Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-21
LIFE AT THE ANTIPODES.
Virtues and Vices OF Australians
philadelphia Actors and New Eng.
land Preachers.
Sydney Letter to Chicago Inter Ocean.

Sydney Letter to Chicago Inter Ocean.
The two great vices Of the people of Australia
are gambling and intemperance; and secondly,
their great virtues are their straightforward
ness, their warm hospitality and their unques-
tionable honesty. AS to the gambling. it is
only necessary to say that more money changes
hands upon the result Of the Melbourne cup
(Which is rum by the way, on the list of Novem-
ber) than upon any established sporting event
in the world. The reason for this is that almost
every inhabitant of the colonies has something
to risk upon the result Of the race and does risk
it, as matter of course.
Intemperance and immortality In a degree
seems to be the special birthright Of all young
countries. and here they have certainly been in
herited in full measure. Almost every corner
in this city, as well as in Melbourne is occupied
by grOg-shOp, and drunken men and women
are regularly seen upon the streets Those who
drink here take their liquor Systematically If
not judiciously. and In as large doses as they
can get it, believe. The result is not lone
| more stagger and in you co." but well-sus-
| tanned spirituous influence prevailing society.
Of the immortality Of Australians the Rev. Ell
liz, OF st. Andrews cathedral, lately stated from
the pulpit that he had heard that there was not
virtuOus female in Sydney over sixteen years
OF age. 1t Is a common saying here that the
country has I" rivers without water. flowers
without scent, birds without song and women
without virtue"
The Rev. Joseph Cook of Boston. who has
Just concluded a most extensive lecture tour of
the colonies, has been very successful at least
financially speaking. Wherever he has been
(and he has been everywhere) large and en-
thusiastic houses have greeted him. and the
bOX-Office or the plate have been accordingly
well-fiiled with the much-despised lucre He
has not made himself more popular here, how
ever, than in America with the newspapers and
has been pretty severely handled by some of
them, the Sydney Bulletin being particularly
savage in its criticisms Of his lectures and his
theories.
heard him say to an audience of Englishmen,
Americans and COlOnials the other evening that
American and Colonial newspapers were notori-
Gus for filling up their sheets with "bOsh' as
dolls are filled with sawdust. Such a remark
coming from man who is lecturing on the sub
ject. 'Does Death End ALP" speaks for itself.
Such remark coming from man whose whole
time is spent in strained attempts to popuarize
his language and address, whose every philo-
sophical. metaphysical, or religious pill is sugar
coated with vulgarism or provincialism Of
speech; whose every gesture, every
sentence, every metaphor is an appeal
to the popular mind; whose every
theoretical gem is set in padding of popular
1sm and all this where the man tastes and in
clinations. If strictly followed, would lead him
to scholarly style of address and purely liter
airy and natural expression of speech. Such a
remark coming from such man was ridiculous
" HE III the extreme. lauEneu Win the rest
OF the audience when he delivered himself of
this chronic joke of public speakers, who have
been criticised by newspapers but / laughed,
however. at the man and not at the Joke.
The Melbourne stage is now occupied by
Boccaccio. Cat the Opera Houses W. Z. Sheri-
dan in the legitimate Cat the Royal Theater):
Fred Marshall Gn Upper Crust'') at the Bilou
Theater and J. b. Polk Gin the ''Strategists'') at
the Princess Theater. All except Sheridan are
doing good business. and deservedly So for in
every theater throughout the colonies the cos
tunes have been rich and elegant. the scenery
of the first order and minor details carefully and
conscientiously taken care of. Boccaccio is es-
periaily well put on the stage besides being
acted and sung in an unusually meritorlous
manner. 1t is a palpabe copy of the Royal
Comedy Company. London but it is faithful
copy. and in some respects, is an Improvement
upon the London original. w. E. Sheridan has
been highly praised by the press, and his support
is very much above the average, but he has not
been financially encouraged.