Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-03-23

warn 'hat CutheSpedfedu udStlncSS Is
no better than Congrevean nastiness.
You say. "Who viii dare to change 10y
expurgation or abbreyiation n Shake
spearean playT' l dare. The board of
trustees of this reformed amusement
association viii dare. IL Is no deprecia-
ton OF drama. the abbreviation OF IT,
Iwould like TO hear so or 40 pages of
Millions Paradise Lost" read at one
time. but l should be very sorry TO
hear the whole book read at one sitting.
Authorization Is not depreciation.
On the platform OF this new instItu-
ton this spectacular. under the care OF
the very best men and women in the
community, there shall be nothing wit.
messed that would be unit for a par
lor. Any attitude, any look. any word
that would offend you seated at your
own dreside. In your family circle. will
be prohibited from that platform. BY
whatlaw of common sense or of moral
ity does that which IS not ft to be
seen or heard by five people become
1T to be seen or heard by 1900 people?
On the platform OF that spectacular
ali the scenes of the drama will be as
chaste as was ever lecture by Ed
ward Everett or a sermon by Il. w.
Robertson.
Platform OF Morality.
On that platform there shall be no
carouser, no inebriate, no cyprian, no
foe Of good morals, masculine or fem.
mime, IL is often said we have no right
TO crlticise the private morals of public
entertainers. Well, do as you please
with other institutions On the plat
form OF this new institution we shall
have only good men and good women
in the ordinary social sense OF good
ness. Just as soon as the platform of
the spectacular is fully and fairly es.
tablished many genius who hitherto
has suppressed the dramatic element
In his nature because he could not find
the realm In which to exercise 1t will
step over on the PLATFORM and giauts
of the drama, their name known the
world over, who have been toiling for
the elevation of the drama. will step
over on that platform-such women as
Charlotte Cushman of the past. such
men as Joseph jefferson OF the present.
Do you tell me this plan is chimeri-
cal? l answer, It only requires one
man somewhere between here and San
Francisco or between Bangor and Sal.
weston TO see II and appreciate it-oue
man of large individual means and
great heart, and with hundred thou
sand dollars he could do more good
than all the Lenoxes and the Law
rences and the Peabodys ever accom-
plished. He would settle for all ma
lions and for all times the stupendous
question of amusement which for CEN
turies has been under angry and vitu-
perative discussion and which is no
nearer being settled today by all ap-
pearances than IL was at the start.
/ would go to such an institution,
such Il spectacular. should 20 once
a week the rest of my life and take
my family with me. and the majority
of the families of the earth would go
TO such an institution. expect the
time will come when I can without
bringing upon myself criticism. with
out being an Inconsistent Christian
when 1, a minister OF the good old
Presbyterian church, will be able TO
go to some new institution like this.
the spectacular, and see Hamlet" and
liking Lear" and "The Merchant of
Venice" and "The Huchback" and
Joshua Whitcomb." Meanwhile many
Of us will have this dramatic element
unmet and unregaled.
For my love of pictures I can 60 to
the art gallery, for my love of music |
can go TO the concert, for my love OF
literature | can so TO the lyceum lee
ture, but for this dramatic element In
my nature, as strong as any other pas
sion OF the soul, there Is nothing but
Injunction and prohibition. Until, s!rs.
you can establish n spectacular or n
similar institution with as much purity
and with as much entertainment rs
this one OF which ! speak-until you
can establish some such institution
you may thunder away against evil
amusements until the last minute OF
the last hour OF the last day of the
worlds existence and without any
avail
We want this institution independ-
ent OF the church and independent of
the theater. The church tries to COM
promise this matter. and In many
churches there are dramatic exhibit
tons. Sometimes they call them
charades, sometimes they call them
magic lantern exhibItions-entertalu
ments for which you pay 80 cents. the
90 cents to go for the support OF some
charitable institution. An extemporiz-
ed stage is put up In the church or In
the lecture room, and there you so aud
see David and the giant and Joseph
sold into Egypt and little Samuel
awoke, the chief difference between
the exhibition in the church and the
exhibition In the theater being that
the exhibition in the theater is more
skllIfui
Now let US haze a new institution
with expurgated drama and with the
surroundings l have spoken of. an in
sttution which we can without sophis-
try and without self deception support
and patronize, an Institution 80 uncom-
promisingly good that we can attend it
without any shock TO our religious
sensibilities. though the Sabbath be-
fore we sat Mt the holy sacrament.
Beware of Contamination.
The amusements of life are beautI-
full, and they are valuable, but they
cannot pay you for the loss OF your
soul. l could not tell your character;
could not tell your prospects for this
world or the next by the particular
church you attend, but If you will tell
me where you were last night and
where you We're the night before and
where you have been the nights of
the last month l think ! could guess
where you will spend eternity.
AS to the drama OF your life and
mine 1t will soon end. There will be
no encore to bring us back. At the be-
ginning of that drama of life stood a
cradle; at the end of il will stand a
grave. The first act, welcome. The
last act, farewell. The intermediate
acts, banquet and battle, professions
bridal and funeral, songs and tears,
and groans.
1t was not original with Shake
speare when he said. All the worlds