murs.] Well, as you do not choose to listen to the reason of the thing, and make a merit of a necessity, you must be content to feel the compulsion of it. We shall soon find means to make each of you gay with Wil ford, "This is no HOUSE for me!" Whither then will you go? There is no abiding for you in London, for we have the monopoly of theatres, and the managers are agreed upon the point of lowering the scale of salaries, and not more from a prudential motive, as it respects our interest, than from a just one, as it relates to your merits. [They purse up their mouths, and look with an unwillingly consenting countenance at each other.] You may say that the "theatres out of London" are ready to receive you at your present salaries-Try them. By your looks I see you have, and know how long it will last. Why, no longer. Mr. or Mrs. Daggerwood, from the Theatres Royal, Covent-Gurden, or Drury-Lane, you, who have received from six to twenty pounds a week here, would not in the country get from twenty shillings to six pounds. [A long and gloomy pause.] Come, come! this is well-I take your silence for consent, and it is what I looked for from your known “ liberality, wisdom, and justice!" Our native Muses should next be summoned to appear, and being arranged alphabetically, in compliment to them as men of letters, spoken to as follows: Messrs. Arnold, Brandon, Cherry, Dibdin, Dimond, Eyre, &c. you, gentlemen, have hitherto formed what we have styled, “ the native genius" of the theatre. [Smirking, bowing, pulling up neckcloths, and putting refractory locks to make them lay close to the head-all symptoms of approbation.] Your assistance may still be wanting, [looks significant of no doubt," but it will only be in preparing a Christmas pantomime for the children, or little pieces to commemorate naval victories, &c. One of you may, perhaps, in a case of necessity be trusted with a farce, but he will only be paid according to his merit-a trim reckoning, probably a sixth of what he has been used to receive. [Each thinking himself the ONE, exclaims—“O'pon honour can't take less than before."] Then, gentlemen, dramatic tradesmen, you will not be employed at all; and if you, like the actors, think of taking your manufacture into the country, I can tell you that you will not only find no market for them there, unless they have been played here, but that very often when they have, and miraculously proved intelligible, they have been found much below the better taste of a sensible country audience. I really grieve to put " the natine Muses” to flight, but we are said to be enlightened people, and must shew ourselves not wholly unworthy of the distinction." ** Next month we shall bring up our register, of this Theatre to its usual date. The riots still prevail with merely some variation of circumstances. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. In the present volume, p. 256, we gave an advertisement proposing the erection of a new theatre to be called, “THE National SubscrIPTION THEATRE." This notice appeared with the following signature— "By order of a select committee of subscribers, HENRY FRY, Solicitor." Another advertisement, too long and stupid to deserve a place here, has since appeared. It was signed Gull, and had for its object the ridicule of the former speculation. The corner from which it sprung, no light is necessary to shew. Mr. Sheridan, whose vital breath is the aura popularis, and who has up to this day so played his cards, as to make his cause the cause of every newspaper, whatever its politics, has made the "fat weeds stir in this." Innumerable paragraphs have punned on Mr. Fry's name, and endeavoured to raise a laugh at his project. At length, however, the matter assumed a shape too serious for a joke, calculated to move Mr. Sheridan's muscles, and he drew up the following article: THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Nov. 4, 1809. A proposition appearing to be seriously held forth to the public, for "a subscription for petitioning parliament for leave to erect a theatre in the metropolis," it is deemed a duty on the part of those principally interested in the rebuilding of Drury lane theatre, to put an end to the hasty misconception or intentional delusion under which that proposition has been submitted to the public. However the idea may have been disclaimed, or rather deprecated, in a former advertisement of Mr. Fry's, the plan, unquestionably, originated, and proceeds on a supposition, that there exist insurmountable impediments to the rebuilding of Drurylane theatre-for, unless the scheme was grounded on this idea, a proposition to take advantage of the calamity which has, for the present, destroyed a property of more than 250,000l. value, spread and divided amongst so many respectable individuals, could not but be considered by the public at large, as a most unfeeling and dishonest attempt to violate that security and protection, which all property, in a state of misfortune, is entitled to, and has ever experienced from the justice and humanity of a liberal people, and an equitable government. It is only necessary therefore, to add, that the proper measures for rebuilding Old Drury, on a permanent plan, have been perseveringly pursued, ever since its unfortunate destruction by fire; that those measures are now nearly completed, and the speedy rebuilding of the theatre certain. It may be proper, also, to announce, that, should a third theatre be really desirable, and called for by the public, the dormant patent annexed to this theatre, under the royal sanction, will be immediately put in action, for the attainment of that object. The public and the supposed subscribers to the new plan referred to being thus undeceived, it is not to be presumed that so gross an insult to the justice of parliament can be persevered in, as is threatened by the advertisements of Mr. Fry. By order of the Proprietors, R. PEAKE, Treasurer. The answer of Mr. Fry, by order of his committee: cern. SUBSCRIPTION THEATRE. An advertisement, officially signed by Mr. Peake, as treasurer of Drury-lane theatre, having appeared in the public papers of Monday last, in which the motives and intentions of the promoters of