The Republican journal., 1869-10-07
LETTER FROM BOSTON.
Correspondence of the journal.
Something About Theatres-Centennnia of ST.
Andrews Royal Arch Chapter on
Hanover Street-Weather, &C.

There are two ways in which you may to see u
play One Is very agreeable the other is vice versa
very dIsagreeable. In the disagreeable way you
have at your elbow bore, who is constantly talk
ing, and always finding fault. The seat is too hard
or too soft-too near the stage or. too far distant
The room is TOO hot or too cold The actors are too
clever or too stupid, and talk too high too low
Everybody is inconveniently tall and nothing goes
right. You would like to give yourself up to the
enjoyment of the play, to think that this mimic
world OF the stage is rea-to believe that men are
really high and heroic and women true and trusting.
And in the pauscs-when the music is sobbng out
some wild. sad, sweet stran-you ant to sink soft
ly back i'll your cushioned chair and give Yourself
up to sweet, luxurious dreamsall the more luXllri-
Gus and enchanting if conured up by sad remcm
ORANGES. You want to HE away over mountain vale
and ocean stretch to Erin's green borders and sec.
if but dmly, the heart broken lover of Kathleen
moaning out his wonrous lay
''Kathleen, Mavourncen, the gray dawn is breaking
You wish to sit and look at the people with their
rich and many-hucd draperics. 1T the gayly decor
atcd galleries and cut glass chandeliers and think
what bright, sparkling pretty picture it all makes in
the softened simmer Of the gas-light
You don't want 10 think what all these men and
women will be in broad daylight Nor that the
pretty nymphs who bend so gracefully from the
inches only moulded pieces of coarse wood more
coarsely painteh-hat the beautiful green of the
fairy queen who glide, IN softly in her enchanted
boat is possibly made attracth by pantha the boat
is only plank moved by unseen pllllics ana cords
and the low mllrmuring soueh Of the sea is pro
dlred by canvass drawn dcxtrollsy over rollers.
say You don't want to think of all This but at YOUR
side j. the terrible bore, who is constantly confront
| no1- Al, -t,,J,I
ces and jerking you down with ptiIcss pun As Of
ten as You would soar away on the wings of mag
nation, until you are in a sweat of mortal agony
and heartily wish you had st tycd at home.
Then there is another and very agreeable way to
go, which is the reverse of all this--and which,
surposin@ all your readers o have experienced I
Will not now describe.
: There is one other thing about thcatres-their
value aS public educators has never been estimated
am talking now of those places where the leeit-
mate and well acted drama is placed upon the
hoarlS, where decent and sensible people en-,
always go without blush of shame-ln,t not those
where nude women display their padded limb, and
bespanged slippers. Though, Heaven knows, | dc
not hold more shameless for Kate Fisher in TIGHT.
to ride As Mazcppa barc-hacked horse. than for
women to indulge habtllaly in petty saunders and
hurtfu gossps.
In any community would sooncrh build theatre
and place iii il stock IF lr.t-rac actor, than ;
church TO be presided over by i ftlh-rac minister
You needn't hold up you; hands in holy horror.
havn't committed Il murder or lcSecratcd The church
On the contrary | have the deepest the trtcyt the
most sincere esteem for the church. / know that
[ among it, apostles il numbers many lowIy earnest
rucheartcd, God-fearing Christians. and all such
i, tIprp w 2 # l,1ll.
against the tide of fashion, patronage, and public
favor, and proclaim f,arleSsy the truth-pleadine
. earnestly and from the innermost sanctnarcs o
their hearts for poor fallen humanity and the waif:
of society. And those l admire, as | admire al
honest and independent thinkers, all earnest work
CTS, all seekers for truth whether they be writer
f or speakers, whether it is Olive Logan or Oliver
, Holmes; whether they the pinks of prophet,
or the pets of the playhouse; whether high or low
rich or poor; talented and intellectual or lowlv
humble. and prcac ling God only from true love D
h divine mission.
You are to accept good wherever You find H. ano
not quarrel with the means through which it is at
tanned. You are 10 believe thoroughly i'll the 600,
of humanity-to rouse it from its too often dorman
state by every means in your power And in doing
this you must give it something real, somethins
tangible to take hold of, something to arouse excite
, interest. amSc. instruct elevate. The mind mus
be wholly fllel--thcrc is no haltin" ground no hal
way work here. And is it not better that it should b
[ partly occupied with good rather than wholly with
evil:
In this way would send men and women |,
listen 10 play that would interest and lln,iSc them
while ii appealed 10 their better natures rather THAI
to hear sermon they but half comprehen.lcd an,
partly understood, whilst the remaining parts o
them went searching about either for good on. evil
believe that one half Of the world are driven from
Christianity through fear, and that one half Of iii,
. other hall are believers in il through the same in
; tuenre. Because with most people to be Il Chris
tian is to give up every earthly plcaslireWhicl t,
large class is purchasing Heaven at very dean
rate Do away with this idea, and we shall have
, better class Of society. TO make men cool yol
i must foster the Good there is in them.
The centennial celebration of the st. Andrews
Royal Arch Chapter was held in this city OF
Wednesday in the richly furnished halls OF the new
| Temple. The arrangements for the receptions con-
cert and banquet were all on the most magnificent
scale, and carried out regardless Of expense. III,
Grafton was by William :. Gardiner. Esq, The pre-
sent Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mts~:l
rhusetts. The concert y the Masonic Choir. con.
si1tng Of Mes@rS. Whitney, BarnAbcc and Others
assisted by Mrs II. NJ smith, Mis-, .il,lic Ryan and
Miss Annie Written. The banquet was under III,
skilltul direction Of the celebrated caterer r. u.
Cook.
81 "Wednesday night Hanover street the scene
of Il most horrible murder. drunken man beat
e his wile's brains out with poker and afterwards
stamped i'll her rib, With his feet. An ungoyernabc
temper, excess of rum, and delirum trcmens tells
the unhappy story. The man il under arrest.
The weather continues warm, Sllnshny, and
beautiful, tempting crowds of people 10 afternoon
walks and excursions.
"1hc dear delicious Autumn days
How sweet, though sad, their memories be-"
So sang 4 sWcctly rhyming poetcSs. and the tender
thought finds echo in many hearts just now, when
the year is dying, slowly dying, in ali sendor Of
scarlet and gold, the royal pomp of purple, and the
rhanteJ re1lcms of soft scented winds. PERCIE.
Late San Francisco papers give an account