190 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



with, them a certain kind of imperative patrons, who want, 

 in addition to popular prices, popular plays. Twenty years 

 ago anyone could have marked out this now "equivocal 

 line." The time was when something patriotic was abso- 

 lutely necessary ; when the American flag was a regular 

 star and had to he unfurled, not only over a man of war, 

 but over a country wedding. This feature has passed 

 away, .tfow what is to be a popular play? If "Round the 

 Clock" is a success, then we are going from bad to worse. 

 With the "New Magdalen" served up to the exclusives at 

 the Fifth Avenue, and portrayals of the lowest city life on 

 Eighth avenue to the populace, certainly our theaters, at 

 least many of them, are not setting moral lessons before 

 either the refined or the commonplace of our population. 

 Our idea is that dramatic exhibitions have, as a rule, be- 

 come so entirely without any real standard, so thoroughly 

 addressed to the eye and to the sensational emotions, that 

 a new generation mast be trained and brought back to ad- 

 mire what is admirable in the mimic life on the stage. 



Again on the subject of theatres, with low prices, have 

 we among us a community or population that agrees in ' 

 sentimentWmcient to afford steady patronage to a theatre 

 that addresses itself to popular taste? We know of none. 

 New York with its 800,000 inhabitants, has thousands of 

 different communities, still distinct, and will remain so, 

 for two or three generations at least. The influence of 

 naturalized citizens has brought all the peculiarities of 

 European civilization, and though this polyglot people 

 are within one corporation, it is a unit in nothing save in 

 being robbed by high taxes, and oppressed by an extrava- 

 gant and heartless municipal government. In dramatic 

 taste certainly there is no contiguity. 



We have no good natured working classes composed of 

 prosperous young mechanics and jolly apprentices. Thirty 

 years ago the "fire boys" and their companions ruled, but 

 they did not possess any characteristics of cruelty and ruf- 

 fianism that now distinguishes our impecunious young 

 men In their way they were chivalrous, and respected help- 

 lessness, and had a code of fair play in their dealings with 

 each other. From among them came many of our best 

 citizens some grew rich and all had the chivalrous idea 

 of lovino- the old city. In this useful class of this popula- 

 tion Mitchell" found his warmest patrons of the Olympic, 

 and before his day, they supported the old Bowery, when 

 it was really a school of good acting-giving the elder 

 Booth his most glorious benefits-and worshipped Forest, 

 not only because he was their favorite actor, but also be- 

 cause he was one of the "bhoys." 



We can see no material to steadily patronize a popular 

 play-house with popular prices. The very suggestion will 

 drive away hundreds of good people who can afford to pay 

 a little more and have a select audience. We shall there- 

 fore look upon the experiment with interest. If it ends in 

 keeping such monstrous productions as "Round the Clock" 

 before the footlights, then it were better to have our great 

 dramatic buildings turned into concert saloons, giving the 

 visitors "ood music, and let them from conversation and 

 their own resources furnish intellectual excitement. 



London has poured upon us almost its entire force of 

 novelists readers, lecturers, and "bohemians;" in fact, this 

 sort of material come? to our hospitable shores in quanti- 

 ties only less in volume than the flood of immigrants that 

 dailv land at Castle Garden. The result is, that the mod- 

 ern Babylon is now enjoying a sort of healthy literary re- 

 action-that comes to an overtaxed stomach when relieved 

 of its surplus and pernicious food. Taking the men who 

 have come among us in this strange exodus as a body, or 

 in sniffle specimens, we do not think them, with one 

 or two exceptions, remarkable for any extraordinary tal- 

 mta their chief availibility for drawing audiences being 

 in the popular taste for novelties. Not one of them now 

 holding forth from the rostrum or lecture hall could main- 

 tain himself for two consecutive years if a permanent resi- 

 rtrat We therefore . suggest to our American lecturers, 

 thrown out of work by these importations, that they im- 

 mediately commence a general removal of themselves to 

 Great Britain to fill up the aching void which is really felt 

 to be a relief in London, yet not wholly appreciated, be- 

 cause the literary appetite is vitiated and requires a con- 

 stant supply of stimulants of some kind-good, if possi- 

 ble, bad, if nothing else is at hand. 



Dickens was a success, his novels made him a real lion. 

 To see the author was worth the " price of admission," for 

 in his person centered the recollection of so many simple 

 and kind-hearted characters, the recalling of which sheds a 

 bright lio-ht over benighted human nature. But Dickens 

 was as an actor only second to his great genius as an author, 

 and hence we had a combination of the most rare qualities 

 that ever centered in one person. 



