The herald., 1895-05-05

play of the more serious sort. like ''Shen-
andoah..' for instance, patriotism, cour-
age and honesty in man and virtue in
woman should be the stellar features. OF
course vice, too, if present. as it almost
unavoidably is, should be skillfully depict
ed, but it should never predominant and
be made the feature of the play. a play,
like sermon or good novel, should bear
moral. 1t should bring out in bright
colors what is best and noblcst in man,
not what is ignoble and depravcd. Let
me exemplify. In the play dramatized
from Dumas "Three Guardsmen," Por-
thos, one of tho novelst's heroes, is hui
morously depicted as living off the bounty
of his mistress, the wife of a petty mcr-
chant. and commended by his comrades
for his cleverncss in forcing tribute. In
one of Sardpu's latest and most brilliant
efforts the heroine, who is deeply religious
as well as arrogant and opulcnt, declines
wedloeli with the hero of the play, for
whom she acknowledges her love, because
he is beneath her in station, but suggests
an amour as being most satisfactory to
both parties in interest.
What sort of lessons are these to incul-
cate? What impressions will they make
upon the hearts of the youthful of both
sexes lads and lassos. whose minds arc
not yet developed, hut like tender saplings
easily bent to the right or left? What feel
ings will they engender in the minds CT
giddy men and women who look on life
as a perpetual holiday, ard who arc con-
stantly studying new methods of enjoy
ment?
will sum up in ono brief sentence my
opinion of horoi2ing vice: 1t is a danger
Gus precedent to establish and may lead
the weak to evil.
Let MS now look at the other side of the
picture. What effect has a good play upon
tho human mind? Upon the adult the
Same as spirited address by an inspired
orator, like Wendell Phillips, in a great
crisis. In youth it arouses the happy,
bloyant chivalrous emotions, such as IA
perusal of Walter ScOtt's Ivanhoe' or
Count Robert of Paris Is sure to do.
Such plays make men and women the bet
ter for their presentation. They develop
tho best impulses of their natures.
That such plays can be made 10 pay is
evidenced by the oycrilowing houses which
greeted in days gone by Forrest Mac.
Cready and the elder Booth in their i'm
presentations of Nirginius, sSpartacus, Ju-
Illus Cesar and other heroic characters. In
recent times too, can mention five clean
plays of lighter mold than those have
just enumerated which have attained
greater, moro pronounced and more en-
during success than any of the tainted
dramas from abroad; These arc 'Shen
andoah, Hazel Kirke, ""'Tho Bankers
Daughter " Henrietta" and The Sen
ator 4"
All kinds of clean plays can be made the
medium through which moral can be ad
ducud, but as a mental tonic pure and
simple, believe comedy is by far the best
Good comedy is like good wine. 1t should
effervesco When it abounds in comic sit
uations, sparkles with bright dialogue and
is redoent with wit and humor, it has the
same effect upon the jadcd intellect as
champagne has upon the exhausted ath-
lete. 1t arouses mental and physical ac
tivity and is as good as a tonic to ma
larial paticEt AS most of our business
and professional men are at the end of
their days hunt after gold or glory pretty
we'll tuckered out mentally and physical
ly, hold that bright, wholesome comedy
is about tho best medicine they can take
l think it suits their case-and they are the
bulwari to the theatcr-bettcr than the
most sterling tragedy or most refined
melodrama Humor exhilarates, it clevates
the senses Pathos tends to depress, and
as most of our successful men have had at
some time or other in their lives bitter cx
perience with the 'slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune recurrence of sor-
rows similar to theirs portrayed upon the
stage certainly won cheer their spirits if
it does arouse their interest
In thus writing freely upon a subject
dear to my heart as it is to that of every
actor, it must not be thought that have
attempted to set myself up as an authority
nor an arbiter elegantiarum regarding
dramatic matters. l am simply doing
what foreign tourists do after brief So
journ in this country writing my i'm
pressions