The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-27
Mr.. BAggETT'S LECTURE
A DISSERTATION ON TIRE 'NFIu-
ENCs OF TNE cHAMA.


Observation-Disclosures by Mayor Ely
..,-4he Pay last Evening Reception
u, Mr.. Brnoch and Others.
Mr.. Wilson Barrett. tho eminent Lreiish
actor, began an engagement at the mozart
Acadcnn (hrieimeS afternoon IN lo'u.
dom (cs.o,,sa, afternoon Nc Barrett
sccturd es request bctotr a l"rg, IN"
fashionable gathering, In the audience
,yers ,nany prominent citizens. some 81
ul,on N.rf. Rev. II. VI. Jackson. Rev. Df.
George Caoper. Rev. Mir. Richardson. Gov
crner fdzhugh lee. Judge n, " tlovfnoy'
Mr.. Thomas Potts. Mr.. Jackson uul' Col
onB razewcn Elicit. DR.. J. J.. VI. curry.
N 2:3O o'clock the curtain rose; any
N.,or Fll,s0a camc On The stage ana sald
(, 80 HIM rhs~ure to introduce Mr.. Bar
rcd. who walked forward as the Mayor re-
tired. n
Nr. Barrett Is handsome man. IL,
,,cs,.s hi. ficr clean. and bis hair gathers
around his forehead like louis James curis
In gesture ho j. graceful. ana MS Weil-
mn.lglaicd voice j. lill-toncd and nca. IN
.p.aking. when mol acting. Ut. baffci
SHOWS clearly that he y tngllsh' ana his
accommodation has something OF the draMi-
i,',, accout Characteristic Of the Britlshor.
Mr.. Barrett BEGAN by saying IL gave him
oloasurc % stand before u Richmond audi
..ncr a. an advocate Cor an ait IA the study
.fwhich hc had passed his lie, and ne was
dad 40 and so much intcrsst in the drama
here: le logtd before the Tpk was over thai
Whatever was sccn Or heard upon the stage
would tend 10 the elevation as wei as the
amusement az those who attend the PER
iplmauccs.
DRAMATIC INSTINCT
..1.l,. dramatic instinct is inherent IN
human nature" began Mr.. Barrett. coming
down 10 tho holy Of his lecture, which hc
read from music stand tn front ct him.
.srhc boy with tin sword and trumpet
shouts and marches about, aciing
the soldier. The girl, with baby doll, plays
at being mother or nurse. II Is not to'
lpuch 10 say that niue out Of every ten ch.''
dren wU for.ake any toy or game 10 liz
fru 10 some one Who VIII tell anu
not 10 them q good story. Nanny. tell
ans q story they viii say: and II NANNY
has touch 81 dramatic ability M her com
positinn. how quietly ihc little ONES viii sii
and listen as She talk. vnd acts. When
older grown with what enjoyment ihey
VIII watch the mcrcst attempts to act l
little sketches Ht the hOol-. Iaicr on
comics the Ar~t'cal play. lioW sirane" now
real 10 ail seems. Can any person ever for
cot their first visit to the play, pr inc I'M
pscssions they reccif I'll
alt il difficult 10 over estimate the npor
taucn ul those impress ions oI Tine checi they
. nus have upon the character 81 the enid
80 ! would say % parents most earn
..-fiy ch,osc carefully your chiid's arsi play
The actors influence Is gypai, ma BIS mis-
sion. properly fulfilled. r. q noble one
Mr. Barrett here alluded briefly 10 Ga,
-necring way in which some people spesb
Of actors. one over clever scribe bad de-
ignated the'H as people who painted then
faces au', pretended 90 be- somebody else
me CLERGY AND THEIR ErrECr
II have been asked ayln and again
continued the speaker. "whai would Doe ih'
effect upon the drama il religious people,
so-caiicd religious peopie-and the elere,
were regular attendants at tic theatre
The influence must Doe Wholly for good. i
Stands go ra-on iAat men are more or les'
influenced hy ihcir surroundings. Fui
good map dnda bad man together IN con
staut oempJuOuship. and in The era cacl
must 40 certain extent Dee Influenced bi
thc other I'll sweep and miller come 81
contact the miller becomes little black ant
ihn sweep trlile white
Nr. Barfcit citod Instances Ga show thai
theatres were conducive io the good oi 3
community ana tine healthiulncs- of public
morals, flr in addition 20 being means %
amusement. The theatre. he claimed, wa
also "a methei of instruction to the people
.-if am asked what instruction is gainet
from some of the ilimsv iarccs and ilims'
bnflcsVues which are played ai times,
answer that g h not 90 that class of dra
matte work that ! am now alludng. !
they. are Innocent in intention and eNscu
Ton - they ought tO be, anC, indeed
generally are. they furnish harm
less amusement. and that il
good deal. and there their purpose ends
But ~ There are books and books. and pic
lures and pictures. 30 there are plays an,
PLAYS. Any good historical play, wei
dressed aud mounted, IL itself lesson ~
history Then again well trained actor
live in their performances nightly lesson
iu CloCuuOn-Jn arc too often neglect
ell. not OnN by the masses but b.
those whose mission 1t Us So govern
guide and teach. The art of speak
in we'll Is one by no means 4
br despi-ed even hy those who have no dc
sired 20 figure either as orators, preacher
ar actors. Then as 10 scenery. \ well
paiuted scene Is lesson i'm art. as an
wcll-naintcd picture must be- From CON
suprcial standpoint, arr alone j. of value
The manufacturers who are making iOI
tunes TODAY are those who are shrew
enough to unite with sound workmanship
tho most artistic designs. Think of IN
wonderful influence ON the lteratur
81 all ages that tNc drama ot the u'd trceks
of shakespeare. of Nolliere. Of Goethe, q
schiller. have had. Recognize the noble mi'
aiou OF the drama. Respect the stage. Tn
drama must exist always. let its exist
cncc be- as strong and healthy rs it is ei
during"
Ancr the lecture Mr.. Barrett was intr'
duced Go AVID shook hands with many Of tb
audience.
"BEN-,iy-cuHEE."
Last evening Mr. Barrett appeared beiof
a splendid audience in "Ben-My-C hrcc.'
play that ran go long in London, and ths
has recently been produced successfully /
New York. Whoever has read Mr. la
Gaines novel. "rhe Deemster," will sollo'
its authors aud MI. Blrroti- dramatizatlo
with interest. The novel has great dramatl
power. II l. rich ia dramatic situation. nm
fh1uyh much il ne 'cS-9rill altered IN "BeI
Ny-three" its transfer % the stage Ia
b.an most successfully carried out. 70
once mere local color is subserNent
situation. and the tragic element inhereI
a. ihe desperate though simple plot break
its bounds and actually PLAYS itself. Th
wisdom IT dramatixing sOstrong story WI
made evident hy Che presence OF irequef
tears and the sympathetic lump whiC
iuinprd into most ihroats before the curtai
fell on the hral iableau. Mr.. Barrett
cxccllently wei supported. Miss Eastlal
being the leading lady. some thirty or fort
people were ON the STAGE at once. ana IL
effect was beautiful. The play Will be r
peatod this evening
,~r-rrcDn name