, 1874-05-31

profession He Was once aeked by Ti1lotaou,
the greatest preacher OF the day, HNhy do you
eae.e.se - more power over human synpathies IS
IN sctor, tnan can as prcacher:" Bstterton
the Stage, show facta7 - Til1otson prohted BY
the advice OF his friend, and introduced the Gus
tom 0! p1eacnlng from notes. In our day,
hanry Ward Beechar owes Lis popularity moro
to the free use OF his dramatic powers tl1an to
his logic.
When once the popular prejudice ia aroused
against class. they become the acapaeoat for
eYetJbodv q sins. Much Of the opposition to the
Drama arises from traditional prejudice: neonle
hase it because they hats it. The a1ausemeut-
hating Puritans were taught to regard the
Stage as sort Of infernal coutriyance to drae
people down to perdition- As late as 1745, the
people OF Edinburgh had supezssitious horror
OF the Theatre. Ono hight when Is Hamlet" wAs
being played, riot took place, and tho honse
was get on fire. The Town Guard was called
forth and, Chambers says, though many OF
that corps had faced tho Ucrst at Blenhclm and
DottinGen, they felt it totally different
thing to be brought to action in place which
they regarded peculiar domain OF the
Father OF Evil. When ordered, therefore, BY
their commander, to advance into the house and
across tho stage. the poor fellows fairly stopped
short amidst tho scenes. the glaring colors
OF which st ouce surprised and terEihed them.
Tho indignant Captain seized mnsket. and,
Etgliing an attitude, exclaimed, NOW, my lads,
follow me-" Just thou trap-door on which he
trod gave way, aud III an instant the heroic
leader had stink ont OF sight as il By magic.
Ih1s was too much for tho Guard they imu1e-
dlatelr vacated tho house, leaving ths Devll to
make his own nse of it.
although tne Drama has grown to be
powcr second only to tho Church itself, there ara
still those who insist upon Satanb having it ali
TO himself Iney are not A. logical ~ the hun
gry monk, VINO said roast dnc:s Was zoo good to
be gwen up 70 alnners 1t Is c;1rloua thnt,
v1t11n 4110 hRn 1fAe h-I
good word Tor the actor, It has All
vanced, not gone uo"a, IN morals. 1t vns
but few years ago AZ actor. cs1'lt T7s denied
admission to 4 Sunday-Scaool il Now YORK
There must be something e::tobhng in profe5--
sion to maze men enti2.o poverty, hardship, and
Bocial oatrzcism. for the love OF it, D'tser :::cs
picture Of the strollng PLAYER ii W.tiis1 .nta-
lv; but few could sec the nooo NAH II ;La Tac-
do11ng actor:
SO tho poor players motley garb,
II truth end worth .lo:ia It.
a1ax psss uncn alense tt.so :sa toe G-:e
mo enaf's anu oisoss eeofn H.
Perhaps povertV WAS as great crl1ne IN tao7e
on!s as III oui own lol the n5o actoe oe1o[o "L
all these prejudlces vanished !sko air was GartlcE,
Who was the first to make great fortune 1fon
his pro1esslou Even Inc fn';s pfe1uutced
pe.aons WI anuw tnas luose "no ato
Ut the neao OF the t-eetlaca! Profession may oe
HONORABLE men h1d women: Gut tuo Foof 1o,!oH
Who goes on with banner, o. carr1os PIKE.
for e5 a week. ls dangerous monbor OF go
ciety. Why that old notion. that fame and for
tune bring more temptations than poverty and
obsc1rlty, elonld be reversed III tho actors cnec,
Is mystery No ono denies that Charlotte
/ Cushman is entitled to the h,gheHt respect and
| consideration but tho actresses With whom she
has been associated ds'r12= thirty years OF pro-
fcsaionnl hfo arc classed " tiicaSo Clergyman
as outcahta- u ould suca persons aa Chafotto
CnshmAn anu Edwin Eooth remain IN
professlon Wholo theiE asaocla1ea wore
such 10" characters? Peopla expose
the weakness OF their accusations Wheo
they arc compelled to acknowledge that there
are any honorable members who Will st2y III such
company az they style the reas OF tue theatf1cai
profession. Ihe Dranls IL Eot at"aEs "nat Il
should be- t3ue II ttere nnvtinng 1natls per1cot:
| Even the Christian Churca nus It's ontgloHtaa
| OF MOrmonis1n and other ACCOMMODATIONS. No
| one ia 80 stupid as TO say thera niloutd % no
| Church becauso there ave unworthy monbers
| Tho Intelligent actor 1aa lar moro contempt to1
the low variety, sensational and !mmofai drama,
! than the public has. 70 him it IL degrading his
| art, which hs regards as one OF tho highest
| Why the fashionable Society-DraEaa should haTo
| Al immoral tendency. ia question Tor Society
| TO anavor, not the actor. Society fosters
Stage. Fnsh;on'a Idle votar,cs, who attend
church dressed III the 1a!ess stye, Keep LeE:.
and arc prodigal tue rest Of the year, are far
more artificial, Eoiio''-hsartca anu useless, ~
the world, than tho ha1o-"ota,hS assless, "no
Wears tinse-crown and spanSled gown to earn
. living. II tue Drama had been ~ great Al
avil its enemies have maintained IT. IL VAS u
| would have destroyed nzolt iong ago !Ee Stage
Las alva1s produced the best teachers OF osa:o-g
and elccrtion: Iu'ns B'1tus Booth could ro-
peat tha Lo5ih fraFor as II never has neen
dons in the Pulpit. Peop'e "ho will no: 50 to
play, but will 60 to bear public reading, where
one actor takos all the parts, arc nos unlike slo
woman who weut to q hall in Lent, and kops her
bonnet on TO easo her consc'eHce
It il said that an actor loses his H.
dividuality by always Being so:ne ons e!he-
| they are not 81; to forget themselves; when
they do, however tbs wo:ld acknowledges then
a. grent- In most other pzoE"3;'1on5, ma5 "a
confined to ono branch OF knowledge, and he
! himself with. But the actor Is evor changing.
Tonight no is hero, so-lnorrow ce1nlnonplsc,o nc,