The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-21

IcoaRsspoHpEsox or rHs xKruBLIc.l
Mr.. Keiiogg- Chavlestoss Steam Pdckef-NetD use q
the TslsgTaph-Forsis,s Embellishments 10 Ansri-
can Books-Ship building and Machinery for
Steamers.
NEW YoRg, Nov. Is, 1850.
Among the passengers in the Baltic for Liver
pool was Day Otis Kellogg, Esq, formerly Mayor
Of Troy. and recently appointed consul of the Uni
ted States at Glasgow. 1t is not probable that
filter appointment than that Of Mr.. Kellogg VIII
soon be made He is gentleman of hne talents
an experienced merchant, and has always been an
active. sound and reliable Wing. He will do honor
to the country in the poet TO which he has been up
pointed.
There il now running = regular packet between
this port and Charleston, South Carolina, steam
ship of large size, that was built on Lake Ontario
and intended originally TO be sent to California.
One of our large manufacturing establishments
that has an Office down town, about two miles from
the principal mandatory, has established pri-
vate magnetic telegraph between the two, by which
good deal of time aud trouble saved in the
transmission of orders to and fro. The expense of
this private telegraph is said to be very triing,
much together for all practical purposes, though
they were under one roof 1t strikes me that it
would be an excellent plan to connect the Capitol
with the offices, and the Presidents House, at the
other end of Penns ylvania avenue by similar con-
trivance.
In remarking in one OF my letters on the Amer
lean books that were embellished In Europe for lack
of artistic resources at home might have mention
ed that the authors Of three peculiarly national
works have been compelled to 60 to England for il
Illustrations. Audubon, greatly against his wishes,
was compelled to have the plates of his great work
on American ORTHODOXY executed in England;
Downing had to send to Paris to have the plates Of
his work on American fruit trees colored; and Ken
dali has been spending two years in Paris to super
intend the establishment of his History of the Mex
Jean War. These are facts which certainly do not
speak very avorably for the state of the arts in this
country. The London NetDs lately said, in an ar
ticle on steamships, that in ship-building the
Americans were twenty years in advance OF the
British, while in machinery they were twenty years
in the rear do not know on what data the writer
made his estimate; but he was no doubt perfectly
right rs respects building, and the machinery
of the recently finished steamships must prove him
greatly in error as respects machinery. At all
events, If we are ten years behind the English in
our mdCuluo euOpo, Wo nhoA INV aoA6 ASAiAoAh -
that distance in the rear. S. X. 8.
Mr.. Boxers NeD Play Decline Of Dramatic Gu
riosify and Excitement Other Attractions-S hiel-
Population of Neo York-Mr. Webster-A Nsw
Monthly Masdzine-Absurd Nomenclature.
New York, Nov. l9, 1880.
new play was produced last night at the
Broadway Theatre, called the "Betrothal," by
Mr.. George H. Boxer, Of Philadelphia. 1t had
previously been performed in Philadelphia, with
considerable success, and was well received last
light by a critical audience Mr.. Boxer is young
gentleman of fortune, who has leisure and incli-
nation to write plays for the theatre. One of his
previous productions, tragedy, called Calaynos.
was brought out at Of the London theatres. and
was well received there. lie has published dra-
ma, called MARY, Queen Scots which has not
been put upon the stage, and may be regarded as
successful dramatic writer; that is, to the extent
that success may be achieved in an art that has
become effete Dramatists in our days almost
a. much out of their place astrologers; and, if
any thing were wanting to prove the utter lack Of
sympathy among the people for the WORKOUT
amusement of the drama, the appearance of the
Broadway theatre last evening would have
been sufficient. A play was to be pre-
scented from the pen of an American author who
had already gained a reputation a a poet; the
manager had made of all the resources Of the
two theatres under his charge, TO give the new
piece a setting of becoming magnifcence; ia
vorite actor was brought on from Philadelphia to
pcrsonate one Of the chief characters; new scenes
were painted and that full house might be insured
admissions were sent with great lberAliy to in
duce the critical and the fashionable to attend.
But the curtain rose on a house half filled with
promiscuous audience, part of whom had merely
dropped in TO while away idle hour without
knowing or caring what was to be performed, 'and
others had come TO obtge the manager; there were
none of "the people" present; there were none Of
the lterati, of the higher classes, none Of
the lower classes. Probably not one man out Of
hundred in the city knew that new piece to
be performed at the Broadway Theatre.
tragedy in the days OF Addison, or even Of John
son, would have been the prominent topic of con-
versation in the best society, well in the low
est. Doctors of Divinity, Ministers of State. and
all the terat would have boon present to decide
its merits, and il would have formed the topic Of
conversation the day after in all intelligent circles
But now the stage is dead, except place of cr-
hibition for dancers and rarce shows. Art seeks
for other forms Of development; and those who
would have been employed in writing dramas two
hundred years ago, now delivering lectures,
writing newspaper leaders, framing constitu-
tons for new States. The world Is as wiling as
ever TO BIO amused, as the crowds who go to hear
singing and see dancing prove; but it 10 no longer
dependant upon the drama for instruction as il
once was. The people who would once have
crowded to the theatre on the first night of
drama, were last evening listening TO Professor
Mitcbell's lecture the moon. reading maya
zines in the Athen~um, or laughing at the Afri-
can minstrcs at Mechanic Hall, Mt the Opera
spplauding Parodi in Elvra.
Nobody had any desire to see a new play by
American author. There too many great reali-
ties continually demanding attention for men to
give themselves up in these days to the trumpcry
illusions of the stage When there is a real drama
to be performed, like the great Union meeting at
Castle Garden, for instance, in which the people
feel any sympathy, then the crowds como forth, as
they did in the days Of Eschylas, to witness rep
reservations that appealed TO the popular sympa-
thcs, and reused the hearts of the people.
Young men Of genius, who feel immortal long
ings, should learn from the manner in which now
dramas now received by the people, or rather
hyt hcp, hat he sts h.. hcoo IF