Year: 1868

and express companies, and telegraphs made
up from the pattern of the famous Gardner
claim ofhalf million for damages to his mines
in the moon.


Tho Spectacular Drama and the Morals of


tho NetropolIs-Action and Reaction Of


Forces.


VOltaire, whose witticisms were always best
with the bead on them, was right when he ut
tered or wrote the remark that one year Of war
would breed more vice than forty years of
peace, though he might have added, with more
appositeness, the further comment that one
year Of war breeds more vice than forty years
of peace can cure. Of the former aphorism
New Workers, and in fact Americans in gen.
eral, have proved the truth; and the kernel of
the latter the present state of the drama
and literature are fast demonstrating to have
the genuine meat of soundness and sense about
it The legitimate drama-the old, though bold,
naturalistic enaction of tragedy and comedy
is dead, and there has taken its place thing
ofpaint and powder, which is neither dramatic
nor anything else, except mere appeal to the
oSeaouVuc AA"6 u0sAVh, W Guy hOsAihS Va oPpCuAo
to the sensual itself. Judging from the vast
patronage eked out by the spectacular DRAMA
which is only another name for semi-nude femi-
ninity trimmed with gauze and labelled fairy
pageant. just by way Of appeasing the scruples
of the fastidious-judging from this and from
reekng masses of literary garbage weekly pro-
duced by Nassau street, Spruce street and other
publishers, a moral rot seems to have eaten
into the very heart of the body polite. Even
on Broadway the issuance Of indecent publica-
tions is carried on to some extent the illus
trated papers, with few exceptions TEEN with
art, high art, has caught tride Of the taint and
panders to the popular taste for the sensa-
tional and In the drama, translated from pic
ture into spectacle, the popularity of pru-
riency Is attested by the fact that the income
returns of the various New York thea
tres demonstrate that exhibitions like the
Black Crook" and the White Fawn'-which
means dozen "Black Crooks" done up in q
single theatrical quid-are more remunerative
than masterpieces of histrionic creation enacted
by masters Of the histrionic art. There is no
Disgusting it, as a people we are rapidly
learning to swallow large doses of vice, with
out even the ceremony Of sugar-coating it !;
we are fast verging upon that state Of public
morals In which vice and pandering TO vicious
instincts are reckoned as luxuries to be
moderately indulged in. The pulpit Is power
less, both by reason Of its want Of compreben-
sion Of the needs Of the country and by reason
OF its affected and mincng cant thai certain
moral evils are uncomfortable in good
society; literary men are powerless for the
reason that no publisher can be mentioned
who will take the risk Of publishing a book
strong with healthy and vigorous thought !;
the lecture room Is powerless, for the reason
that lectures which are not in q certain sensa-
tonal sense popular cannot be made remune-
rative to the clubs and societies out Of the
needs Of which itinerant lecturers exc their
subsistence. These facts may be unpala.able
to American selfconsciousness but they are
facts, nevertheless-facts so hard that not
even q Gradgrind could have demanded
harder. That they are facts, therefore, may as
we'll be acknowledged, since the recognition
Of a disease Is the frat step of the physician.
and the sscertaining Of its diagnosis and the
prescription OF the remedy are but secondary.


From 1860 to 1864 may be reckoned az
the period during which certain cancerous
affection Of public morals was developing
itself Previous to the former year 1t is doubt
ful whether the spectacular drama would have
succeeded. Previous to that year also IL was
the boast Of the metropolis that most OF its
doubtful publications, the Offices of which
the police sought and could not find, were
emanations of Bostonlan pruriency. Boston
had long before caught the knack of deft in
situation, illustrated with slatternly wood
cuts. II was there that the literature OF the
illustrated yellow covers was first originated
at least 80 far as American .origination is con-
cerned--and IL was thence that the New York
market was principally supplied. They were
always fond Of turning penny with illus
trated almanacs, those Bostonans; and
they seem to have always taken very
naturally to turning penny in any way
in which . penny could be turned.
The true Yankee has very high notions
Of duty and conscience; but just whisper in bis
ear that the thing Is rsmunerative and the
Yankee will take to IL, conscience TO the con-
trary Notwithstanding. Boston would not al
that day have tolerated the spectscular--noi at
all--because Il was pandering, expressed in
plain English; but Boston always had habit
of 0loatinq In secret over bad imita tous of Paris