The National Register. — London, England, 1809-11-19 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL •• „. Our Ring, tiodoiti,itlieghti twatt;: .• SUNDAY, N•OV EMBER, 19, 1809. Ib l nge' theist Passions, what an appearance of puerile resttei iieSsttiutistisapptied enemy must the population of the first 'city in , the svitrld'have presented forthese four weeks! We lit'i4bllect, unfortunately, a point perfectly parallel, which preceded itnd marked the destruction of Homan greatness. • It isloise ftststi'd in that gloomy unfortunate period, when whole nations of barbarians, riAlting from bite forests . o r The North, invaded with fire and sword.the fittest ptoyintes the Empire. Whilst the fairest portion olEurepe • Aila, and Alcica, presented one horrid scene of devasta ' Lion, rapine, and indiseriminAte murder ; when the fero cious ravagers were thundering. at the very gates of CCIII• fitaniißOpie, its senseless inhabitants were exclusively °ego • pied and split into the most violent factions, about the su periority of their green and blue charioteers. .The depre datious of the enemy.; the general misery of inank•txd; the -approaching ruio of the Empire; the imbecility, in:rigors, and rapacity of the Government, were insuiSeivit to divert the frantic zeal, or weaken the animosity of the two fac tions. How painful, how mortifying, to trace a similarity between the worthless disputes which convulsed Constanti nople, and now agitate London ! It is to be hoped, that posterity will not discover in the temper and character of the times, or the terutinatiou of the present awful crisis, a justificalinn to draw the: parallel elqAer ! We brie no hesitation, in the mean time, to reprobate ;strongly the condnct observed by the Proprietors. Their proceedings hive, . from the beginning, boca marked with levity and insolence. Totally dependant on the good will .of the public, they have the umadness to brave, irritate, and insult them. Taking. the most dispassionate view of 'every circumstance; considering the relation existing be tween the two parties, and perceiving the absolute neces- sity of popular faN ur to support an establishment of mere luxury, we cannot reconcile this rant , T arrogance, this in / fustian, impotent defiance, with the prudence, modesty, sua sive and discreet tone, which ought to mark the behaviour of an histrionic Manager towards the Public. if the Pro prietors arc guilty of the folly to incur an. enormous ex .pence in the reconstruction of their Theatre, they have no right to make the public pay a tax to their 'vanity ; they merit, on the contrary, the punishment of their impiudence and ostentation. A tacit agreement, sanctioned by time and usage, existed between both, that the prices of admis sion were to r/rnaia the same; and it was left to the good , sense of the Proprietors to accommoc4le their expellees' to y this arrangement. If they, fri:in a ,rash reliance on the acquiescence of the town in their demands, have thought fit to speculate imprudently, they are alone answerable for the consequences, and have not the remotest right to makethe Public a suffering party in their ill-advised speculation. the prices were already very considerable; and an attempt toen hance them, betrayed an indelicate tampering with the ality and good nature of the Public. We have not beeniold what claim of merit, or services, the Proprietera have set up, to justify, their exaction. They are no more than spe culators in a trading concern, where they incur the olual risk, and expect the usual. profits. The Public owe thee* • No. 99 POLITICAL DISQCISITION, , . • • NU . 318 La IC IN E.T,Y,AENILN, ! 1 NO . 4 f' it COVENT GARDEN TIJEATRE. io.: The. disturbances at this Theatre are disgracefiktiiitte Public, the Manager, and the Government. Were e;i/PA:I4, nion consulted upon th e su bj ec t, we s h ou ts b e a t ajoil4Woin to censure most.—the Government,''.inOt Vavinkliing ti slncd employed counteractive measures; the piopriefors;'niV the brutality with which they enforce their c.laims Pah lie, for expressing so much indignati o n at a cau s e stiN4'Orth less. One evening, which was called a peaceable one,' we entered this place or amusement, and were so disgusted by the noise, violence, and indecency; so stunned by the Confusion and discordance of sounds, - which proceeded simultaneously from pit, ochestra, 'and stage, that we fled with horror, from the modern Babel; and no motive of curiosity, or interest, could induce us to re-enter it. Of the continuance and the . extent of these disgusting . scenes, we possess, therefore, to other information, than what May be collected from the Papers ; the' irksome . discussions'thev occasion in public and private aWeinblies, and the alarm!. ing appearance of a rinttiiis nintti4iite, shouting anil rrir ping through the most fretinenterlitreeli iii ihe'Nk'itrripolis. Now all this may be , textremely:nmasing to sortie young and thoughtless men ; uncemMoilly enhance the erofitsof • an Evening Paper celled The Statesman, an d appear mi.st. opportune to oitr vigoivtis and enlightened Cabinet ; but tve consider it disgriceful, disgusting, and offering a most alarming instance of the incompetency of our Police regu lations. When a precedent is once established, it is impos sible to devine, how far, and in how many cases, the trans . - gression of law and order may be carried, and impunity extend. The riot of 1780 ought , W.be a dreadful memen to of popular rage ,and blindness; and in the French Theatres the first symptom's of the Revolution were dis played. The elements of popular tumult should be ioune diately extinguished ; for a trifle'cati 'hiclease it to a flame, which might consume Government, institutions, and coun try. It has been often remarked," that •themost violent convulsions in the political werlt4ite originated from the *lost insignificant:cy:ses. Wi;cp.ii t ,mih j :hcival propriety, add, that there cannot be. a-inore.alanroing revolution in the moral'sentiments.of.the rp.bt,othlify when grievances, that compromise the national honour and'safety, produce only low murmer* and ;fetble dlsEctitent i.whilst the petty insolence of a petty Manager of a play ! liouse is capable of diiturhing the repose. and the intellects of, half a million of our fellow-citizens. It is most instructive 16 remark the interest and irrita , tion which this silly entire t has generally created. It is most ominous to perceive the apathy with which matters of the highest import, comprtihenfling. the inter4s of all, are treated. If the character of a people may be p.scer tained from the objects • that engage their attention and vo. REGISTER. PRICE 9d , • 4 i ' ,