Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-29
IN ACTRESS OPINIONS.
iIian 0Icott on Questions About the
Stage--Does the Stage Need Re-
FORM profitable Plays.
&c. Of Applause Upon ActOrs-The
Theater &1d ihe PuIpit-S0ms
illusions OF the stage.
.i.c,s Of ;he Drsrna-It Fills the Goblet Of
Life with Flowers of FRncy-The Ola
HAchafor In the Gallery.
copyrighted, 1851

Copyrighted, I5S3.)
TIE most present word OF the day is
4.s,7rm. Every one is convinced that mis-
,e'ghAorhood needs it, aud is somewhat
] IMPRESSED with his own ability to admin
..+er the SAM. The stage, of course, has
n. escaped TIE general clamor, and
Imsprgers and sectors frequently receive
l,6yice and suggestion on the subject.
}When dissatisfied, the public should re-
Inamber inst the remedy is entirely in
,5eir own hands. Managers provide pre-
clsely WHIT they think people Will
4 rs7 fer, without sentiment or
rsrs0nal prejudice. There i3
no better reason TO reform the stage thon
i mere is 20 reform any other phase OF
social life. Ali need improvement more
1 Of less, and all ere more or less likely not
10 get Il Immediately. Satisfactory de-
] yglopment in this case, as in I'll Others,
must be gradual. II the stage were sud
denly stripped Of all frivolous elements,
i ne proceeding might, possibly, receive
me formal Endorsement OF society; but il
/ voalt not receive its financial support.
r. 1ipus TyrannUs, IN the original Greek,
/ possesges, doubtless, many highly in
.tructiye and valuable qualities. But the
public seem quite satisfied to
ooncede the good points Of
EiipVs On trust, and il
| aag the peoples benedictiOn from the
iis.arc3. Adonis Dixey, in equally orig
nsl English, must win approval
through the personal sarcasm of all
/ classes. Result: kiipus runs one week
| 10 s loss, and Adonis runs indefinitely to
profit. While not strictly classic in
/ treatment, that Adonis imparts much use
/ iul information of a very general charac-
/ setter is admitted by sll who saw that
/ .sented Grecizn after be went into the
milk business, and his great success may
I hsve been somewhat determined by that
/ circumstance; but managers may be
4 excused II their classic en-
.9usiasm is Ein1uenced by such
iscts. Society has not reached that
deal point in it's ethical culture, ThiC b
lsufi.s tyrannical denunciation of its
professional sister. Whether the intel
ectual or moral progress Ct the drama
be slow OR rapid, it is sure 10 be in har-
mony with it's environments, tor it de-
Ponds not on an exclusive class, but on
he mass Of the people, snd it cannot,
therefore, be greatly retarded or greatly
n advance. That 1t certainly has kent
pace with the universal progress is evil
dent. Popular applause settles ST once
/ the tone Of any performances, for The stage
Toes not, % rule, mould the TASTE of the
time 1t reflects, and is controlled by it.
The
EFFECT OF APPLAUSE
upon artists is often quoted as due 10
their nervous susceptibility. The fact is
overlooked that it is an unmistRkable
evidence Of approval, End is, az such,
desired. Artists do not relish such eX-
pTessious on the same principle that our
heSthsn visitor delights in the tom-tom,
or Ourv own civilized small boy in the
glorious Fourth racket. 1t is the
direct medium Of Commuuic Stion across
the footlights. But thst artists do
possess nervous susceptibllIties Of
& most pronounced order, is
very generally the case, and ia q
p1i9t in their favor as indicating the tenn.
permanent aud tastes Of genius, even
though it does not insure the possession
Of its creative force. A highly strung,
nervous organization may, and usually
does, introduce into the character OF its
possessor much Unexpressed psthos, and
Is, therefore, less comfortable than @
more stolid Lature, but II is also more
prompt and active, and the world owes
much Of its stirring InUslc to the instru
ments il holds at concert pitch.
l. is singular that in the occasional ar
gumants against the stage the most unique
system Of logic seems to prevail. II was
once asserted at g public gathering that
he taeater Is 8 temptation That should be
suppressed, and the statement illustrated
0y the remark that children frequently
steal the money to stfend it. Yet no one
eve- advocated the determination Of the
melon, or spple crop, although the feloni-
Gus ef )rts OF enterprIslng boys to appro-
prste the same TO their own use is no.
tOrious. Moreover, the disposition Of
spplcs to disagree with the hU-
nan race is we'll known snd OF ancient
origin, yet that fruit hss fourished IN
challenged 30 the present hour. We
slOuld be more consistent. Il would be
IS eaay 10 abolish the drama as it would
be 70 abolish the te2rs and laughter ii so
frequently calls forth.
GA the other hand, efforts TO confouud
me theater with the pulpit, or the ros-
rum, or 20 regard it as sort of gilt
edged seminary, seem equally ineffective
snd undesirable. ANY 6lAlculty IL dstiu~
iog its position may, perhaps, originate
&C Z misunderstanding OF its limitations
IS well as of its possibilities. The thrush,
when f;S. crested, doesi not seem 10
have any defoite purpose concern
nc himself, but under the caressing hand
Of nature he steadily develops, and the
elimination fills the sir with melody. But
# the music Of the thrush be pleasant,
,hst is no reason why the chicken should
De expected TO manifest operate tenden-
ces. The rooster has tried it, but he is
not 8 success, and thoughtful people, OBJ
serving that example Of misspplied
genius, do not put the thrush in s tricas-
see, nor insist upon the chicken IS e
vocalist.
ACCEPT THE TREATKR
i0r what II is-the court of the grsces,
whose worthy and sufficient object is to
smuse. Poetry and music, eloqueuce
and grace, have contributed their utmost,
and If some philosopher can admit hsPpi-
ness as the or iect or pnilosepEy-the aim
CT ite-sure.y the drains may accept
amusement as it's raison d. etre. 1t
sweeps across the leisure hours of life
and brings to light uurecOgnlzed emotions,
dreams vague and underlined but often
beautiful. That these dreams may be
vain Illusions does not affect their value
n the last So, perhsps, are Gil the cess
things of this world illusions. and the
ssddest sight that life presents is the be-
ing who, having unveiled them all, stands
confronted py its ipsignifcsnce.
II has been ssid that faith and love.
ncelity and friendship are illusions, AID
Ee Ah.A