The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-04-29

p0Doy
womsO voices fOs words, for he dan Jsnra Of the
nagason, scssaA soessry fsv dsscsVsns Of costume,
elaborate ssssss-nay, invoass gifted men and
and with boandless study, confederation, expense,
bui'ds the Temple collects the properties and ar
he Acted drans Ana !. 70 osSss 10 concsiys that
human ingenuity can invent any other amusement
which can equal much less exceed this deeply founded
slowly wrought and most costly convance for the pubic
delight and recreation Of humnn beings2 6upposng 70
be innocent, perceive element wanting 70 render
theoretically perfect pleasure appeals 70 the intellect
the Imagination, the heart the has the charm
OF poetry and music uDltes the interest OF story with
the fascination Of spectacle calls by turns on our
emoonai and on critical faculties; now inviting ua 10
yield 10 the Illusion. the skin which deudes
u.s. adds to the sympathy feel for the persons reyre
that we feel wit those who represent them tea
feel for the genius which made them representative and
Shakspere, Hamlet and Garrick all pull ut our heart
strings IN one delicious moment Of admiration and syua
personation spectacle beauty passion architecture paint
ng music society, light, all combine In the theatre 70
make the most brilliant, complete and untrng N pupbc
amussments.
Now am not pretending you perceive, that the charm
or attractveness OF the stage depends firstly and mainly
upon It's moral teaching, It's moral influence. Amuse
ment loses Us quality when instruction its object
and II would BE- very deusve 10 anticipate that people
would attend the theatre for educatona, purposes or cease
10 attend because Il proved uniBstrucve The in
strucon to be go. from the drama stage must always
be incidental and perfectly subordinate 10 the pleasure got
from them do moi doubt that there potent instruction
and moral influence in Hamlet Macbeth, the Tempest,
the Gamsster, the Hupchback, Uncle Toms Cabin the
Rent Day But the satisfaction and pleasure OF seeing
these plays depended upon their moral influence, II
their performance could be justified only by their direct
usefuness 10 Morals fear should lose my case with the
serious class Considering se moral necessity Oh being
happy, II Is the various wholesome and immense amount
OF pleasure and recreation which the theatre gives that
nrst enIss me IN It's support ainuses so large part OF
our humanity a1nuses the and the soul. II calls
out, 10 crafty and refresh them sensbiites and passions
which the ordinary life Of the world does not bring into
play and thus rests the other and earnest powers and
feelings OF our nature Removing from the region of
the actual 10 that 81 the ideal from the sphere Of the
mon and natural into that OF the extraordinary and
artistic, changes our world and ourselves draws
an entirely new set Of powers and seIbifucs, wbil
allows the old set to sleep, and thus 70 repair their
waste, while the circle of development is completing
AL amusemen, does this and the theatre only more be-
cause II Is the most amusing Of anusements. rests and
recreates by calling INTO pleasing and intense activity
the work day life Of society There instead Of mnisterng
We are minssred unto; instead Of acting we are acted
for instead Of planning and scheming we are watching
plans and schemes instead Of feeling for ourselves
are feeling for Others instead Of teng after distant
contamination We are enjoying contamination which
is perfected in FIVE acts. Our love of beauty,
patriotism, passion our love Of hight, form, color,
elegance, splendor our admiration for genius, talent
skill; all these sensibtes, which in actual ploddng hie
mercantile, domestic professional get little exercise
indulgence In the theatre minsered 10, and grahed
In way which recreatrs common nature.
