cate, was elected a Judge, and later, Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court of Vermont, and died at Brattle-
boro, in that State, August 16, 1826.

The success of the 'Contrast' was one of the pow-
erful influences which aided in bringing about in this
country a complete revolution of sentiment with re-
spect to the drama and theatrical amusements. Up to
the time it first appeared, the drama here had met with
few friends, and but little favor.

A single company of English players, the so-called
first "American Company," after a long and bitter
struggle with the intolerance and prejudices of the Puri-
tan and Quakers, had attained some slight favor in New-
York, Philadelphia, and some of the Southern cities;
but in New England the prohibitory laws against all the-
atrical amusements were still in force and were rigidly
executed. The Continental Congress, while not abso-
lutely suppressing,<4> had set its seal of condemnation
against the theater, so that the most reputable and law-
abiding of our people were kept away from all theatrical
amusements, if not from inclination, at least by the fear
of deviating from the plain path of their duty. But
immediately after the production of the 'Contrast,' a
radical change of opinion in respect to the drama is
apparent.

Plays by American authors followed in rapid succes-
sion, the stigma against the theater gradually and com-