Wilkie Collins, on the contrary, brings us a literary re- 

 past, that is only peculiar for the intricacy of its plots; no 

 remarkable literary ability, no humanity, cold, rude, but 

 ever fascinating, as polished steel machinery is fascinat- 

 ing His manners are consistent with the developments of 

 his mind He is stiff, has no faculty for story telling, and 

 no dramatic power as an elocutionist. So stand by contrast 

 these extremes of modern English writers of fiction. Lon- 

 don has yet to furnish us with a truly great lecturer— we 

 have men by the dozens who are his superiors m this line- 

 he is a fine example of what can be done by judicious ad- 

 vertisinar-a voice that is of the canting order, and mental 

 training that enables him at every desired moment to 

 assuuie°'thc " ministerial tones " which make Gough so 

 invincible before suburban audiences. In view ing the field, 

 we have reason to congratulate ourselves, nationally and in- 

 tellectually on our home talent. It "scatters" terribly, 



but our magazines are evidently full of ammunition. Up to 

 date, this exodus of foreign literary laborers, Dickens ex- 

 cepted, has not by comparison belittled our own achieve- 

 ments, or by contrast, in the slightest degree caused the 

 suspicion in the public mind, that the people of this 

 country are not very wonderful, especially in paying out 

 their money for second-hand foreign wares. 



"Mrs. Burnham," a correspondent of a western paper 

 has heard Mr. Beecher " hold forth" at Plymouth Church, 

 She seems to be very much struck with his " worldy suc- 

 cess" and his talents as an actor. Among other things she 

 says : ' ' On Friday night I saw an audience of sixty-three 

 in the Broadway Theatre. Saturday night twenty-three 

 persons occupied the lower part of the Grand Opera House, 

 but Sunday night 3,000 people waited the rise of the curtain 

 at Plymouth Academy." She then goes on and repeats the 

 story of the Prodigal Son as told by Mr. Beecher as follows : 

 "I'd rather of the two boys have been the prodigal. The 

 other son was a miserable creature. There was a good deal 

 to admire in the prodigal. He went off to have a good 

 time, and he had it and got through with it. He reached 

 the ground and made a rebound. He did not say when in 

 his trouble, ' I'll go to my father and state the circum- 

 stances.' He called his performances sins, and he went 

 and confessed 'em and was joyfully forgiven." 



Referring to the other brother, he described him as hear- 

 ing the singing and dancing and refusing to go inside, being 

 " too stingy to get drunk; too cautious, too cold, too un- 

 sympathetic to sin lasciviously. He was mean, stiff, and 

 proper, and was going to Heaven as a mummy," and Mr. 

 Beecher made himself as much like a mummy and walked 

 as stiff as a ramrod across the stage on his road to Heaven, 

 in the style of the prodigal's brother. The assembled three 

 thousand roared. 



For drawing an audience, detailing a story with most 

 thrilling action, Mr. Beecher has no superior on the dram- 

 tic stage. 



Tahitian Hospitality. — Half-way to Kuloa we 

 slopped at a native hut. The men were absent and were 

 working in the fields. A woman of fully forty, immensely 

 stout, as are all native women at that age, welcomed _ us. 

 She made us sit down while our servant unloaded our tired 

 horses. After the customary questions of whence we came 

 from and whither we were going, she asked if we were 

 not hungry. On our replying that we were almost famish- 

 ed, she called for her husband, who was in sight. He came 

 very quickly. He was a magnificent specimen of humanity 

 and elegantly proportioned/ In a little out-house attached 

 A o the hut was a canoe made of palm wood. He picked it 

 up as if it was a feather, and carried it to his fishpond, 

 which was within a stone's throw. The canoe was launched, 

 a stroke or two of the paddle carried him into the middle 

 of his pond, and throwing in his net he caught a dozen mul- 

 lets. He selected two, the largest weighing three pounds 

 fully, and threw back into the water the smaller fry. His 

 wife then took the fish, wrapped them up nicely in the 

 leaves of the Ti (Draeama terminatis) placed them in a hole 

 in the ground lined with grass and herbs, and then baked 

 them over red hot stones. A quarter of an hour afterwards 

 the most delicious aroma exhaled from her extemporized 

 oven. We did not fancy poi, but eat the boiled taro, and 

 with the fish made a delicious meal. We wanted to pay 

 the good woman, but she refused to take our money. Af- 

 ter saying good-by, we went on our journey, delighted 

 with the kind hospitality we had received from these good 

 people. — M. C. de Varigny, Tour du Monde. 



+ . 



