The New York herald., 1869-03-29
THEATRICAL.


genius. Yellow-halred houris Drumming over with
beauty and brains, are imported by the
gross. each with Q nimble Jig and Q mirth-
inspiring nursery ballad 70 waken the enraptured
bravos OF ecstatic audiences. As constant dropping
Of water will wear away stones. 30 win constant
dropping Of HIS wear away patience. We are In
danger OF being "rhymed TO death,n AZ Ben Jonson
said the rats In Ireland alluding to singular
superstition OF that peculiar but noble people. We
are suffering from an avalanche Of rhyme. Between
Mother Goose and Mr. Farnie II is hardly safe TO ven
ture within a theatre on Broadway. II we escape
'Hxo.hsr, xot may 60 @ IN .. 70 swims
But don't go near the watef."
we are knocked senseless with
His baggage checked for Troy;
A sns at H. S'ss 0 sss s.s S sooy
Net 10 further pursue subject which cuts 0ur ma
tonaty 70 the quick we can only hope that the re-
morseless vendetta Of naughty England may finally
Testing land be blown back BY favorable breezes
to the chalk cliffs OF their flight little lse.n We
M SSs VS. Een ss sss
Charles Kean and Parepa; but from Jug dancing, I,n
hair dye and Mother Goose" set % Co Connolly's
said that we travel from Dan to Beersheba and "cry
all Is barren" There be playwrights and there be
suit the trade, like any other ignoble mechanic BY
the inspiration Of the paste pot and the appropria
Of ys any soSGs Required % Ienatn in just the time
1t will take TO translate, slash and paste
into regulation shape the % ,hs hpaywsgns gstecis cas
There is an instance Of very recent record where
play wright hastily adapted" little comedy from
city theatre and found to his disgust that the spo
atiOn had been anticipated years before, ana Ms
tae to every stage in the country under the guise
OF screaming farce" The "origina comedy, In.
stantly became an adaptation" and that legalized
n tho nuf IN n n n
living dramatic authors is T. W. Robertson, whose
"Home" and 'School" are about the finest speci-
mems OF dramatic genius presented In an age not re-
for sst class s o. o
him as was the dsinterested defence by the prince
OF plagiarsts, Dion B0ucicauIt. Boucicaults letter
was an ingenious argument In behalf Of himself
cloaKed In the mantle OF charity to brother scribe
Mr.. Robertson needs no breaking OF lances In his
behalf by the redoubtable free companion Boucicault
That the plot OF Scho0" which gave rise 10 the TO
cent discussion. was originated in the German s true
and the author makes no denial OF 1t. Hut even
Shakespeare, whose creative brain was an inexhaus-
tible mine from whence was poured splendid
. hundred Boucicaults or nifty Robertsons,
occasionally used old songs and stories as
gems ms Of IR thought. Several Of lis plays~not the
best directly traceabe to the plays Of writers
who haa little preceded MIN; . The stories nss
humorous and satirica jests, have been la
boriously collated into an interesting though
"rhere is no new thing under Tue sum- except the
reconstruction laws, and Mr.. Robertson may De ap-
soved from .ne spelu n h cnaage % aHa cob
bIers of hls craft who rebel against the domi.
nation OF imagination over pastepots the plots
or original, are OF the weakest and most
insignificant nature, and only redeemed Or % made
fancy and charming situations devised by the pure
taste Of The author, who is sworn disciple oi SIM
phcty. Take for example school " now playing at
girl, having neither father nor mother, who 10 taken
In out OF charity by two pleasant old pedagogues
examination Of the pupils ahe sees noble lord who
is smitten with her and after modest little range OF
adventure she Is discovered to be an heress and the
lords cousin, and they are married, which is con-
ventionally II not pathoioRicaly, correct Upon TINS
ing picture OF real lifea picture delicatoly tinted
and shaded-which delights the eye and relrcshes
preciate the necessity ~ well as the beauty Of SIM
plicity. On the stage everyday life has grown too
earnest and dramatic In It's surroundings TO bear
repetition on the stage In the evenings we devote TO
amusement and relaxation. Why 30 TO see the de-
thronement Of king or the coronation Of an empe-
grown Of such common occurrence as no longer TO
strike world with wonder, Why mock to
Of a man on a railroad track, when the Erie and
Hudson River roads almost daily swell the
hecatomb Of human victims which i. .ney nave nave
neers and rotten iron rails. Indeed, as matter or
economy 1t is cheaper to Kill than to fracture the
limbs OF their passengers, as the dead get no dam
ages. II is also more dramatic; the cries and CON-
plants OF the wounded destroy the Illusion. There
II nothing which strikes the sight with more freezing
intensity than str, stark, dead body lying on the
rails with upturned lace and manged BODY, while
the train whistles and dashes away IN the distance
scene' has grown 80 common as to awaken only
derisive laughter when we see Snorky rolling and
terror Of train OF pasteboard cars. Mr.. wallack
has q nne part In his extensive repertoire-the
Pauline pauline" The time has been when Lester
Walack, with all nis war paint on ana
tomahawk At eirdle paint and tomanawk' ano.
with horror. But now, with red-handed riot usurp-
ina our streets, and murder morning diversion Of
couldn't frighten the agricultural editor Of the TIT
Strayed SS f little title nom the %nnites''~Robertscn's
drama Of school," made mp, ~ II is OF pleasing
s as to ss q an sDTng Ws nowsrs
situations are contrived In the most natural way.
without the "adulteres Of art" and are novel and
sllght materials A milk jug, shadow, slipper,
are mr. RpeeT,sof Sasfss, aa,emRs
ps Of sdSoosrs Winding over rustic Srdss
three gentlemen at lunch table, al rresco are his
only EFFORTS ct gorgeous mise en- scene but the
play. laugh at Beau Farentosh, ioathe Krux,
love Bella respect Lord Beaufoy and admire Captain
piece really deserving Of the name, although there
are q number OF Subsidiary people granted the
honors OF print schoolgrls footTnen, &C.; but II
would have added to the concseness and harmony
OF the piece had the names Of these minor canons
not been permitted to distract our attention from
comedy and the most perfect play In the English
language, has but seven characters and valet who
comes on once or twice during the action.
The result Of that economy Of dransatis personG
is that not only the mind Of the author relieved
from supplying them with names and mangvring
them properly, but the audience can grasp the cast
In few moments and almost soon ns the curtain
has risen establish acquaintance with the cnarac-
ters represented.
The best part in SCHOOL that of Bella s entrusted
70 Mrs Jennings, and that lady has never appeared
before New York audieuce TO greater advantage.
girlish figure, refined face and modest demeanor.
Win these admirable natural advantages essential
10 the part, Mrs Jennings adds thorough compre-
hension oil the character. She u delicate, natural,
kind hearted but full OF true woinanly dignity,