New-York daily tribune., 1844-02-23


C. closed Sandy Welsh took the stand, and was
persuading the few who still halted to sign the
pledge, when we were obliged to come away.
Uses and Abuses of the Drama.
A Lecture in defence of the Drama, in reply to
the attacks made upon it by DR.. Beecher and
others, was delivered in the Room of the Society
Library last evening, by THOMAS BARRY, Esq.
stage manager at the Park Mr.. Barry said,
he undertook the task from sense Of duty to his
profession, which had been virtually assailed in
high quarters but he should not initiate the exam.
pie Of opponents of the Drama by using harsh
and opprobrious epithets, which could only initiate
while they could never convince an antagonist.
1t had been asserted that the Theatre was vi
cious institution, and that those who encouraged
it were following a multitude to do evil, support
ing ungodiness, sc. He denied that entirely,
asserting that the evils connected with the Thea
tire were only abuses of thing good in ITSELF
All human institutions were imperfect. Tares
were always found growing with the wheat, and
the garden in which boomed the fairest flowers
was beset with noxous weeds. To destroy the
Theatre on account Of the evils connected with it,
were act not less unreasonable than it would be
to overthrow the Pulpit because many Clergymen
had disgraced their profession, or to annlhllate
the Freedom of the Press because of its numer-
Gus and universally admitted abuses. The Bible
contained no prohibition of Theatrical amuse-
ments, although it was well known that Theatres
existed in the time of Christ and his Apostles. If
the Theatre was the monstrous evil it is alleged
to be by its opponents, how was this silence on
the part Of the carly founders of Christianity to
be accounted for Besides Paul more than once
quoted the language of the stage, which he would
not have been likely to do if he had held the
views of its character which prevail among SO
many Of the clergy of the present day.
The lecturer presented a review of the origin
and yrogress of theatrical entertainments in Chi
na Greece, Rome, Italy and Great Britain, inter
spersed with great variety of biographical facts
and anecdotes concerning actors, authors, and
the patrons of dramatic amusements in all coun-
tries He admitted that the lowest games and
the most icentious exhibitions had often been
witnessed on the stage, but contcndcd that such
abuses had their origin in the general prohigacy
oil the people, and not the legitimate fruits of
dramatic representations. Martin Luther had
sad that the acting Of Comedies was useful on
! many accounts, and ought not TO be abolished
and the authority of Lord Bacon Young, Milton,
DrNJohnson, Walter Scott, &c. was appealed to
in support OF the same doctrines We are willing,
said the lecturer, to be reformed, but we protest
against being destroyed. The course pursued by
those who would abolish the Theatre tended to
the destruction of all Polite Literature, Learning
aud the Arts, and 10 the reign of blind anaticism
and monkish ignorance. He called upon the
Press to aid i'll reforming the abuses of the stage
by AN elevated tone Of criticism. By this and
other means the work could be done, and the
Theatre, instead Of being noxious and loathe
some brothcl, would become school of virtue
and morality
The lecturer, in conclusion, said he would
adopt the sublime words of St. Paul ,-s We are
troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are
perp'exed but not In despair prosecuted, but not
torsaken; cast down, bat not destroyed
Such, in substance, was Mr. Barry's argument
III defence of the stage. As an answer to the
objections entertained by conscientious but liberal
minds against theatrical entertainments, as at
present conducted, it was exceedingly vague and
unsatisfactory. The lecturer, it seemed to us,
rather evaded than met the real points at issue
between the friends and the opponents of the
Theatre, as it is. OF the Theatre as it should
be, we viii speak when we see it.