The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-04-14
BIRTH OF THE DRAMATIC ART.
rno,r THE rrs OF IN. c. roL1a VOLTS.

In ancient days-for 20 the story gOes-
4 poet Of rare talents there arose;
(Actor well as poetl. and his fame
Rang far and wide, until his very name
Became a household woodland sAges came
To profit by his counsels good and wise.
Kings, princes, shepherds did llis learning prizs
Great Ihulrtudes would ioek AROUND to see
The wond rous man-the muse of comedy
The yOunn, the DID, rich, poor the grave, tho gay,
Would ever thrsng the greet comedian way.
Their praise to yield, and reverence to pay;
And bays and iaurels on him bestowed,
AS on his cart through 4fhers' streets he rode.
They called him Tlsespis--famous founder hs,
OF comic verse, as well Tragedy,
Who first in Ancient Greece did give the start
(Rude a. it wasl, TO the Dramatic Art,
On sn4altsfSge, erected on q cart!
Or something like thareto. Scenes ne had nOLe-
Or curtain TO descend when play ~as done
No dressing roon-no green-rOOm properties,
Orchestra none-Bo wings proscenium. flies,
Box-ofiice nons;-u Pom the hard, bare ground,
After the play, the hat handed round
No "fead-heGdsi' here, widow, and wife and maid,
slghate'cr the prioo might be, they always paid,
And blashed to think pennies could be found
Within their fObs when Tssspis took his roundt
And still he pleased though simple WAS the thems
Pastoral or BagchanAI; he no'eT did dream
To what sul,liniIty his miuic.sta
Would ris triumphant IN ssassIuturA-Eso;
Bat timo works wond'rous things. well wine.
Tho dullsst' dianlond may be made to shine
With marvellous brilliancy. By sculptor's skill
The newly quarried marble is at will
Transformed to glorious beauty. so the ART
Called IIIsfRroxIc fsen an humble cart,
Drawn by humble ass through Athens town,
Has climbed at last to glory and renown. -
Ff,r,ire on Ftnpirf, since have missed
Kingdoms and thrones have cruinllsd 70 decay
Jerusalem builf, and Christ the SAVIOR born,
Zone, '.tho eternal, . by foul factions torn,
Who from her seven hills once rulei the world,
From her high PLACES regal has been hHrlsd,
Sitting like sonic lorn virgin in dcnude,
Gloomy and grand amidst her solitude
Thebes, Elneyeh Babylon, have hufnbled been,
Since TheSpis FIRST upon his cart was seeni .a
/ Pampcii and HerculanseuIn had thsir day,
But still the CART DIVINE" has held Its way,
Maugrc all opposition. in grand state,
/ Keeping its place, gainsi an opposing fate,
| Like some firm mount, or Gibralterean rock,
Resisting still the earthquake's fearful shock
| Proving that mighty things from trifos rise,
Humble first, but maanting toward the skies
| BY slow deg ees-as from ths ncorn small
Springs up the oak, gigantic, grand and tall
| Cypress it you may, twill fisc at last,
/ Soar Phonix-like from ash is,ot mt past.
! IT'S 50, cen now, and thus twill ever be,
| While Time itself links with Eternity.
As some triumphant arch from eTaftsInan's hand
| Needs key stone to make il hrnlor stand,
So Shakespeare. Garrick, Burbidse. Betterton,
| Schiller, Molere, and many another one,
| BraeeSirdle, Siddens, Jordon, Mellon, Give,
Keyt while thoT lived, dramatic dre alive.
| Goldsmith, and Farquhar, Cowley, Hossrth, Gay
Forrest and Ingerson snd AdanIss had their day,
And added lustre during brief stay.
! Thousands Of both the sexes We might name
| Who gave to ThesI is und yins fame
Booth otway, Elliston aud MssaIseT, Macklin,
Made perfect that which Thesaia did begin.