D The Drama. THE Drama will engage a considerable portion of our attention; nor shall we forget that the authors, of its institution in our mother country were ecclesiastics, that the preachers of the Gospel were the first and originally the only actors in the Drama, and that it was introduced to give a more impressive effect to the doctrines of morality and Christianity.* However changed in its nature or effect, it must still be regarded as an object of high consideration in its influence over the public mind, and consequently claiming and deserving the support of all enlightened societies. They who fear it as an instrument of evil tendency, (if their sincere wishes for general amendment have equal energy with their professions) should think it their duty to attend dramatic representations, that by their presence they might check the further encroachments of immorality; for the stern countenance of virtue will easily make vice retire ashamed: while they who think it has a moral influence, should present themselves as guardians to that moral influ ence, and by their sanction promato its permanency. If the aged, the wise, and the good will give up that control over dramatic representations, which a public should always possess as an essential right, to the young, the thoughtless, and the profligate, what can be expected but that authors, managers, and actors will endeavour to please the deputed agents of authority, instead of the authority itself? Without entering into a discussion of the wisdom of those measures which, public or private, have continued to banish the greater part of our clergy from theatrical representations, we shall only point out and lament the effect. It is presumed that there is no man of sense who does not look up to that reverend class of society with respect and awe; if then they, with the aged and good laymen of our land, would attend that instrument of public influence the Theatre, what author would find it his interest to write, what manager to represent, what actor to be concern * Let it not be imagined that we wish to dignify the professors of the drama, exclusively, by asserting that their original predecessors in that calling were ecclesiastics. The lawyers are equally welcome to the honour which history bestows on them, for all lawyers before the reformation were clergymen. ed in a performance of vicious or immoral tendency? or when should we now hear, (though in plays of general good moral, but written in looser times) those indelicate, indecent, and sometimes obscene allus. ions which doubly sting the heart of innocence in the tumultuous roarings of the galleries. Nor would such restraints banish one sterling witticism of any nature from our stage. For wit may be called the union of acute sensibility with quick but correct judgment. And what acute sensibility would wound one feeling of an innocent heart, or correct judg. ment approbate the injury? The too great alienation of such characters from the theatre has probably been more the cause of the introduction of indelicacies in modern performances, than the inclination of the author. For an author would naturally be induced, and has unfortunately cause, to to reason thus, "If I am to expect success or profit from my labours, I must please those who will attend them. And who are they? The wise and good? Alas, no! They leave that establishment which they avow to have influence over public morals to the patronage of youth; it is youth therefore that I must endeavour to please”-the consequences are but too obvious to need elucidation. Another apparent cause of an incorrectness of conduct sometimes discernible among those who compose part of the audience of the Boston Theatre is the exclusion of females from the pit. It cannot but be acknowledged that in all societies not absolutely depraved, the presence of females refines the moral conduct of men, or at least checks for the period their depraved habits. O woman! lovely woman! Nature made thee To temper man. We had been brutes without thee. And we fear it may not be unjust to add that in many societies We are brutes without thee. But to return from this impelled digression. The admission of fe males to the pit in this town, as in the principal cities of America, would certainly tend to check that irregularity of conduct so often exhibited there to the annoyance of the audience in general; if hon. est tradesmen were permitted by custom, for no regulation of the theatre is against it, to bring their wives and daughters with them, they would themselves be more cautious in their conduct, and more inclined to insist upon a like cautiousness in others. Boys would be restrained from indecorums in which they are at present too liberally indulged, and, independent of other beneficial effects which we trust it is un necessary to mention, the Boston Theatre would exhibit an audience less deviatory from the morality of the Boston public. French Readings. Qui sapientiæ et literarum divortium faciunt nunquam ad solidar sapientiam pertingent." Whatever may be the effect of our feeble exertions, we shall always endeavour to encourage any exertion which may tend to the purity of the morals, the elevation of the character, or the accomplishment of the minds of our fellow citizens; nor are we deterred from a strong recommendation of the study of the French tongue, by the celebrity of the selfish observation, that the universality of the French language would prepare the way for the universality of the French empire. So long as the citizens of the United States preserve American hearts, they may speak the French, as safely as