The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-04-11


nothing new, but they could say it
again, aud all at one time. The ac-
count of Nevada's first night was the
accounts of all the preceding nights
rolled into one, RePorter-critics
twenty-One years old and of a
years residence in San Fran
cisco assured US that such q scene
as the California diVG's Creep
ton" had never been witnessed
in this city. Within their year they
had said the same of other artistes' F."
receptions" a Iong-dozen times
each, but the superior length Of their
present reports assisted the paucity of
their words and enforced belief.
Three columns give stronger i'm
preston than one. The augmented
vegetables really helped out. There
could be no mistake as TO the " floral
tributes;' there were more of them,
and ia bad taste they were distinctly
superior. They were held together
by stouter wiring and sturdier wooden
frames. The notices in violets were
sillier; the tea-rose harps uglier; the
pansy flags sitter; the anchors more
offensive. There were whole ships.
! singularly repulsive ; chair, fresh
culled and made to measure. and it
| fitted like paper on a wall. Wixie
sat down in it and wept So long that
only her head could at last be seen,
submitting the pile. On the whole,
| it must be said that this "ovation
20 girl vino cannot sing much, by a
people that knows nothing of music,
had distinguishing features of mem
OrabIe idiOcy.
WHAT IT ALL COST.
We have paid to these people dur
| ing month of Mapleson something
like S16O00O And we are proud of
it, no end. We boast that we and
our money are soon parted. We
think-one newspaper has actuallyso
stated-that this proves Us ulore
cultivated people than any other Ia
the world. This ignorance that dares
not be fastidiOus and exactiug vaunts
|
vulgarity which fears to deny its
cash and yearns to show itself in a
tail coat, or in the presence of one
flor we have not yet all learned
| rightly to garb our skins) swears it.
! self "genteel." We have no talent
for music, no taste for it. Here is no
| musical culture, no musical criticism.
Pet-piglike We take whatever is Of
fered, with both fore-feet In the
trough. Paris, London, New York,
after long probation and cold exac-
ton, say "This is a great singer,"
It is enOugh-come great singer and
help yourself to our coin while we
pound our palms callous and crack
our gizzards In praise of our discrim-
inatiOn. We know good voice
when we hear one we know it is a
voice. When "genius" is pointed
out to us we are sharp to recognize.
{" Genius ~ for singingI Has u
mocking-bird genius "a canary
"the gift and faculty divine ?") One
right of independence we reserve
the right to go wild over inferior per-
Torrance in any art-provided, first,
that the artist be one of ourselves {;
second, that he return to us from
abroad-driven hence, in most cases,
by our neglect and aversion. If he
fulfill those conditions even a good
artist may count on success. Let us
name a few names illustrative, in
literature, painting, acting, singing.
Bret Harte, greatest of all, forced
MED him, but now, with tardy enthu-
siasm, boast ourselves to have fos-
tered. Joaquin Miller, the same. In
painting, Toby Rosenthal, with
hah-Iatent talent from Nature and
half-reputatiOn from Munich, is our
little tin god on wheels-from Niger
Hill is Toby.
JOHN MCCULLOUGH,
Great tragedian, now insane. Not
three men in San Francisco knew
him for what he was until he went
away and got his crown of recOgni-
ton. Years and years struggling
among us, doing great work, nObly
conscious of his powers. We called
him Genial john" for his reward.
We had to have his genius certified
and Vised abroad. And now Emma
Nevada, child of the Foothills, pupil
at the Mills Seminary, where all our
daughters chewed gum with her.
Had she gone secretly from us, re-
turning like thief in the night with
all her talent and skill, her absence
unsupported, we should have Missed
her. But, good Heaven this culti-
waited, critical, musical people madly
swarmed her hotel, fought for tickets,
stormed, thundered, wept and flung
vegetable tributes before she sang a
note! Was it the singer they wOr-
shipped, or the Californian Her
art, or her nativity ? She is one of
ourselves, and already famous. Let
her be treated with the distinguished
consideration due to her representa-
tive junction. When the world APP
plauded did we not blush with gratifi-
cation of our proper pride, accept the
praise with becoming mOdesty and