New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-12

suming, as fundamental doctrine, that the
surest way to acquire dollars is to divert tho
stage from its legitimate province and conduct
it in an undignifed and improper manner
The latter contemplates the suitable and ade-
quate Interpretation Of intellectual and beauti-
full works, and is fiercely intOlerant of all low
and coarse expedients, whether "to split the
Gears of the grOundIngs7 or to dazzle their
eyes. The one is thrifty; the other is munif-
cent. The one keeps a shop; the other
ministers in a temple IL is easy TO see
since theaters are very expensive estab-
lishments to support, and since the habit
of the tine is TO measure success by
the standard of mODey-that business will often
prevail over art. It is equally easy to discern
what consequences must arise from the long
continuance Of this sordid supremacy. Self
seeking is the fatal foe Of all enthusiasm; and
without enthusiasm the stage can be neither
beautiful nor magnetic. Turn it into shop,
and the people will treat it as they do all
other shops whatsoever. The soul that cannot
rise above buttons must be contented with
buttons for its reward. We would not wish
prudence banished from the financial admins
tration of the theater: but we would wish all
sake of gain, ignores intellectual responsibility
and degrades the functions of the stage. 1t
is as short-sighted and impOlitic az it is dis
graceful and humiliating 1t may prosper for
a day; but, in the long run it is a certain
blight-and it has had very long run in
most of the local theaters. We have seen tho
dullness of the stage for near whole season
unless there be a speedy change we shall very
soon see the correspondent apathy of the pop
ulace. Never did dry bones stand in greater
need of the resurrection of the wind.
Every play -goer who has attentively observed
the local dramatic history of the last nino
months can testify that there is no exaggera-
ton in this view of the subject. The really fine
and aspiring theatrical enterprises which have
been undertaken-wOrthy of the stage and Of
manly ambitOn-will readily occur to him.
They are not so numerous that they cannot
easily be recalled. A few performances by
Charlotte Cushman, Edwin Booth, Lawrence
Barrett, Lester Wallack, Charles Mathews,
Edwin Adams, John L. Owens, and Edward
A. SOthern fill up the catalogue. But, when
the most liberal allowance has been made for
these efforts, what will remain Nothing, wo
venture to affirm, but the merest huckstering
that could possibly be practiced. Not half
dozen new ventures have been made in the
whole season. There has been a constant
falling back upon old and used-up devices; a
sedulous hedging against all manner Of Iisk;
a constant counting of pennies in dark
closet A little pantOmime little spectacle,
collection of legs, few rural tai
low candles set a burning to sputter
in obscurity and perish in stench-and the
story is complete We know not what others
may think of these things, but, to our mind,
every moment of thought that has been be-
slowed upon them has been a moment
wasted They ought not to continue. They
cannot continue il the theater is to keep Its
proper place among the educational insti-
buttons of the age. Happily, the managers
have a Summer before them for thought and
plan The air, mean while, is starry with ru-
mors of promise New theaters are coming
forward; new policies are limited at new
players are to be imported. Whether, in the
midst of all this, it will occur to anybody to
remember that the legitimate province of the
stage is the presentation of good plays by
good players-these only, and no other-must
be left to the Imagination. The fortunate man
who does remember it is the man who will
succeed. We have had enough of puerility,
incompetence, thinly vailed RIGHTEOUSNESS, and
hum drum money -grubbing What we want
is good acting in good plays. 1t has seldom
been tried but it never failed yet, and ~
never will fail.