The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-02
TIE DRAMA ABROAD.
Dion Boucicau,,,s New Play-Formosnism-
The Work aud What IL said Of IL.
LONDON, AUGUST 2l, ls69.

LONDON, August 81, 1869.
Hyde Park Is empty. The opera is closed. The
Queen Is tout Of town." as usual. The Princess OF
Wales is drinking the waters OF wndbad. Parlia-
ment has adjourned. The Ministers are scattered
all over the country. The Irish Church bill excite.
ment is over The indignant Irish clergy have given
up talking treason and are busly engaged In Ieath-
erng their nests before dsend0wment actually takes
place. The London papers are as stupid as usual.
Yet there is a great excitement IN the metropolis
an excitement that threatens to cast even the
Harvard and oxford boat race into the
shade and its name is 'Formosa." IL
IL all owing to that bold sensation
dramatlst Dion Boucicault who has ventured to
serve up very ordinary dish Of London life upon
the London stage in his new play OF the RAILROAD
10 RuIn.n The critics are experiencing revival Of
morality; the man who writes letters to the London
Times is fairly aroused; the editors nave snarpened
their pens and their virtue, and every day the
columns Of the press TEEN with indignant denuncia-
ton OF the terrible fellow who is charged with pre-
senting to the eyes of innocent maidens and unso.
phiscated youths the inner life OF sacred portion
OF London society, and with "famlllarizing great
mixed audiences with scenes of queandom and
sc0undrelism which one can be the better for be-
hoidlng' One writer Is shocked al the idea OF pre-
senting the moral conveyed by the history Of For
milliners who ill the pit and galleries OF
Drury Lane theatre, TO say nothing OF the trades
mems uauRnteTS IN Tie uTtSS Circle OF uuuerpalu
ROvernesses at the back or the boxes" Another
protest against 'this degrading spectacle the
score OF morality, in the interests OF the drama and
for the sakes Of the audience and actOrs' How the
actors are 10 be affected by 1t does not clearly APP
pear, unless on the suppOsi0n that the young lady
persOnates BoucicaultS heroine Is in danger OF
taking to Fulham villa life as soon as the play Is
over just as the stage brigand Is liable to rush or
and commit murder Immediately after he has
changed his pumed cap and buskins for an ordinary
Dress The whole pack OF penny a-liners is uttering
the same cry, ana TO read the daily journals one
would suppose London TO be model OF propriety
morality and virtue.
But for all this the new play draws overlooking
houses; the treasury Is rapidly nllng up; the actors
receive their salaries IN full at the end OF every
week, and the Prince OF Wales, leaving his invalid
wife at Widbad mas arrived In London for the eX-
press purpose OF passing Judgment upon the fidelity
10 nature displayed In the picture OF Formosa
and her surroundings.
fwo words might well suffice as an answer to ali
the norid objections OF the press to BOuccaut's
success and the warning voices OF critics have
certainly not had the effect OF lettering the pubic
from DatrOnlZing the play. To be sure experience
teaches US that the best method TO secure O profit
able run for theatrical representation raise an
Outcry against lts morality. In New York the proof
the "Black Crook drama, and by the handsome
pronts of the "yellow- haired Ieprosy.n Here 1t Is
well known that the protests OF the prOpriety Peck
BnlffS against LA Grande Ducnesse" and "Barbe
Blenen made the kckups even OF the Dasse Schneider
remarkably remuneratve TO the morality cant OF
the press, therore, may in degree be attributable
the great success OF FOrm0sa but at the same time
II there had really been anything In the drama to
shock the common sense self-respect Of ordinary
audience 1t Is not at all likely that the middle
IN the city-wouid have given IL their countenance
and support III SO marked degree.