National Republican., 1883-01-29
MUSIC ANp DRAMA.
NnsoNNrtoN nj M orrnA


Whoever attended any of The performance
Of the Bostnp Opera company at furds last
Wrck inltst have been anu0ycd by the rcsunpt-
ing pcrs0lfin theme NJ seat back The rGsonatiuv
person is included in this general statement.
because lie in turn must have been disturbed
by The other rcsonatinR person who sat stll
farther back aud the resouating people ON
the very back row had to endure the ishers,
who are the most resonant of all nuisances
when an opera is being sung
Nobody would, with deliberate intent to dis
turb others, sit in an audience aud hum or
sing the music that is being sung or PLAYED
by the company or the orchestra. Yet a very
large per centage of those who go 70 an oper-
attic performance do that very thing. That
they do IL unconsciously or involuntarily is
distinctly shown by the surprise they mani
fest when scowled at for doing it. The truth
Island this is said as much for the
easement of the hummers themselves
as in explanation to others-that tho act
is involuntary. II might be scientifically
described rs unconscious resonation.
When violin is played slowly before n tube
or cavity having any resonant quality note
will respond 10 the violin whenever the key
is touched in which the resonant quality Tor
voice. of the tube or cavity is pitched A
dog will in like manner respond to any in
strument whenever q note Is sounded in his
key. He cannot help It.. His move
ments of protest, even of pain, show
that he does not like to do it, lie docs IL under
protest, so TO speak, in obedience to some law
which drags like to like, whether or no. IL
is so, though less painful, perhaps, with the
resonating person at tho opera. When n bit
Of music in his own key comes, he goes 10 with
out knowing that he Is going it--not being
gifted with that shameflced sclf-cOuscousness
which under similar conditions manifcsts it..
self in the actions Of the dog. ...... ......
This explanation would not be inado but
that it points to a'remedy for the trouble
itself. Any experimenter will find that by
putting the hand over the mouth of the tube
or cavity, or by holding the jaws Of the dog,
resonation will be cut oil; ;no matter with how
much strength the note be sounded. There
is nothing to show that thesame result would
notfollow the same act with the resOnating
human at n musical entertainment. If the
person sitting next, or the person behind, or
oven the person in front, were to quietly put
a hand; or any flat or thick substance, before
the mouth of the hummer rnsonation would
in all probability cease at once Or if tile
hummer would himself when lie feels it
coming Gf indeed he does feel it,, quietly
cover the resonating cavity with his own
hand, or the hand of his next noighbor. or
oven with his hat, trouble would be avoided,
and nobody be annoyed.
@ r THE WHITE SLAVE" .....
n Bartlcy Campbel's "White Slave" has
made so favorable an impression here that its
return will he looked for with pleasure. Very
few dramatic works written since the war
have 50 faithfully dealt with the spirit, people,
and scenes of the old slave times in the south.
IL Is the sort of thing would go admirably
in London, where Mr. Campbell should take Il
next season, when he goes 20 superintcnd the
production of some of his other plays. Eng
lish critics would be far less apt than Ameri-
can to take exception to that frequent occur
renee Of irrelevant matter which is its chief
blcmish because the eccentricity of negro
character, its humor, its pathos, and its child
ishncss would appeal to English audiences
with more force of novelty than to us
andt Englishmen would be more prompt TO
see that the plays best value is less.
dramatic than pictorial, poetic, and in u sense
historic. Had IL gone to England first it
would have been vast success here after
ward. There is moro merit aud as much in
terest in it, in every consideration, than in
any of the Harris, Petit and Merritt pieces.
twill certainly be heard from with increasing
distinctncss in;the future. .. i .....,.,.,.
... 'u ia, wYNDHAM.. ..-
Tonight the most famous English speaking
comedy company in all the world will begin
an all too brief engagement at Ford's theatre.
Nobody who has seen the Wyndham plays
needs TO be told how, well they are done. No
body who has not seen them can at
ford to let thea go without seeing.
The company brings its own scenery and
costumes. Brighton (Which is Bronson
HOwards Saratoga done over to suit Lon
dom will be played Tonight by very much
the same artists who We're seen in it for 900
nights in the metropolis of the world. 1t will
be repeated on Tuesday and Wednesday even
ings and Wednesday afternoon. Thursday
and for the remainder of the week, " Fourteen
Days" and "RutlPs --RomanceH will be of
fered. ,....,..
~ s.. skLyfSi: 'r .q F 4',a'
This illustri0us artist will appear tonight
rs Othello. Wednesday evening he Is to play
in King Lean Friday evening !" The Out
law y viii be presented. saturday afternoon,
played. On tuesday, Thursday, aid sat.
urday nights, and al tho Wednesday
matinee, when Salvini VIII not play,
Lewis Morrison . aud Marie Prescott,
supported by the Salyini company, will pre-
sent "The New Magdalcn" and Rose
Michel" The first named play will be acted
Tuesday, evening and Wednesday afternoon,
and the otliGr Thursday and saturday even.
ings These ''oh night" performances must
not be set downas pcrtunctory and of no ac-
count. In Il certain line Of characters, such
for example rs, that in the vein OF Perc
Michel, Lewis Morrison is without an equal
imong American actors; and tho company is
not without its very high points of merit.
. '' ----------------s l-----.liivs--z. a ..
john IL. Gomsri Friday Night.
On Friday evening next The icelcbratcd
orator, John b. Cough, will DO
liver his famous lecture, T" Habit, or Powers
That BE, ut the Congregational church Mr..