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    commanding spirit that searches and uplifts the heart of man , and shakes with corresponding fire the Promethean tree that ramifies throughout his mortal being . The manager of a theatre ought to be one of the most profound , as well as most accomplished men of his time . Such a man was Goethe . The natural and best result was shown in the theatre at Weimar . The best results cannot systematically occur without the best causes , and the continuous degree of good or evil involved in any results , will be commensurate with the degree of excellence or unworthiness in the guiding power Look at the heads of our theatres ! It is said that the drama

    has declined , that it is disgraced and fallen to the dust . How very true ; and what wonder ? No new dramatic authors of the highest rank come forward . How very true ; and how very natural ! No new performers of the highest talent make their appearance . Of course not ! But an abundance of theatrical pi ces continually do appear which are of the very lowest order of composition ; abundance of performers , "whose talents are either mediocre , gross or contemptible . How

    very true , and how very natural ! The latter are the substantial reflexion of the taste of present managers . They adopt them from natural sympathy ; they reject all others from natural antipathy ; their ignorance renders them apathetic to every plan which includes a principle of action differing from their own vulgar sensuality of taste . Private idiosyncrasy blinds them both to private and public interest ; meantime people talk about the decline of the Drama !

    If it be true that to write a great tragedy requires an intellect and general constitution of the highest power ; that the production of a fine comedy , or opera , requires very varied excellencies ; if , also it be true , that to become a great actor , more general knowledge and taste , or at all events more personal accomplishments are necessary , than in any other profession ; we think it will be admitted , that he who is to judge of these things , besides other important branches of art , previous to presenting them to undergo the public ordeal , should be such

    a man as we have previously described , and must be so to a certain extent , or there can be no sound judgement exercised in any of the various departments . Each of these departments is important to the general effect , and the whole will , therefore , be rendered imperfect , and , in some instances , utterly abortive , by the neglect or imperfection of any of these constituent parts . We have thus a brief outline before us of the qualifications which should be possessed by those who are p laced in the most prominent and powerful positions for directing the morals and taste of a nation . But let u » look at things a » they are !—let us take one glance at the ring-leader of the anti-dramatic faction .

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    3 $ 0 Indestructibility of the Drama .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1836, page 330, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2658/page/2/