The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-25
A NEW THEATRE, OR AN ACADEMY OF
MUSIC, IN A NEW PLACE.

"Then to the well-trod stage anon,
III Jonson's learned sock be on,
Or sweetest Shakespeare, Fancy's child,
MARBLE his native wood notes wild"
-LAHegro
Sometime let gorgeous tragedy,
In sceptred pail, come sweeping by,
Presenting Thebes, Pelop's line,
Or the tale of Troy divine
Or what, Though rare, of later age
Ennobled hath the buskn'd stage"
Such were among the cherished desires, senti-
ments, and the refined indulgences of John Milton
certainly one of the pures Of men, and one of the
otlest lnteilects that ever adorned humanity. His
practice, testimony and high authority would alone
lift were wanted, in all civilized ages thenceforth-
be a sufficient warrant for the uses and ennobing
aims of the drama.
Any argument in favor of high dramatic enter
tainments, or the sprghtly and graceful movements
OF Terpsichore, would be deemed by all the low
ers of the MUSES., perfectly superfuous Yet as
our ever-spreading and beautiful city-becomine
more and more SO aily-greatly wants for such
dramatic amusements, and other kindred purposes
a house in q place, few predatory CLEAN
ings, previous to designating such place. the rea-
sons therefor DC, &C., possibly tend to nsprit
some OF our wealthy citizens to determined move
ment that shall acknowledge and properly supply
the want. " Each new generation" saws Wood
must be made acquainted with Shakespeare"
No polite education can be attained without some
acquaintance with this author; and the youthful
"reader will sigh for living representation of
"the wonders of that creative pen The student of
"Miton Addison, Pope, Steel. DRYDEN, Young
Goldsmith, and all the chiefs of English literature
'is hourly brought into feelings of interest for the
"the words of Campbell
1.-THE spell DER hearts
Which only Acting lends
The youngest of the Sister Arts,
Where all their beauty blends:
For ill can Poetry express
Full many tone of thought sublime,
And Painting, mute and motionless,
Steals but glance of time.
But, by the mighty actor brought
Illusions perfect triumphs come
Verse ceases to be airy thought,
And Sculpture to be dumb.'
Therefore defence of the Drama would, as afore
said, be entirely superfuous-"while among other
pillars of the Stage, may be found the names of Dr.
johnson, DR.. Moore, Cumberland, W. Scott, Milman
Coleridge Joanna Bailie and Holcroft.'
But as regards that leading and rather too alb
sorbing question of the day. e. "wi it paw ?"
and which is sometimes as in this case so very in
aptly put, perhaps the rational and only answer
should be, that moderate, wholesome and refined
pleasure always did, and alrays ,cW pqy !--simply
because of its complying and harmonisng with an
inherent and absolute condition of our best and
highest state of existence and ofits most heightened
duration. Nevertheless we shall hopefully aim to
make it appear that there is strong and we'll ground
ed probabilities, that it would also paysatiyacor,
~, in money.
suitable edifce well situated, roomy and ele-
giant in every way-say costing in fee, two hun
dred and forty to sixty thousand dollars, should,
ana would command rent of not less than eighty
dollars nightly, for two-thrds of the year-say for
two hundred and nine nights, during the fall and
winter season; and for one hundred and four nights
during the spring and summer season. To Min
strels and Others less than sixty dollars nightly
This would give rental Of nearly twenty-three
thousand dollars, nineteen of which would more
taan pay interest, taxes, insurance and repairs:
There can be no doubt but that such house would
be eagerly sought after, for purpose or other,
nearly every night throughout the year; and for
Military Balls and like purposes it would readily
command two hundred and fifty to three hu ndred
dollars night. Holiday Street Theatre, small as
occasions.
Therefore to say beforehand, that good, spa
cous hreproof house, well situated, would not paw
is probably saying entirely too much. On the con.
trary it is believed that it could be made to Weld
its stockholders fully six per cent. over and above
free admissions at all times. But suppose it would
not yield free admissions and six to eight per cent
dividends besides. What of that! Do church edi-
fees pay but in way7 viz: In the mental pleas
ure and good derived from attending them! And
| do you not have to buy your pews first, so as to
defray the cost of site and building the edihce?-