The New York herald., 1864-10-12
Ch0nRlnG All RA,und.

Changing All R.,und.
The principle OF change which underlies the
current of our existence is no wIiNre marked by
more curious phases than in this community
Events succeed each other with rapidity
which has no parallel, while new men and
regulations are being continually brought to
the surface The war has no doubt contributed
to bring about this state of things, though the
love Of novelty may be said to have been
always an inherent feature of the American
character. While the people Of other coun-
tries venerate things for their antiquity, we
love everything that is new. New houses,
new carpets, new furniture, new carriages and
new servants are indispensable elements of
our social comfort. Our friendships, too, are
like our habits. We have but little veneration
and no strong attachments.
Since the commencement of the war
how strongly have all these character
istics been developed! We have set up
and dethroued more idols than people
ever before indulged in. The only false
gods that we could not dsplace were,
unrortuna tely, those that sat in the temple of
State. But all others that obtained promi-
nence through popular favor have been more
or less made to feel its ickleness. Old gene
rails have been made to give place to new ones,
and these in their turn, after saving tie nation,
are being sLelved by the politicians.
And the tendency to fulfil this memorable
principle of our existence is to be observed az
well in our social aud artistic arrangements.
Thus to our Goldfish aristocracy succeeded
shoddy aristocracy, and to our shoddy arls-
tocracY succeeds in its turn an oil or petroleum
aristocracy-the one just as ignorant, pre-
tentious aud extravagant as the Others. By
and by some other discovery will be made by
which new spectators will be brought to the
surface and fresh aristocracy created. Il is
satisfactory to reflect that, when we pass into
the condition Of monarchy or an empire, all
these agglomeratons Of wealth and pretentlon
eau be easily converted into orders of nobility,
according to date. They will not be less
igpoble in their origin than the Wallets, cooks
and bottle washers who served 1fenitors
to The great families of England. I'd the thea
trical world change. is no less the ordes Of the
day. To false idols, established by the aid Of
new class of actors who vindicate the claims
of genius and present us models for the forma-
tion of a correct public taste. If any of our
readers doubt the fact let them 60 to the Broad
way and pass an evening with Solon Single.
They will then see the difference between the
true artist and the pretendcr. The theatre,
which, under the veteran Wallack, effected the
first reformation in this school of art has been
appropriately selected for the admirable i'm
presentations which sgnalize this its second
stage Of Improvement.
In operatic matters the spirit of change has
worked similar marked results. The troupe
at the Academy is not only almost entirely
new in its personnel, but different in its charac-
teristics from any that we have had. The prima
donna, Zucchi is splendid artist, bearing no
resemblance, however, to any that have pre-
ceded hera fact enhancing the interest Of her
representations. The tenor's voice presents
union Of the qualities of Mszzolcni's and Brig
noli's organs, and fits him for almost any role
in The Italian repertoire. II he had but the
dramatic talents of Mazzoleni he would be the
greatest acquisition we have ever had. Then,
in addition to these features of novelty, we
have the director taking up the pen and criti-
cizing the critics. lie does it so pleasantly
and intelligently that we could almost wish
that he would follow the example of NJ. Juiguet
and edit theatrical Figaro. ~''st4s.x.
~s,r..4 'sfa