The New York herald., 1874-11-16
ing an appearance Of peace and concord in their

ing an appearance Of peace and concord in their
church society.
Any class Of people, attacked 30 bitterly AZ
the attaches and patrons OF theatres have been
attacked by DR.. Talmage. Is entitled, at least, to
hearing In its own defence, and IL Is only to be
wondered at that from the thousands attacked, so
few words have yet gone forth in response to the
obioquy thrown upon them,
Or. Talmage says, "the influence OF the stage
upon the actors and employees themselves Is un-
deniaby bad" This is an assertion, not
fact. DR.. Talmage does not give any proof
OF what he asserts, unless 1t be q proof
OF bad influence tnat the profession showed
IN times OF national calamity, '1arRe
hearted charity" and the preacher quotes, "By
their fruits shall ye know them" Now comes In a
passing panegyric upon Charlotte Cushman,
which. to that honest woman, Is more OF wound
than compliment, implying, as 1t does, a slight
to her sister artlstes-.Charlotte Cushmans are
not found in profusion." True, genius ls scarce
everywhere; but Charlotte Cnshman knows and
will say, that IN her profession there
are many other women besides herself
noble Kind, pure and generous-women
who are supporting parents, children,
ana too often husbands, by their toll. That there
are many who are otherwise Is true also; but
those are not dragged down by the profession.
They are women who. In any other calling, would
be the same, and they seize, for their own base
uses, the publicity which Is an exigency OF the
profession. The art does not degrade them; they
degrade the art. As to actors they are not more
aissipated men, as o class, than are the sons Of
our rich merchants. They are. probably, even
less 80, having generally slender means and work
tnat must be accomplished.
Dr. Talmage pronounces upon profession with
xvxhSo 0n tho tnla ~ htd faol
as well as the inaccuracy OF his statements, he
cannot have made himself acquainted while the
Mpnrda a. ~ an scsor ana ar one he
does understand.
Players says Dr. Talmage, '.are Invariably
discontented and miserable" Charles Mathews,
Of whom that unhappy story Is told which Illus
trates the moral OF tns assertion, and which mas
has ever lived, s like his lather, the most genial.
cheerful and sweet-tempered Of gentlethen-kino,
charitable and pleasant under the weight Of
hts seventy years. "Tne blasting influences OF the
greenroom are destructive OF all womanly virtue"
What does the reverend preacher know OF green
room 2 1t Is, In our modern theatres, generally
dampish dreary place, occupied by the two or three
actors. that are the largest number likely 70 De on
the stage or Tree nom the work Of costnming ~
the run OF some plays, and Its influences are sim.
ply those Of . depressing ano dreary nature.
daughter to be ballet girlY' reminds one OF the
story Of the boy VINO said he had been In the cut
sy r 3 to me me uoy
the cutlery business; and yet many parent has
seen poor, young: uneducated girl glad to dance
her hard hours on the public stage ior the SIS or
$40 week that she could not earn in any other
capacity, and that Is not an extravagant sum
upon which to feed family.
il some OF those well.meanlng gentlemen who
admire the dramatic art, and yet would wish to
see the stage washed OF its Impurities before
would personally interest themselves In theatre
and give encouragement to only such plays and
found . stage that would meet the requirements
OF the most fastldious. Why, instead OF vitupera.
ton, not give the theatre. or some theatre which
shall be under supervision ana control, their sup
port and announcement?
II the ''mora ofrscouring Of society" formed
the majority OF the persons who frequent theatres,
then "those passages in which religion and virtue
are deridedn might receive the loudest ap-
plause f. but all experience ut sheatres happens to
play, the Tartu1e, the designing woman, have to
reach very nigh degree OF histrlonic merit to
"playing against the audience" is well known
among actors. as indicating the disagreeabe labor
ons OF ne s New
heard from the gallery the word 'good' hurled
on to the stage, from the mouth Of rough. as the
wicked and dSs0lute woman OF play met her
deserts There are certain .'points'' in every
standard drama which are well known as never
be managed by the actor. ana these ''poinss' are
invariably the ennnciation OF some moral senti-
heroine says "a husbands roof Is the temple OF
wifes honor" There is always certain amuse-
ment 70 be found IN noting how promptly q pretty
domestic or moral sentiment will meet
with applause. In lately translated French
play, given last season. the words, "Wnat Is only
night q storm OF hlsses and applause, about
equally divided. which showed that the audience
do not lose sight OF moral questions even IN the
TO remember that Lincoln "was shot by play
actor" is to remember misfortune that the pro-
branded because OF the crime OF an individual,
otherwise the clerical profession would, just now,
objectlonabe ana indecent reading matter to the
daily papers. The English statistics show there
are fewer capital crimes committed by actors
than by persons OF any other profession.
Criminals may sometimes ascribe their misdeeds
to theatre.going, and II is great pity that there
low sort. where brutal men may fnd, under ga-
mour OF neroism examples OF vice; but every art
may BE- n hardy 0s
ing because OF improper pictures.
"Lunatic asyiums probably are filed with peo-
too, as Dr.. Talmage says, and people, too, VINO
have ridden on railways and sat at dinner tables
and done much nse az civilized people; IL PVT M
the Encyclopaedia Britannica there Is no para
graph headed Theatrical Madness" although
II 1t Is not too severe under the circumstances
to refer to 1t, actors who have been long at Wal
lacks Theatre viii remember tnat some lines were
introduced once by one OF their number In little
play IN which he had the part Of an itinerant, ny.
pocritcal, missionary preacher. The time was
6uout y ycdt auu nau o8os ouoEty olto INC puIA-
Ing OF large BROOKLYN church. when Its pastor
held services in q building devoted to theatrical
representations. The words that the actor intro
duced into the play were something like these:-
1--WE do everything Tor popularity; we advertise,
We preach the gospel IN dramatic style, and We
marry couples, cOstumed after the manner Of
playactors, and marry 'em In q play house to the
''came down" as that speech, because 1t referred
to an incident OF the time which. ridiculous as it
was then, has become, by the light OF last sun
days sermon, q Thousand. times more ridiculous.
Did somebody say, "Consistency thou art .
jewell" AN ACTOR
s@.... :. -.
C0ITT 1852 CHAT