The National Register. — London, England, 1809-10-01 00:00:00

OCT. 1. TO THE EDITOR OF THE AV4TIO.V4L REUISTER. Illo—Noropoly whether in the abstract, or in practice, has at all times been considered as the evil genius of I.Nitish welfare and of British industry; as to every general rule however, there are exceptions : so may some instances be adduced in which monopolies are established and supported fiv the laws, yet in no case whatever have they been per mated, except where a greater portion of public good could be produced by limited exertion, limited as to its agents, lint not as to their actions, than by the indiscriminate and often futile attempts of contending speculations. Such are the prieciples on which general monopolies can atone be justified, for as to private patents for terms of rears, they cannot be considered as auy thing but a fair remuneration for the useful application of genius, and as a stimulus to future discovery. Whilst the interest of the public, and of the monopolists go hand in hand, we have the best security for public profit, and for the continuance of private exertion, but the moment that the monopolist can command the market, and cents ;nand his customers, every motive even of self-interest, receives a total change, if not absolutely in its nature, yet most mulouhtedly in its application. Such Mr. Editor are the unalterable principles, both of the law and practice of monopoly, principles which you may, perhaps, suppose I mean to apply to a serious sub ject--no such thing, Sir!—the public at thepresent day seem do pay but little attention to serious subjects, but as they are disposed to think serious! , upon light ones, we must now apely the economy of eolitics, to the politics of the play-hoese. Our two Winter Theatres Sir, have long been induleed with what they modestiv term a Patent, but which, in fact 'has to ,at) intents and purposes been a close monaedai. Let us then apply our general priuciptes to their theatrical ma nagement, and et't, how fir they have fuliii!ed the tacit si o ereement by t.ii:rh they are boudd to the ? How far our pebitc eehihitiens of late years 'have bias favour able either to puh!ic or to priyaie mantis, it: is unnecessary to eurtire, well:Lye only to look at the plc.: ) , on the stage, and the side play in the box-lobby; the question.of moral I.73Z proven, era being therefore set on one side, -we have merely to consider that of general entertainnitnt. 7Now, Sir, it is tree, that !Volker Goose was performed for many nights, during successive seasons, to tesertloseine housos, and , so it will always be when there are only two theatres for one mil lion of -spectators, many of 'whom I am afraid, Mr. Editoe, have more money than sv:i, a cotrinlaint with which sonie of your readers may imag i ne the managers at. present to be also a little afflicted ; hut whilst Pan4suzine croe ds one house, and Spectacle fills the other, with a new set. of Caters each successive night, what is to become, not of the judicious few, but of the judicions mane/ who would always form the most respectahle part of a British andi ence, if they were to be treated with a little variety as well as novelty. If the Mass of the public must he amused by glitter and mountebank tricks, iu God's name, !et Baetholomew Fair be continned by particular de sire, and let those Managers who perfer the superintendance of machinery to the deli neation of character he indulged in their most brilliant wishes; but let our Theatres again be opened for effusions of British Genius ; then may we expect that native talent will again shew itself; when the plays which are written have a fair chance of being actee, instead of being thrown on one side, to make room for the grimaces of a clown,. or the crude tratt3lation3 of some friend of the Managers. It is not an unfair calculation to suppose that one-tenth hart of the sum expeeded on a modern Pantomime, would ave been considered as a fair remuneration for ten new plays, during any winter for the last ten years; and thorgh these . plays could not all have become stock pieces, vet there is no doubt whatever that they won1:1 have produced e ll, if not overflowing houses. .So much that; Sir, for t he plea of great expauces 41 support of a rise' of prices. have been led to these reflections by the very extraor dinary state of the question between the Public and the. Covent-Garden Manager, a state which he calls an arbitra tion; really, Sir, it reminds me of the Irishman who de clared he would be married immediately, as he had already obtained his men consent! for hew Mr. Kemble v. ill prove that the Public have given their consent, .and yielded up. their rights to his arbitrators, I am at a loss to decide. We all know that gr. Kemble repeatedly offered to leave the matter to arbitration, but we also know that this was as often refused to be acceded to by the audieece. 