Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-09
ALEXANDRIA,:
FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY 9, 1885,

FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY 8, 1885,
The people ofthis country are too apt to make
themselves ridiculous in the eyes Of the world,
and give pain and modification to the reflect.
ing and intelligent Of our own citizens, by their
indiscriminate adulation to. and praise Of everv
person and thing Of foreign origin, that may
have received the encomum of foreign critics.
Nor do they stop even there. Frequently an
importance is given or attached TO foreign ad.
venturers, which they never attempted to as.
sumo themselves, which they know they are not
entitled to, and which nothing that has been said
or transpired abroad could possibly inducel
This propensity-for so common have these
things become, that we may be allowed to call
il propensity-has shown itself remarkably in
the case of foreign stage players We remem.
Der, year or two ago, that the city-of New.
York was convulsed in consequence Of the re.
ported language ofan English actor, named An
derson. Kean, we know, was the cause Of ma.
ny disgraceful riots. The Kembles threw the
country off its poise with the intoxica.on Of de-
light. Knowles has been feasted from one end
of the country to the other. These we mention,
in no spirit Of unkindness or dsrespect to the
last named gentleman, certainly-for whose II.
terary talents we entertain the highest respect
but to show the extravagant height to which
praise or censure is carried, in the case of per-
sons whose situation does not enttle them to
national distinction, ifthe phrase can be used in
such connection. II too frequently happens
that the courtesy and kindness extended by A.
mericans to cracked up foreigners, are repaid
with contumely and reproach on their part
The cause of this is to be found in the very thing
Of which we complain, and in the fact, that &C.
nuine gratitude and true poteness are not ne.
cessarly or generally connected with the cha
racters of persons in their particular condition
For our parts, We think it highly unbecomng
the national character, to make Nmore ado" a.
bout this description Of persons, than is appro.
pirate to the parts they play in the drama ofhu-
man life-a figure which comes apropos consi.
derng those Of whom we are speaking. 1t
would be well, hereafter should an accomplish.
ed English actress, accompanied by her father,
who may happen to be not very accomplished
English actor. come to visit US, that not quite so
much should be said and done, publicly and pri.
vately. to give eminence, eclat, and importance
to the actress and actor, apart from their pro-
fesSional Iabors and merit. II would be we'll,
hereafter, to treat with silent contempt, rather
than uproarious Indignation, the idle words ola
strolling British player. 1t would be well, here
after, that the private character of such man,
however high he may be in his profession, should
not be made the cause Of popular disturbance;
and so We might run on to the end of the chapter
-gvnglessons of excellent advice for the future.
derived from the inconsidera'e folIies and errors
of the past. If these remarks could arrest the
attention ofthat portion of the public heretofore
mised into the propensity OF which we CON-
plain, and which il is our desire to rebuke, and
induce them to reflect upon the subject, our OBJ
ject will he accomplished, for then our end will
be gained