Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-12-02
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
THANKSGIVING Day-the Hebrew Monument
Miss DiekInson's Debut AGeneralitieB

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. L. Thanksgiving
Day was very generally observed, although
the usually CHEEKY air Of the festival was
sobered somewhat by the troubles in the
South. There is nothing approaching
panic here over the condition of affairs in
the disputed States, but there is much un-
easiness as to the prospects of business
under such continued depression. The
chances are, too, that we shall have hard
winter, and matters cannot be expected to
mend for the poor while everything is at
''sixes and sevens." Nor are the anticipa-
tions Of the doings in the coming session
OF Congress, even with Republican Presi-
dent, very pleasantly sufficient unto
the day. The principal public feature Of
the Thanksgiving holiday was the dedics-
ton of the Jewish Monument to Religious
Liberty. 1t stands at the junction Of Bel
mont and Fountain avenues, in the Park,
on the Centennial Grounds. The monu-
ment comprises the figures Of Liberty,
Faith, and Intolerance Il is eleven feet in
height, without the pedestal, and cost
$4,000. Truth to say, it is not first-class
work OF art, but It is an ornament to the
park nevertheless, and it shows the spirit
Of the Hebrews towards this country and
city. The Jews have become great power
in Philadelphia of late years.
MISS DIoK1NsoN's DEBUT.
Miss Anna E. Dickinson has made her
| long announced theatrical appearance in
her native city. While not success in any
high sense think an unpreiudiced opinion
must be that the lady did great deal bet
ter than was to have been expected. There
was no reasonto expect anything, for every
/ probability Of triumph was against woman
Of fmiddle age or near it, without personal
attraction, and witheut training or any dis
cernible aptitude for the stage. Against
| such odds out-and-out failure would seem
to have been the natural result, but the re.
suit was not such failure and it would be
| pleasant to have that fact more generally
acknowledged than it is. The local press
has been scarcely fair to Miss Dickinson. 1t
appears to have been settled in advance
that the affair must and would be fasco,
and everything was accounted for accord
i ing to that preconceived opinion. The no
tion of such an appearance was, in truth,
rather violent to traditional ideas but that
/ should be all the more reason for giving the
exact facts. Nv Gtt
Miss Dickinson's entree asI"Anne Boleyn"
| is not unpleasing, indeed it is not a little
| effective. To be sure, the scene is quiet
one, but it is gone through with considera
BILE, grace There appeared to me to be an
| evident feeling of relief and satisfaction in
/ tle audience that it had been rounded go
nicely. This was test Of the lady's quiet
| power. Late in the play, when she realizes
the horror OF the approaching doom on the
| block, opportunity OF q very different char
acter is given, and here too, she was meas
urably successful, showing a degree Of
abandon for which the house was evidently
not prepared. These may be called the two
! poles of the performances; between them
were done some things that were very bad,
but there were more that were simply
crude, and may reasonably be expected to
toned down by experience.A Please observe
that I do not think Unnecessary to 20 into
the question Iof the proper way of begin
ming this difficult profession--whether at
the top or the bottom. In realit5, wheuIshe
highest ends are sought the mode makes
little difference, for without genius the end
will not be reached in any case. AL we
have to consider here is Miss Dlckinson's
position and chances. She has elected the
present course, and it would have been
much the same with her, fancy,if she had
chosen the other one.
And what Of the end Briefly, thie: 1t
will take Miss Dickinson a long while vet
to learn how to act, but unquestiohably
she can learn if she thinks it worth while
to keep on trying. The question is, is it
worth while for her to do so Well no it is
not, for after she has mastered the mech.
anism Of the art there would remain plen-
tiful lack Of those things which playgoers
care for. When there is not personal beau
ty there must be that thug, vague in name
but well appreciatedby all who care for act
ing, called magnetism. A woman of but
paesable appearance, like Clara Morris, or
an absolutely plain one like Charlotte
N. l.. g.
beauty a bewitching creature like Nelson
may make us forget that she is not much
more than an antomaton. But Miss Dick
inson is not gifted in either way, 30 how
will it profit her to learn how to act e? ITO
fill in, like eighty players of a hundred, it
may be said. Yes, but Miss Dickinson ex-
pressly declines that role. If she would
accept it, as she ought to do il she wants to
be an actress at all, the question would
never have been raised. judged her at
the opening Of these remarks not by her
own standard, but by the only reasonable
one, and on such scale account the per-
formanoe Of "Anne Boleyn" fair success,
but do not wish to be understood as say
ing that it gives any warrant for supposing
that Miss Dickinson will ever be great or
popular actress. Nature is not favorable
to that hope, and aspiration and fulfilment
are as widely different things in this calling
as in many others.
POLITICAL MATTERS.
Mr.. Weidener has withdrawn from the
Mayoralty contest and Mayor Stokely will
have q walk-over in his reelection. He
would have had it in any case, imagine,
for he has very solid popularity, and the
Weidener movement though it piqued
curiosity from its novelty, had no real
strength. Mir. Stokely has made very
good Mayor and there was no reason for
desiring change.
The same thing can be said substantially
of City Solicitor Oollis. The City Solicitor
has not the same opportunity Of making
personal popularity as the Mayor, but the
weighty interests in which he is concerned
feel his influence very clearly. There was
a prejudice against Gen'l Coils at one time
in this community, but he has lived that
down, and during his last term is credited
with number of decisions which have
been to the advantage of the city and which
have greatly added to his reputation as a
lawyer. A number Of the leading members
Of the bar have united in recommends
tton Of his nomination, and it would seem