The New York herald., 1867-03-12

From The Round Table, March . ]

From the Round Table, March o.
There ID much In the present shape and obvious ten
dency OF public ausements In this city justify alarm
respecting the state OF social system which can not
only tolerate such but generally patron
ize ehem IL plain that the public must oest Ike thas
which most suocessfa and which keeps consequently,
the longest possession Of the boards There Is posi-
pie escape from this conclusion We forced there
FORE 70 believe that the most prurent displays Of semi
nude human figures interviewer with spoken trash which,
penny ballads hawksd on the Park ranes, constitute
the class Of performances which the people Of New York
courage into permanent establishment
Society," In this large and expanding metropolis
day foul and nosome and which threatens 20 cor
rupt and every thing within It's atmosphere
is altogether In vain oimagne tha, evils OF which The
outward Manifestations viii either csre es on
stand still or 60 backwards They viii do NO such hngx
and worse and the lamenabe part OF the matter is that
partly because the sinister decadence gradual and
II either not believed in or deliberately ignored The
blasting punishment which overlook Sodom and Goor-
Pompeii and Horcuaneum; the rotting desolaton which
came down imperial Rome; nay, even the physical
dsgeneracy and intellectual cretenm OF modern aria
Ali these may be believed in because they Of the pa
the gradual processes appear close together in pcrsps
svsry m without while pertnac,ouslv noeduons a. ~
menacing poison within.
Not the lees do these gross and shameful evils exist.
We repeat what have said before that tho blame 10
less the theatrical managers than TO the pub
lie which susains them We do not for moment sup
worthy enterprise brought hithcr from Europe the spls-
did paraphernaia and intricate machinery Of the Black
would only condescend 70 be Is we'll pleased 70 gaze upon
half.dressed women upon nearly naked ones Like
other merchants they supply the goods for which there
believe that they have sufficient taste and love Of de-
corum to be much more gratied than they now are u
the public would discover profitable liking Tor goods
less meretricious 1t burning disgrace TO that pub
lie that diversions constitute the most popular even
ing's entertainment shat be devised which twenty
years ago would have been indicted by the Grand jury
That be found night after night TO crowd In
dozens not 70 ssy hundreds 70 sness sports @
can be Judged, solitary blush Of shame. y ono o.
the most melancholy most ptabs and most threatenins
signs OF the tmea The vrtuous woman who can eD-
dure the exhibition Of frocking and lascivous vice of
this description and yet feel indignant crimson dye
na hsr H. There Is no parallel in European cities which
either justies or upholds such exhibitions What they
have IN Europe IN the way o. ballet wnateseT o,ss
where grossness s carried or By grace, and In which
symmetrical purpose partly DISCUSSES, does not VEIL
allunng display Here have the gingerbread wthoue
the gliding. me performance Is simply nasty, without
any poetry at ALL II appeals without disguise 70 ths
lowest passions Of human nature; and the sole epua
tion among the purveyos Of these iquorish Festivities
as 70 who shall furnish the grossest spectacle wnch
the law can be expected to wink At and allow.
Since il SEE ms TO be conceded on all sides by practical
minds that theatres are inevitable in metropolis and
that they Are evils they are necessary ones the re-
the community is obviously that of enccuraging the
houses where decency still considered and where good
persons are at least partially clothed The houses man
aged by Mr. Stewart Mr. Wallack and some others are,
60 far as know unexceptonable in this regard and
the self respect which those gentlemen exhibit by 70
specting the community In which they live and thrive
appears to good advantage from the contrast AZ the
two theatres first mentioned tragedy and comedy stin
enjoy reputable homes and are domiced w taste care
and common dccency In them fathers and moehers q
families be against the incubation OF ewd
thoughts aud the obtuson OF disgusting images There
may be little too much reliance on nc clothes 10 oOe
or these houses and little too much subordiuating q
general eect individua DISPLAY in the other; but N
general they ably and intelligenty conducted and
may fairly be regarded credtabie to the metropolis ID
which they flourish. a 47slioi "a