Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-20

AOA - AVA ~ An - ana -
for an artist than the attempt to adj
dress only the timer circle" The ad-
vice which Joubert gives TO all authors
applies with double force to writers for
the stage: ION do.t. en- ecrivant, gonger
que leg icttres sont 10: mails ce nest pas
a eux GU II faut parlcr." On writing we
must remember that the men OF culture
are present, but II Is not TO them that
we should speak) The dramatist must
think of the boy In the gallery as well
as of the young girls In the boxes There
IL something wrong with the literature
which appeals only to the few. and which
scorns the suffrages OF the many. 1t is
a puny play which Is not broad enough
or human enough to please the great
body of play-goers. Mankind at large IL
is, and not any academy, which bestows
enodrng fame. No clique or coterie can
give pass for the long Journey or I'M
mortality; that can be had only by COM
mon consent, at an election, after due
discussion. In which every man may say
his say, the artisan as well as the artist.
The history OF literature teaches US no.
thing more forclbly than that the critics
are as often wrong as the play-goer.
1t was the public which focked to Cor
neille's "Cid' when the French Academy
TO the rules of tragic poetry.
In literature. as In government, / be-
lieve In the ultimate wisdom of the ma
iority, OF course. under n democracy
the people may be carried away for
a while by demagogue In politics, or by
n charlatan in letters. but this Is for
a season only; on a sober second thought
they act as their own supreme court,
and declare their own work unconsutu-
tlonal. 1t Is at once the danger and
the glovy- Of the dramatist In this court
that the future Of his art depends on the
same condition as the future OF our
institutions-on the enlightened common
sense Of the American people.
Not every one who has enjoyed the
quaint humor OF which jefferson Is so
perfect a master knows that the Dean
of Living Comedians" as he Is called,
was born In Philadelphia, Pa, on Feb
ruary 20, 1879. Such IS the fact, and the
house where he was born stands on the
southwest corner Of Fifth ana Spruce
streets. Recently three friends OF MS
Dewitt Miller. II. o. Welpley. and Fran
els Wison-determiued TO mark the spot
appropriately. and in the near future will
place over the door q bronze tablet, APP
proprlatc in design and artistic in SNecu-
ton. 1t will bear this inscriptions:
JOSEPH JEFFERSON.
The Actor, was Born Here
10Th February. 1929
Here's your good health and your
famiy's. May they all live long and
prosper"
Mr.. Jefierson's consent to the erection
Of the tablet was not given at once
When the subject was preached to him
by Mr. Wilson, he said; Don't do II,
my boy; don't do it. I'm young yet; wait
till l die. l may be in the penitentiary
before long. Better walt"
His EXcellency." music by Dr. Osmoh1
Carr, librettO by w. S. Gilbert. exported
by George Edwards, imported by Charles
Frohman and al. Hayman, ofiiciated by
Marcus Mayer, stage-managed by John
Gum, interpreted Icy Julius Steser. vi
laline Terriss. Nancy Mcintosh, Mabel
Love, and others, made pronounced sue
cess at the Broadway Theatre, New 1orN'
where 1t was presented for the trst time
in this country OIL Monday. october lith.
How could it well Go otherwise! If Gill
berts satire had failed him, there was
Mable Loves dainty pirouetuns. II MISS
Loves toe had not Tilted the piece mo
prosperity, Julius Steger's fine baritone
voice and picturesque presence would
have bolstered 1t up. And If Mr.. Steger
were absent. Miss Terriss's charming sell
would stiil be there to magnetic many.
The fun OF the comic opera springs from
the fact that q regent is mistaken Tor
himself. only a Gilbert could have the
audacity to evolve libretto from such
thesis.
Leonardo" new romantic comic
opera IS TO be produced at the Garrick
Theatre on Monday. october list. IL Is
written by Gilbert Burgess. OF London,
&c ltg
Thorne, who composed the music Tor
'The Maid OF Plymouth" The story OF
Leonardo" is based on the life OF the
famous sculptor and painter of that name
who lived in Florence during the nfteenth
century. The opera was recently tried In
Providence, and was we'll received in that
city. The production will be new. ana
J. c. Duff guarantees that it VIII be
elaborate
II. c. Minor has sent check for slOO
and Joseph jefferson one for SO for the
benefit of the New York Elks, TO take
place at the Fifth-Avenue Theatre, New
York. on November l4th. The organiZa-
ton was started tWenty-eight years ago,
and since then has given TO SICK ana
needy members OF the theatrical profess
sion SjLcO. These figures cannot be
disputed. as they are on the authority
OF Colonel r. Allston Brown, the chroni-
cler of the American stage, who would
take poison If he were inaccurate.
Stuart Robsons contribution to the AT
larta exposition will be a special per-
Torrance during his engagement IN that
city for the benefit OF the Confederate
soldiers Home. An adequate production
OF Sheridan's comedy. 1.-THE Rivals VIII
be given, with Mr. Robson as BOD Acres.
The Fire Commissioners are compelling
New York managers to spend thousands
OF dollars on fire escapes 10 get the people
out of the buildings. 1t has been sus-
eested that not few of the managers
would be glad TO club together 10 find a
genius to get people in them.
The Bostonians will produce their new
melodramatic opera, "A Wartime We'd
ding" at the Columbia Theatre, san
Francisco. under the direction of Frank
l.. Perley, on October 2Sth. The scenes
are laid in Mexico.
THIS WEEKS PLAY-DiLLs.