, 1874-11-01
THEATRE TICKETS.
H8dern Hetleds-A KeW Plan Proposed By
tha Manager Of the Star
Course.
Option Tickets

Option Tickets.
The literati OF tho East hare lately been greatly
asitated over tha question. "Wao wrote onaA-
spcare Z" and the Baconiaus, tho Shakspcarean',
aud the Eclectcisns have waged little warfare,
launching solid columns Of the New York uerdEd
against each others theories, until there Ii no1
loft enough unGlsputed testimony to prove that
the plays Of Shakespeare were ever "fatten Ny
anybody. II one should believe al these aTeu-
merts. ha must conclude that, like 1opsg,
'they Just g1owed," and never had any parent
except the everything one, Humanity, which l6,
indeed, the substance Of The conclusion reached
by that eloquent orator and bEiliiaut shak-
Bpcrcan SCHOLAR and reader. Daniel Dougherty'
He claims that, from internal evidence, tue
plays themselves furnish tho evidence when
must convince Shakspearean student that they
we're not the product Of any single mind. nnt
that they were tho outcome OF the 1nteucctna
activity Of whole century Of English thought,
cxp1essed through the medium OF many play
vrichts. and only collected and. 30 to speak,
edited by Zen Jonson's "Sweet Swan OF Avon"
Shakespeare was, therefore. according to Nr.
Douqhcttv. only Boswall to tha dramatic Jon"
Sons Of his age. .
But lat the critics and echolars dispute over
the identity OF tho author Of Shakspeares plays,
Romeo will MOO noue the lesa afdentlE hng
Lear vii continue to be the Every foollsh, FOND
old mau," mourning over the doad boav OF h1s
low-yo;eed Cordell Iago Will forever remain
Nothing II not critical;
nop harry .s mauy ano.her wiee fellow has
done iu thus discussion, will stitl call upon the
whole world to Witness that '' Though It be not
written down, yet forget not am IN @se.
Scholars may commit ''as tat burglary ~ e1es
vas committed by robbins the wtr:d Of its
shakspeare. but they can never steal away his
nlays, Aud thus it is that " tho good men 40
lives after them." Not = memory u the 1nd1V1d-
ual, but the tzeasurinE up Of the results
OF his ife ia what has benefited manElno~
Il il the perfected p}ow that blesses and delights
the farmer, and not history OF each individual.
from, the rude bar2nr1an who used his knotted
ati.k down along the line Of inventors to tho
maker Of the graceful 6uh-soAer tAas To-Day
turns up the rich p1airic. 1gnoianco regard
,ue the man who mace tue hrst wagon
does not dctzact from the pleasure OF esr":a,,e-
ride along the boulevard and 60 We ENJOY
mauy blessings without wasting thought uoan
those VINO 1iret conferred them upon US.
II the Slakapexrcan critics and schoiafa wou4o
vasto less tune in proving to Ill that shaxsFeaie
WAS not bhakspeare and would enighien us q
lttIe more ryen, ding the theatrical customs CT
hs time, ne can but bcileTo thas the'f 1aoofs
would result in gren:er benefit to their leaders.
1'IerA bfanEQ O. Lu0 SAUltEk nc 10 sS A~s "a
seen tre..ed, but which would, no believe, fur
usu entertaining matter for at least Que essay.
Nu ailudc 70 tha growth and perfection OF
THE THEA rE1cAL TICKET SYSTEM.
During the latte. part OF tho fifteenth century,
when aslolling bauds OF PLAYERS wandered Ase
another,-pla,ing in bans, ou the grass beneath
tne trees, or III the immense DINING hal
OF some baronial castle, there was little
need for T. ticket to gain admission to their
11fn fr1f
rude % naa passed the Lar around
among their auditors. thankful II they .eca-
s1opatlY got one Of tie oud Pence that were left
after ll.hiug-day III the yeomans y pt tcket. ihere
wus no liz ed schedule OF pr:ces, bit the players
trusted to tho generosity OF their audience Tor
a sufficient rev ard for their eno1ts to entertain
them. The few rude beucues Or boards thai
ne1 we'd for seats were seized upon by tue early
comees, while the crowd surged around them,
pusuln, and striving with esch other to gain
some point of vantage Nhe1s better vie" eou+o
be hal OF tie playera-
but IN TIE CITIES,
then Is now. money purchased p1aS1leses- ~
u saEe to couclude that what the arlstacracy
demanded, the shrewd rnanaecr Of tue
theatre. seeing that 1t would increase
his revenue, quickly complied with, aud
in the old Eogl:sh hauit OF class
d s.inction undoubtedly is to bs found the BASIS
OF our modern system OF reserved seats. Is
true tha. tue ar1anGements PROVIDED were Ahe ssle
t1&a[T&3
nr,1de con,rivances, awkward in their construc-
too barba1ous in their appointments. but,
sneak,uc OF the audiences, he adds, "thln hnld dy
hndies endured all Inconvenience without d'.h-
Guilty." Hesllh Was cushion that made the knot-
ted oak pla,lEs comfortable seat.
It was duling ShakBpcareau time that tno
con,net;t,on among the seven theatres that thus
aarIY began to bid for public patronage induced
the managers Of the G1ube-theu the ncVickera
Of Lopdon-to arrange
= n
thst would draw the poor we'll as rich to their
performances, Unlike the performance of the
strolling players to which people We1e admitted
drrt, and asked to pay af,er"zd, h1ed sum
uas required to gain admission. ana the tneaIse
Eas divided OF 80 that there were seats to be
had for O penny, others, better located, Tor two
reucc aud still others where the players couio
be heasd and seen, for which six pence VAS the
charge. None Of these seats, however, were
reserved. and all were exposed to the rain and
avn xn that IT a sudden shower surprised the
audience while hearing Burbadge I'd Atcaofo
LII. declare that
Now is the winter Of our discomfort
Made glorious summer hy ths sun OF 4orE.
And al the clouds that lowered upon our house
In the deep bosom Of the ocean buried.
they could appreciate the picturesque beauty
| and strength Of the lines.
But the fashionable young Earl Of Southamp-
ton, to whom shakspeare dedicated his " aeon,
| is" and the noble Pembroke. Montgomery, ana
| their companions, mus. be provided with seats
! apart troa1 the common folks. il not more COM
| fortable. So .......
A PORTION OF TIE STAGE ITSELF
| was set asipe for the gent'efo1k-the mobiles and
| lad1es-apd here. sheltered from tie rain, and
| partly sheltered from the sun, they we're permit
! ted for shilling to stand or sit on the ground
| during the play II they we're wealthy enonSn
| to suuander an extra shilling, they were PROVIDED
limited in this a1istocratic quarter Of tho theatre
| not ,oanv artra shilI1ups we're taken. ThlB- how