The Of the theatre (supposng II free from moral oh
lection which by means assume), Is that gives
much pleasure, which is positive and large addition TO
the general Of bnaR happiness; and that in giving
this pleasure satisfies immense need Of recreation
and, quite Independently OF any direct influence on tho
moral interests oi society Ybuds up and supports and
cheers the Me soul man. dare not make light OF
pleasure God has taken benevolent interest in pro
ducng IT, and there is too much PAIN and drudgery and
necessary 10 be Offset by II, TO allow me 10 think it
small thing any considerable mass OF human beings
are pleased viii not demand Of amusement that II shall
directly instruct, warn, elevate or improve IL Il give
genuine pleasure and II do not depravc
ure, will bless IL, and without single misgivng invoke
the bepedction Of Heaven its head. no not them per
yerseiy backwards all that has been said Of the c
Of q ls 1
much in its favor ii shall afterwards appear
thai the stage has essential mInoraes aud perils to
ciey and the soul wrought into its very nature and in
separable from IT, then will allow that its attractive
ness is misfortune its various charms those Of a
beauty spendor. have PRED IN the theatre, to
make vice seductive ana folly captivating Bot sub
nit that in the theory " the stage "a very dherea thing
possibly, from the ac we have yet found nothing n
condemn nothing essentially wrong otherwise than
right There is nothing wrong in amusement except IN
excess in the theatre, the hnsst Of amusemen The
dramatic faculty Is divney implanted gives life and
reality 70 portions OF the scriptures. The drama Is
species Of ernturs which the worlds greatest geniuses
their labors there. The stage Is the drama
real and brought within the easier and full enjoyment OF
the best and the poorest judges ~ far We are IN smooth
But the breakers begin to threaten US a, The very rcx,
stop
II is sleged-and that is the protested sentiment, OF tn
serious clas--,hai practically the drama has been a
rupt and corrupng kind Of literature, putting into cen
uous dspravpg and story the worst and mos
seductive experiences Of humanity; that has Is.ndcreC
70 vile and vulgar tastes dranatsis having often or usually
been bose and unprincipcd character and their readers
the gay and careless portion Of society. Doubtless
there is truth, and there rs also exaggcraton in this state
ment The great drarnatsts whether ancient or modern
do Vega, Corn.ie, Racine, Shakspe re, are, with the
exception Of the coarseness which belonged TO their
respective ages moi open 10 such charges, although
the minor lights unquestonakly deserve chsse-
ment. But there "a nothing peculiar in the abuse OF
aramsG nera we as no ss sna
and Moore and Byron poems which nobody should read
We do not give Up Richardson, and Scott and Dickens,
and Jhackeray, because Fielding and Smolctt, Eugene
Sue and Dumas, have often abused their great posers
The best things are most open 10 abuse and dramatic
literature you will confess has not been oiiencr or worse
perverted and depraved thanregous literature. Indeed
the Church seized the drama when she most busy
In manipulating the human mind into superstition. and
perpctrsted greater bsphemes and obscenes n tho
called Mysteries, written and acted in the middle ages
than the dramatic writers OF England France have
fosted into their most abomnabe plays. The drama
kind Of literature whose pranency guaranteed Ivy the
constitution Of Beginning with the very origin or
literature and continuing thus far Ia history with every
promise OF ending only with B Hfwe expect
reflect and share the fortunes OF humanity aud H.
SELF IA the hands OF enDobei md 81 desecrated
genius; here the instrument Of the INSCRIPTIONS there
the vehicle 81 truth, honor and Inspiration But how
many d.ssolute and depraving drafnats and dramas
would the iudcious and the conscientious consent 70
bear with and guard against sooner than lose Shaks
pere alone out OF the worldY The rnscheyous Jack o
lanterns and false gh Of land aud may shine for
ever f can only extingush rom by blowing out the
stars and Quenchng the W. cannot obhteIae
Washington, wipe Arnold out of American history,
though trcachory hung by bis tkrs alone TO The fortunes
of the We let the grow 10 the harvostfo
the sake or the wheat Tho drama stands In its own
right, and In the right OF It's great priests the wonderful
Interpreters Of humanity, and great tecrcaors Of the
race; and all the spossts and criminals who have desc
Grated pure and beautiful shrine cann make is nature
Otherwise than lawful and honorable, and entitled 10 tho
protection Of uniyer al aud tugce II is indeed dc
plcrsble that The written drama should have ever thrown
IL fascination around vcs aud crime, II - always tsr
rble when genius and wit, when art and skill, enter ue
service OF the devil Most sad Is thai pieasure should
be associated with folly o amusement extracted
from sin But literature Is nt responsible Tor tho abuses
TO which ieyty and i1ory turn any Of It's powers add
II the drama but the public and The dramatic authors
who be cenarsd for he production and encourage
ment Of lax immoral and corruT<ng plays On this point
shall speak fully and 70 better advantage at another
period " this address.
And now, II, Whatever the theory may be, the drama
~ eli hss been practically degraded and abused a.
ces Of popular nerassre, until sober and discreet people,
a class have thought Il wise and Necessary 70 discoun
tenance the residing a plays, how much more ought the
eae, the acted drama, 70 be dseoantensD and de
s;roycd when consider how It's actual practical cha
racter differs from is theoretical one and how little wha,
~ said IN defence of The ideal stage applies "
the real one For what hss The theatre not been
during Ia modern eyzcnns. n the hileCAiofG and