[Publications sent to this office, treating upon subjects that come icithin 

 the scope of the paper, ivill receive special attention. The receipt of all 

 hooks delivered at our Editorial fiooms toill be promptly acknotoledged 

 in the next issue. Publishers will confer a favor by promptly advising 

 us of any omission in this resvect. Prices of books inserted when 

 desired.1 



Illustrated Library of Favorite Songs: Edited by Dr. 



Holland. Boston: George M. Smith & Co. 



As this rare book can only be had of agents, our friends should send 

 their orders at once. These songs are of such a character as to recom- 

 mend them to all readers, old as well as young. In this work may be 

 found songs of home, of the heart, of life, of nature, by the wayside. 

 These are no longer waifs on an uncertain sea, and liable to be lost or 

 lost sight of, but are presented for future preservation and reference, in 

 a form more worthy of their real merit. Many of our first American 

 poets speak through these, pages, and their effusions are finely illus- 

 strated by our best American artists. Published by Scribner, Armstrong 

 &Co., N. Y. 



Romain K ALBRis. Phila : Porter & Coates. 



This is an interesting story of rather a nautical style, often suggestive 

 of Captain Marryatt, whom the author could hare copied in a still closer 

 manner with good effect. It is rather a free translation, intended for the 

 special perusal of our American readers, and Mrs. Wright has made it 

 quite a readable work. The adventures of Romian upon the coast of 

 France, by sea and land, make the subject of this pleasing story. There 

 is simplicity and naturalness about the narrative that much enhance its 

 claims to our kind consideration. Porter & Coates deserve much credit 

 for the beautiful styie in which it is printed, the fine illustrations making 

 it doubly attractivo. 



-*♦*- 



ANNOUNCEMENTS. 



Illustrated Library op Favorite Song. Boston : G. M. 



Smith & Co. To be sold by subscription. A splendid book and will 



find a ready sale. 

 Work. By L. M. Alcott. 



We have received from the New England News Company this interest- 

 ing work. Also, several others which will hereafter receive attention. 

 Lady Green Satin, and her Maid Rosette. From the 



French of the Baroness E. Martin eau des Chesney. Porter & Coates. 



Forest and Stream. 



OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 



The beautiful engravings of birds m Avilnde cost hundreds of dollars 

 and the fine and instructive descriptions many weeks of labor. Every 

 family ought to have it. For sale by all booksellers and toy dealers, or 

 sent post paid on receipt of seventy -five cents, by West & Lee, Wor- 

 cester, Mass. 



" An excellent addition to our home amu98mants. ,, — Christian Union 



The first number is a model of typographical neatness, and its contents 

 are sufficiently varied and interesting to secure for the paper a cordial 

 reception from that class of the public to whose taste it caters.— [New 

 York Times. • 



It is a handsome sheet of sixteen large pages, and is filled with a va- 

 riety of very interesting reading. — [New York Sun. 



There is need for a new advocate to make the American people more in 

 love with outdoor life, and Foeest and Stream promises to do the work 

 admirably. The varions departments are edited with knowledge and 

 skill. — [New York Journal of Commerce. 



The publication of a new sporting journal, Forest and Stream, is 

 another evidence of the increasing love of our people for the sports of 

 the field and athletic exercise. There is every evidence that good fortune 

 awaits the new-comer. That this should be so is a source of congratula- 

 tion.— [New York Express. 



The first number promises well, and its preposessing appearance is no 

 slight confirmation of its claim to a high and manly tone in its conduct. 

 —[Home Journal. 



It is tastefully arranged and handsomely printed, and seems to be wel 

 adapted to persons of cultivated tastes. — [New York Tribune. 



Mr. Hallock is an enthusiastic sportsman, a good writer, and compe- 

 tent to make a "sporting paper 1 ' fit for household reading.— [New York 

 Commercial Advertiser. 



We commend with special earnestness the claims of Forest and 

 Stream to favorable attention.— [The South. 



We may safely predict its success. — [New Orleans Home Journal. 



It is neat as to typography and varied and interesting as to contents. 

 —[Hartford Times. 



The matter of the sample number is both appropriate and interesting. 

 —[Brooklyn (E.D.) Times. 



It is a necessary publication, and we welcome its birth with open arms. 

 It occupies its own position, intruding upon no pre-occupied ground, but 

 it is an elevated position. To sportsmen of the gun and fishing-rod it will 

 be invaluable.— [Brooklyn Review. 



Got up in a handsome] manner, both as to presswork and arrangement 

 of contents.— [Philadelphia Ledger. 



