under the sole government and authority of the said Samuel Whitbread, Peter Moore, and Harvey Christian Coombe, their successors and assigns, and all scandalous and mutinous persons shall from time to time by them be ejected and disabled from playing in the said theatre. And for the better attaining our royal purposes in this behalf, we have thought it fit hereby to declare that henceforth no representation be admitted on the stage, by virtue or under colour of these our letters patent, whereby the Christian religion in general or the Church of England may in manner suffer reproach, strictly inhibiting every degree of abuse or misrepresentation of sacred characters tending to expose religion itself and to bring it into contempt, and that no such character be otherwise introduced or placed in any other light than such as may enhance the just esteem of those who truly answer the end of their sacred function, we further enjoin the strictest regard to such representation as any way may concern civil policy or the constitution of our government, that these may contribute to the support of our sacred authority and the preservation of order and good government. And it being our royal will and pleasure that for the future our theatre may be instrumental to the promotion of virtue and instructive to human life: We do hereby command and enjoin that no new play, or old or revived play, be acted under the authority hereby granted, containing any passages or expressions offensive to piety and to good manners, until the same be corrected and purged by the said governors from all such offensive and scandalous passages and expressions; and these our letters patent, or the enrolment, or exemplification thereof, shall be in and by all things good, firm, valid, sufficient, and effectual in the law, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, anything in these presents contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding, or any other omission, imperfection, defect, matter, cause, or thing whatsoever, to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. In witness whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent. Witness our seal at Westminster, 19th June, in the fifty-second year of our reign, by writ of Privy Seal.

WILMOT.

The final arrangements were, that the dormant patent should not be acted upon, but a new and short "running patent for thirty years should be obtained.

The plan one Rowles had entered into an agreement to execute, and to have it finished on or before the 1st of October next, under a penalty of 20,000l. Mr. Wyatt, the architect, had entered into a similar engagement to execute his part, under a penalty of 50001. The building was pushed on with extraordinary energy and rapidity. The first stone was laid on October 29th, 1811, and the house actually opened on October 10th, 1812. It was to prove a smaller house than the old "Apollo" Theatre, which held 3611 persons, producing 8261. 6s. The new one, at this time, held 2810 persons, producing 7501.

But there were other difficulties in the way. Those who favoured "free trade in the theatres" now felt that here was an opportunity not to be lost for making an attempt at enlarging the number of playhouses, and a serious effort was made to procure a licence for a new and independent theatre. There was an application made to the Privy Council, where Sheridan appeared in person to oppose it and argued the question, meeting all objections with great spirit, and eventually success.

A bill was introduced into Parliament for a new theatre. A rather serious case could be made out against these old houses, of maladministration opposed to the spirit of the great trust given to them. In their greed for large audiences and large profits they had erected, and were erecting, enormous structures, which were destructive of the very entertainment they were bound to provide. Petitions were sent to the House and also to the Privy Council. The scheme was supported by the Lord Mayor, many members of Parliament, and City men." The capital was fixed at 200,000l., and would have been found. Being referred to the law officers, who reported against the plan, the petitions were heard before the

Council on March 10th, 1810. The arguments were ingenious. It was asked, very pertinently: "How was it that the single great theatre, now that Drury Lane did not exist, was not full?"

My position (said one of the counsel) is this: that the houses are empty from the natural incommodiousness of them. They may be occasionally and accidentally filled by the representation of a new play, or the performance of a favourite actor, but, in general, they will be deserted from the want of accommodation. Unless these houses be totally altered, we shall not take away persons from them. In their present state they are certainly more fit for a Spanish bull-fight than for theatrical performances. If curiosity ever induced any of your lordships to visit the places appropriated for the accommodation of the humbler classes, you would find that, looking down from the height through the vast concave, the actors appear like the inhabitants of Lilliput. Not a feature of the face can be distinguished, far less the variations and flexibility of muscles, the turn of the eye and graceful action. It is impossible to exert the human voice to that extent as to be heard in those places, and still to retain the power of modulating its tones. Further, in a memorial drawn up on behalf of Mrs. Richardson (representing a quarter share of the patents and other remaining property of the late Drury Lane Theatre), it is asserted that "the proprietors of Drury Lane Theatre have it in their power to prove incontrovertibly to any person that their theatre (and it is supposed that they might safely add that of Covent Garden) could have held, taking the average through every season since its construction, double the number it has ever received." In the next year Sheridan, in the House of Commons, assigned a cause for the ill-success of the theatre. "It was the taste of the town that perverted the theatre. Mr. Kemble would much rather, he was sure, act on his own two legs than call in the aid of cavalry; but the fact was, that the taste of the town was more gratified by them."

During the course of this incident various petitions were addressed to the Council by the proprietors of the different

theatres, by those interested by investment and otherwise. Elliston, Kemble, Harris, Mrs. Thomas Sheridan, Arnold, and others, were among the number, the whole giving a very complete sketch of the state of the theatres. The encouragement that had been given to the monopoly by the highest authorities made the case one of hardship, yet it was clear that it was already impossible to continue in the old course of monopoly. Though the bill was defeated, it was plainly shown in the course of the debate that the Government was not favourable to the monopoly. Sheridan and his son were dealt with handsomely, receiving 40,000l., out of which they were to satisfy the claim of the Linleys.

CHAPTER II.

NEW DRURY LANE THEATRE-KEAN.

THE new theatre which is now standing, having enjoyed a long life of over seventy years, is nearly the same as it was when erected. It is, in truth, a noble, spacious, and finely-conceived edifice, reflecting the traditions of a good classical school. It is impossible to enter and pass through its halls, vestibules, and rotundas without a sense of dignity and proportion. The architect had formed a true conception, which he was allowed to carry out untrammelled. This sense of just proportion and dignity is sadly lacking in modern temples. The exterior is indeed not imposing, but it has never been completed. It should be added, however, that it is professedly modelled after what is perhaps the finest theatre in Europe the one at Bordeaux. This can be seen by a comparison of the plans, though the beautiful arrangement of short balconies, supported between pillars, has not been followed in the English house. On entering the theatre the visitor finds himself in a great vestibule or crush-room, which opens again on the rotunda, a noble and imposing circular hall reaching to the roof, with a gallery running round, whence, to the right and left, open all the approaches to the various stairs. These are laid out in a bold airy way, and are very striking.