The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-16

changed his base when he found the Mississippi
river had undermined his house was wise
man.
| City Amusements- Curious Phases Of Our
| Modern Civilization. -
New York Is one of the most remarkable
cities in the world, whether we regard the
rapidity Of its growth or the exceptional fea-
lures that mark Its progress It comprises in
its population almost all the varieties Of the
human race and embraces almost every phase
Of modern civilization. In nothing more than
in its amusements does 1t exhibit this extraor-
binary mixture Of apparently opposite charac-
teristics. Take for instance the case of Ristori
There never has been such reception given
to any foreign artist as this lady has had from
US. Her professional success has been unpre-
cedented; her social success has been scarcely
less marked. In New York the receipts at her
performances were larger than she had ever
made in Europe, not excepting even her own
country, where the language Of her pieces is
that of the people. When she went to the
provinces it might reasonably have been ex-
pected that there would have been somewhat
less curiosity manifested in her regard; but the
reverse has been the case. In Boston, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore and Washington, and even
in the smaller cities, the interest attending her
appearance has been equally great Socially
no artist that has visited this country has re-
ceived such general and marked attention.
The most distinguished people in our city have
WED with each other in showing their appre-
citation Of her genius and personal worth Din
ners, balls, receptions and visits have been
crowded upon her in such profusion that they
have interfered to some extent with her COM
fort. Nor have these attentions been confined
to the cultivated society Of the metropolis. In
all the other cities that she has visited she has
been equally overwhelmed with kindnesses.
Even the President, in the midst Of his official
anxieties and responsibilities, found time to do
her honor. All this, it must be admitted,
marks the development Of the highest order Of
taste and shows that in point of intellectual
cultivation we cannot be considered behind
the most refined Of the European nations.
But there is another side to picture so fat
tering to our self-esteem While all this is
going on we witness the success at one Of the
old theatres in Broadway of most extraordi-
nary exhibition, which argues the existence
among us Of quite another class Of tastes. Here
dramatic extravagances and ballet girls i'm
ported from Paris make prolonged sensation
by violating and shocking all our conventional
notions Of decency. Painters who have for
years been lamenting the scarcity of models
find presented to them the fullest opportunities
Of studying the nude. The effect, of course, is
widespread and killing to other enterprises;
it has squclched out the Italian Opera and has
done what To Legislature has been vainly at
tempting to DO for the last couple Of years
put down the concert halls So much money
has been made by the enterprise that, notwith-
standing the enormous expense attending its
installation, rival exhibition Of . similar cha
racter is to be started tomorrow evening at
another Broadway theatre. There the public
are to be enticed by the promise of greater
beauties and shorter pstticoats, so that, In the
absence of the Christening influence Of Ristori
1t is probable the patronage of the lovers Of
amusement will be entirely absorbed between
VIC AAOuCA u5sc VI tuo tWO TtVal cStaDlIsu-
mems.
What is especially noteworthy in all this is
that, with one or two exceptions, none Of the
professed guardians of the public morals have
thought proper to utter word Of condemna-
ton in regard to it. The thing, in fact, seems
to be admitted "a one of the peculiar and legiti-
mate features Of our civilization. The conse-
quence is that the importer Of this d<coHete
style Of entertainment has made by it a pile Of
money-somc say quarter of a milion-has
been chosen as vestryman, and no doubt at
the next election will be nominated for Con-
gress. Messrs. Mark Smith and Lewis Baker,
the proprietors Of the rival exhibition, will of
course also make their pile, be taken into
! clerical favor and be elected TO the national
legislature, while poor Barnum and the rest Of
the associated managers, with their woolly
horses, their squeaking prima donnas and their
pulling Hamlets, will rapidly run to seed and
eventually bring up in the poor house.