The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-06

An Essay on Things in General and
"Sam" in Particular.
A Blast at the Weather and Puff for the
Temperate zons-sublime 1diocy
Commended-The Claims Of
Burned-0ut Actors

Smith
when he declared that every high and low tenn
perature extngulshes all human sympathy ana re-
iations 1t Is impossible to feel affection beyond
seventy-eight degrees or below twenty degrees OF
Fahrenheit; human nature is too solid or TOO liquid
beyond these limits. Man only lives to shiver or
perspire." Was there ever q greater truth cvOlved
nom heater humorP Fancy man In violent
perspiration with frostbitten nose and cold feet
making love to his hearts idol The thing is impos
sible. Nature, human or otherwise, shouts at the
mere suggestion. Passions, principles, genius are
purely affairs Of climate. The Equator and the
North Pole are equally inimical to the last two,
whereas all that lives under scorchng sun s pas>
sion-livng, however, with every divine attribute
SO burned out as to render 1t brutal rather than
human attribute. So turn it as you may, the witty
churchman Is right. 1t Is the temperate zone alone
that produces whole men and women, with heart
and intellect fully developed. 1t Is the temperate
zone alone that creates genius and appreciation
OF 1t, that generates mirth and tears, and makes
humanity human. And by this same token 1t 10
the temperate zone alone that lures men and wo'
men from the worship Of household deties to kneel
at the shrine Of tragedy and comedy. Aiew
prone to theatre-going when our lungs gasp Ioi
fresh air ? Are we much given to Richard the
Third when climate insists that we shall perform
upon what Dickens cans "!nat truly ma
tional Instrument, the American catarrh ~ Is
Shakespeare Shakespeare when one has cold In
the head And so, knowing all these thlngs
when the North Pole impertnently peaches
upon the domains Of the temperate zone; when
1t absolutely plants itself and waves its banner to
the breeze in the streets OF New York; when the
beautiful poetic snow falls to the depth of several
feet, and, when several feet fall into H. IL
every inch dirty, detestable and exasperating;
when wheels cease to revolve, carriages upset and
horses Just snatched from eplzoOtic jaws, FOUNDER
helplessy in flood OF chocolate Ice cream-when
all this confederation OF events piles itself
up Sat one fell swoop," what can mortal
man blessed with an immortal cold do but imi'
tate the Polar bear, and in default Of furs, roll
himself up in velvet rug, put his feet in the par
lor fire and go to sleep over the latest authentic
story in an administration organ OF how the
Tribune is IAN empty shell" since the death Of
Horace Greeley, who, when dying was natteringy
referred to by this same journal as "a hodgepodge
of impudence. mock modesty, flash philosophy and
Pecksniiflan morality" whO though he paraded
"the length and purity Of his fleece, could not
conceal the CLEAN OF the wols teeth"
and was, in conclusion, 'the most
delusive Of all the shams he had publicly support
ed an ut is wonderful how these journalists love
each other, and how well they behave when the
eyes of the public are upon themp' exclaims the
administration organ when shedding tear over
the bier of this "hodge podge OF impudence," &C.,
and then goes to work to show US what love among
journalists means by copying fasehoods conce rn-
ing Pecksniff's successors. repeat. when climate
fails US and we are left with nothing but weather,
what can we do, whether or no. but go to sleep
over the Times, which, like everything else, is ''out
Of jointf"
This duty have performed faithfully to q run
ming accompaniment OF pocket handker chiefs;
nv iut theatreWard
been strictly honorable, they have been more
hOnored in the breach than in the observance, and
all my tits have been executed with poker upon
cleaning instance OF total depravity in mani
mate thin9s-a perverse fire that burns brightly
sixties and ends in smoke when it sueniy falls be-
low the twenties But have been as brave as
chiefs, would let me. knew that Shakespeare was
not to be sneezed at, but have ventured to see
quemtiy) impecunious brother Of Lord Dundreary,
and has not Dundreary himself In his most brilliant
moments been known like Homer . 70 :. s n SSs
led me ne to risk breaking two legs and one neck
When i I say like SAM i mean an that j
like sothern. like anybody who does ANYTHING as
Sothern is mnutely finished in what he attempts:
He is a dramatic Messonier. His plays are not
art Is the best OF its kind and his plays are the best
Of their kind. They are utterly Impossible, but SO
are "The Adventures OF Alice IN Wonderland yet
Zero ben trouato,N as the Italians have it. The
charm Of sothern's acting consists in It's natural
nor "Sam," but after seeing Sothern one Is In
cned to exclaim "More the pity" for really SO.
family. Folly is plenty, stupidity swarms, but sub
lime idiocy Is unknown; hence the ennut which
us w MGs' the weight an elephant
and the suction OF q vampire. takes
wss to be s an u nhe 1
| at him as Immediately as his immaculate clothes.
You protest while you laugh, you laugh while you
laughing you are ready to say, with DR.; ollapod,
THANK you, good sir, owe you one" sam"
American Cousin.n Sothern never could have
made the reputation in 1t that he made In Dun
dreary. 1t is about inferior to the original
1t will serve" and once having become famous, an
actor may do anything with rpa S rty:rr Iha AZ
few will gainsay. Does he intend to let us Judge
him in David Garrick and other comediesf
thing Is burning up, and now the Fifth Avenue
Theatre has gone the way OF all hreprool build.
1t never was known until Americans were in.
vented. Chicago and Boston rise Il really must
refer to the phTnx from .helr asaes IKE tne IRE
| DAILY is no sooner told OF his great loss than he
makes q theatre OF the entire Globe and proves
him in his new sphere, and may his watchncn
always be at their postsi The Waterman Of
he e' was absent at the time Of the
ere, and moreover, did not, as usual visit all the
| dressinr rooms before leaving II this be watch
| ing well by daylight then are more CONGREGATIONS
imminent Incendares are clever, and that they
| Know more about things in New YORK than are
dreamed OF in most peoples philosophy there
ought by this time to be no doubt TO burn down
| empty theatres Is better than to burn down
crowded hotels, but both are bad enough. Few
| know how many ''lttle people" are dependent
| upon theatre for support; Few who appreciate
Mr.. Daly's misfortune realize that OF many MEM
| bers OF his company. What pen and paper are to
| the writer brush and canvas to the painter,
clay to the sculptor wardrobe Is to
| the actor with this greatest OF differences
| that whereas the tools OF writer, painter
and sculptor are cheaply bought, those OF the
| stock actor are the accumulation OF laborlous
years and their destruction Is, in many instances,
the loss of fortune. TO go upon the stage means TO
spend all ones income ON clothes, else the pubic Is
dissatisfied. Think, then, how much sympathy
Should be given to the ladies and gentlemen who