Year: 1874

Notwithstanding the existence of widespread
public distress the present dramatic season
will be memorable in the history of the New
York stage for the number and excellence of
the entertainments offered to the public The
theatre has become necessity to our ieverish
and overworked population, and even hard
times cannot induce them to forego their
favorite recreation. This love of theatrical
amusement is rapidly making New York
world. Here come the greatest living
actors from the European stage, and here
they meet that welcome and appreciation
which could only greet them in city so
cosmopolitan as ours, offering field free
from the narrow prejudices Of school or
nationality The stage is here truly sacred to
art, and whether the actor speaks to us in the
soft, languid speech of Italy, the precise and
graceful tongue of France or the rugged
language of the Fatherland he meets with
appreciative welcome. The mellow brogue
and the English drawl are equally welcome
as interpreters of whatever is poetic or droll
or pathetic in the life of races more nearly
allied to our own, and thus we see the shadows
of the human family pass in panorama before
us even as on the worlds stage, and SO we are
taught constantly the sublime lesson of the
unity and brotherhood Of humanity The
lesson is perhaps not always pondered upon
and too many look on the stage as mere
minister OF amusement which helps us to
while away the time but even this class uncon-
sciously learns to sympathize with unfamiliar
forms of life and so to feel the bond of COM
mon humanity. The tendency of our stage is
to widen its influence; and, though we have
more theatres in proportion to our population
than any other city in the world, others are
starting up to fill some void in popular TASTE
The activity of our stage and the enterprise of
our managers partake of the character of our
commercial life, and hence the variety and
constantly succeeding novelty of our enter
tainments leave the cities of the Old
World far behind Wallack replaces
his old comedy series with the favor
ite "Veteran." A spectacular folly takes
the place Of opera boefe at the Lyceum and
the Grand Opera House opens with an Irish
drama. The Broadway Theatre, which has
been closed for some time, opens tonight in
order that Mr. Fox may appear as Humpty
Dumpty under his own management, and on
Thursday night the theatre Of the period,
under Mr. Stuarts management, will renew
the memories of the Old Park Theatre


Under ordinary conditions the production
Of play like "Charity'' at the Fifth Avenue,
and the addition of thoroughly American
play like David Crockett to the dramatic
repertoire, would OF themselves be sufficient to
make the season memorable, but in our
present state Of advancement they are mere
incidents in the history of the season. Nor
have we yet quite done with novelties. 'Mon-
sieur Alphonse' has been patiently waiting to
make his bow to the New York public, and
will probably be presented by Mr.. DAILY next
week as the latest sensation. These are some
of the most noteworthy events of the dramatic
season. They furnish ample proof of the
energy of theatrical development in New
York and the generous support given to the
stage by our public


A STORM broke over the country yesterday,
rendering Easter poor day for the display OF
spring fashions. In the city it was cold, with
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