gent audience can derive the comfort and improvement that ensue from excitation of pure, generous, exalted emotion, whether joyous or sad.

A disposition to rebuke and suppress exhibitions of indecency has shown itself to exist, and apparently it is increasing. Determination to prevent an immoral use of the Theatre, whether made with brazen audacity or with pretence of right motive and "serious purpose" in the presentment of nasty "problem plays," should be sternly and effectively evinced if the Theatre, which, rightfully administered, is a public blessing, is to be saved from deterioration into a public nuisance. That determinatian can best be evinced not merely by censure and proscription, but by an intelligent, sympathetic, hearty support of every high and fine endeavor, and by eliciting from the best classes of intellectual, educated society a practical participation in the life of the Theatre, alike on the stage and in the managerial department.

There is no lack of material for the making of good plays, without incursion into the domain

DUTY OF THE DRAMATIST 499

of monstrosity and disease; but the making of good plays out of clean, decent material,-such plays, for instance, as "Olivia," by Wills; "Pygmalion and Galatea," by Gilbert; "The Middleman," by Jones; "A Royal Family," by Marshall; "The Little Minister," by Barrie; "The Witching Hour," by Thomas; "The Thunderbolt," by Pinero, and "The Gamblers," by Klein, requires genuine dramatic ability, combined with deep knowledge of human nature and large experience of life; qualifications rarely possessed. On the other hand, the veriest hack, using scissors and paste-pot, can patch together, out of the police reports in the newspapers, a fabric of foul incidents and colloquies, and that has often been done; and one reason why so many obnoxious things have, of late, been imposed upon the stage is that they are so easily made, and that because of their vileness and effrontery they seem likely, being designated as "daring," to attract profit,

-a soiled gain which American taste and judgment should render impossible, in the interests of Morality and the Theatre.

A

INDEX

Abbey, Henry Eugene, theatri-
cal manager (1848-1896):
140; 210; 423.
Academy of Music, Phil.: deliv- |
ery of poem at, by author,

35.

Acting: great moments in, 445;

- a

Aldrich, Thomas Bailey, the
poet (1836-1907): 306.
Alfred Theatre, London: 303.
"All in the Wrong" (play): 87.
American Theatre, S. F.: 64.
Anderson, David H-

("Dave"), Am. actor: 166,
167.

Anderson, Mary Antoinette
(Mrs. Antonio de Navarro),
Am. actress (1859-19—):
18; as Rosalind, 350; 428;
458.
Anthony Street Theatre, N. Y.:
87.
poetic

art of, in various fields, con-
sidered, 108; tradition in, 198.
Actors: of "the Old School,"
quality of, and examples of,
27, et seq.; quality and happy
influence of representative
old time, 41, et seq.; popu-
lar estimate of art of, 110;
record of, compared with
that of clergy, 487.
ADAMS, EDWIN, Am. actor
(1834-1877): 25; charming
personality of
actor-features of his reper-
tory, 137-139; sketch of, 139-
142; acts Hamlet, 140; joins
Booth, - at opening of
Booth's Theatre, 141-visits
Australia, 141; farewell to
San Francisco,-memorable
performance in N. Y. for his
benefit-death, and burial,
142; his genius and character
estimated, 142-143.
Addams, Augustus Asa, Am.
actor (- --1851): 184.
Addison, Joseph, the essayist,
&c. (1672-1719): 136.

"Antony and Cleopatra"
(Shakespeare's): at the New
Theatre, N. Y., 426; 427.
Apostate," "The (tragedy):

160.

Arch Street Theatre, Phil.: 26.
Army of the Potomac, Society
of the: author delivers poem
before, 34; 35.

"Article 47" (play): 239.
Ashwell, Lina (Mrs. Henry J.
F. Simson), Eng. actress
(1872-19-): 359.

"As You Like It": 271.
Austen, Jane, the novelist: 96.