The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-29
Lillian 0lcOtt on Some CUES
ti0ns About the Stage.
TIE THEATRE AND THE PULPIT
Bachelor In the GalIery-A Mild
Spree by Proxy for q Dollar.
Written Tor TIE SUNDAY HERALL
(ConyrIehted. 1888 J

minister the same. The stage, Of
course, has not escaped the general
clamor, and managers and actors fire.
quently receive ahvice and suggestions
on the subject. When dissatisfied. the
public should remember that the
remedy is entirely in their own hands.
Managers provide precisely what they
ling the people will pay for, without
sentiment or personal prejudice There
is no better reason to reform the stage
than Their is to reform any other phase
of social life. All nsed Improvement
more or less, and all are more or less
likely not to get it immediately. Salts
factory Development in this case, as in
al! others. must be gradual. If the
stage were suddenly stripped of all
frivolous elements, the proceeding
mizht, possibly, receive the formal in
dorsement o. society; but it would not
receiveits financial support. Elipus
Tyrannns, in the original Greek, pos
sesses, doubtless, many highly i9struc-
tive and valuable qualities. But the
public seem quite satisfied to concede
the good points of EdipUs on trust
and it has the peoples benediction from
distance. Adonis Dixey, ia equally
original English, must win approval
through he personal criticism OF all
classes X suit: Gdtpus runs one we,
to loss, and Adonis runs indefinitely
to n profit While not strictly classic
in treatment, that Adonis imparts
much useful information of q very gen
eral character is admitted by all who
saw that talented Gfecian after he went
into The milk business. and his great
success may have been somewhat de-
termiued bV that circumstan ,e; but
managers may be excused if their
classic enthusiasm is iutiueDoed by such
facts. Society has not reached tn
ideal point in its ethical culture, which
justities tyrannical denunciation of It's
professional sister. Whether the intel
iectual or moral progress OF the drama
be slow Or rapid, it is sure to be in har-
mony with its environments, for it de-
ponds not on an exclusive class, but on
the mass of the people, and it cannot,
therefore, be greatly retarded or greatly
In advance That it certainly has kept
pace with the universal progress is evil
deut. Popular applause settles at once
the tone of any performance, for the
stage does not, as rule. mould the
taste of the time. 1t reflects, and is
controlled by it.
The 60
EFFECT OF APPLAUSE
upon artists is often quoted as due to
their nervous susceptibility. The fact
is overlooked that it is an unmistakable
evidence of approval, and is, as such
desired. Artists do not relish such ex-
pressions on the same principle that
our heather visitor delights in the TOM
tom. or cur own civiliz small boy in
the GLORIOUS Fourth racket. Tits the
direct medium of communication across
the foo'lights. But that the artists do
possess nervous susceptibilities of the
most pronounced order, is very gener-
ally the case, and is a point in their
favor as indicating the temperament and
tastes of genius, even though it does
not insure the possession of its creative
force. A highly-strung nervous organ
iza;lon may. ana usually does, introduce
into the character of its possessor much
uuexpressed pa!hos, and is, therefore,
less comfortable than the more stolid
nature. but it is also more prompt and
active, and the world owes much of its
stirring music to the instruments it
holds at concert pitch.
1t is singular that in the occasional
arguments against the stage, the most
unique system of logic seems to pre-
vail. It was once asserted, at a public
gathering. that the theatre is trmpts-
ton that shoxld be suppressed. and the
statement illustrated by the remars
that children frequently steal the
money to attend it, Yer no one ever
advocated the extermuna lion OF the
melon, or apple crop. although the
felonOus efforts Of enterprising boys 10
appropriate the same to their own e
is notorious. Moreover, the disposition
of apples TO disagree with the human
race is we'll known and of ancient
origin. yet thst fruit has fourished un-
challenged 10 the present hour. We
should be more consistent. It would
be as easv to abolish the drama as 1t
would be TO abolish the tesrs and
laughter it so frequently calls forth. 1
On the other bend, Efforts 10 con
found the theatre with the pulpit, or
the rostrum, Or to regard it as sort of
seminary, seems equally in
effective ard undesirable. Any difh-
Gully in defining its position NAV, per-
haps. originate in a misunde rstanding
of It's limitations as well as of its posi-
biiiliss. 1ne thrush when firstcreated, \
does not seem to have any definite pur
pose concerning himself, but under the
hand Of nature. he steadily !
develops, and the elimination fills the
air With melody But if the music OF |
the thrush is, pleasant jhatyis, no, fsarrt
son why the chicken should be expected I
to Htsuifess operatio tendencies. The |
rooster mas tried it. but he is not sue
cess, and thoughtful p sople, observing |
that example of misapplied genius, do |
not put the thrush in fricassee, nor |
insist upon the chicken as vocalist.
ACCEPT THE THEATRE
'or what it is-the courtsof the graces,
whose worthy and sufficient object is TO !
lmuse. Poetry and masic, eloquence
have contributed their ut
most, and if some philosopher can adj
nit happiness as the OBJECT of philos-