The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-03

ARTISTS AND CRrIcs.-The oyster house critic
has had his day. That day is past To all in
tents and purposes his occupation is gone. No
more VIII he enjoy his midnight treat of oysters
and champagne in subterranean cellars No
more will his stand and deliver" addressed to
trembling artists, avail to replenish his exhausted
treasury. His spell has lost its lnAacnce, and
henceforth, if he would avoid starvation, he must
betake himself to some honester calling.
Years ago the oyster house critic was most
important parsonage, at least in his own estima-
ton and in that of deluded artists. He presided,
or fancied he presided over the destinles of every
prin0 donna, tragedenne or ballet dancer that came
To present herself before New York audience.
His functions were to have published in such of
the minor journals of the city as would admit
his rigmarole, highly colored biographies of the
new artist He generally dealt in fancy sketches,
and laid on his colors with lavish brush Know
ing little of the details Of true art or true crit
cism, he only dealt In Wholesale phrases If the
new candidate for popular applause had recog.
nzed the necessity of first securing bis favor there
were no bounds to the fulsome praises he lavished
on him or her. Ifnot, he was equally inscriptions
in describing the artists ds6w as a failure. In
this way some bakers dozen of these classes
managed 10 scrape out precarious existence ut
the expense Of ignorant foreign artists aud cor
rupt agents, to the detriment Of art and criticism
| In this city.
The exposures which we have from time to
time made of there oyster house critics have had
at length the desired effect. For the last few
years their influence has been on the wane, and
we think we may fafely assume that il Is now ut
terly extinct. At all events, il is no longer
deemed indispensable or necessary, as II used TO
be- for artists to concillate the favor Of the gang
in advance. They may COW safely come before
the public without any preliminary flourish in the
minor newspapers, relying alone for success on
their talents In their respective walks of art
We have just had three notable examples Of the
truth of The fact just stated. We have Madame
La Grange at the Academy Of Music, Made.
moisclle Rolla at Nlblo's, and Mics Logan
al wallsck's, all attaining brilliant sue
cesses without having resorted to any
of the wual claptrap and humbuggng that were
once deemed indispensable. Madame La Grange,
10 be sure, had already established reputation
for herself She was known throughout the
United States as an artist Of the frat merit and
when she had determined 10 open the Academy
for season, she had simply To announce that fact
In the columns OF the HERALD 10 insure overflow
ing audiences
So, too, with that beautiful danAape, Mad'lle
Rolls, at Niblos. She came here without a sin
gle preliminary flourish relying solely on her own
talent and the good taste and apprcciativeness of
this enlightened community. The result shows
that che was not mistaken
Last Of ALL there Is Miss Eliza Logan ct Wal
lacks theatre She made her debut here with
no other announcement than her own sensible,
natural letter to the editor Of the HERALD. She
had, 10 be sure certain Western reputation; but IL
is doubtful whether with New York audience
that reputation was not calculated 10 do her
more injury than benefit She relied on her
own great ability ard on the educated perceptions
of her audience; and now sle has metropolitan
fame. There Is not city, town or village In the
United States where her name Is not now IA
milar one.
The cotemporancous triumphs Of these three
artists, independent Of, and even in spite Of, the
once formidable gang of oyster house critics,
show conclusivcly that these poor devils are in o
most forlorn and destitute condition. There
never will be any more occasion for their pro.
fessional services Artists will hcnceforth dis
pense with preliminary putting simply have their
dtttas announced in a newspaper Of great circu.
latIon, and leave the public to Judge for itself
We have some compassion for the excritics, and
hope they will take to some more honest and less
precarious pursuit