The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-07

Demoralixati0n of tho American Stage-The
Modern Newspaper a substiGuto for tho
Drama.
Decentralization of the American stage. The
splendid success Of Ristor, during her recent
tour in the United States under the thoughtful
management of Mr.. Grau, is but an exception
which proves the general rule. 1t even renders
more palpable than ever, by way Of contrast,
the gloom and degradation into which our Bar
numized stage has fallen. The occasional
praiseworthy efforts of few such intelligent
managers a. Mr.. Stuart, for instance-whose
shakespeare REVEALS" at least so far as cos
tune and scenic effects are concerned, were
superior to anything Of the kind since those
which were 80 successful years ago at the Prin-
cess theatre, in London-have failed to raise
the drama from its fallen condition. Managers
generally persist in making concessions to the
within and folly of the hour. In fact, they are
directly responsible for having done all they
could to Greats the low, morbid tastes to which
they shamelessly pander. The Black Crook, at
Broadway theatre, has been held up as q
model exhibition until its vilest features have
been copied and made familiar in all the prn-
cipal cities of the Union. Incalculablc injury
has thus been done, not only to the public taste,
but to the public morals.
Tha. a higher ideal Of dramatic art exists in
the American mind than would seem to be the
case if we judged only by the multitudes who
have been allured to such vile shows, was
abundantly proved by the universal enthusiasm
with which the American people responded to
the appeal OF the legitimate drama in the person
OF Ristori Even foreign language could
not prevent that appeal from being intuitvely
understood, eloquently interpreted as 1t was
by the eye, the hand, the countenance, the
statuesque attitudes and the thrilling tones Of
Ristori.
The universal passion for stage representa-
tons is shared by the American people. But
IL has rarely been excited or gratiied to salts
factory degree. Indeed, II Is difficult TO Gen.
ceive, in the present condition Of things, how
| the drama can ever exercise In this country 80
powerful an influence as 1t unquestionably has
welded in other countries and other times. In
every country except China its origin was
more or less closely allied to religion. The
Greek tragedies were originally religious
solemnitics, and the Greek stage retained
certain religious character long after the deeds
of heroes had been substituted for the great
actions OF the gods, and had in their turn been
! succeeded by scenes Of great emotion and
great passion, taken from real life II had q
religious hold upon the Greek mind until the
glorious dramatic era of Eschylus, Sophocles,
Euripides and Aristophanes was over. The
Hindoo plays were acted only on solemn
occasions. The modern European drama orig
mated in the solemnities Of The Church In me-
di@val Italy, France, Spain and England In
the latter Country the semi-relgious represen-
tations which the monks framed from biblical
history and the lives of the saints, intermingled
with allegorical fantasies, were called myste-
ries and moralitics. From these In due time
were developed the masterpieces Of Shak-
speare and bis contemporaries and even the age
Of the comic drama, with which the name Of
Dryden d linked, and the golden reign Of tho
Kembles From the same remote origin came
Corneills and Racine and their successors TO
the present day In France, Lope de Vega and
Calderon In Spain, Ariosto, Tasso, Qoldoni