, 1875-08-01

! whom tho soliloquies aud speeches Of tho Chief
personsxea are somewhat hackneyed. often
ss easo. how spd ehs5nx oas is ads t1s s'P, .. ot
or think what vivid historic pictures might bo
produced by any stock comuany Of average abit-
lanus:"
But, setting aade Shakespeare, We lack good
French. And generally nc
BORROW NOT AT ALL w1sELY.
Why do our managers import "The Black
Crook" in preference to the exquisite spectacle
of "Ciuderelfa Why Are '* Frou-Frou and
kindred distortions ten times chosen where No
have once offered to Us Scribo's Fairy Fin
gers, instinct with the better spirit Of our age
Or FeuilIet's 81 Romance of Poor Young Man.
which unites the ocss OF the old and
presents itself is, that unable 10 rely upon
the support OF tho better part OF the community,
the manager feels compelled to cater to the taste
Of the worse. OF plays which truly mirror the
life and thought Of the new and original society
on this side the Atlantic, there are none in this
country or Europe. The fertility OF this un-
reaped field has tempted mora than ono French
dramatist; but so fur, caricatures like sardor's
Uncle Sam are the only result. The new
bottles OF native manufacture, but the makers
nave not yet appeared Nevertheless, they
seem not so far OF when one thinks OF
Hlcha1a = wade and John Brent-creations OF
:ue la9"t nn1sl1can OF our writer's Except Tor
its violation OF the unities Of Time and Place,
how fine . drama would John Brent make!
Maoe ana Brent ara. in fact ub At no stage Of
ours has yet presentod, d,-genuipe Americans OF
our oest olass-"uew birth Of our new soil"
40 ~ AIs1oR1c PLAYS OF NATIVE GROWTH,
II IL the EXCLUSIVE Privilege and custom of Amer-
CANS to greet with immode rate laughter the
cnafacteflstic traits OF our first great national
hR3re; bnt the Washington. OF Cooper's .Spy."
aaa OF ahaekeIay' "Vr ginians," show what
nna PosAo1 tles lf' IN this figure, etatelv
enough Ter drama tic neo ,ssllies and individual
enough Tor arm, human sympathy. T.
Is even oonce1 .yable that the contemp]'4-
1lon Of this. and its OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
amon9 an ene sno' xs OF Trenton or Valley Forge.
opposite the flliant. foil OF Arnold behaved In
dshonor by t. ae YER; porsonai weakn>s.as ~
.;,st sne oese' Ling ns OF cur Cenlennlal En-
Ent ptoVe aa At ractive, and GER 4ainly IS proft
1olo' 20 srtain clase OF embryo ciliz-ns a. AN
Duchess 3Ao4' DA' VI 1ae olano
-"at our Ct age ought not to borrow from, the
rtenc' i are it's themes, custons, and Incidents
aa,n TO our traditions aod injurious to our de-
1ic c" ,pnent What it might acquire from isa CAL
! ia great Science Of Detaas,-the value in great
4esdgns of point and finish, in the secrets OF
which tha French dramAtist and actor Burpass all
| others
But, however much We may learn from other
u1t1ons, let Us hope that We shall gradually nc
q1iEe characteristics. excellenc1es, and, fnslly
DRAMA OF OUR own.
This will aot be till We come to recognize the
Drama ~ q not less legitimate form Of art than
ps.nnng' Poe.y, Sculpture. or Munc,-all Of
which. indeed, it includes. Not till the workmeu
! of the profession understand that there IL no
| high or low among true artists, but each il ex-
cellent as he fills his own NICHE. Lastly not till
the disappearance OF ancient prejudice, aided by
cordial and natural relations with Society. 80
| that be shall no longer be conpelled to form