The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-10
The subject of the relations existing be
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK

The subject of the relations existing be-
tween the theater and the state engaged the
attention of Sir Henry Irving and his ad-
miring auditors on his delivery Of the Rede
lecture at Cambridge University recently.
He said that there was common idea that
actors were by law considered vagabonds.
In the act IA, Elizabeth, chapter 5, strolling
players unlicensed were certainly classec
among "rogues. vagabonds and sturdie
beggars" who in the preamble of the act
were termed Outrageous enemies to the
common weall," the penalty on conviction
being that then Immediately he or she
shall be adjudged to be grievouslie whip
ped, and burnt through the gristle of the
right care with hot yron of the compasse
Of an inch about''-a punishment only to be
abated by some responsible householder
taking him or her into service for full
year under proper recognizance. A second
offence became felony. But If the Eliza
bethan player on tour had to submit to
dangers and indignities that competed with
the modern perils of railway travel and
undisciplined hotel service, he was not
alone in his trial. He then went on to say
that as one Of the most expeditions of les
son carriers the theater should be subject
to all wise restraints. The wisdom of many
governments had enacted laws and made
regulations for the general good. He
claimed for the theater no exemption from
the failings Of any organized effort, and
wished no exemption from the operation
Of those laws of restraint wisely ordained
for the common good; but he did claim for
the theater that 1t might be, and was, a
potent means Of teaching great truths and
furthcring the spread of education of the
higher kind-the knowledge of the scope
and working Of human character. While
the state should exercise an influence rang
Ing between control and aid on all mat
tiers which had an indirect as we'll as those
having a direct bearing or its welfare and
its progress. it should be ever jealousy
mindful for the true good of those institu-
tons which had power to touch the hearts
of the people-to hold their sentiments to
awake and stimulate their imaginations,
and so to aid in turning lofty thoughts into
acts of equal worth.
In contravention of the assertion, often
made, that the theatrical artist of the last
century had to be content not only with a
smaller pecuniary reward, but also with
a modicum OF praise often grudgingly dealt
out. a writer in the New York Herald con-
tends that the often fulsome praise with
which actors are honored today has larg-
er counterpart in the writing of a hundred
years ago. To support this assertion it
quotes the Dublin Journal upon Sarah Sid
dons in paragraph that is sufficiently
amusing to be copied. Here 1t is:
Yesterday Mrs Siddons, about whom
all the world has been talking, posed her
beautiful, adamantine, soft and lovely per-
son for the first time In the Theater Royal,
Smock Alley, in the bewitching, melting
and all-tearful character of Isabella. From
the repeated panegyrcs in the London
papers we were taught to expect the sight
Of heavenly angel, but how were we su-
pernaturally surprised into the most awful
joy in beholding an earthly goddess. The
house was crowded with hundreds more
than it could hold % with thousands of
admiring spectators who went away with
out sight. This extraordinary phe-
nomenon of tragic excellence, this star of
Melpomene, this comet of the stage, this
sun of the armament Of the Muses. this
moon of blank verse, this queen and prin-
cess of tears, exceeded expectations, went
beyond belief and scared above all powers
of description. She was nature itself; she
is the most exquisite work of art, in short
she was the bouquet of Parnassus. Several
persons tainted before the curtain went up,
but when she came to the scene of parting
with her wedding ring, oh! what sight
was there! The very orchestra, albeit I'M
used to the melting mood wept like hum
cry children. Nature sure, in one Of her
beautiful moments, in one of her humane
leisure hours. in one of her smiling days.
in one of her weeping months, made this
acme of perfection. Oh, happy Hibernia
blessed isle what bright excellence of ex-
cellence stands on the turf of thy fruitful
earth!"
The Herald writer properly remarks tina.
the world has not changed very much since
then, at least as far as the actors recep-
tivity for praise is concerned.
The New York Sun has an interesting ar
ticle on the sale Of large collection Of old
playbills which does not afford great Ell
enlargement to those who are inclined to
attach pecuniary value to such souvenirs
of departed glories The low prices men,
toned in the article below may, however,
have been the result of insufficient adver-
Z.
similar objects Of interest at other sales,
this would more likely be the explanation
rather than the one given in the article
namely, that the present demand is light.
There are always liberal buyers for theat-
rical curios If their attention is first prop
erly engaged. The Sun article says:
Prices at the recent sale Of the collection
Of theatrical playbills and similar objects
owned by James H. Brown indicate that
the present demand for these objects is
light. One feature Of such sales which
tends to keep prices down, and is always
unsatisfactory td the collector is the fact
that 1t is rarely possible to buy any one
object separately. Photographs are not, as
a rule, sold singy. and the good must be
taken along with the bad. So to get the
really valuable program or picture it is fire.
guently necessary to buy number.
One of the largest sums paid for one lot
at this sale was SIS, which went for col |
lection Of playbills. thirty-four in number,
relating to Joseph Grimaldi. In addition |
to this there was Dickens Memoirs of |
Grimaldi, illustrated by Cruikshank. An |
other collections of objects relating to the |
same subjects brought only SO. One lot.
that would have appealed irresistibly to