The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-12-04
LETTER FROM CARL BENSON.

To the Editor Of the Charleston Neaos:
SR The production in New York of spectacu-
lar ballet called the ssBlack Crook and the deli
very of discourso3 called sermons against it,
furnish you with some deductions unfavorable to
sssocial morals in the North" Will you hear few
words from-a Northerner who, having been on the
ground, knows the facts of the case
have seen this much abused ssBlack Crook" It
is neither more nor less indecent than other bal
let's. The ballet is one Of the barbarisms Of civil
zation. Some indeicacy is Of its essence. But
improoriety is not it's most distinguishing or at
tractve feature. It is the gorgeousness Of the
tunes and the dexterity OF the pas which sedraw.'
not their indecenoy.
Old King Bomba, Of Naples, once had godly fit
and put all his ballet girls into green trowsers; the
good and well-neaning mon make great mistakes
on this subject from taking their opinions at third
or fonrth hands. Several years ago, 20 most excel
school) thought t lis duty to preach against the
STAGE In the course Of his sermon he remarked
that Fanny Elsie? had received $50 900 for ex-
assertion would have been pretty nearly true Of
Ada Menken, or Bonnett's py0te1e, Lucy Rushton;
twas not exactly true Of Fanny Ellsler Of course
this preacher had never seen Ellsler or any ballet
probably never the inside of any theatre; and he
confessed to having prepared himself for his dis
ties Such are the blunders into which worthy
men fall by q roSo'.s conclusions: 4,
The ~ssBlack CROOK as have said, IS no more
indecent than any other ballet But it is gotten
up with srnore splendor than American ballets
have usually been. It is full Of gorgeous process
rate tableau Like that Of an English pantonaime-
in that Like the pieces which the most respectable
citizens of London are in the habit OF sending
is mere nulity-a vehicle for the dresses and
dances neither good nor bad in itself Why, then,
all this cavil about it? Because Manager Wheat
fused to advertise in the Herald; therefore Ben
nett abused Wheatley's spectacle, and his abuse
had the qSpal @ effect Of making the piece
is obviously creature Of Bennett's, hired to
preach % against Wheasley This is evident, from
the fusGms putfs Of the Herald u introduced into
or may have been a. gparson OF some denomination
The persons who ofhciate in the Judge and Jury
Doubtless there is great deal Of Righteousness
4 and other wickedness in New York. Whether there
be comparatively more or less than il other large
Orleansis not easy to decide, accurate statistics
being unattainable. and-vague -inferences highly
deceptive; Hence the email value Of the Rouqsa
TabS,s abSs articles, which blamed pace the CHARLES
TON News, because they were un 3entlemanly AND
untrue. BY the way, have you:seen that it mak.s
ene thng Should I be be borne in nd When e drawing
q any conclusion about Northern or American morals
from the practice Of New York that Neto Hork Is
third Of i is Irish = fourth German an appreeiabe
fraction French and Spanish. It is certainly not
governed by natives, and itis doubtful n,natives
I set it's fashions.
In the present deplStable state of politics much
wiser things may be done than deneuncing the m
habitants Of one section to those Of another.
Surely, surely Southerners have suffered, suf-
fering enough from being inisrepresented at the
North, to see the mischief of such misrepresenta-
tions. With your structures on sensation preach
ing fully agree. It is utterly reprehensible. The
sensation preacher has mistaken his vocation. He
ought to have been play-actor or politician: We
may well fear, however, that this sort Of license
xuiJ1
has unfortunately proved be from free press
England aecorogs dignieta al arstocratf
funny stories from his pulpit, and has made s
fortune by it, You intimate that the southeE1
t mistaken, but it was my impression that Southern
! preachers used to dip largely into politics. re-
member called Brownlow, who is yet, believe
alive somewhere in Tennessee.
Your obedient servant,
+ + Planters HOTEL, December LIST.
lie Pere zranq,eiUe, periodical Of Marseilles
eho1