On October 23, 1858, Henry Clapp, Jr., published the inaugural issue of The Saturday Press.
27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Quelqu'un begins the Feuilleton by reprinting a letter from a French reader that accuses Personne of being both French and a woman. Quelqu'un then discusses why he doesn't often go to the theater and contrasts his approach to the entertainment to Personne's. Quelqu'un discusses "eternal people," and states that "Anyone who can go to the theatre, or anywhere else (except Pfaff's) more than once a moon, and see anything in it, is doubtless a very cheerful bird, but he is not one of my feather" (3). Quelqu'un also engages in a discussion of the absurdity of "dramatic laws" and critical standards when he feels that the criticism of the people is the only thing that matters. Quelqu'un reviews Kate Bateman's debut at the Winter Garden in Evangeline and reprints the remarks on her performance from the Evening Mirror. He announces the currently on-going chamber concerts at Goldbeck's Music Hall. Quelqu'un explains why he hasn't been to see either of the Irish dramas currently at Niblo's or Keene's and reprints Dion Bourcicualt's letters about Colleen Bawn that he addressed to Laura Keene and the public. Quelqu'un also reprints a notice about Wallace's Lurline from the recent issue of Musical World and offers act-by-act summaries of the show.
Quelqu'un explains why he has not been to Laura Keene's Theatre to see Dion Bourcicault's Colleen Bawn. Quelqu'un reprints Bourcicault's letters about the play addressed to Laura Keene and to the public (3).
Quelqu'un discusses the differences between his approach to the theater and Personne's and remarks that Personne always desires to "bring away with him a golden fleece" for the Saturday Press (3).
Quelqu'un reprints some remarks from a French writer that claim Personne must be French as well as questioning his gender. Quelqu'un also refuses to explain why Personne is not writing the Feuilleton this week. Quelqu'un contrasts Personne's approach to the theater to his own (3).
Quelqu'un discusses his lack of qualifications for being a Feuilletonist. He also mentions why he does not go to the theater often - he enjoys almost everything about it, except that he cannot pay attention beyond the third act. After this point, he usually falls asleep or goes to the "refreshment room" to drink bad liquor. Quelqu'un contrasts Personne's approach to the theater to his own (3).
An electronic version of this text was previously available in CONTENTdm and has been migrated to Lehigh University's Digital Collections. Reconstruction of direct links to individual articles is in progress. In the meantime, browse issues of the Saturday Press in the Vault at Pfaff's Digital Collection. Page images of The New York Saturday Press were scanned from microfilm owned by Emory University, which was made from original copies held by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
On October 23, 1858, Henry Clapp, Jr., published the inaugural issue of The Saturday Press.
27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015