The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-30
TUPPER AND HIS CENTENNIAL
DR1HH.

uial drama. But 80 II VAS and ruuper has read
the play to a distinguished aud critical audience
gathered at the London house Of Poker schenck,
tic Emma Mine diplom list. Among the per
SONS 800 hghly Norcd vas our critical country
man, Twenty five nousand- Dollar Fornoy.
bat gentleman sends us extracts from Tup-
pcr's play, which IS called wv shingtou,'
aud we are thus enabled to got Taste,
in advance Of ia appear nee, OF ills stating
addition to dramatic literature.
Tuprcr, 1t seems. Il to come over to ne and
bring his drama along with MIN. We HOBO he
wont come, and that II lac does cross the ocean
he will leave his drama behind. Wedo not need
his play, sinco we have follow citizen whose
geniiis Is fully as dramatic 1uppers, who l. just
a. capable of writing moral preceuis ~ he. and
VINO could construct play which would be, II
not better. az least no worse than luppers. We
refer to Turner's foster brother in the family
Of pocts. our own upper Holland. Perhaps
even now, II Upper Holland will at once set to
work ON his Centennial drama, Topper, seeing
that the Geld Is to be occupied, Will stay at home
aud keep his drama for London represen alton.
II however Jumper insists on coming and fetch
ing his drama, let IL and Tupper Hollands be
acted on alternate nights. Then the people OF
all nations gathered OF our Centennial Will see
that II Enlland has her Proverblal Philosopher,
We match him with our Timothy ritcomb, and
ask no ODDS. The drsmatic duel between these
two gladiators Of the poetic arena would be one
CT the most exciting incidents Of tue Centenniil
celebration.
"W Washington Is the orthodox drama in Ave
acts. II seems TO be on the highest plane OF
ruppsrs genius. The moral and political senti-
ments It enunciates are beyond criticism. II the
blank verse does not palptlte with life, II at
least conveys no opinions which healthy mind
would wish to combat. Tue poet has ado his
drama q sort Of versined history Of our conflict,
and II we do not hear the rattle of the musket-
~, the boom OF the artillery, and tho squealing
Of the nfes In the music n its measures, 1t yet
catalogues the facts with pain taking care. II
the charactorz iton Of the actors In the drama
is not so sharp and clear as TO bring the well
known historical personages u9 before US In the
panoIdN Of war or the robes Of civil once, yet
all the patriots utter the most praise worthy SEN
timents and preach - unexceptiOnably as
country p rson on a drowsy sunday afternoon.
Upper introduces everybody Of any account ia
the Revolution, from Washington down to MS
negro BODY servant. This last famous character,
according to Marx Twain, has died with steady
periodicity for quarter Of century past: hut
il m y be 10 TO assume that after he Is EN-
balme In Tuppers verse he VIII be SO dead that
he will never die aslin.
How happily the Powerful Philosopher seizes
on the varying characteristics Of our Revolution
AIRY heroes and what dramatic IRE burns in his
lines. a few extracts from WashinltOl" Will
serve TO show. Here Is the lofty def nee which
Ben Franklin threw back Into the teeth VI the
British lion;
! said we mated iricsicritt and would
n soSh i've S M" ne Of I'm Avs or judge,
Ortasvnsstcr officials grrdine ~
", t,rannous tax alton every wacrcf
tod them We denouneea rg Il, an these
rteI ii tar"9sh1 an Utter chaos Of failure
seemed To crash round me liSe a s.att .ed S'ru'
Horace YOU remember. who dchci.
Won V "a me- aGfy !9 ,,. ssa1d'r tS.
| 10 the cain majesty OF SELF rcsncct
| then threw down your gtRc of independence
AMI fnil free lndnct GRANTED. cane away
Pledged, Ike lourseNcs, areuel Tor the rBht
This isnot exnctly our Ben Franklin we read
! Of him In history and discern him IN his work
and career; but Topper undoubtedly felt the
necessity Of clothing the old printer In erander
habiliinents than the russell suit ho wore. When
the part is acted, therefore, TUT pers Ben Frank
lin will need to be intrusted to an actor OF the
tragic sort, whose voice is biz and round, and
| vino knows how to reel on tltnk verse from
the lowermost depths Of his boots.
The grandeur Of the character of Washington
| and his heroic sef-sacr1ce are thus windy
painted ,,,,
How swift and terrible the nenauc'
| The a estate. Huuprpd "a her lcft me
Condscate d. ana that Oc.t-ioyed VIC hrgEar'
Hansei. drawn and qulrtcrci. WAIT fearful price
For the mere strife 10 conquer hoery
hut the fear Of losing his own and his wife :
property did not deter Washington. He would
not show the white feather. lie acknowledged
thst England was his mother, but he evidently
looked on her "a very poor specimen OF d
mother:
Mother Yet are there sen some s9eDed mothers
| Tie ral lus aud hardin arted sort. in whom
;s 5s4 FSp as r. d home
II shc mcgee 10 teach aud train n"r sous,
Crushe. thclr energies Tor selfish gain
N asos6 6ey 'g r. ,gs m gs fo liberty
: Mncn re dom their r,snI-ls ~ la, mo'ner
, Parental honorl Nol King Geor.e England
4 ENlcd for Conscience sake in ~ .fs
. 1,raunlcally taxed. strlitcuci Kept down, 49,,
70 Pray hard for better times.
The description John Adams gives Of the bal
tie Of Lexington unites the lurd color Of on
Of Horace Vcrnct's battle pieces with the m,
tnodic Al statistics Of a consolidated morning fs
a port:
A mighty people flaming red with rege
Gahercd by dun ana uanaet ey,r, ere ,o,.rs
C1s c to a Eo sin preachers
4 loc trIn.i,rl' ~ 'is ploug .lar, IN n ipr-ow'
h 1fr yenmhu tore his rae from ia case
BE-, The lrdprr capt acrus- His count sifHshti
- Eager o hsut to- freedom, even wpitn
u Sw rlncd In az volunteers, ana very cmldron
| fhuuldercd the mussets thcY Coud sclrc u MT,
We soon had ttlrtY Thousand men o. arms,
Solicited from three nundrr,l thuus ,nd more,
Aud az tUtir neaO our noble MAehlnstOui
Chosen Connander'lnl hlei
> WASHINGTON is troubled because Gen. l.
, charges him with sloth--incom petence-l knc
. not what" aud thus PHILOSOPHERS;
, q, cir the worst af1lctlons ~ man
~ Come from fase iriend-, enfl u competitors
/, VIII p.rinI detractOu IN private rc So
r, More 'tDau from puulic foes can endure
Defeat, hhttpOt aei lcllOni ali io tols,
= Peri +, a Il open Hcclntut- OF war;
Bu not the secret Hluu,ias OF pc &c
n They thw ~ me, DOUBT me ulls Interpret me-
IN Maligiiug an mats done aud latt undOuc.
~ luaV stand 10 serene, but feel ltstl
- This noble passage reveals Jumper at his be
, In philosophizing he Is strong; musine on thin
, in general in heavy sort Of way Is what Of
~ things he most likes to indulge in.
weh1ve given enough of Washington
10 show that the drama in no respect I lis behi
NJ the best OF rupper's work SO even, indeed,