American literature -- Humor; American wit and humor
MISS PELICAN.--As this lady is about to leave us to commence an
engagement on the San Francisco stage, we should regret exceedingly
if anything we have said about her should send with her a
_prestige_ which might be found undeserved on trial. The fact is,
Miss Pelican is a very ordinary actress; indeed, one of the most
indifferent ones we have ever happened to see. She came here from
the Museum at Fort Laramie, and we praised her so injudiciously
that she became completely spoiled. She has performed a round of
characters during the last week, very miserably, though we are
bound to confess that her performance of King Lear last evening was
superior to anything of the kind we ever saw. Miss Pelican is about
forty-three years of age, singularly plain in her personal
appearance, awkward and embarrassed, with a cracked and squeaking
voice, and really dresses quite outrageously. _She has much to
learn--poor thing!_
I take it the above notices are rather ingenious. The fact is, I'm no
judge of acting, and don't know how Miss Pelican will turn out. If well,
why there's my notice of June the 1st; if ill, then June 31st comes in
play, and, as there is but one copy of the Sentinel printed, it's an
easy matter to destroy the incorrect one; _both can't be wrong_; so I've
made a sure thing of it in any event. Here follows my musical critique,
which I flatter myself is of rather superior order:
THE PLAINS. ODE SYMPHONIE PAR JABEZ TARBOX.--This glorious composition
was produced at the San Diego Odeon on the 31st of June, ult., for the
first time in this or any other country, by a very full orchestra (the
performance taking place immediately after supper), and a chorus
composed of the entire "Sauer Kraut-Verein," the "Wee Gates
Association," and choice selections from the "Gyascutus" and
"Pike-harmonic" societies. The solos were rendered by Herr Tuden Links,
the recitations by Herr Von Hyden Schnapps, both performers being
assisted by Messrs. John Smith and Joseph Brown, who held their coats,
fanned them, and furnished water during the more overpowering passages.
"The Plains" we consider the greatest musical achievement that has been
presented to an enraptured public. Like Waterloo among battles; Napoleon
among warriors; Niagara among falls, and Peck among senators, this
magnificent composition stands among Oratorios, Operas, Musical
Melodramas and performances of Ethiopian Serenaders, peerless and
unrivaled. _Il frappe toute chose parfaitement froid._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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