The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-01

bseaM ana 4ruilery oSdlnne ~, anu iovoss ~
on all sides, and il must cave in. Who says
now that we have not warlike administra-
tioR? How could it be anything else than
wsrlike with three or four Brigadier- Generals
in the Cabinet, thirstiDg for glory? Col. Kin
new had better give it up. He is not compe-
tent to cope with the naval and military forces
of the United States, under General Pierce,
Commander in Chief
Nigh Art and Low Art-lhc T0uehs,t zone or
Musical CritIclsm.
II is edifying to note the Influences which
sway the "high art' critic,Ams Of some Of our
contemporaries. To apedzntry too transparent
to impose upon the mcst ignorant they unite
an affectation Of purism which sits about as
naturally upon them rs the spasmodic morality
OF the Joseph Surface and Mawworm tribe. To
Judge them by their own professions, they are
the only impartial judges of art, and the only
true friends Of the artist To Judge them by
their actions, they are the worst enemies Of
both. When they are not swayed by corrupt
influences, their conduct is almost invariably
governed by personal partialities or dislikes.
The consequence is, they can never rise to the
level Of . correct standard Of criticism.
We have had some curious illustrations Of
this sort lately. For the qualification of per-
sonal pique, or it may he from the love Of sim
gularity, we have recently sc On the columns Of
one of the daily papers made the vehicle Of q
series Of savage onslaughts upon an actor who,
whatever may be his faults, has, it must be &C.
knowledged, been more generally endorsed by
public opinion than any artist of his day. The
length ard elaborateness of these criticisms, or
more properly speaking, philippics, At first
drew attention to them, but their purpose
soon became 30 apparent through their flimsy
disguise Of critical pretension that they only
served to confirm still more the popularity of
the object of their venom. The same paltry
and contemplate influences manifested them
selves throughout the whole of the recent ar
tistical difficulties at the Academy of Music.
Because the directing committee, in the exercise
Of . sound judgment, did not choose to allow
themselves to be swamped by the vanity and
egotism ofthe composer of an untried work, who
sought to render the interests and convenience
Of the establishment subservient to his own,
these impartial critics and friends of art COM
menced q war Eoutrance against them. That
their efforts to injure the house did not succeed
must be Notifying proof to them of the lit
tie estimation in which their opinions are held
by the public.
The arrival Of the Lagrange troupe threw
these malcontent critics into extacies of de-
light. They hoped to find in this company the
means Of wreaking their vengeance upon
body Of gentlemen who understood the inte-
rests Of art too well to permit themselves to be
dictated to or overawed by the contemplate
press cabal that had been raised against
them. In this expectation the oyster house
clique were again. signally disappointed. The
committee of the Academy haying but one
purpose in view, the establishment of the Opera
on stable and permanent footing, were not long
in resolving on the course to be pursued. Hap
pening to be present at the first rehearsal Of
this troupe at Niblo's, and recognizing at once
the certainty that q growing interest, thus
almost equally divided between two companies
Of sterling talent must be seriously compro-
mised, we believe that we were the first to
throw out the suggestion that an effort should
be made to combine them. The expediency of
this course was Immediately acknowledged and
acted upon by the committee, and if they did
not succeed in effecting the arrangement in the
manner and form at first contemplated, it arose
rather from obstacles occasiored by the peculiar
character Of the contracts made with the new
troupe, and the diversity of interests existing
between the spectators connected with it. than
from any want of sincerity of purpose or libe-
rality on the part Of the committee of the
Academy 1t is but fair towards that adroit
diplomatist, the Chevalier Wikoff, whose con-
duct has been SO frequently attacked in connec-
ton with these negotiations to say that no one
manifested greater desire, or took more
active part in reconciling the difficulties which
opposed themselves to the fusion of the two
companies.
In the same spirit that Influenced all their
previous proceedings, the oyster house critics
have been clarifying themselves upon the sue
cesses Of the Lagrange troupe as upon so many
triumphs gained over the direction of the AGA.
DENY. There long cared scribblers forget, al
though the public do not, that the committee
have on all occasions acknowledged the great
merit Of this company, and in fact the terms
which they agreed to in their preliminary con-
tract evirced sufficiently high appreciation of
them. They forget, too, that, although through
no fault Of the committee, that arrangement
failed, the existing one, under which the troupe
is now perfoi ming, is but modification of it,
adopted to remove the difficulties to which we
have already referred. n their conduct to-
wards them we believe that all the members of
the troupe are ready to acknowledge that the
actions of the committee have been invariably
marked by courtesy, hberality, and desire to
consult their interests, even to the prejudice of
their own. In this as we have said before,