aud antichristias spirit love to coojure up hideous
sPectres IN every InnOceat amusement and every IL
terary qualification. "The improvement Of man
ners, the regulation Of social Intercourse the SUBJ
lection efvcious conduct to the lash of namy" are
among the benefits acknowledged to result from
theatrical representations. 1t is moreover school
where we may Obtain all the advantages of expe-
Renee without its difficulties or dangers. Every
character is shewn in its true and proper coo,,rs
Avarice, and pride, and aficcation, and ambition,
aud Jealousy, and hypocrisy, are all unmarked and
pass naked IN review before ug--During single
representation, we learn lessons for the regulation
OF our future conduct IL life, which, to have learn
Ell in any other manner, might have costus many
bitter moment. We brought acquainted TOO
with the manners, ard customs, and fasiar habits
Of man in different ages of the world, little exag.
gerated perhaps but still having enough Of rese.Y-
banee to afford us much useful and necessary in
formatOn--At the same time we have generally
the satisfaction OF bvoding the punishment of vice
ard the triumph Of virtue, whilst the scenes thru
which they struggle are continually calling out ot,r
moral impressions aud exercising our moral inhg
ments-ln short, the purpose OF playing both at
the first and now, and is TO hold the mirror IN
TO nature, to shew virtue her own GESTURE, scorn
her own image, and the very age and body Of the
time his form and pressure" The ancient scenic
representations, were ola very diff, rent character
and introduced Cor fer different purposes-They
were desergediy condemnedb by the Fathers Of the
Primitive Church, and we're equally Reproduced by
the heather philosophers of the age-So upon the
revys Of the drama in modern tnes, its lcentious-
ness lowing to causes which it would be useless to
explan,) subjected It 20 the Just reproaches of En-
glisli divncs and norsIists But every candid per-
will allow that this error has been long since in
great measure corrected, and that the Stage hos
eoniormed, As indeed it must always do, 10 the
more decent manners ofthe age, and the taste of
the Audience. Il that taste pure add correct the
Theatre IS powerful auxiliary to its preservation
and extension otherwise, leads inseoSbly to its
improvement.