The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-20
THE DRAMA ABROAD


-
English ThentrcaIs in Observation-Disclosures
What Ii and What May BE Expected-A
Paroxysm of National Virtue.
LONDON. Sept. 4. 1869.
We are a strange people, nous autres Angtdts,
ana In nothing stranger than In our propensity to
panics. We have commercial panlcs, when all kinds
OF securities go down like lead and people run about
Lombard street and Lothbury, their eyes Lit up with
wild fire and their hair standing on end, and
oil because notion has got abroad why or where
fore nobody knows that the banks about to FAIL
We have political panics when, because q few half
starved tailOrs IN St. Giles talk seditious language
about the Queen and the royal family peaceable ct
zeus who never smelt powder stronger than tooth
powder, and perhaps not much OF that are sworn
In az special constables when the gates Of Hyde
Park are locked and 'the miIlingtary called out
even as they were called out by Mr..
Bundle for just az good cause when Oliver
Twist asked for another slice OF bread. But Of ali
forms Of panic to which the Anglo-Saxon race is
SUBJECT the most frantic anu appalling Is assuredy
the virtuous panic, such as sezes our gentle public
every now and them when good. easy folks, blessed
with strong digestions and torpid conscences. sud.
denly awaken to the comfortable conviction that In
stead OF being respectable members of gody
community, they are miserable sinners, lettering
upon the brink Of perdition. At such penitential
season what was harmless yesterday Is criminal TO-
day, and men and women who had been swallowing
camels all their lives and dIgesting them with as
much ease as jelly, strain at the tiniest Of gnats
We are just now III the paroxysms OF such vista
tton and the victim OF holy Indignation is Mr..
Dion Boucicault's new play Of "Formosa," which
continues be the subject OF innumerable letters OF
complaint and prOtestati0n In the daily papers.
"Give me part to tear q cat H." says Bottom the
Weaver; and We, in our pious frenzy, are tearing
the Cat with vengeance. That the play abOunds In
improbabitles Is not disputed though sootn to say
1t would be no easy matter to decide what is and
what is not likely to IN this Dewildering planet
of ours. The events doubtless in many respects
unlike those we see happening around US; but OF
what play may not as much be saidf Something is
due to the icentia poea,a,m. There Ia nothing so
unlike battle. 1t has been said, as review, and
the world behind the fo0tghts bears but little re-
sembIance to that In front. But the improbabiity
| may be forgiven What excites the sacred gall OF
the "unco righteous Is that the heroine OF the story
Is a queen OF the denatnonde, who, having stopped
TO folly gro VS. wise, and ends by becoming all hon.
| est woman. This il sight too much for Christian
| nesh and blood to endure.
70 chan, lily praise Rypocsisy.
The domestic life Of England Is as pure as-but
probably jot purer-that Of any other civilized
no civilized country from the equator to either pole
where vice walks abroad In the streets and high
abashed by any sense OF decency uncontrolled by
any pressure OF civic ruleas IN this colossal city OF
London. The claims OF patriotism are urgent, but
these of truth imperative, and no candid English
man who knows anything Of Continental cities VIII
| hesitate to admit thai more prof1gacy meets the
eye In half an hours walk at night between Regents
Circus and Charng cross than Is to be seen In all
the streets OF Paris from one END Of the year to the
sss .n'
| incomparaDly more numerous and more perllous
than In Paris Berlin Or Vienna the re records OF
courts reveal the prevalence OF q frlghtlll lnmo.
rality. The serpent on the hearth is everlastingy
| respondent Our pictorial literature bespeaks the
same depraved taste. N9 novel has 90 many reaq:
the seventh commandment. Upon the lyric stage
those operas afe held in the highest favor which are
richest in amatory intrgues. we listen with &c.
"Sonnambula," "Medea," and "DOn Giovanni"
Some eight or ten years ago the sunday Times was
sinruiness OF Traviata. yet no opera draws larger
houses No later than last season the town was all
agog in admiration Of Mile. Schneider, whose pro.
those OF vestal; yet the same town" = now hor.
raed at the very name Of Eormosa Dat ysm'an cor
Dat Ventans Ischnsia,f Vezas ce,lsu,u forniosa0;.
Inc religious papers are Is belts their calling
World:-'Tt Is the duty Of the public press to de.
nounce fragrant instances Of immoral teaching In
| the theatre, and 'formosa' Is plainly immoral.
But we have hope Of retaining the stage. ~ Oh,
thou precious pot Of ointmentl Would that the
| same print we hfd the following advertisement
BoARp.-Advertissr Offers retired country home and
wachflness, with every kindness and sympathy TO the
neeessaTy to place away Terms yearly
Let this edfying announcement speak for ITSELF
"Vsr6t1n non alnptts ddsum," except Just this,
stolen from Lord Byron:-
We're not moral people and we know It,
Without the aid OF TOO Sincere a poet
"Acis and Gaatea" has vanished from the boards
or the Princess, leaving the manager, 1t IS to be
feared, no richer however poorer than II found him:
tins opera remind one irresistbly Of Colerdge's
epigram:-
before hsy q wsss no bad thing
neat mot, that and very sangyant as ire French
are wont to say. The house Is now shut ana will SO
remain for about a fortnight, when 1t will be re-
opened with new play from the ineXhaustble pen
OF Dir. Dion Boucicault, the chief characters to be
supported by Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Mathews aud Mr..
The representation Of Mr.. T. W. Robertsons COM
edy 0f"ochoo" has been suspended at the Prince OF
house being cleaned and redecorated. It is to DO
wished that now that the players are away the arch
eTs Wcud gee 10 o ad ser
exit. 1t Is awful to think what the consequences
would be IN case OF IRE or OF panic which would
ways out so narrow that two people meeting have
to walk sidewise to pass man going to the play at
with the exception Of the Adelph. goes with his
ife in his hand so wretchedly directive are the pro.
visions for the safety OF the audience In the event Of
At the Strand the buresque OF "Joan OF Arcn has
been withdrawn after most prosperous run, in
favor OF Mr.. Byr0n's old extravaganza OF the "Pi-
grim OF Love" vivacious though not very veraci-
Gus play, founded on one OF Washington lrving's
stories in ''Tales OF the Alhambra" and originally
produced at the Haymarket about ten years ago.
II s sparkling little piece, put together with much
neatness OF dramatic craft, and
Full of fun
As funeral coaches when the funerals done.
Mr. f. Terry makes hit as the King Of Toledo.
Miss Kate Newton Is the Parrot, and Miss II. Erskine
much OBJECT that pathetic ballad In which 1t Ii stated
"Thera Is no rest but the grave for the pilgrim OF
love-" which Is simply untrue Let the pilgrim OF
love get married. and his malady Will disappear
like silver dew before the SUM- But there Is no end
to the nonsense your amat0ry poets will talk when
ever they give free rein to their fancy. Even Tom
Moore the king OF lyric bards, now and then sings
In very irrational strain melodies, 1t may be, but
very Irrational as for example, In that famous song
OF his In which he makes a sentimental gentleman