'Tis true, that since his last offer the: , have not expressed an, repugnance to the measure, but why ?—llow, indeed, cola they, now that the house is shut up, and the '1 lie4tliiC7ll House of Commons is • prorogued ? In fact, Sir, King. tremble's faithful Commons have now no °Clint. means left, than to refuse the usual supplies on the re-opening .4t . the Theatrical Campaign ; the only measure likely to produce a beneficial result, it it could be accomplished without ring the pains and penalties of a conspiracy. I am not suflici- 1 entiy " learned in the law," to venture an opinion how far John Bull can prosecute the Managers for a combinallOlT to arise their priers; but I know, that however fair and honour able the character of the arbitrators, this cannot be called a fair arbitration. What are they called to decide upon! What, but the outgoings aad receipts, and to strike a ba lance which is to be calculated as a per centage upon a nominal capital? This, however, is but a small part of the question.. Can they enquire into the exorbitant salaries of some of the performers, rivalling those of the highest offices in the slate Can they enquire into the country houses and bits of blood of all kinds of even the minor performers, who cannot live unless they Lave Exemire tacked to their names, instead of that more unseemly ap pellation which the rude language of the law would 4114 to them ? Can they enquire into the large sums paid .0 actors for translating, or altering, as it is called, from the French, whilst real native genius - is chilled by neglect, amt even by downright refusal ? No, sir, not one of the,e eas they do, nor on any one of them have they a right to de cide, if they could:! 'Tis John Bull himself who has the right to decide; the Managers are but th e Trustees, raid 1, the Performers are the Servants of the Public ; the rigivt of ju:lgltinent here, is one which John Bull himself has no relegate; let us then have a fair mode of arbitra let our means of amusement be equivalent to the denuind for it, and instead of houses being built on a cal culation of Low many they will hold, let it be calculated how many they will accommodati; in short, Sir, let us have another 'Theatre, placed so as to accommodate those who reside at the greatest distance from the present ones, but sufficiently near to receive iheir over flowings ; then, Sir, shall w‘, have advanced one step nearer a fair and open . ARBITRATION. Mrs.clarke attended with her bad at Hick's Halton Wed nesdav, and pleaded Guilty to the Indictment of Mr. Wardle.—As soon at it was known that Mrs. Clarke was 14 Court, a <rreat crowd of people assembled ou the outside, and ou her going away after she got into the coach, loudly huzza'il, and cried out, " Success to Mrs. Clarke —No Wardle—So Political Int2ostor." Had Mrs. Clarke delayed to put in her hail till after the Ses siun, she might have avoided taking her trial until the Sessions after the next ; but by thus promptly coming. forward, she pledges herself to meet the charge at the next Session, and we understand glories in the oppor tunity it will aff ord her of exposin‘r, still further, the un uincipled conduct of her already disgraced accusers The Wrights have also put in bail, and pleaded for the Same. reason. Twentieth of the present Month the *bole of the . STATE LOTTERY will be drawn in. one Day.—RICIIARDSON. 6001AUCK, & Cu. respectfully remind the Public, that all purchases in the present Lottery must be made before the 49th Instant, as the whole Drawbur will be Ilac:ded in twelve Lours. Only anoo Numtsers—Fotir Tickets of each Number. Capitals-4 of IN10,0on; 4of st a bge o ;tof f of 41000; of /WO, BLe.. c. and not ititree blaults to a prise . -1 skids and Shim on sale it tba old °Zees, :•orner (4 Bank liuild lap, Cernisll; and facia4 the gate of the Likes alea.a. clatrrin-crtlis ?liii‘apossey GsteimArat, & Co. THE NATIONAL REGISTER.