the English language. When Monsieur Le Tessier delivered French readings in London, his rooms were attended by the nobility and gentry of the first fashion and accomplishments. English Readings have also boon warmly patronized in Paris. We believe an opportunity is now offered to the intelligent of Boston of setting, in America, an example of encouragement to one species of literary merit. Although Mr. Martelly could derive no pain from our candid opinions delivered to the public on his first evening's performance, we shall address ourselves solely to him on this occasion in the languages he is professedly acquainted with, trusting that he will thence infer our sincere good wishes and intentions. "On ne parle que pour etre entendu." Pres. de Brosses. I sensi in un certo modo potrebbon dirsi, Ministri, Nunzj, Famigliari, o Segretarj dello 'ntelletto. Buonmattei. For, however tastefully and acutely a reader may himself embrace the feelings of his author; something beyond strict correctness of recitation is necessary to transfer those feelings to an audience: for instance, the ebullitions of wit require a quick and poignant, but delicate enunciation; for the keenness of wit is estimated by its polish : but if a public reader should adhere so closely to nature as to deliver such effusions exactly in the same style and manner as an accomplished gentleman would play with them in a drawing room, he would neither be understood nor heard by a diffused audience; in private societies we direct our own wit to those who, as we think, will immediately comprehend it, but a public reader directs the wit of others to those on whom it is his province to enforce the conception. As, therefore, Mr. Martelly delivered his readings to a company to whom, generally, the French language is not native; we trust we shall not be deemed presumptuous or proved erroneous in recommending to his attention, a less rapidity of utterance and a greater energy of action. In travelling in Massachusetts we are put to some difficulty, the law not having determined whether keeping to the right, is right or wrong. In England the law has determined that the right should be the wrong side. And in an action for damages, a counsel there pleaded as follows My Client was travelling from Wimbledon to London: he kept the left side of the road, and that was right. The Plaintiff travelling from London to Wimbledon kept the right side of the road, and that was wrong. The rule of the road is a paradox quite, In driving your carriage along ; If you keep to the left-you are sure to go right But the Legislature of the state of Pennsylvania, actuated by a rigid sense of right and wrong, and not being willing to call right things by wrong names, ordered that the right of the road should be the right side, and that the left should be the wrong. If it is yet to be determined which is the right side in Massachusetts; it would appear that the left side must be the wrong side, and consequently we should advise all persons to keep steadily and universally to the right, Silent Admonition. It is presumed that tender feeted gentlemen will no longer complain of the side ways of Boston being so rough and dirty, when they consid. er the beneficial effects produced, by their remaining so, on the fair 2 sex. Have they not heard of the catarrhs, toothaches, consumptions, and deaths, "caught by thin soled shoes," among the young ladies of New-York and Philadelphia? and would they wish the same havock here? surely no! Rough pavements and dirty streets oblige the ladies to wear cork shoes and thereby secure the m from being Kid-napt. Nor should the ladies on their part disconsolately lament a few rents in their laces or other garments, when they reflect what invaluable good consequences are produced to their lovers, by those mementos of the impropriety of being out after sunset, which are left, ambushed in darkness, to advise them. No moral lesson could have the effect of instilling the decorum of returning home early and soberly, half so forcibly as a bruised shin by the stump of a broken post. Darkness too has its advantages, but the chaste yet envious moon deprives us of one fourth of them; the other three fourths however, sufficiently employ the rest of our senses when the eye is useless. With what astonishing ingenuity can the human mind, produce good from evil! Manners. Manners will be one subject of our observance ; for instance, if we see a person calling himself or wishing to be styled by others a gentle. man, standing up in the theatre with his hat on and arms a-kimbo before a lady, we shall by persuasive, and perhaps convincing arguments, endeavour to prove to him, that it is by a very different conduct he can obtain the sanction of the wise to the title to which he aspires. We are strongly, perhaps strangely, of opinion that the author who declared that "Manners make the man," had some sense-if he had added that they made the gentleman-but, no matter, it may be that in the rank to which he referred, he supposed that no person could be entitled to the character of a man unless he was a gentleman. Petronius arbiter was a vile wretch-Chesterfield has been drawn as his parallel. We think unjustly-Petronius had no virtues, Chesterfield had many; separate the chaff of the latter from his grain, and much wholesome food may be obtained. Politeness and Politesse should not be confounded because their orthography is similar; Politeness is the effluence of a virtuous mind. Politesse of a slavish, selfish inclination-A polite man will never intentionally offend, a man of politesse will always intentionally insult. |