The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-12-02

DRAMATIC LITERATURE IN THE METROPOLIS
Another new play is TO be produced al the National
Theatre tonight. II is entitled "Nature's Noble
man, the Mechanic; or, the Ship Carpenter of
New York" Probably, it is of that class of dramas
OF local character, which seldom fail TO interest
the masses, and the moral tendency of which, with
some few exceptions, is creditabe to the stage.
Local dramas, however, are scarcely ever of very
high pOetical character. The poet has said it is
distance that lends enchantment to the view, and
this is as true of the of the theatre, as it is Of
nature itself Shakespeare failed in his " Yorkshire
Tragedy" because he seized upon an event in his
own times out of which TO construct plot for
serious play. Had he written a comedy, the scene
laid in his own times, he would have been more
successful. Nothing is severe and serious in life,
except the past, and TO that the draiatic poet can
alone address himself with the hope of an adequate
reward for his labor An American play, founded
on an American subject, therefore, must be dan
gerous experiment. The heroes of the revolution,
in hair powder and small clothes, might interest a
few persons, but our people are not sufficiently
imaginative in their organization to give the poet
fair chance with such characters. They would
reduce everything to the stature of the common
histories OF American persons and events. In the
next century, perhaps, there may be chance for
an American dramatist, where one cannot now
hope to prosper
Within the past year, the theatrical managers
OF the metropolis have produced several new plays
by our own authors. number of these produc-
tons have been received with degree of popular
favor that ought to convince the judgment that
the only way TO keep the American stage alive is
to persist in the experiment Nine-tenths of the
English plays produced here have little or no
merit, and are scarcely understood, while they are
permitted to pass without word of criticism. An
American play has no such enity, but is forced
through an ordeal at once severe and wholesome,
however unjust on the part of those who affect to
be judges of the purposes of a dramatist.
Among the local dramas of the last year, the
most profitable one has been "The Drunkard''-
which has yielded to the managers of the United
States about fifty thousand dollars of clear profit
The author has received fifty dollars for his labor
and is an amiable, modest and Industrious man,
with large and interesting family, highly gifted
with talent, and depending solely upon his pen.
Sequesered in the shades of Yorkville, he is now
in the certain receipt only of dollar per week
a sad comment on the success of modest merit, and
areproach upon those who have thriven by ais
genius, more expressive than complaints II mana
gers even were bound TO give worthy author
benefit, Mr.. William Comstock is entitled to it
and those who have CLEANED abundanty from his
mind should not forget his claims, independent of
his necessities. His history is of self denial of
industry, of unpretending intellect.
"The Fortune Hunter" ofMr John BroughaYn-
Extremes" five act comedy by an unknown
author-both produced at the Broadway Theatre
were successful. The latter was performed for a
great number of nights-was local in its character,
and might have been represented, with profit
month or two longer, had not certain engagements
ihtefered to stay its progress. :" The Female For
ty Thieves buresque, produced at the Nation
al Theatre, ran two or three months.
Mr.. Buchanan produced Roman tragedy at the
Astor Place Opera House, az the close of last sum-
mer, and performed it every night of his engage
ment. twas the history of Cecnna," and is
historical in every particular of its plot. All the
characters, too, are found in history. The author
ought TO have done better with such a subject.
There are many scenes which might have been
more effectively constructed, and one, IL is said,
knows better than the author himself it's de6cen-
cies. Several journals expressed the opinion that
ii has not one redeeming quality. How far they
are correct, time will determine. II the manuscript
should be good for nothing else eventually, it may
that it is still performed in the Southern cities
At the Bowery Theatre, Mr.. Hamblin has ex-
erted himself to produce plays suited TO that estab
lishment, and during the year past has given the
public one or two very interesting and well written
American productions-besides placing " The
DrunkErd" upon his stage. We believe "The
Avenger," now performed there, is entitled to be
ranked in the list Of our American dramas.
hoe s,,etk ad
way Theatre" The Be,rothal''-isa highly meri-
torious production. 1, was written by Boxer, Of
Philadelphia, whs has brought into action mind
stored with fresh fancies, end balanced by UNI
common judgment His play was worthy Of being
performed a hundred nights in succession, and
were it not that managers have destroyed nearly
all the confidence Of the public, by palming of
trash and fustian, there might have been greater
measure of curiosity TO do justice TO capital pro-
duciion. In giving such work to the public, an
atonemcnt for past sins Of omission and commits
sion has been commenced, and we hope that the
good work will 90 on till the stage Is redeemed
from the disgraceful evils with which it has been
too long afflicted.
In connexion with this subject. we are grathed
to state that a Committee Of the Senate of the
United States will soon be engaged in amending
the copyright law, with respect to dramatic pro-
ductions. At present, the public have no opportu-
NIFTY Of reading "The BeHothal," " Cncinna,"
Extremes" "Kate Woodruff" or any Of Sill
verquill's clever productions, now in manuscript,
Durham" Urban Grandier," and other Amer
lean plays, well known in literary circles. The
moment that an author prints his works, managers
can use them, without paying cent; and, even
where work has been performed, IL has been
ruled in our courts that the performance is a vr-
tual publication, Of which any petty, stingy
manager may take advantage, II he chooses
to take a play down in short hand and pro-
duce it. What is required is an act of Con.
| gress which will permit an author to print