The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-26

EFFECT OF THE PANIC ON ART AND Art ExHi
BrTIoNs.-One of the unfailing indications of
really hard times is the languishing condition
of the arts which are dependent upon the active
circulation OF money for their existence. With
out commercial and manufacturing prosperity,
neither the actor, the painter, nor the sculptor
can hope to thrive; and we therefore look to the
receipts of the theatres, and to the general
state Of business in the other branches of art,
rs necessary evidences of tho extent Of the
pressure.
We have already shown, by statement Of
the returns of the different theatres on particu-
lar nights during the height of the panic, that
these establishments did not exhibit the falling
off that might have been expected from the all
absorbing anxiety that pervaded the public
mind. There was an additional feature in these
returns which afforded confederation OF the
opinion that, although the shock was severe
one, it was not of character to produce any
permanently distressing effects amongst the in
dustrial classes of our city. Whilst the theatres
frequented by fashionable people suffered good
chanics exhibited scarcely any evidence Of d.
minished resources on their part. This might
be-, and was by many attributed to
the improvidence of the latter; but
other circumstances have since tended to
show that their condition and prospects were
the majority of them must have been econO-
missing their earnings in prosperous times.
Most employers, besides, instead of diminishing
the Number of their hands, resorted to the
more humane and polite plan Of working only
half or three-quarter time, which relieved them
from the painful necessity Of throwing numbers
out of employment. That comparatively few of
our city operatives have been reduced to state
Of entire idleness is proved by the returns that
we published yesterday from the different sta
ton houses These facts will account for the
singular circumstance of the minor theatres
being but little, if at all, affected by the fnan-
cial stoxm which is passing over our heads
There can, in fact, be no stronger proof of the
partial character of the visitation or of the
general soundness of the legitimate business of
the country.
This view is still further borne out by the
already reviving condition Of the amuse-
ments patronized by the weather. classes
Under the immediate influence of the alarm
caused by the run upon the banks, the Opera
and all the first rank theatres suffered conside-
rably. At one time it looked as if most of
them would be compelled to close their doors
al
and character of the crisis became clearly de-
monstrated, they exhibited evidences of return
ing animation, and now the majority of them
are doing fair business, considering the Sc
verify of the ordeal through which we are
passing. But the most remarkable circum-
stance of all connected with the panic is that
the arts whose productions may fairly be class
ed under the head Of luxuries, have suffered
comparatively little from its pressure. Take
the Photographic galleries, for instance-they
are all doing q thriving business, and the crisis
so far from diminishing their receipts, has, we be-
lieve, considerably augmented them, owing to
their judicious compliance with the economical
spirit of the times. The British and French
art collections, which of all other institutions
might be supposed to suffer most from the
alleged scarcity of money, appear, strange to
say, to thrive upon our supposed poverty. They
are both daily and nightly crowded with
visiters, and the profits resulting from both ex-
hibitions will, we understand, fully equal the
expectations of their promoters. The success
of these exotic attractions at such period as
the present forces us to the conclusion that
either the taste for the fine arts has taken q
sudden expansion amongst us, or that the times
are not quite so hard as they are represented
We are rather sceptical on the subject of sud
den conversions in art matters, and therefore
incline to the belief that there is still plenty of
idle money amongst u.s. which il only waiting
safe channels of employment.