The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-01-02

BencNOlcnce. lusJtce, norOlSm, ana the WIS |
dom of moderating the passions are plainly |
pointed out and forcibly recommended TO |
those savage sons of uncultivated nature |
who have few opportunities, and would
have no Inclination for instruction, IL IL did
not present itself In the form of delight
full instruction"
DR.. GREGORY in his LEGACY tohi Daugh-
ter says: fa
II know of no entertainment that gives
such pleasure TO any person of sentiment
or humor rs the theater." ...
DIR. BLAIR, one Of the most eminont OF
divines, says: sf- nf
"Dramatic poetry has, among civilized ma
tiOns. been always considered rational and
useful entertainment, and judged worthy OF
careful and serious discussion. As tragedy
is Il high and distinguishing species of com
position, so also In its general strain and
| spirit, IL Is favorable to virtue; and there
fore, though dramatic writers may, some
times. like other writers, be guilty OF inn
lproprieties, though they may fail in plac-
| ing virtue forcibly In the due point of light,
yet no reasonable man can deny tragedy to
| be a reasonable species Of composition.
Taking tragedies completely, | am fully
persuaded that the Impressions left by them
upon the mind, are, on the whole favorable
| to virtue and good dispositions. And there
1
shown against the entertainment of the the
ater must rest only on the abuse of comedy,
which indeed has frequently been SO great
as TO Justify very severe censures against 1t.
am happy, however, to have itin my power
to observe that of late years a sensible re-
formation has begun to take place in Eng
lish comedy"
PHuIP MELANCTHoN says:
"On frequent reflection concerning the
a.Na 1t. I
greatly admire the wisdom of the Greeks,
who at the commencement exhibited trage-
dies to the people, by no means for the
purpose of mere amusement rs is COM
monty thought, but much more on this ac-
count: that by the consideration of heinous
examples and ElisfOrtunes they might turn
their rude and fierce spirits to moderation
and the brdling of undue desires. These
IIingS therefore were acted, beheld, read
a M listened to, both by the philosophers
and The people, not as mere romanccs, but
a. instructions for the government of life.
Men were thus warned of the causes of
human calamitics, which in those exam
pies they saw brought ON and increased by
depraved desires"
let me conclude this branch of the evil
dcncc by an extract from the history OF
Greece by the Right Rev. CoNNoP TmR-
WALL Lord Bishop of st. David's. Speak
: ing of the poet and comic actor ARIsro-
pHANEs he says: s.s-.a r.-..
"But still higher praise seens TO belong
T To the poet ARlsTopHANEs. and his genius,
wonderful as ii Is, is less admirable Mdt the
use he made OT 10. lie whose works have
furnished the most abundant materials for
all the repulsive descriptions of his cotem-
: poraries which have been given in modern
times. never ceased to exert his matchless
I0N.NU Il.
remedy or to abate the evils which he OBJ
: served. He seems to have neglected nc
, opportunity of giving wholesome advice In
that which he judged the most efiicaciOus
, form; and only took advantage of his
theatrical priuilege to attack prevailing
e abuses and to rouse contempt and indlgha-
: tlOn against the follies and vices which APP
peared to him most intimately connected
with the worst calamities and dangers OF
) the times.
The patriotism of ARIToPHANRs was
, honest, bold and generally wise"
Vi II was of AristOphanes that PLATO said
"his soul tCds he sanctuary Of the Cruces"
Plato studied his works, and honored him
with n place in one ofhis own masterpieces
The practice of such men as MATURIN,
MHMAN, HoMR, YOUNG, CRoLY, RoBERT-
SON and others; and the opinions Of such
eminent divines as KNOX, LUTHER, MELANCr
THoN, BLAIR, CRABBE, GREGORY aud THIRL-
WALL, are entitled to some consideration AT
the hands of even the most austere mem
? ber of the most austere church.
= now proceed to the last branch of the
testimony by which DIR. THOMAS thinks he
supports his proposition; 1.-The evidence OF
eminent persons of different characters aud
stations In life, whose abilities, experience
= and opportunities of observation entitle
t them to express conclusive opinion"
may be permitted TO say here that do not
+ place the same value upon the opinions OF
+, others in regard to the morality or immoral
5 ity of the stage, as Dr. THOMAS seems to do
But in addressing myself to his proposition,
II must be met in the way it is advanced
The intelligent public was very much
surprised upon reading the reverend gentle
mans sermon in print; and, may say
. somewhat amused at the sweeping asser-
tions 1t contains as TO the facts of history
> and the deductions therefrom. But nothing
Z surprised 1t more than the argument at
: tempted to be drawn from the few names
presented under this last head.
We must remember, that the proposition
f il that ''the wise and good of eYeny age
, since the birth of the drama, &C., have
} unitedty and Rntforay condemned and re-
. probated theatrical exhibitions as danger
{ ous 10 morals, &C."
The names of moderns by which this
overwhelming proposition is supported are