The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-07

A PLEA FOR THE poor PLAYER"


A PLEA FOR THE poor PLAYER"
We learn from the London Era that the members Of
the theatrical profession subjected a sort OF perse
cuton which OF the spirit of Queen Mary
than of the times of Queen Victoria 1t is stated that
schoomastor at Brighton had requested Mr. Alfred Wigan
to withdraw his from the academy because the pa
rents of the other boys objected to their children assoca
ting with the of actor The worst of 1t is this
to be thing, for Mr.. Phelps at meet
ing of the Dramatic Fund Society, stated that similar
course had been pursued with his son.
Living In this age Of protesting beraiity we cannot
repess the expression Of indignation at such disgust
ing lbeality No doubt the unhappy schoolmaster
10th to lose pupil, but doubt, if he did not send
away young Wgan he would have lost more than one
of his scholars whose pharasaica parents pollution in
the contact of their with the Of actor how
clever amiabe and intelligent the boy however
respectable and respected the parents. The lad Wis
tied for the supposed offence OF the father who might be
the most gifted earth, but he actor 1t
would be well If of these very nice papas
would give their reasons for their objections and let
know why according to their views actor il 70 be
placed without the pale Of civilized society and his off
spring tabooed II they could impat moral small pox
or mental contamination. 1t is, indeed pIejtlce with
out foundation or defence. We had hoped that the
spread of better and just feeling had done away
with every remnant of such bigoty, and that in this gen
Grafton actors, who have done much any class to
benefit and improve society should find their due level
and be appreciated highly any other profession.
1t is true that the dramatss of earlier days. from Dry
den to Farquhar, have written dramas which this age
will not tolerate but they wrote to suit the times and
our dainty Queen Bess of virgin memory, smiled gra
cously when Shakespeare occasionally smrched his glo
rous language with foul aluson unsavory smile.
But Dryden, Wycherly, Congreve, CentivTe, Mrs Cent
vre pandered to the age in which they lived, and
age that not only tolerated, but encouraged them
they did the writings of Smoett and Fielding which in
these, our days, would not find publisher. Our best
authors have written for the stage legitimate and
national arena in which their talent has found adequate
display and at gratcd the eyes and OF specta
tors by thousands.
The great ancient writers are mostly playwrights--
Euripdes, Sophoces, Eschplus, Terence Plautus. In
France, what finer literature than the dramas of Corneile
Racine, Molierei In Spain, than Lope d Vegaf In
Italy, than Metastasio and Alfier In England than
Shakespeare and his host of followesthan Dryden OF
way, Addison, Goldsmith Sheridan Byron, Knowles
Bulwor Lytton, &c. &c And Milton did not
think it beneath his genius to write Cons and Sampson
4gonstes IT, then, the finest genius of all time and oil
ages have dedicated their talents to theatrical compost
tons why should they who the able personato the
perfect representatives Of their finest conceptions be Will
pended and the ban of society be laid their heads
they to be cursed with bell book and CANDLE
to all eternity? Out ON such vaaiuous humbug such
outrageous cant
One Of the great questions the crying evil of the day
in England, is what is called e great social ep Who
ask in all confidence, were the first to impose a
wholesome check it, and to their own unmistakable
loss Why, the managers of the theatre Mr.. Mac
ready when he became the lessee of the Theatre Royal
Drurylane determined, In every of the word, to
purify the establishment far In him lay before the
curtain and he did SO most efectuay. With deter
mnation which did him the highest honor he ceansed
the obbies Of the "perilous stuff which beset and dis
graced them. His example followed by Mr.. Web
stcr, of the Haymarket and the system pres
vniled universally in all metropolitan and provincial the
atres and the eye and is longer offended, nor
modest woman exposed to the abomination which had
long existed not only with impunity but system sys
tenn which put money in the lessee purse who
tent in those days to have it there Iago advises Roder
igo to obtain it on any terms-but 'put money in thy
purse"
DO we ever have line word offensive in modern
drama DO follow the French license and toer
ate double entcdre scurril jest Not for moment
aud even If an old play be revived matter what the
renown of the author every word that is equvocu
is cut out although it may weaken the part and
the pith of the dialogue Macready spoiled of
the finest in Othello by softening the language
think unnecessarily but yet to carry out the plan
he had determined onto make the stage moral and
pure as he made it illustrative and instructive.
And yet the sons of actors and managers--men of
emplary lives and nnimpeachabe honor to be dis
missed from the schools lest the of Pharsees may be
injured by their fellowship Are there rogues in other
professions Is the army free from reprobates the navy
purified from scamps the law without its scoundres
and is every divine model man. and deserving of a
bshopric2 Our practice in the world and with the
worlds doings, teach otherwise. We find profes-
sion exempt from its vices all have their high quail
tics and exemplary virtues. But must put in plea
for the poor player, and hold him to be, aud we
defend him, as an
Hone man, the noblcst work OF Col
in every in which such phrase may be applied and
point fearless of denial rebuke, to the managers and
actors of the present day of worth and deserved
ly esteemed as the OF other callings Nigsby, Of
Brighton pity, do the shallow fools who intrust
their his care to be made into model boys and to
avoid actors sons