The sun., 1892-02-21

HAvERLY who conceived tho plan Of gain
Ing the lead In the minstrel world b!
doubling up" or by overwhelming the mod
est group Of finished artists constitutint
the standard show by the sheer force
numbers. He ofrored quantity as the scal'
Tor judging an entertainment. He dupli
Gated the ordinary company ut every point
he even added another pair OF end men. HI
crowded his stage until those delightful In
dlvidualittes. when numbers were reason
aole. the bones and tambourine. and the
dignlfed figure in the centre. Mr.. JOHNSON
whose name, alas. is now but tradition
sank unimportant or unknown into the
ostentatious throng that fulfilled the nam.
moth promises Of the fence posters. There
is still talent in the business. but its cultl
vation has diminished as public apprccia.
uon has been dcndeued by diversion to
false attraction. Minstrelsy hos declined
NELsE SEYMOUR will come no more.
Next the ancient spirit OF tho circus was
crushed with the multiplication OF its rings.
oil Hooded with performers: and us n result
there now floats upon the surface the
lifeless body OF the clown. They call
the triple ring affairs which the great
/ AA eiAoVsAOh SAllDib buTOuHUOuU UIle
country. circuses: but tho spirit of
ola that delighted our ancestors as
they sat at the knees OF theirs. is not in
them. The poor clowns voice was lost un-
der the immense tent necessary for cover
Ing. and 80 he was officially silenced, and the
role once so admired and joyful is now
hiled by an absurd and meaningless ghost,
ready ut any moment for final and complete
exorclsm. He will never raise his voice
again either In speech or song; never fill
The interlude while the horse and rider
stop FOR breath with the exploits OF folly and
the wit OF ages: never ask whether the
young man will have banners or hoops.
Then 80 bewildering are tho kalcldoscopic
changes mechanically hurried over the two,
three. or four rings Of q modern circus, that
tho spirit OF finer criticism turns into in
ditieronce. and the fascinating fents of mus
cular manhood and womanhood become
merged into vast procession-like display,
whose first and most lasting impression
upon the mind Is one Of immensity and cx-
travagance rather than Of the skill which
makes men truly great.
Last Tuesday night. at Mndison Square
Garden. there was exhibited the same
vltlating influence. rs 1t has fallen upon
tho manly art OF self-defcnce. We remem-
Der the amazcment with which old school
puglllsts considered the proposition OF
knocking out man in four rounds. With
themart had been long. but 1t had been high,
and never hurried into debasement under
pressure from tho watch. However, after
JOHN SULLIVAN had taken advantage OF
the QUEENsBERRY system. and shown that
for the superior fighter four rounds are
ample to put the other man out of the
fight. this cyclonio school spread the
popular taste shifted to the sido Of
the knocker-out. and the thirst for fin
ishes became SO Unsuitable that a trial
now ending even is usually voted
tame. A few months ago young Irish
boxer named MAHER. modest both in
conduct and management. met In success
sion two men OF more or less ability and laid
them both low Thcreupon q more noted,
because older gladiator. CoRBETr. taking
MAHER's performance as the standard. and
feeling the need to his reputation OF sur
passing 1t. prepared triple act upon tho
same plan. and having provided himself
with three men Of commensurate size no in
vited the public to behold him wipe out tho
record made by MAHER. > svs
Perverted fancy for size Is corruptiug
the love aud cultivation Of pure and simple
art. This tendency is perceptible in other
quarters. as. for example. in the enor-
nous opera house last built in this city,
or in the exaggeratedly expansive canvases
with which so many modern painters at
tempt to create the effect Of gigantic abii-
ty. or in the craze for charging the best
and most delicate results OF the photo.
graphic camera Things are enlarged in
stead of improved. The effort is to make
them biggerinstead of batter: and although
we have undertaken to illustrate the spirit
of the day upon few fields only. it is alive
and devouring everywhere. and calling for
from all who see that not |
but refinement and perfec-
tion is ct the bottom and must be the |
ambition OF progress.