Page:The Californian volume 1 issue 1.djvu/20

24 to him all the trite illustrations of intrinsic values in art. As he judges with his feelings, and not with his taste, he is hard-headed and obstinate in the matter-for tastes improve.

A critic and a theatre habitué were arguing the subject one night, at the California Theatre, not long ago, and the discussion grew heated. An artiste was playing, who presented a charm- ing picture of a handsome, graceful, well bred woman of the world, with all her passions and emotions held well in leash. If nothing more could be claimed, there was at least exquisite taste in all that she did. This is saying much, for a great authority has declared that to offend good taste is worse than a capital crime. The one had sat absorbed with admiration; the other had yawned repeatedly with ennui. "What can you possibly find to object to?" asked the writer. "To me her method seems perfect." "I object, because there is any method in it. I want to be moved, stirred, routed out of my- self, when I go to the play, and I don't want to be routed by method. The method is good, but I want first a good, natural electric shock." "You remind me," quoth the other, "of a good Roman Catholic with whom I had a theological discussion. He assured me, with all the patronizing of Bishop Wilberforce's maid-serv- ant, "that there was nothing wrong in the Protestant creed as far as it went, but that it did not go half far enough."

"We go to the root of criticism," responded the truculent Californian.

And here is just where the trouble lies. Pop- ular criticism has a root, but it has neither trunk, nor leaves, nor branches. Perhaps this is why the drama in California has fallen into a swift decline. Patronage of the theatres is out of vogue. A yawning pit of bankruptcy star every manager in the face. An excellent com- pany at one theatre has failed as signally as a miserable company at the other. It is not easy to forecast just when it will come, but we shall have a dramatic renaissance in San Francisco. It will come in only with a complete upheaval of old ideas. California is in a transition state in more ways than one, but in none will it show more than in the enlarge- ment of its dramatic tastes a few years hence. In its boundlessly enthusiastic way, it will pro- nounce upon the workmanship as it now pro- nounces upon the metal.

MARY THERESE AUSTIN.

WHAT IS MONEY?

"What is money?" anxiously inquires the | cheerfully endure privations for it, so resolutely "intelligent voter," who has patiently heard the forego pleasures for it, so heroically die for it, so mono-metalist, the bi-metalist, and the fiat mon- willingly and willfully lie, steal, rob, and kill for ey philosopher zealously and learnedly discuss it? Is it merely because it is accepted in ex- the respective merits of gold, silver, and paper, change for the necessities and luxuries of life? as mediums of exchange. -or are there deeper and subtler reasons for this strange and fatal fascination? To answer, that money is sought for because it will pur- chase whatever a man wants, is equivalent to saying it is sought for because it is sought for, and accepted because it is accepted. The ques- tion is, Why it is sought for and accepted by all mankind? What first caused it to be accepted? -how did it come to be adopted?-what was the beginning of this thing we call money?- Money, and its Relations to Trade and Business. "Money is that money does," tersely replies Professor Walker, of Yale, in his latest contri- bution to the literature of the subject.* "What can money do?" persistently asks the younger Dombey of his puzzled sire. "You'll know better by and by, my man. Money can do anything." "Anything, papa?"

"Yes, anything-almost."

"Anything means everything, don't it, papa?" and what is money? Why is it that a circular "It includes it; yes," finally replied the pe-piece of stamped metal to the highly civilized nurious, but intensely practical, old political European, and a string of wampum shells to economist.. the rude North American Indian, are alike Accepting the sage answer of old Dombey as "precious," and receivable in exchange for ev- loosely embodying the almost unanimous senti-ery useful service and commodity? What is ment of mankind, let us inquire into the real the inherent value of a brilliant stone, a rare cause of this universal faith in the potency of sea-shell, or a shining piece of silver or gold, money. Why do men so patiently toil for it, so judged by the sensible rule of utility, or even by the higher standard of art?