, 1876-03-12
Concerts Of the Past and resent Week
Tho Apollo Clut''
Hiss Kellogg in Tue Star Of me
Kerth ''-..Home and Foreign
Gossip.
THE DRAMA.
IN CHICAGO.

il, this regpect. They seem to imagine that
notices in the newspapers are lnsended ps1o-
sipelly for their benefit; and Tor shie 1esson
they cali Ill ppfayorable criticisms unklnd- 1he
snly obligation OF the critic to the ACTOR 10 1aas
II trnth-telIing.
Eaual1y erroneous is fhe tacit assumption Of
,ertain critics thst it il the privilege Of their
posstion and should be the chief aim OF their
ut. to display their oun vast and varied learn
inK. or their fluent and graceful style Of writing.
American newspaper criticism has exposed itself
10 much just ridacn1e on account Of the fine
writing which is ono OF ta chief characteristics.
Fine writing il an end unto itself. When it be-
rims truthful criticism too often ends;
auphouious word is substituted for houely one
which conveys the correct meaning; pretty 500
.ences with no meaning at all arc arranged and
sosrranged like the bits OF glesa in
kaleidoscope; thought is cast in fancl-
:ot raoIda and hardens there; Gnd
soal freedom OF expression is lost in the appear
auee Of it, Criticism Of this kind is to the drama
what verbal criticism js to hteratnre--sma!l IN
IT. motives and in Its results. The trouble with
the fne writeEa ia that they hase too much OF
xhat Mr.. Emerson calls " "oyer-soul." They are
Alv3ys wanting to "*expand+" as tho old lady
eaid Of the missionaries in Africa. Oyer-soui
has its plsce in the Imagination. but not in liter
Atute. th6 Only klnQ Oh SOua aHuEeu 10 LUIS ue-
psrtrnent Of human effort is the eoul OF honor
Vnd truth.
Nor is it tho function OF dramatic criticism
merely to entertain the public. Entertainment
might be given By g1otesque accounts Of a per-
tormAnee. BY ridicn]ing the play, or BY malignant
Rbuse Of an unpopular actor. The antics OF a
pantomimibt OF negro-minstrel may easily be
introduced into tho columns Of newspaper.
The object Of criticism should be to give u re-
Bex Of public opinion. The public opinion
which should BE- reflected is not that OF the az
e1sge man. but that Of the cultivated man. The
people 1t the very birth OF dramatic art estah-
sshed themselves as censors, and eoleInnly sat
in Judgment on each play - it WAS produced
TheiK attention WAS always turned, and has been
ever aince in civilized communities in the case
of Now plsys. rsther to The composition than to
the manner Of producing it. Newspaper criti-
iarn took its 11se from meaGre reports OF the
reception accorded to new plays which became
mstters Of public interest to those who were un-
able to attend the theatre. From the plum aid
easy duty Of reporting what the audience did to
wh1t tho bes. minds in the audience though: Was
10 easy etep; and thence it was . natural con-
-luaion that the critic, being himself 4 supe17or
nan, should tell what he thought, sheterias
himself behind the pluras obscIrltles OF his edi-
:oriAl Office. It ls singular TACT that. in pro-
portion IS dramatic e1iticlAm grew theatrical
audiences ceased TO express openly their appro-
oation Or disapp1otatlon. until in the
areeant day they remain taQcly decorouR, con-
There is no obvious connection between these
:rcumglances. Audiences do not wait Tor the
a&pers Of the next day to tell them what they
shall think about play OF an actor, and the pa
pers do not take their cue from tho audiences.
The growth OF criticism is individual and dis
:iaet- It is valuable TO the pubno in proportion
.s it is = 1atioual End truthful record Of the
Impression produced upon al intelligent mind
er the performance Of the evening. Such :
record eau never be mere dog1natlsm. The
f~a k+n = II
~as thus aud 70 !" he must also give tie reasons
which uptort his concluslona. AB Hazhtt puts
it in one Of lis admirable essays this subject
tho critic must continually apswer tie question,
Why = II be succeeds III answering this
question, he fulflls the mtssiou Of lis art il be
does not succeed all the fne-writing and comic
nonmept in ths world will not save him from
comparative failure.
