New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-06
Theaters.

NIBLo's GARDEs.-The renewed success of Miss
Bateman in Leah" last Monday evening, affords
fresh evidence that a play does not wa-days 10.
quire TO be iDtegenrly written in order to claim
favor from the public; and that llitsrse expression
is fault easily overlooked when ne sentiment 10
sturdy and the plot is strong. The substauce OF
" Leah" is good, The German drama Of which Is
ia trayestie is work Of power and Beauty; and ID
is plain enough that any English translation how.
ever slovenly and imperfect, must retain something
Of the force of the original incidents and sustions
The cheapest wood-cut imitation Of great picture
may give an outline of its merits, if nothing more,
and 20 that degree, possess an interest tenpsnpy
dsguerreOtype Of great man Is better than nothing,
proving at lesst the valuable facts that, Ike other
mortas, he wears bis eyes aud noso ard mouth IN
the conventional localities. But the Importance Of
such make-shifs vanishes the instant it is demon
strssd that they are not the best that sttainabo.
II all American writers were ounces, there would
oe show OF reason in the toieraion OF trashy
dramatic literature; but since good .ransations a
foreign plays can easily DO secured it seems pity
tha, the best part Of their light should be hidden uu'
der bushel of falss style and clumsy rhetoric.
Mosentfals Deborah is almost poetic in its
purity and simple dignity. Mr. Days Leah
a jumbo of bad grammar, tawdry imagery ans
elnascalate TRADE. We can fancy German, fa'
niliar with the original work, witnessing for the
first time this unfortunate reproduction, and excsim.
ing in apt quotations;
Shrine Of the mighty, can I. be
That this is all remain. Of thee !"
We cannot share the opinion that the faults Of
" Leah i" are simply ludicrous, and that it is alto
gether better to laugh aG than to rebuke them, ale
though there is certainly much force on that side Of
the argument. No critical observer Can deny the
rsibls ELECT of many of tie cOlloquies and ss'
speeches, and if this were purely original work,
we should not mind taking that view of it. Leah
might then rece her wrongs in tursid cratory, and
Rudolph plead his soft excavations in execrabe
syntax with no particular injury to anybodys repa'
tston except the authors Here, however. anothes
mans fame is involved. The real author is Mosen'
thal, who Is not allowed his own free speech, bns
niust be heard through the imperfect and stammer-
ing uttsrance Of al incapable translator. The vexs-
ton Of al American Engishmaa, who, Ia Coz
many, should listen 10 bunghng and inadequate
version Of one of Shakespeare plays would be per-
iecily legitimate. Such things, however, are NOT
POSSIBLE there, the highest cultivation and profound'
est learning being devoted to all similar tasks. We
cordially sympsthirs therefore, with tie vexation
which Germans hereabout must feel at seeing fine
work Of fsyorts su,her turned into caricature.
Upon she question Of the propriety Of producing
such pieces at all We are not disposed 10 e.tsr.
Our own judgement is heartily against it, and
we should hail with inexpfessi0lo satisfaction Ike
perpetual Punishment Of all tue LEAFS. Faus,
and siargueh,es, East Lynnss" and "Ediths"
that ever blocked tho way Of progress in dramatic
literature. Managers, however, think otasrwiss,
and since it is palpably TO their profit to produce
them it would DO useless to bope Tor any Interrupt
ton Audiences, as we have said, DO lot look below
the surface, and If the form Of drama attracts
them pay little heed 10 its complexion. Rhetorical
pustules are not closely scanned, and the scroiulA
o. bad grammar seldom excIes the disgust which is
lis due. Incidents and situations are Tie main
effects. The language goes for nothing. which, in
most modern plays, is just about what 1t Is worth.
1t is unpleasant enough TO see pieces Of dscrcdtabs
literary character lifted to such notoristy as is Con-
ferred upon them by the efforts Of popular and dis
tingusbei artists; but when the preposteF6as "
tempt is made 10 attach serious vsus to them, as IN
the case Of" Leah" then critical seuse fairly
volts. Under the circumstances it is proper to say
that Leah is a very bad translation Of q noble
play that it retains tie vital idea Of the original,
with certain distortions ungainly enough in them
selves, but not sufficient TO destroy s eutre force;
that it bss good and strong purposes, which are
Mosenhals, and that il has the worst writing We
remember to have encountered which is Mr.. Days.
Miss Bateman's acting has hold upon the public
which that Of few artists has secured. In tbN
play her success is indisputsbe, the energy and
devotion with which rhe acts greatly relieving the
uatural defects Of her part-detects Of rhetoric We
mean, and not of conception, since the latter . no>
materially changed from the German original. She
was enthusiastically welcomed last Monday, and
warmly appauded throughout toe evening. During
her engagement she will illustrate other characters
than tbose Of the order Of Iterate Drama" in re-
spect of which We wish finally 10 state that whsa-
ever ether equally fragrant examples come before tho
public, We snal take occasion 10 deal with them with
equal psinness Of speech.
WINTER GARpES.-"Luck" and "Ths Toodes"
will DO twice more repeated at this theatsr. On
Friday evening the bill will be changed for Mr.. ].
8. Clarke's benefit. Paul Pry" and new piece
entitled " He's Jack Sheppard" viii DO performed.
WALLAcK's THxATER.-The benefit Of Mr.. Lee
ter Wsllack il announced to take place next Saiar.
day evening. "Ths Stranger" viii DO revived fos
this occasion.