It is decidedly the most recherche thing of the kind ever issued in this 

 country, and so far as we know is the peer of anything similar in Eng- 

 land. All its departments show a practical and intellectual filling up 

 which challenges general favor. — [Germantown Telegraph. 



Judging by the number before us we can unhesitatingly recommend the 

 Forest and Stream to all who take an interest in out-door recreation 

 and physical culture. It will no doubt merit the patronage of our sport- 

 ing gentlemen.— [Every Evening, (Wilmington, Delaware). 



The terms are very reasonable for such a large and necessarily expen- 

 sive paper. We commend it to our sportsmen friends most heartily. We 

 like the ring of its editorials, evidently written by the true lover of nature 

 in its multiplied and beautiful forms.— [Niagara Falls Gazette. 



There is a? standard of excellence and usefulness not yet attained by 

 any sporting paper in the country, and Fokest and Stream will find its 

 success at the top of the ladder. — [New York Graphic. 



It covers ground not occupied by any other journal. — [Waterloo (New 

 York) Observer. 



Sincerely hope it will live long and prosper. It certainly deserves 

 success . — Springfieid (Mass.) Union. 



Health, longevity, and happiness largely depend upon such open air 

 pursuits, and a journal like this is the best means to effect the object.— 

 Portland (Me.) Argus. 



*+**. i 



WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY. 



■ •*■ — 



I hope you will meet with entire success in your project. My days of 

 active life in the field and forest have gone by, but I recall my experience 

 with pleasure, and I feel that I owe my health in a good degree to early 

 habits of free exercise in the open air in forests and along our streams. 

 —[Horatio Seymour. 



There is a demand for just such a paper as this. It will give me very 

 great pleasure, indeed, to do all I can to help your journal. — [Professor 

 S. F. Baird, Smithsonian Institute. 



I have no doubt that Forest and Stream will have a large circulation. 

 Consider me a subscriber. — [George A. Boardman, Naturalist. 



Such a journal, conducted upon the principles and with the spirit which 

 you announce, will certainly find warm support. — [Eev. J. Clement 

 French. 



I have no doubt you will make it a marked success. — [Hon. J. D. Caton. 



I wish you the best sort of success in your effort to make a journal of 

 out-door sports such as a gentleman can read and write-in.— [Charles D. 

 Warner. 



I doubt not it will be a great success. It is wanted, and must be called 

 for.— [Major John H. King, U.S.A. 



I have long wished just such a journal to receive into my family, that 

 my boys may learn from a better teacher than myself the best way in 

 which to follow the sports that in years past have given me so much plea- 

 sure.— [Henry W. Abbott, Boston. 



Under your management it ought to be a success. — [W. H. Venning, 

 Inspector Marine and Fisheries, Canada. 



You shall have all the aid and comfort I can give you in your enter- 

 prise. — [Com. L. A. Beardslee, Washington Navy Yard. 



I must congratulate you on the very attractive appearance of your 

 paper. Keep it up to the standard you have marked out for it, and it will 

 become an assured success. — [Rev. Charles F. Deems. 



Nothing but the exigencies of my roving life have prevented me from 

 starting, or trying to start, just such a journal as yours. You shall have 

 my hearty co-operation.— [Professor Elliott Coues, Smithsonian Institute. 



Your paper is just what we have long wanted, and will take well in the 

 Southern States.— [Dr. R. P. Myers, Savannah, Ga. 



The editorial matter, the contributions, and the make-up and general 

 appearance of the paper are just such as Fishrod and Nimrod admire. 

 — [Genio C. Scott. 



I am glad to hear of your literary enterprise. It will give me pleasure 

 to put you, or any one else representing the Forest and Stream, in the 

 way of getting information for your paper.— [Andrew H. Green, Comp- 

 troller, and Central Park Com'r. 



" I take the heartiest interest in Forest and Strevm. I have always 

 thought that an Americvn " Land and Water" was needed, and that 

 many valuable observations are yearly lost, through the want of some 

 such medium of communication between field-naturalists.'"— Prof. G" 

 Browne Goode, Middletown Unviersity. 



I wish the Forest and Stream every success, and will be most happy 

 to lend any assistance m my power to make it so. — Hon. Robert B 

 Roosevelt. 



Don't let your children spend their money for trash, but let them get a 

 game of Avilude. If the pictures and descriptions comprising thi9 game 

 were in book form they would cost manv times the price of the game- 

 Sent post paid on receipt of seventy-five cents, by West & Lee, Wor- 

 cester, Mass. 



"Must have a large sale, and deserrea it, too.'"— Harper't W**Jdy. 



