Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-09-22
Growing Influence of the Stage.

TO that large and growing class Of
persons to whose minds a spirit of
idraliStic ethics and the artistic sense
ar" equally dear and necessary. the
war between the church and the thea
tire must always be something at
which to grieve. The only objection
the theatre has to the church is its
uncharitable attitude. Objections to
the stage are of two kindS-permanent
and transitory. The Weaknesses of
the stage which its limitations impose
are as enduring as those of poetry,
painting and sculpture pointed out by
LEASING. 1t can never present a per-
feet scmblance of the picture imagin-
alton paints to the minds eye. No
art can adequately portray the gloomy
grandeur which fancy cOnjures up
about the haunted castle at Elsinore
the awful aspect of those visions
which come trooping about the muir
dcrcr's tent on Bosworth Field, the
uncarthly light which streams on
heath and cave which witches mutter
of the dread mysteries of DunSinane
Then there is Il weakness due to that
contempt which familiarity brings to
everything on earth, to the physician
toward scenes of anguish the lawyer
toward the balance of mOmentous is
sues. the expert in any industry to-
ward his trade as he thinks of it's
tricks.
These objections to the stage cannot
b" explained away. They must be
confessed. yet condoned, as others are
The old objections to the theatre have
gradually lost Il place to stand. I'M
morality is leaving the stage, and the
actor is leaving immortality. Great
men. like Booth. Irving and Jefferson,
have cnnobled the profession. Noble
" men. like Patti, Mary Anderson,
M"ljrSka and Janauschek, have in
vested it with a charm of refined and
benevolent wOmanhood. Society has
tlkrn the actor into it's home, church
AMI school. and by showing him re-
Simct and confidence has in an irwin
ciblc way. implanted in him confidence
and Scll-rcspcct. The great value of
this accomplishment. and at the same
tim" its sure destruction of the thea
tres whilom fault, lies. of course. in
the influence of the stage upon those
who shall hcnccforth dwell upon it
and in their reflex influence upon So
victy
The failure to recognize the stage as a
means of grace springs from Il blind
hess to the mission of art in Subduing
the lower to the higher nature. A
scientific knowledge may be. as some
are trrcrly contcnding. weapon of
good or ill as is used. but the cleva-
ton of the soul which is brought about
by music. poetry. painting and sculp-
turc is in line with the dcthrOnement
of the baSer part of human nature
Tho opera is music at its best because
it harnesses music in the abstract to
til" cause of humanity, fits melody to
the emotions and harmony to action.
Poetry through the actor has its most
dittllSc inspiration. Some plays, no
tably "Ingomar," "Nordeck," Gram
crSca da Rimini," have in them re-
"itals of poetry which constitute one
"f their chief charms. In the operas
of Wallace Verdi and Balfe the
poetry of the lyrics is as potent in its
message as the score. ShakcSpcarc's
descriptions of nature and utterances
of human passions reach the masses
almost wholly from the actors lips.
Scene painting is not the highest field
of the brush; yet in it's blending with
the mimic life of which it is the set
ting. and in the power it draws from
the mysterious sympathy of vast au-
licences. its artistic effect is intellectually
strong Tor truth and beauty. Added
I" the errand it has in thus bringing
home to the mind these manifestations
Of art. the stage has its own exalted
miSSion-"to show virtue her own fca-
turc. Scorn her own image, and the
very age and body of the time his
form and pressure. Portland Oregon
ian.