The New York herald., 1866-09-08

The Prsspects Of Theatrical Ressr~aaiion.
For some time past the most Of the theatres
Of this city have been in very bad way, aud
during the past few months especially our
people have become heartily tired Of that class
| OF amusemenSs which Amuse nobody. Worn
out and broken down singers, picked up in odd
holes ana corners OF EUROPE have been foisted
-pon US for trst class artists, and we have been
subjected to the same dull unyaryinc rnn.s sf
itinerant actors and ssupia s,lays until the nu-
sance has grown to be unbeara5le. The con.
| sequence Is thst The best society has abandoned
the majority Of our places Of amusement aud
dcd tor relief TO classic concerts aud amaseur
| theaTieals in private parlors and the delights
Of ;l'e il:crminablc German.
The prevalence of ths theatrical calm has
been 50 evident rs 10 bs uadenable. One
atler another geverai theatres were compelled
20 close their doors and some Of the others
were only kept open by pccuaisry sacrifices
on the part of the managers, who hoped, like
eiicawber, That something would turn up 10
reimburse them. The cause OF the decline is
also gnite evident. few years ago
show named Barnum, who has confessed
his swindlcs in a published book, induced >
very excellent lady aud superb singer, Jenny
Lind 10 come to this country under hiy man.
agemenh She arrived here aud was
heartily received, but on account OF some
hitch in the finances her tour did
not qai'e come up to the mark, and ahc was
very glad TO re,arn home. I1s5n her arrival
there, a2wa"":r, she found that she was totally
SaFhumzed or used up. and since then abs
las never been able to sing with her formee
power and popularity. In fact, she was hissed
IN England short time ago. The game chat
eaFnum played with poor jenny Lind he has
been repeating upon poos Whealsy. poor Wat
lack. poor Stuart aud the other associated maa-
ages. He made them bis tools ; he employed
thom 10 accomplish his purposes; be com
p'alcig Barnumized them, used them up, ruined
tbeir seasons aud then cast them aside like
squeezed lemons. Barnum may say, wild great
t,a.n, iha. the foxes are wiser than the mann
gefs ;or when a fox that had It's tail cut or
appealed to the other foxes to submit 10 the
same operation they refused; but when Baguum
loss both his bead and his tail he easily per-
SisuIu tue otu-r tO rcuUcS tn3m-
selves 10 The same dimiaished dimensions.
Bat although New York has been Tor tim.
deprived OF most oE its smusements a mehU-
polls like this cannot be permanently subjected
10 such an ipdiciion. Some of the managers
may be Barnumized; but there are alwa~a
some who will retain their Independence aud
supply us with dramatic novelties, Our critics
have kept the run OF all weli-conducted and
enterprising establishments. and they report
that the prospects for the season just opening
aco very promising. In thu approaching visit
oil Madame Rlstori we have even an ampler
guarantee of theatrical reformation. A des.
patch from Brest by the Atlantic cable at q
cost Of five dollars word for words Of Eve |
letters each-annouaced to us that this famous |
lady had taken the steamer for this city, &c /
companied by q troupe Of forty-fve persons.
This importation of complete company 10
sustain leading actress is something unpfe. |
Rlstori herself. however. il also
without rival and well deserves such liberal
treatment. An Italian by birth and countess |
by marriage, she eclipsed Rachel even in |
Paris at the height Of the power Of that won.
derful artistic; and In England and on the Con- |
tnent she has long reigued as the undispu.ed |
Queen OF the drama. She Is to Rachel what a |
living, passionate woman Is to marble statue. |
Rachel in her carefully studied attitudes, classic
robes and perfect defamation appealed to the |
intellect alone; but Ristori, who is full Of the
fire Of Italy 40 well as the intellectual refine
ment of ancient Greece, appeals also 10 the |
heart She is q patriot no less than an artistic. |
During the Italian war she passed great por-
ton Of her time in the hospitals, and herself |
and her troupe picked lint and made bandages |
during the rehearsals for her performances.
Remarkable in public and In private, she has |
genius for that profession to which others are |
happy TO devote only modicum Of talent,
and we expect that, as the sun scatters the |
clouds and darkness, 80 her unequalled per-
formances will dspcrse the present theatrical |
gloom and revive and regenerste the Ameri- |
can stage.