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    make the world worse than they found it , and yet be a virtuous woman . For none of these things does she lose caste . She still retains Her virtue . And this is presumed to be sorely perilled , and offend forfeited , by the votaries of Melpomene .

    Under a better system , the theatre might probably be purified of both these evils ; certainly of the last . The monopoly , that infamous monopoly , which bishops and puritans have foiled re * peated attempts to break down , is the great source of the various indecencies and immoralities so much complained of , both before and behind the curtain . In their worst forms they are confined to the patent theatres . A minor theatre has no saloon ; nor have

    the sprigs of our virtuous aristocracy the run of its green-room , to corrupt or insult its professional occupants . The lessees of the privileged houses have a factitious position to sustain , which impels them to the adoption of other than simply theatrical appliances . The passing of Mr . Bulwer ' s bill would have done much towards raising the profession in the scale of public repute . A better class of persons , in education and character , would ham

    gradually flowed into it ; such as by respecting themselves would have taught the public to respect them . And this change would tend to correct the great mistake which yet lingers on the stage , after it has so long been exploded in literature , of the importance of titled patronage . The conjoint effect of the dramatic censorship with the inducements to minister to aristocratic

    profligacy , produce a debasement of spirit which extends to some who might , and ought to feel themselves far above such servility , and which is quite out of place , time , and character . We have heard of that gifted creature , Miss Kelly , speaking of ' her noble patron , the duke ! ' Why , what duke in the peerage is there , who

    might not be improved by being under Miss Kelly ' s patronage ? Aud Matthews—we blushed for the dignity of talent on reading a recent speech of his at some theatrical fund dinner * in which h $ actually boasted of an invitation to the table of the Prince of Waterloo , and of a nod from him in the street ! What is the

    comparative rarity or worth of the talent of these two iueja ? Society could furnish at least a hundred Wellingtons for one Charles Matthews . Military ability is the commonest and lowest species of talent . Great generals can always be furnished to order , in any number , and from all ranks in society . Nor csua the art of destroying life have any natural or moral claims to superiority over the art of diffusing pleasure . Speaking of the ablest military combinations , Dr . C banning observes , —

    K Nothing is more common than to find men , eminent in thia depart ment , who are nlmoat wholly wanting in the noblest energies of the soul , in imagination and taste , in the capacity of enjoying works of genius , in large views of human nature , in the moral sciences * in ike application of analysis and generalisation to the human mind and to ° ciety , and in original conceptions on the great subjects which have

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    CnmpbtWi Life of Mrs . Siddons . 59 /

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1834, page 537, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2636/page/7/