The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-05-09
: ssook Ararkss.
The Theatre and the Drama.

Rev. David N. Sheldon, d. D., for some
ten years President of watervilIe College,
subsequently pastor of Elm Street tBaptist)
church in Bath and afterwards of Summer
Street (Unitarian) in the same city, and now
pastor Of the Unitarian Church in Waterville,
lone of the purest minded, most single-hear-
ted and exemplary citizens it has ever been
our good fortune to become acquainted with,
has communication in the Watsryille
Mail headed president Lincoln and the The
atre," from which we take the following ex-
tract: Ns.&
the sorrow recently expressed among us, that
the late chief magistrate of our country met
his death in theatre, ask the privilege of
occupying q small space in the Mat In ex-
pressing few thoughts on this subject.
To me it seems by no means evident,
that the conduct of the President in this mat
ter was wrong. No one will be likely to say
that he thought 1t wrong; and in his situation,
with his oppressive duties, responsibilities, and
cares, his need of relaxation, and his knowl-
edge of Washington society and life, and of
their claims upon the head of the nation
was he not, in the matter here in question.
the best judge of what he might properly do 2
1t is to be remembered, that while some may
regret his course, yet another numerous class
throughout the country, as high-minded and
as morally pure as any of his censors, will be
apt to think that it needs no defence. There
must indeed be good men and competent
judges, in whose estimation the President
would have disregarded certain obvious pro-
prieties, If he had not sometimes visited the
theatre. The evening of his brutal murder,
he is known to have gone there, out of court
esy and favor to the people, who had been
led to expect his presence.
Still higher ground may be taken. With
the theatre belongs the drama, as really
the temple of worship and the sermon 90 to-
gether. In neither case is the connection
strictly necessary; but it exists. Now the
drama has been held in honor among all civil
lized and Christian nations. The reputation
of the ancient Greek tragedians is as high as
that ofthe Greek orators. The men Of the
finest scholarship In the Colleges, as well Of
this country as of other countries, have deem
ed their time worthily employed in preparing
editions of the surviving works of the tragic
poets of antiquity, and in teaching these
works to the young men in all institutions Of
higher learning. Ii the President of Water
vile College deemed himself usefully engaged
in editing some OF the orations OF Demosthenes,
just as much did the distinguished President
VI dtC OOiiCBCs tuAuk tldb ne was .uOlU2 d
good work in preparing for the use of classical
students some OF the choicest productions of
the Greek dramatists. Many of the best pieces
Of Shakespeare, and of ether writer's for the
English stage, including Addison, johnson,
and the excellent Mrs. Hannah Moore, are adj
mired and read by all lovers of our literature.
Can, then, the representation on the stage Of
dramas of this character be an evil, against
which all among US, old and young, need to be
warned?
know well that all pieces played In thea
tres are not of this sort. There are, too, often
times, the purlieus of the theatre, which no
worthy man can defend But these things
are neither universal, nor necessary. If any
thing Can be established from history and ex-
perience, it is, think, that the theatre has a
hold on the human mind, and on the judg-
ment and esteem of men of character and
standing, to such an extent, that no opposition
is likely to displace it. Is it not then the
wiser course to seek to improve and to purify
it.? 1t will not do to tell US that its purihca-
ton Is impossible; at least we cannot be ex-
pected to believe this, until such efforts as
have been fruitlessly put forth to Danish it al
together, have been exerted to free it from its
faults and evils. sed