New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-11


sosy 10. .snssts in the Of ase- si'te;s in the
| The speaker remarked ,hs, nothing is more dif6cux
than to apply correct principles and this is seen for
| instance, in the selection Of our amusemepts Man
was not made to drudge along TO the end of his days
| without relaxation and enjoyments The many
sources Of pleasure in the external word In connea
ton with the fsci Of mans peasur oanrcies nre
evidence that the Creator designed him TO p,rt.ke Of
such enjoyment Amusemepts' have in all time
We find, been a common mode of recreation. In thu
rariarchal times. music dancing &c, were encour.
aged end held 10 be altogether proper and harmless
The Puritaus the speaker here remarked were, he
thought in the wrong in prescribing everything mr,h
ful-music. nirth ard cheerfuness.
But though amusement in itself is allowable, il
Quirps 10 be placed under a certain restriction
Mr. CORY row called attention 10 the address Of
DR.. Bellows saving that it contained sentiments which
had ccCasioned both regret and pain the part othe
religious portion of society. He thought i; required
sore boldness thsn Chnstias society 10 utter such
views the Rev. Dr bad set forth. IN order to ex
anime the propositions Of DR.. Bellows with better ef
feet. Mr.. Corey briefly reviewed the history OF the
drama. The friends Of the thester said the speaker.
viii point us TO this play and 10 that actor IS capable
OF producing harmless pleasure, and even healthy
Influence. But there stands the theater with all i6
known detoruty ITS corrupt associations, and IT'S gen.
eral pern'cous tendency The speaker gave seine ac-
count Of the invention Of the drama by the srcent
Greeks and stated that in the oQnion of writers
il contributed in M small degree to the downfall Of
where il obtained soothod but against the opinion
OF many Of the best citizens. The theater finally
reached England at the beginning Of the twelfth cen
fury. and for long time met with strong opposition
but finally became established. In the time of Chan
GER that poet described the resort of the idle and
yicous. In Frssee il was first used n represent re-
ligious subjects. At enGt was transplsned TO thus
country, but not by the Puritan fathers.
The speaker refeued TO the testimony Of eminent
in all ages against the stage, quoting from Plate
Socrates, liyy, Valerus Maxmus and others OF the
arcients Rousseau, Hannah More-the friend OF Gar
rick and MIS-. SiddOns who wrote several plays in the
early part of her life but who ultimately set her acc
strongly in opposition 10 IT, and has left record an
eloquent protest sgainst Its vicious tendency. SIR
Matthew Hale the speaker said, was also at one time
ensmored of the theater and attended Il as often rs
he could, but aferward came to bear his testimony
against il.
Reference was next made TO the action taken by
different States in past times toward the suppression
severe restriction of the thester, and also To- the
following resolutions adopted by the Congress OF tho
United States on the 18th and 10th Of October, re-
spectvely, l77S:
"ghea True religion aud good morals are the only solid
foundations Of public liberty and happiness,
"Rorod That be- and II is hereby, earnestly recon,
the thereof and for the sappe''ns
theatrical entertsnments......" -,
ha. fatal tendency divert the minds q the gese trSn
direct .sI s to the csn, ss to- the defense OF the
That any person aSans n ss S1 on ss sas s"Ss
plays shall be deemed unworthy hold such Oc~, and 'Aa
be accordingly dismissed"
Theatrical literature came in for the structures OF the
speaker, and among other writers Mscauley wss
quoted amenting its too frequently immoral
character. The famous book by Jeremy Collier, en-
titled The Shorter View, printed near the close OF
the seventeenth century, which dealt in very short
way with the corruptons OF the then dramatic htera-
ture, was also alluded to.
Mr.. COREY now took hold Of the current abomina-
ops of the theater, mentioning irst profanity and
showing that the name Of the Supreme Being Is con.
aptly axaHn tha fhp
and ippant manner. II is never question OF morality
said the speaker with the managers OF the theste In
the selection of play, but how far il will draw An
instance was mentioned where murder Of notorious
character took place in house Of prostitution, anc
manager Immediately prepared play based on the
occurrence with the chief characters retained, and
had already had il in rehearsal when the authorities
heard Of il and had il suppressed.
The caty and want Of genuineness OF the stage
was next handled without gloves According 10 Dr.
Bellows class OF society more needs the privileges
Of the church than the actor said the speaker Tor
he must have heart Of steel il he can resist the
avalanche of corupting influences which are poured
out upon him. The speaker maintained that frequent
attendance the theater perverts the minds OF the
young, and renders them dissatisfied with the p'ect
eaes of life and appealed to parents for the truth OF
the statement The testimony of chaplain OF one OF
principal prisons quoted, going 40 show tina.
than half of the inmates of such places from
large cities have attributed their first steps In crime
to the habit of attending theaters. Would fsthe
sending his son forth to make his way !
the world put DR.. Bellowss address !
his hand, which contains the sentences "The
4" il still fun and frolic in the world" no,
he would rather tear it in pieces bsssre his eyes.
Macready, according to the speaker, would never per-
nit his family to attend the iheater, and Sheridan
Knowles was in the latter part of his kfe, earnestly
opposed to the stage and 80 of several other drsnah
celebrities Mr. Corey concluded his eloquent re-
marks with strong appeal against the general senti-
ments of DIR. Bellows address, declaring that the
stage bad been the nursery Of vice from the days Of
nd haf y paf
the question.
The discourse occupied hour aud three quarters
in delivery, and listened TO with deep attention
throughout. While the audience was dispensing,
number Of persons, and among them several ladies',
approached Mr.. Corey and shook him warmly by the
hand thanking him for the sentiments he had uttered.
and expressing hope that they might be attended
with good effect.