New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-21
CONCERT HALLS.

parsed in the world in prosperity, profigacy and STU
pidity. They monopoize much Of the attention Of the
walker in the bizarre highway, fixing bis eyes with
signs and devices that are bold and brilliant by night,
and tawdry by day. They may as well engage por-
ton Of his thought They suggest mueh-they mnst
meet very wide taste Of the public if that taste is of
their own growth and cultivation, the public ought to
have release if it wants one; if their atmosphere has
corruption and danger in it, il is the concern Of good
citizens 10 shut II Off from the lungs of the community;
if there is the idea of good and pleasant entertainment
in the places, it might be adopted and elevated into
deeen, sphere. What is the glory Of broad and splen-
did thoroughfare if its architecture is suffered to have
overgrowth Of vulgar and glsrng transparencies,
dispacng every graceful image and true form OF ex'
pressve beauty for coarse cancatures and monstrous
painted libels on the human formi
These Broadway halls have multiplied, springfg up
quickly and crowding each other, under warm shower
of patronage number of theaters the most inviing
tbeaters in any city, seemed not sufficient TO the de-
mands of evening pleasureseekers. The falling oil IN
their receipts attributed by their managers never
to then of enterprise and tact, but often TO
the countercharms Of the sing-sones' and shops
such are their degrading titles in the Legitimate YER
nacular. A very simple quibble runs them clear oil
the observation of the law, which embodes in It's
stern provisions certain protection against unlicensed
amusements. The harvest seems now TO be fully rpe.
The growth has been as rapid in a short space Of time
as American ingenuity, equal no higher efforts, could
make it, There is no more room on Broadway.
II would be forever morhyiDg if the Concert Hall
stye of enter attainment were accepted the national
favorite. IL certainly reaches the people. Its idea
was at the frrt purely democraiic-admisson free, all
kinds Of plain and fancy drinks at the bar; and even
now, when il has grown sharper with success. the
most limited financial equal to the indu-
gence. Refined amusements can never be for the
masses, because there is as yet no general educated
taste TO regulate their financial tariff and the masses
will be amused and why not eevery and thoroughly,
and at the same time decently and safely
Very grea, dullness is the striking trait Of Of
these Broadway shows. Vile it is in substance, it
would be possibly attractive, if lie essence were gay.
ety. But you may contemplate the assemOlage at any
one Of the halls, at that WHARF the pretty
watergirs are to be SEEN" without q suspicion that
Amusement lie held even diHanily in view The entire
and unbroken gravity Of the spectators gives way 10
nothing but an unusually broad exploit the stage,
or devoted application to the cups Perhaps, a
nation we are spasmodc in our hilsrify; but there
would seem 20 be q moral restraint, ms well a const
tutional upon the grim wsdes through these intern
nabe programmes Let IL no, be supposed that there
is any hex Of appreciation the part Of the audience
You will hear herce shouts row and then, as the
iIna is stirred up; and will see at momenis battery
of gaping eyes and mouths directed at the stage IL is
quite the rule " encore each item Of the bill. The
call Is made In stold and conventional way, and The
success Of repetition celebrated bys fresh delnge Of
narcotized saliva and a new drink. But newly
made grave might ne we'll be visited for the sake Of a
cheerful, light spirt-for the sympathy Of genuine
sport-as one Of these temples Enter in, in e1hilsr
ated mood, and laugh at the talented core Of the
stage Determine TO have god time, and &c, il out
of yourself and your companion, with slight aid from
the programme. Your mirth and your excitement, 20
far from being shared or envied, will really give in
convenience to q majority Of your neighbors, and OK
cite the surprise Of the star performers. II will strike
them ths, there are some occasions when niTih IL
mockery; that a profession 10 profession; that
laughter M a funeral s LEO more nnsseuIy than your
present glee.
The entertainment itself is liberal and esrncs;
enough. What II lacks in quality IA made up with
compound interest in quantity. l. is not rare TO find
forty distinct selections for evening, and as these
are almost invariably repeated, good long session,
always lasing till midnight, is insured. Il would be
worth relating where all the talent comes Eom, il
there were any means Of tracing it to a source. With
all the patronage the Halls receve,a moderately clever
economist cannot bring himself TO believe that enough
money Is paid to the artises to support them. The
companies under salary oflen number one hundred
souls The great msjority Of these are young women
who sing and dare, and have sweet names easy and
pIessant TO The tongue. Whether there is grsrd
procurer whose life is general inereao Of the rstca
concerns, and IL devoted to the search for credabe
voices and limbs; whether these are picked up from
the rags and dirt of baek-street poverty aud set in
superior eided frame at the Grst opportunity
whether the parents Of the creatures early put them to
this use, we are equally undecided. Nany Of them
are ehidhke in all but innocence. There smuch rough
beauty and much rough talent among them. Now and
then you are arrested by the wonderful power and
beauty of s,rectcryi 80 pune native melody VIII
sometimes break upon tho Jared al the cheap con
cert Their earnestness ia sentimental work Of all
kinds-and sentiment has the best of it in the pro-
pramme-shows that they would Ike respect aud sym
pathy il they ooud know what they really are. And
there Is always highly sentimental man who wear,
complete broadcloth and has bair much ponraded aud
curled who does tender ballads with broken voice,
in n.apner 10 melancholy thai the lights burn blue
for another drink. But it ia only the PA. Young
Ladies" and the low Irish roarers with shaleis m
hand and no end Of dirty jokes in mouth and the most
uu.crupulous Of the Tinktighted dancers, that give
real satisfaction 10 all.
IL is under the inspiration OF there that quiet men Of
middle age from the eounisy comuI nfdeEiy to tser
wives, by suunoning waiter girls, and, with entire
fearlessness elasping them for instant around the
tn with nsty