New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-04
pubIic ArruseT,ents.

endowment OF ud4nhJ4tIi ~4,tS 4" t'c ''"'''N
season hardihood that verges upon desperation
Whatever other qualities the Sumner manager may
lack, that of resoue daring cannot he denied hlu'
II is, perhaps that sort Of daring which might also
jmpel man 10 swim the rapids at Niagara, to take
August lodgings in cholera hospital, or to embark
for Long Branch on a Saturday afternoon Without
bis fe-preserver but it il etil daring, and however
strongly spced with rcekcssness, 1t none tle less
compels our admiration. So far as the puU"0
concerned II appears in certain instances 10 ooui
not only admiration but also sufficient awe 70 i'i''N
those tokens of familiarity, Of which managers are
not wholly unmindlu. In almost every recent cast
the Summer theatrical enterprise has come TO %
associated with all ideas Of discomfort and misior-
tune. rather than Of pleasure ana success Inc
" frightlc examples Of tbs year are 100 numerous
60 Ina rec.reS without emotion There have been
cs,astronbes enough 10 shgoud the walls of half the
,beatres in the city with emllems Of melOdramatic
Gloom. Some Of these are openly acknowledged
and some are pallia'ed with more or less slilliul
attempts at couceament. Some of the sufferers
ayow their errors aud invite solace for their woes;
Others confess only TO sense of miigated alictioni
aud others confront their destiny with cheerful faces
if with uncheerful hearts, and assume prosperity ii
they have it not.
The reverses Of this season afford striking Illus
traton Of the eternal unfiness Of things. Here were
managers of experience, enterprise, and liberahty.
What had they to DO but to come forward with these
three capital advantages, beguie the public Of lis
treasure and place themselves ON pinnacles of fame
and fortune Let us do them the justice to sag that
they tried. But the result seems to have proved
that experience does not count for much in theatre
cal experiments and that enterprise and liberalty,
unless ingeniousy directed, count for nothing at all.
The ipt and last thing required of a msDager is that
he shall please the public and that is precisely what
the majority Of our Summer managers have succeed
ed in not doing We know that their intentions
were honorable and their purpose profit, but that
awaited nothing. At the outset Professor Anderson
started Off with buresque which he caused
20 be represented with considerable spendOr OF stage
appoiutment and decoration. 1t aid not suit the pub
lie and Professor Anderson became ruined man.
His damages are TO be repaired by Consoiatory
Benefit this evening at the Winter GarGen-the grave
of his finances and therefore the fit for an eff
fort at resurrection. Tle case of Miss Mitchell was
similar, though in a less disastrous degree. What
ever merits ler entertainments might have exhib-
ited they did not command the attention OF the pub
Consolatory Benefit. Mr.. Florence opened unlock
lily at Wallaeks, and after few weeks, the public
not having responded to his appeals the Consolatory
Benefit brought about to meet the exigencies Of
his case. Mr.. Fleming, the present manager at the
Winter Garden has sought for two or three weeks,
with perseverance that atests his sincerity of pur-
pose, to enlist public consideration; but not having
succeeded any better than the Others he, again. to
be soothed, as soon as circumstances viii admit,
with a Cousolatory Benefit. We vary the title as it
appears the play bls, because, as the facts stand,
the word Complimentary" is inapt. With every
feeling of tenderness for unsuccessful managers, 1t is
impossible TO avoid asking what they have done that
they should he complimented at public expense. If
complimentary benefits are due to any, which is a
question it should be TO those who have helped the
community TO real entertainment, and who have
offered attractions which have been found worthy of
public support. Why should OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES be
called upon TO compliment managers who have failed
TO provide them with amusement; and TO restore
private Losses which the result Of disregard
Misunderstanding of their tastes and inclinations
We observe that in Prot. Andersons case the appeal
is put upon different basis. The generosity Of the
public is nvoked-an honest and straightforward
way Of putting it.
There is no accounting for the mistakes Of the Sum-
mer managers. To a certain extent, t1e theatrical
wants OF the public at this season have been defined.
Short, sharp, lively plays, with plenty of music, and
more show than substance, 20 that the eye and ear
may be gratfed and the MUD not burdeneG are the
best materials for the Summer theater Brevity,
above all is the soul of success. Novelty too, is
needed. Our managers did not exactly meet these
Nv Ind. xrith rie ..
detained his audience until midnight, and was not
very brilliaU piece at that. Who can witness the
approash of June midnight in gas-jghted tbeater
without disInay Miss Mitchell opened with
drama equally long, and as Fad in flavor as Con.
necticut blue law. Mr.. Florence presented at first
pieces which did not show his usual judgment. The
good ones were not new, and the new ones were not
good His entertainments, also were too long.
=, d what has Mr. Fleming at the Winter Garden,
-, produciDgl Merely red-hot fve-act tragedies,
nther things with farces tackled on, proong
-formances sometimes until the morning
- An, hese things, repeated with forty bore
e -. Cd, have made the public bilious and
o,;.o,,t go, AS the public could not offer pre-
inflicted upon itself houses were
GLAD ~, - en,er,,rs, system of orders" The
Won me. ,,iol,;or ,ho, y, pCcket-that is, the pen
Of the ,nana1er was ,o,ent . supply what the pocket
- - - -, 80, Mr.. Nixon took the
wiser course in that part of his 1tertanment which
has theatrical character. He gaze ballets which
were pretty and always short; and '"''''' ""''n
were good and short. Short and spIey ,mea'0's was
his rule, and long and prolific season vii, pfoosey
be the consequence. 1t was formerly the cls'on %
theater in Boston, so tradition runs, Tor aii inc
morning newspaper carriers to take up nightly quar-
tiers in the gallery. BY this means they secured In