d to do so by some friends connected with
theatres, who, probably, were desirous of using it without incurring the
expense of transcribing from the original manuscript. Writing plays is
not my "vocation;" and even if the mania was to seize me, I should have
to contend with powerful obstacles, and very stubborn prejudices; to be
sure, these, in time, might be removed, but I have no idea of being the
first to descend into the arena, and become a gladiator for the American
Drama. These prejudices against native productions, however they may be
deplored as impugning native genius, are nevertheless very natural. An
American audience, I have no doubt, would be highly pleased with an
American play, if the performance afforded as much gratification as a
good English one; but they pay their money to be pleased, and if we
cannot afford pleasure, we have no prescriptive right to ask for
approbation. In England, writing of plays is a profession, by which much
money is made if the plays succeed; hence a dramatic author goes to
work, _secundum artem_.--He employs all his faculties, exhausts all his
resources, devotes his whole time, capacity and ingenuity to the work in
hand; the hope of reward stimulates him--the love of fame urges him
on--the opposition of rivals animates his exertions--and the expectation
of applause sweetens his labours--and yet, nine times out of ten, he
fails. Mr. Dunlap, of this city, has written volumes of plays, and
written well, "excellent well," but he made nothing; nay, he hardly
obtained that civic wreath which he fairly earned. Barker, of
Philadelphia, whose muse is the most delicate and enticing, has hung up
his harp, which, I dare say, is covered with dust and cobwebs; and even
Harby, of Charleston, whose talents are of the finest order, and who is
a bold yet chaste poet, gained but little profit and applause from his
labours. We must not expect, therefore, more encouragement for the
American Drama than may be sufficient to urge us on. We will succeed in
time, as well as the English, because we have the same language, and
equal intellect; but there must be system and discipline in writing
plays--a knowledge of stage effect--of sound, cadences, fitness of time
and place, interest of plot, spirit of delineation, nature, poetry, and
a hundred _et ceteras_, which are required, to constitute a good
dramatic poet, who cannot, in this country, and while occupied in other
pursuits, spring up over night like asp