Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-09-03

the root OF the mischief A plenty Of
thought has been to the money that was
to be earLei; no thought at all TO the
incidental result Of the means that were
TO be employ ed to earn 1t. All the while
that paint and putty and folly and filth
aud calcium lights have held the stage,
its real business-except here end there,
under ths sway of such managers as
Lester Wallsck and EdWin BoOth-hRs
been neglected. Young actors have had
little or no school in which to learn.
Pretty faces have had the chance, and
have improved 1t, to thrust themselves
into prominence, and fOist themselves
off as dramatic talent. Ladies OF soci-
ETY. have dropped their back hair and
emerged as Lady Macbeth" The gen.
ersl lack Of earnest and thoughtful sd-
miuistration Of acting as great art has
generated, first apathy toward it and
then contemplate 1t comes to pass that
the title OF actor is applied with equal
Indifference to the speckled acrobat who
swings on the trapeze, the two-ounce
Drained BOBBY who blacks his face and
stTums a banjo, snJithe hard student and
gentleman who tries to interpret the
great creations of Shakespeare. Nothing
could be more natural than the cODse.
quences which have come, aud nothing
could be more obvious than the path
way out of them. Trade trickery has
done the harm, and trade trickery is the
thing to be dropped. Most unions have
notices. The one we should suggest
for the managers is homely, but it
ought to be written up In letters Of gold:
"DoDt put any more sand in your sugarw
Two truths contain the moral that we
would urge. Whenever in this city,
the stage has been conscientiOusly, sim
cerely, wisely, and ably devoted to the
art Of Rcting-which iJ its only cure
basis, and its everlasting Justification
1t has succeeded. Mr.. WaIlack, with q
good stock company and good plays,
has never dropped from the front rank.
Edwin Booths thester, under Edwin
Booths management, was,-as we now
know-a success; the people of New
York did not neglect that noble enter
prise, and its author would be at the
head of it to-day, if his had, from the
first, been intrusted to the right hands.
Messrs. Shook and Palmer. relying on
this one element-dramstic ability
have had a steady tide OF good fortune.
Mr.. Daly's company has al
ways been his strong card.
When THIS prop comes AGAIN 10
be generally trusted, when, IN every di-
rection genuine success is deserved by
genuine merit, the stage will come sgaiD
into all its estate, whether in money or
in reputation. There must be more brain
and heart and moral conviction in the
work. There must be more leading Of
the public taste than following of 1t.
There must be more giving Of laws than
taking OF them from the crowd. There
must be more working and less whining.
And above sll there must be the inteliec-
tual mans devOtDLion to art and ideas
and the welfare OF the human race, and
hi, conteDtmeat with honest rewards.
Ii the Theatrical Managers association
which we know to be in honest and
able hands, and which has our hearty
good wishes for its success-is animated
with these motives, and will do any,
thing toward rescuing the stage out OF
the hands Of peddlers and educating up,
on it race of actors, then indeed il Will
prove itself public benefacIor, and all
its works will be attended with sym
pathy.