The New York herald., 1874-01-20
ANUS rs.


What crime have Mr.. u. d. BYRON ana the nues
md gentlemen who at Woods Museum assist him
comnitted Probably none. We do not for mo
me Mt believe that they aware OF the iutellec-
tua enOrmites Lhey are committing In appearing
night after night IN plays which DO not approach
trrthful representation Of anything In real hfc
and which are mixed up with much trash. bun
combe, spread d-eagleism, morbdity, mock heroics
and c0arsepess that none but strong and unedu-
Gated palate could relish the compound. But az
we said week ago. the people who admire Mr.
Byron AZ an actor are not remarkable for intel
lectual culture or hneness OF sensbility. We
have no doubt that many OF them derive
Q very great deal OF enjoyment from his
embodiment Of the plucky red shirted heroes who
DO what IL known as the tall talking in dramas or
this description, and, perhaps, instead OF being
angry that "Ben McCulOugh' and "Across the
Continent are so bad. we ought to rejoice that
they are no worse. But, then, II they could be
worse, they probably would be, and we have no
disposition TO waste 50 valuable commodity as
gratitude. In fact we should not spend 80 mucn
time have done over Mr. Byron and his
plays were II not Tor the fact that SO large guam
tity OF ignorant youths and ingenious country
cousins have been fascinated by them and received
them truthful interpretations OF moral herolsm
and border life. In reiutauon OF this belief all
that we have say Ia that the hero OF these plays
Is usually an amiaDe bully, full OF good nature ana
generosity and forever outwtting the runlan OF the
piece whose career inevitably closes In horror In
the last act In the course OF the plotting and
Contemplating which the conflict between the
two men Involves all probability Is outraged and
coherency Is despised. CatastrOphes are ensured
by devices which an infant could see through, ana
astounding discoveries which surprise no one are
are mingled with utterly false pictures OF
concert saloon life, IN which Sentmentalism Is
sanawched WIN uIuer IN she nrst aegree, ano
breakdowns. Yet we conceive how easy 1t Is ior
the OF such an audience as play OF thla kind
IS apt to bring together to sympathiZe with the
picture which the principal actor occasionally gives
OF q strong and healthy young manhood, possessed
placed amid picturesque conditions. II would be
unjust to Mr.. Byron and to all the members OF the
stock company at Woods Museum TO refuse to
acknowledre that they generally exert themselves
strenuousy to please, or that during the present
engagement their efforts have not been successful
Tar the general run OF audiences Is concerned
'Nimble JIM is In preparation Tor next Monday.
Olympic Theatre.
season OF variety performances was begun at
the olympic Theatre last evening" The change
has been intended for some time, ana Gabriel
Grubn was meant as proper medium between
the drama previously shown and the antic per-
formances now going on at the Olympic. The
theatre was crowded last night, but 1t is scarcely
likely to be so again unless the bill is somewhat
changed. There are several things whose absur
dity was clear even to the ardent boys packed
in the gallery. For most OF these things
Ned Buntlne is responsible. Ned, when
be became scout, refused to forget that he had
ever been literary. What time he spent in forest
or on prairie was utilized by the wild wind 10 utter
harmonies TO his ear and by the wild flowers to
grow rhythmically with the growth Of virtuous
sentiment IN his soul Finally, becoming sur
charged with beautiful fancies, he found vent for
them in dramatic composition. His several works
have failed to exhaust mis- capacity ana even the
''dramatic picture'' OF Life the Palms." pre-
sented by him last night gave no sign that Ned
was, happily for theatre-goers losing his power
to annoy. One can find no fault with Ned
as a scout and applause might even be
given to him, dying gamely at the end OF some
other PERSONS dramatic picture OF Lille on the
Plains, as he does at the close Of his own. For
aIlegory mawkishly patriotic and laughable
even to performers in II Ned Is also to be con-
demned. The Goddess OF Liberty that we pic
ture looks very out OF place presiding over COM
bat OF unmeanng Roman gladiators. especially
after she has sung praise OF the American nag.
II the wrestling match which this Is meant to in
troduce were SIMPLY given, many people would
not for time have puzzled their brains,
But Ned will go on careless OF remarks,
and pass on TO other performers. BY the
way it is to be hoped that the usual sternness OF
dramatic managers may be overcome at the Olym-
pic, and that "Jolly Little Jimmy" be permitted to
carry OF the charming ana pretty Miss Kitty
Brooke.n The entertainment, despite the Buntne
bemishes and the sorrow aroused by the partition
OF 'Jolly Little Jimmy" and Miss Brooke, IL excel
lent The most startling feature OF IL is the rope
walking OF King Sarbro, the Japanese wonder of
the world" and the most pleasant the negro
sketch presented by j. W. McAndrews as the
watermelon man."