The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-15
The Immortality of the Stage.

One of the stock idiocies of the age is
that which asserts that, OF necessity and
by reason OF their occupation, women who
adopt the stage rs a profession are less
likely to be vIrtuOus and useful members
of the community than any of their sisters.
For instance, we read IN the Frankfort
(Ky,) Yeomda:
ut rumOrcd that q younger daughter OF William
Trlmble, esd, OF the COvingtOn bar, Is soon TO 90
upon the stagG, Tor winch she has talent aud predi
lection. The example OF Miss Anderson l. going
10 have many imitatJrs. That II may result IN exc
waiting the morals OF the theatrical profession muAt
be the earnest wish OF every lover OF the eSi innate
DRAMA
The Miss Anderson alluded to in this
item is Miss Mary Andeson. a young girl
who, so far as we can Judge from the
opinions of the provincial press, has made
n most successful debut Almost at the
same time the following paragraph ap
pcared in the Golden Ruie, paper pub.
iished at Boston by Mr. w. H. Ii. Muir.
ray, otherwise styled ''the Reverend:
.'If such ladic- ~ Miss Dickinson Gnd our owr
Mrs Barry continue to study for the stage ant
adopt the theatrical procession as theirs VIII no
the stage be rcvoutiouized and become IA suurCu o
pure aud healthy entertainment? 1t Is evident tina
the prejudice against the theatre on the part o
religious people is wearing away-not because the!
growing worse, but because the theatre il grow
ing better aud being better understood"
1t seems pity that such libels as these
seould be written and accepted in all seri
business; nevertheless they are, and their
authors aud receivers have not the slight
est doubt but that in circulating them they
are advancing the cause of truth and
morality. ii we chose to institute the
comparison, we should probably succeed
in showing that, all things considered, the
lecture platform, the pulpit or the edi
torial profession has furnished more, anC
more disgraceful. scandals to the swiI
litarature Of the age, than the stage,
This, too, for fine best of reasons Tn,
pastor holds relations towards the mem
bers of his congregation that are easily in
vested with romance; the enthusiast is t
his followers demi god, and at the same
time u close adviser. On the other hand, ST
long as there is art there is occasion fo
study, and the stage is the Ouly place
where personal prejudice, trick or manner
ism cannot achieve a permanent success
Taken from the actors day the minimum
number Of hours Tor performance
rehearsals, study. sleep, and meals
what beggarly fragment remains to b.
offered at the shrine of Bacchus, Venu
and all the other heather gods Of baC
character And yet the disciples of igno
rance and prejudice must express tn
hypocritical hope that the advent of
vealy girl at the west or a stringy woman
ut the east will he sanctited towards tn
blessing and elevation of the stage!
If this cant were confined to the paper
which nobody reads, it would be an aifai
of less seriousness, Unhappily, simla
views are entertained by most respectabl
people aud journals, and, without u doubt
in the best of faith. 1t is, therefore, onl
just that a secular journal should ute
its protest against the assumption that u
actors are necessarily debauchees, and ca
press its belief that all the manly AM
womdnly virtues may DC found on tn
stage as well as in the pulpit or on tn
plaUorm.-N y World.