The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-19

VENAIITY OF THEATRICAL CRITICISM IN A Ger
TAIN CLASS OF JoURNAIs-Recent Developments
have shown that the so-called criticism of large
majority of the press, in city and country, upon
theatrical and musical matters is so far Influenced
by Interior considerations as to be almost en-
tirely unreliable. We may take for examples of
this lamentable state of affairs, the cases of Mr..
Strakosch, Mrs. MacMahon and Miss Matilda
Heron. Mr.. Strakosch commenced the manage
ment of the Opera as matter of business. Like
any one else who has anything to sell, he per-
ceived the advantages of publicity through the
press. He did not desire, however, to waste any
money, and he confined his advertisements 70 the
three or four leading daily papers which have
universal circulation, and which ore alone looked
to by the public for the current news Of the day
and such editorial comment as may be suggested
thereby For pursuing this course Mr.. Strakosch
was assailed in the bitterest manner, and the
Bohemians of the minor press openly proclaim
ed that the sole cause of their attacks might be
found in the fact that Mr.. Strakosch did not pay
them a few dollars per week for ad-
vertisements. As advertisements in these
journals are of no value to the advertiser it fol-
lows that the propretors demanded an absolute
gratuity Of the manager of the Opera as consd-
Grafton for their good opinion. Failing in OBJ
tanning this consideration they fell upon him with
exceeding wrath, and would have been delighted
to have swallowed him whole, had they been
able so to do. However, he succeeded in his first
season, and has fine prospect for the next.
In the case OfMrs MacMahon, we find lady lib
orally educated, accomplished, and in every way
entitled to consideration, who is in the first place
grossly abused by the press of Buffalo, and again
by the minor journals of this city-the cause being
it is said, a neglect on her part to pay for COM
plimentary articles written by hired buffers, or to
subsdise the controllers of the columns wherein
she was maligned. Nearly all the papers, large
and small, united in abusing Mrs. Mcmahon, and
the same journals could not find words compli-
mentary enough to express their admiration of
Miss Heron. In the case of the last named artist,
we find that the papers unite in saying that
her great superiority over her sister artists
lies in the fact that she has genius. Now
genius is bOrn-not made We remember that
when Miss Heron played at the Bowery theatre
some five years ago, she was entirely unnoticed
by the very journals which now exalt her to the
skies. Certainly she had as much genius then as
she has now; yet none of her present admirers
found it out. Then she was not put forward
Then she had no agent to prepare the way with
carefully arranged puffs-no manager who gave
succulent dinners and piquant suppers and who
knew the soft side of critical human nature.
Then, consequently, she was Of no consequence
now, she is the American Rachel.
So we see that in three instances within five
or six weeks the venality of theatrical criticism
has been completely demonstrated. Strakosch
and Mrs. MacMahon were abused because they
would not pay or feed the Bohemians of the
press Miss Heron was at first altogether neg
lected, and then inundated with the most full
some praises, simply, it is said, because her path
latterly was paved with the finest aud latest
oysters. How much dependence may be placed
on the statements of journals VIGOROUSLY infu-
enced by such considerations it is for the public
to say.