The New York herald., 1866-09-29
Resuscitation Of the Drama.

to admit, but ii Is nevertheless true, that while
this country has been advancing in all the ele-
ments which distinguish great, civilized and
intellectual people, we have been treadng q
retrograde path within the past few years in
dramatic art It is only necessary to look at
the class Of performances, the quality Of talent
employed and the utter disregard for the re-
sponsibility which their position involves that
the managers generally have exhibited. Rely
ing upon the good nature and Overtaxed suf-
ferance of the public, the managers have grad
ually reduced the drama to the lowest standard
until, with the exception of Ristori's magnid-
cent performances at the French theatre and
those of the German tragedian Davidson at the
Stadt theatre, there Is absolutely nothing left
for the New York public in the dramatic stage
but inspidity, degradation Of q glorious art
and decentralization Of public sentiment As
far as American dramatic art or the elevating
influences which are inseparable from con-
scientious application of the drama Is con-
cerned, the community has fallen into the hands
Of the Philistines, and receives no mercy from
their masters, the managers combination.
1t is curious to notice how, while for the last
half century the theatrical profession has in
measure kept pace in the march of civilization
in other countries, while the Kembles and
Talmas, the Keans and Garricks, the Siddonses
and O'Neils, the Rachels and Ristoris arose in
succession to illuminate the dramatic sky of Eu-
rope, we who in war and peace, in the enlight-
enment of our statesmen, the energy Of our peo-
pie, the boundless liberality Of our patronage,
should be beggars at the door of every artist
and every dramatic writer in Europe to give
ornament to the American stage and vindi
cate the claims Of art in an American COM
munity. But this anomaly is easily accounted
for when we remember the class of men to
whose hands the drama has been unfortu-
nateiy intrusted in this city, upon which, Of
course, the whole country relies for its artists,
as it is here that their regulations are made
or their deficiencies are damned.
The history Of theatrical management in
New York for the last quarter Of century,
and the malignant influence which it exer-
cised, dates from the time when young man,
with all the ambition to become . sue cessful
Snowman, but possessing none Of the qualif-
cations necessary to fll q higher posi-
ton, applied to old Mr.. Niblo for a cor
ner in his garden on Broadway to ex-
hibit a negro woman said to be hundred
years old and represented as having his
torical record in connection with the Father
of his Country. The request was good ma
turedly granted, and from that day TO this
the exhibitor of joyce Hetb, with his taste
for shows and humbugs and indomitable pas
sion for all the monstrosities Of nature, has
been exercising demoralizing influence upon
the theatrical profession. About the same time
another young man obtained the privilege from
Mr.. Niblo of exhibiting fat OK in another cor
ner of his garden. That young man is now the
proprietor Of tho Fifth Avenue Hotel. he,
however, is not responsible for any portion Of
the evils which his contemporary exhibitor Of
the old neQress has brought upon an honorable
and useful calling.
For some years past the Legitimate drama
has been gradually declining towards the show
business, being Barnumized, in fact, until
our theatres, and necessarily, by force OF
circumstances. our actors also. have be-
come demoralized We no longer find in
the general run of our theatres Q resort Of
refined enjoyment and school OF instruction.
Sensations of the woolly horse, Joyce Heth
and bogus mermaid sty lie, supplanted the-regu-
lar drama. At one theatre we have repre-
sented the weakest phases Of human folly
AT another the darkest chapters in human
viciousness, unredeemed by . single trait of
virtue to point ever 80 poor q moral. AT
another jugglers, tumblers and acrobas denle
the stage with distortions that keep the
audience in o fever of terror. AT another
French dancing girls present fraudulent dis
guise Of nudity in scant drapery and ape the
poses and attitudes Of nymphs and goddesses
in amorous delirium. This, in plain language,
Is the climax which the theatres have reached
under the mastery control Of the Snowman
who manages the Managers ASSOCIATE on.
In splendid contrast fortunately, we have
the classic representations OF Ristori at the
Theatre Francais. Her advent has shed q new
refulgence upon the metropolitan stage. The
public welcome her as relief and appre-
ciate her as the representative Of q lost art
The actors and actresses Of the other estab-.
lishments, depressed by the incubus Of mana
gerial decentralization, gladly avail themselves
Of the opportunity to study under her, and
from this fact we live in hope that better
era Is about to dawn upon dramatic art.
Ristori when she leaves this city, will carry
her influence and her fclat throughout the
West, and will, no doubt, leave most propi-
tious impression on public taste all over the
country, which win affect alike people, actors
and managers.
NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION. Is Q set of
political blowers who spend their time during
every exciting political canvass circulating