Tho critics Of late years have shown
disposition to interfere with the busi-
uesa management OF the theatres.-to condemn
The nigesrdly management Of thus place. aud
Klorifv the generous policy Of that. II this
*ou1ee is Objectionable to the nlanage1r. as all in
serference with business rights, thoy have only
themselves to rfame for it, They hare ever
been ready to seek from tue newspapers an
aouncements concerning their business affairs.
md have erer assisted IN the circulation Of
.aseip about the private lives OF actots assocat-
"a with their theatres. It may be contended that
ase public has no right to know anything aboat
Jta business Of a thestre- So far ~ the private
business Of the manager ia concerned this iB Ger
.AlnlR true; but the public is Interested in end
has right to know about the principles Of man
segment which prevail in given place. What
can be Of more vital interest than the fact that
Manager So-and-So has engaged good company
Ut e1tsayagunt rates. and depends upon the peo-
pie to reward his enterprise. or the other
met that be has engaged number Of miserable
aetors ut wretched salaries and insults tue people
by assuming that they will pasronize his thea-
tte3 But it must be confessed that many news
papers have gone too far in this directlon. This
Is dangerous ground. and it requires for cultiva-
tlon = reckless and careless spirit Tho true
function Of criticism is 70 record the best eenti-
meDte OF the best portion OF al audience to
make close connections between the play and
tbe public bF necessary exp|auations IS to the
authorship and history Of the drama, and to
enslyzo the performance as regards the play, the
1ctors, Ind the stage accesso1,es.
MARRIED N HAs7E-"
Tbs successful run which this charming CON-
sdy enjoyed at McVickers Theatre last week was
gratifying alike to the managers and to the fre-
quenters OF the theatre. The attendance seemed
to shov that there is u revival Of interest in the
drslna. and that the managers now 1ave tolerable
ASSURANCE Of fair remuneration for whatever
good works they may bring forth meet for
tepantanco. The burden OF the play fell upon
Mr. Dainforn, Mr. Dillon, and Mrs Murdoch,
~ 70 C11ooA4 ts4A* tAE A1u u4hu u q tuE3Ef8 u
gwen Euch part in modern plays as the repre-
sentative Of Percy Pe,sdra9on has in Married
u Haste Ar. Rainford improved his opportu-
3:.-. and did himself much credit. He has not
appeared to better advantage in anything he has
.tlel this sesson~ The part can be playea bet
,er, and has been no doubt before this but it ia
i auesrton whether it has been better PLAYED in
his country. 4 gentleman who ssw the per
.cr1nance OF the rlaE at We3iacks 1heatre in
New York unhesitatlngly declared his preference
:or Rainford over Gilbert; higher praise could
,ca1cely be g!veu-ths sids Of the ATLANTIC. Mr.
dermap Vein who assumed tue part Of Pm
{rdqon in the original London cast, made him.
aetf some reputation out OF it. Airs. Murdoch
u Ehtl Graiager WIS quite satisfactory, after
he first night This charming and conscien-
Zoos artist has made steady advances in her
ornfess;on during her residence IN Chicaso and
las not failed to obtain from the public the
,rnse and Kindly remembrance she deserves.
Aer faults are rapid aud iudlstinct utterance.
tud occasional lapsee into ts,neuees when she
pot in6t ited BY large audience or q spirit Of
1,tirv with some one Of her associates. Her
.ittues are graceful manner, tenderness. and
sg1up4thetic nature. She often lacks force, but
. emergencies ehs is not wanting in feeling
MI. Dillon rs Gibson Greene waa "a entirely
ut of HIS eleznent a. = fsa On dry land. The
hss8cte1 is one which Sothern could do justice
q md this is - much Is to eaT that Dillon