The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-01-28
Harmle.s Hecrea.,en.

II seems TO be very fashionable amuse-
ment at Washington to get up mock duels, to
exhibit sham display Of courage and '.hish-
toned spirit" 1t is q very harmless enter
tainment, and in the absence Of any striking
or important transactions at the capital, it
serves very we'll for an occasional sensation
paragraph, and gives piquancy and variety to
the letters OF Washington correspondents
The only thing disagreeable about the mat
ter. to man of taste, is the pretence Of some
serious spirit, an intimation that there 10
something really earnest at the bottom of it,
when every body knows better. Itspoils the
effect Of farce to put serious air upon
il. II is unpleasant for one enjoying a joke,
a play, sham-fght or an exhibition Of the
mock-heroic to have the idea Of earnestness
thrust upon him. And it is an evidence of
exceeding illssaste in the actors so to disturb
the fow Of feeling and the current Of thought.
We hope they will be little more cautious,
in the future, about leaving any such impres-
sions upon the minds Of the people: that they
will carry out these little plays more neatly,
in a more consistent and better taste. In
deed, We think we see an Improvement in this
regard already. With practice we may rsas-
onably anticipate still greater degree Of ex-
cellence, They will do the thing still more
handsomely and perfectly by and by. 1t
seems to be a revival of the pretty little
smasques" so popular in Ben Jonson's time.
They are not strictly farces. They are not
tragedies, certainly. They haven't the in.
tricacy and amplitude Of melo-drama. Vel
done, they are neat little displays of hriel
episodes in actual life. They are interesting
and amusing, without appealing to any stronI
feeling or broad hnmor. We commend tn
practice. 1t is a sensible entertainment.
is very lively and innocent amusement fo
rational men. Wehope they will cultivate i
at Washington, until they perform it better
The country enjoys it, and the actors retail
their dignity and their lives. They give u
harmless sport at no expense. The introduo
ton Of Douglas into the company lie an i'm
provement. He is little cumbersome an,
heavy at the start, but as he is entirely a
leisure to practice and improve in any ney
thing that turns up, and is so admirable il
shams and presences, in striking attitudes o.
mock dignity and in caricaturing the man Of
principle, Of feeling and OF courage, tina
with little practice We think be will 81
through the stage performance Of chival
rous dnsl with striking effect His play with
I Fitch was little too ambitious, bore lit
tie TOO serious an air. Bill English and
Montgomery did the thing better. To be
sare their play was little tame and formal.
But it was just what il pretended TO be-
There was no humbug about II. With little
practice Douglas will put moro spirit into
the thing and preserve the Same transparency.
We repeat our good hope for the cultivation
of the practice. Let NO satirist venture to
rid.cule it. Let no unbending moralist heap
his scowling censures upon it. The people
viii have amusement. And there is nothing
better, more innocent, more entertaining and
funny. Besides, IL points 3 moral, and Illus
trates q barbarous era in the history Of man.
ners, when men fought real ducls, and notes
OF ''honoro smelt Of powder.