New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-29
THE COMING DANIEL.


Lord Byron was not the only man who
wanted hero. In our time, at any rate, the
want of hero is by no means so uncommon
as his lordship supposed it to be, in his. The
diligont perusal of newspapers published out
side of New ork-affording hight on many
dark places, and teaching many great truths
which otherwise might escape our observation
has lately, and with unusual emphasis, i'm
pressed upon our thoughts the affecting fact
that the Press of this city is in dire want of
hero in dramatic criticism. 1t hungers, thirsts,
and pines for him; it will not be cOmforted
without him. and what will befall it, unless
he presently makes his appearance, we are
afraid even to conjecture There is, it seems
evident, no position occupied by mortal man
which, for the adequate and suitable perform
ance of its duties, demands 1.-THE of the moral
heroism that is needful to dramatic critic on
the New Y ork Press. Lucius Junius, Marcus Bru-
tus Arnold Winkelried, William Tell, and Gen.
Washington-each in his way was morally mag
nifcent. But there is limit to the endurance
of the stoutest human virtue and neither of
these worthless we are entirely convinced, in
the light that provincial newspapers have shed
upon this grand, gorgeous, and terribly
tempted VOCdJlOUy cOulu HAVE Dttu al ANCN- yin
dramatic critic and still retained his morals.
The combination of all of them, with perhaps
all infusion of Quntus Curtius, William the
COnqueror, and Andrew Jackson, might posi-
bly, prove equal TO the test, and prevail in the
struggle; and for him, accordingly, the metro
poltan Press longeth with ardent spirit,
ard crieth, like the cherubim, with con-
tinual cry. 1t will be permitted we fancy, to
keep on crying for a good while yet. This
hero is not likely TO turn up at Once-but, IL
he should turn up, what wonders would en-
sue Imagination fondly halts upon the sub
lime picture 81 amt going to hit your
said burly prize-fghter to STRIPPING who
had yexed him "but uchere would you be if |
did hit youw
1t is a solemn and awful image that rises
upon us, as we humbly strive to prefgure the
illustrious career of this critical hero. He will
be. perhaps, the greatest man that ever lived.
He cannot well BIO less. The ordeals that
confront him, and to which, of course, he will
prove superior, will exact that, at the very
least And what boon it will be to have
the truth told, at last, and the devil put
utterly to shame He, at any rate,-the Com
ing Daniel, we mean, and not the discounted
Satan,-will greatly dare to say, and will say
it boldly, that Jones is not beautiful; that
Browns celebrated stage-walk Is a ridiculous
strut; that Robinson ought to shave Off
his mustache when no plays Charles Sur
face; that Mrs. Smith drops decidedly
too many his to the square inch
that Miss Ogle's brazen custom of winking at
young bucks in the pit is really too bad; and
that manager Dobbins would show his sense
by not trying any longer to sit on two
stools at once. They are stupendous utter
ances, we do not deny; but he will make
them--be win make many more like them
and he will do IL all with the bland simplicity
of unconscious virtue, the vigorous force OF
profound conviction, and tho candor of unde-
WAITING rectitude. And then. at length. the