The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-02-15
UNLAWFUL AssEMBLY.-Joseph Hulcher
an unlawful assembly of negroes in his grocery.
From the Herald.

A Word ABOUT THE DRAMA-MR. CouLDocK IN
UTIcA-It rejoices US to learn, as we are sure 1t
will hundreds of Others that Mr. Couldock, the en-
inent English tragedian, has been engaged and will
appear this evening. The character he has select
ed for his first appearance is that of "icelien, in
Bulwer's great drama of that name-a character as
well fitted perhaps as any other for the display OF
his peculiar excellences. Any words that we can
use will be quite inadequate to express our appre-
citation of this genteman's merits an actor. All
excellence is relative, and we can perhaps in no
other way so well express our admiration of him
asby comparing him with other artists of renown.
That in purity and chasteness Of STYLE in force and
elegance of expression, in rigorous fidelity to ma
ture, and yet in consonancy with the severest ca
mons of art he immeasurablv exeels any actor we
have heard we have no ditfidence in asserting
He is the only actor within the range of expe-
rience, who deserving, is able to succeed without
and in spite of the miserable claptrap OF the stage.
Never in a single instance do we remember him to
have sacrificed nature to perverted stage art;
though we do remember him to have failed more
than snce in electrifying the pit because he would
neither roar like mad bull, nor make faces like an
ape.
With few eminent artists like Mr.. Couldock.
the stage might be so reformed that even the fas-
tdiousness of the chueh might be reasonably over.
come If the spirit which he carries upon the
stage prevailed in our theatres, good men would
have little cause to bewail its ruinous tendencies
Then the Legitimate drama" would cease to be de.
y
with surprise by the friends of morality. Then
we should be rid of the miserable ribaldry tand
loose buffoonery which is becoming the reproach
and disgrace of the stage.
We would go and hear Couldock for the same
reason that we would go andhear Sontag or Jenny
Lind-to hear priest of art discourse upon soul
inspiring themes. We should have as little preiu-
dice against the one as the other and as readily
forgive the questionable concomitants of the one
as OF the other The Historian Art is among the high
est noblest, as it is among the most venerable of
the sisterhood of Arts Directly and indirectly it
has enlisted the talents and absorbed the lives of
the nobest intellects the world ever saw. With
the great names of Shakespeare, Milton, Addison,
Goldsmith, johnson and Goethe, among the deyot.
ed contributors to that Art we mus. ignore and de-
nounce it under fearful protest.
We do hope to witness the presence during the
engagement of Mr.. Couldock of class of Utican
ans who do not very much frequent theatrical en-
tertanments. Weask them to go, not rs theatre.
goers but as the patrons and disciples of Art. We
know they will go away with the conviction irresis
tably fastened upon them that theatrical entertain
mcnts are not necessarily and at all times degrad
ing in their tendencies We write what we honestly
aud earnestly feel and believe. Ithas never been
fortune to exchange one word with Mr.. Couldock
We never may. We recognize in him only the
Artist-only the interpreter of dramatic genius
Our readers viii agree with US that we have not
written much in the way of s'puffery" of late. We
do not intend to be very extensively guilty in the
future. OF much that passes for dramatic enter
tainment" we have very high reverence; nor
shall we express more than we feel.