the Subscription Theatre, are most illiberally arraigned, the committee feel themselves called upon to reply. The proposition was submitted to the public neither in "hasty misconception nor intentional delusion," still less is it “an unfeeling and dishonest attempt" to violate any property which, whether in a state of prosperity or distress, they consider equally sacred. The plan for building a third theatre in this metropolis, did not originate in the unfortunate catastrophe that has befallen Drury-lane. The promoters of this plan, in common with others, de plore the calamity of the late fire, (certainly not the only calamity which has oppressed its proprietory) and if the measures are now completed, which will insure the rebuilding of that theatre, they can have no other sensation than of satisfaction, feeling, as they do, no sentiment of hostility, or wish of injurious rivalship against that unfortunate conBut when they see an official advertisement issued to the world, insinuating that their project is supported by a list of "Supposed Subscribers;" in justice to themselves, they thus publicly state, that the prospectus of the proposed plan, and the books for subscription having been opened on Monday, the whole sum required, was filled by the subsequent Wednesday. It may also here not be improper to advert to the concluding part of that advertisement, which announces a power and design in the proprietors of Drury-lane, to erect a third theatre, on a dormant patent, if a third theatre should be wanted. This assertion, if not “hasty misconception," must certainly be “ an intentional delusion,” as will be manifested from the following short statement. We understand that when it was in contemplation to pull down old Drury, and rebuild the late theatre, as the company was then playing on a patent that had not many years to run, in order to induce the public to subscribe for the erection of the new theatre, it became necessary to obtain a more permanent tenure, than a temporary patent. And as Mr. Harris then had lying dormant what was considered to be a patent in fee, that pa tent was purchased with some of the fund raised for building new Drury. When that temporary patent shall expire, the company must then play on what they call the "dormant patent annexed to that theatre," and therefore cannot be "put in action" for the erection of a third theatre. But admitting that the executive power has granted three co-existent patents, surely they were meant to give the public the benefit of three theatres, and it was therefore defeating that object, to suffer one theatre, by a monopoly of two patents, to extinguish the third. The public being thus guarded against “intentional delusion," on this point may be assured, that an appeal will be made to the "justice of parliament,” and the committee feel the most sanguine hope of success, because they are warmly supported by a "liberal people," and are to have the merits of that appeal discussed by an “equitable government.” By order of the Committee, Cruchley and Fry, 14, John-street, Bedford-row. November 8, 1809. H. FRY, Solicitor. Mr. Sheridan's advertisement talks very freely of a liberal people," but seems to have nothing in common with them. If a third theatre is called for, he forsooth has a dormant patent, which will wake and rise up into one. Surely this is not to be a monopolizer, but monopolization itself! 1809. LYCEUM. Oct. 19. Wonder.-No Song, no Supper. 20. Grieving's a Folly.-Prize. 21. Will.-Three Weeks after Marriage. 23. Beaux Stratagem.-Three and the Deuce. 25. Sylvester Daggerwood.-Britain's Jubilee.*-Three and the Deuce. Oct. * If this piece in two acts, entitled, Britain's Jubilee, had not been given out for a second representation, we should have merely noticed that such a thing had been, according to the enstom of these occasions, and suffered it to sink without further comment, into the certain oblivion prepared for such trash. Finding, however, that this precious trumpery is to be repeated, and, being from the pen of Mr. ARNOLD, the manager, vanity can alone tell how often, it is fit that we should speak our high sense of its demerits. The characters and fable, as prudently sent by Mr. Arnold to the papers, are as follows —~ ~~ 2 Wick, “Wick, (a tallow-chandler) .. Mr. Mathews. Frederick, (a midshipman) Henry, (an ensign) Philipps. Horn. Powell. Knight. Palmer. Debtors, Messrs. Fisher, Sparks, and Chatterley. Errand Boy . Master West. Chorus of Soldiers, Sailors, &c. &c.-Scene, Barnstable. FABLE. Downright, the churchwarden of the parish, is anxious to shew his loyalty in what he thinks the best mode, and being frustrated, at the parish meeting, in gaining his point for a subscription for the liberation of the poor debtors, sets about collecting private donations for the purpose. He calls on Wick for his name to the list, having heard that he had arrested Walford, an honest and industrious tradesman, to whom he is a friend. Wick's (the tallow-chandler) head is bent on illumination; he has combined with others of his trade, and the glaziers, to force his object, and he has prepared immense quantities of lights on the occasion.-He mistakes the meaning of Downright's errand, and subscribes his name as one in the list of donations, (for the very samé Walford is his debtor) instead, as he supposes, of a list of debts which are to be paid on his liberation. The mystery being explained, he tries to have his name erased; but, being signed by his own hand, Downright determines he shall abide by it; and Walford and his daughter are libe rated, with a number of distressed objects, his partners in confinement. Frederick, Henry, and Ben, return, after serving their country bravely, and are united to Susan, Fanny, and Kitty, their former lovers. A scene is introduced, where Squills and Squabble each repeats the speech of his favourite orator at the parish meeting-the one asserting the propriety of a dinner, the other a donation for debtors; while Wick interrupts their dispute by calling for an illumination. The point is carried in favour of the subscription-the prison is opened, the debtors are released, and the piece concludes with a Jubilee on the event." RR-VOL. VI.* |