The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-04-12 00:00:00

LITERARY AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY,

With the most perfect personal satisfaction, we
yesterday paid a just and well merited tribute to the
histrionic exhibition of the gentlemen who appeared at
Clayton Hall, in fulfilment of their invitation to their
legion of friends, who crowded even that most ample
arena. To the exertions of the corps dramatique we have
already paid a feeble tribute, but after the performances
of Thursday night closed, they did justice to themselves,
and presented at the shrine of theatrical devotion, and the
perfection of high art, a remarkable, but not less genuine
demonstration to the caterer for the dramatic taste,
by whose', energetic exertions the town is blessed,
and by: the dramatic exponent of his views, Rho
has added increased enthusiasm to the study and
cultivation of the germs of taste to which a Shaks-
peare alone gave origin. At the close of the per-H
formances at Clayton-hall the amateur theatrical brother-
hood, who had won unfading honours, assembled at the
well-known hostelry of Mr. Whiteman, where a sumptuous
banquet was prepared to do honour to Mr. W. R. Cope-
land and to Mr. :Barry Sullivan, both honorary members
of the society. Whiteman's viands were all that could be
desired, and under the chairmanship of Mr. Lowten
Lowten, the president of the society, the proceedings of
the evening were highlygratifying to all parties. The
remnants of the feast having been removed, the chairman
with admirable tact proposed the usual loyal and
patriotic toasts, and a report . touching the founda-
tion and progress of the society was read by
the secretary, Mr. T. W. Hughes. With respect to the
details of this communication it is superfluous for us to
enter, seeing -that we have to exhibit to the public the
address presented by the society to the worthy and desery
edgy esteemed lessee of our theatres, Mr. Copeland.
The address, which was beautifully inscribed on parch-
ment, and emblazoned with the skill which rivalled the
Herald's College, was as follows :

TO W. B. COPELAND, ESQ.
Dear Sir,—The Liverpool Literary and Dramatic So-
ciety desire, through the undersigned officers, to express
to you, as the theatrical caterer for the town, their
warmest thanks for the various treats afforded by you in
that capacity—treats at once artistic and intellectual.
We reflect with pleasure on the representation of opera
at the Theatre Royal on a scale of efficiency and grandeur
attempted out of the metropolis, whilst the un-
sparing liberalty that distinguished the production of
"King Rene's Daughter," " St. Cupid," and " Woman's
Heart," rendered them worthy forerunners of " Henry
V." But even these triumphs pale before the care,
skill, energy, outlay, research, and refined taste evinced
in the magnificent " Macbeth." The press of the town
have with one voice testified to the obligations under
which you have laid the play-going community, and
though our mead of praise cannot be of the same pecu-
niary value as that of the organs of public opinion, yet we
desire to record this recognition of the painstaking enter-
prize and liberality of a brother member. Thanking
you most heartily for these gratifications, and with
warmest wishes for the continued success of your mana-
gerial career, we beg to subscribe ourselves very truly
yours—Signed, Lowten Lowten, President ; Robert
Crompton, Editor; Geo. Meyrick, Treasurer : P. A.
Coulter, and T. W. Hughes, Secretaries.
Mr. Copeland on the reception of the address, res-
ponded with much taste and eloquence. The valued
document with which he had just been honoured, would
be cherished by him to the latest hour of his existence.
He could not but regard the society in which he had the
happiness to be, as the nursery of that dramatic taste
which he hoped he had not been the last to foster. It
had been said that the drama was dead, but had the
world not been furnished with memorable instances, that
dramatic representations still formed part of the exist-
ance of the community, when it was reorded that the
survivors of Alma, Inkerman, Balaklava, and the walls of
Sebastopol, found comfort and solace, amusement and
recreation,' in the dramatic representations got up in
theatres erected on spots which formerly could but pre-
sent a blood-stained stage. After some apposite remarks,
Mr. Copeland expressed his thanks to the Press for the
services which it had rendered to him in his efforts, and
concluded by proposing that body as a toast.
To this suggestion ample honour was done, and
The Chairman again rose and presented to Mr. Barry
Sullivan the following address, beautifully engrossed on
vellum.

TO BARRY SULLIVAN, ESQ,
Dear Sir,—Your brother members of the Liverpool
Literary and Dramatic Society desire, through the under-
signed officers, to present to you this address and vote of
thanks for your able and scholarly representation at the
Theatre Royal during many successive nights, of the ardu-
ous character of Macbeth. Recognising, as we do, the impos-
ing manner in which this tragedy was placed upon the
stage by the liberality and taste of W. R. Copeland, Esq.,
and knowing that many play-goers are dazzled by specta-
cular representations, until the painter and costumier
attain the importance of rivals to the poet and tragedian,
we have the greater pleasure in testifying to the
undiminished greatness of Macbeth, as by you sustained,
notwithstanding.

The subtle conception, and careful rendering of parts,
often considered of little or no importance, added to the
new light thrown upon obscure or doubtful passages,
served, with the energy imparted to the more impaslioned
scenes, to render Macbeth in your hands, what Hamlet
already was—" the greatest on the stage."
In the hope that we may have an early opportunity of
resuming our play-going acquaintance, and trusting that
your career as a tragedian may be long, in the firm belief
that you will continue to gather fresh laurels. The
address bore the same signatures as that just presented
to Mr. Copeland.
Mr. Barry Sullivan expressed his gratitude for this
tribute to his humble efforts, and paid an energetic com-
pliment to Mr. Copeland for that unity of action, that
concord of sentiment, and that realisation of both, which
had gained the applause of the true patrons of the
drama.

The speeches of both manager and actor were rap-
turously applauded, and the evening was closed with
ardent aspirations that "amateurs and actors," with
managers to boot, would again fraternise on a similar
joyous occasion.

ACADEMICAL ADDRESS.—The Rev. Patrick Thomson,
A.M., of Manchester, delivered an admirable address, yes-
terday morning, to the pupils of Pr. Fishers.
THE MILITARY AND CIVIL POWER.-It appears from
a return moved for by Mr. Drummond, M.P., that in
1855 three applications were made by the civil power for
military assistance—from Liverpool, Wolverhampton,
and Birmingham—and that the assistance of pensioners
was afforded. In 1854 there five such applications ; in
1853, three; in 1852, three; in 1851, four; and in 1850,
three. In the revolutionary year, 1848, the number was
21.

THE " DELICATE INVESTIGATION."—WC are requested
to state, in reference to this case, that Mr. Thomas Bolton,
one of the magistrates who heard it, was not at all
influenced in the exclusion of the reporters, or the public,
because the defendant was a gentleman. It appears that
Mr. Bolton was called in, on a moment's notice, to make up
aat I

the legal nu
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We may here
was held at the East India house, when to
tors, elected on Wednesday last, viz., .
remark, that the sum in which the defendant was held to Astell, Esq., Elliot Dl
hart Esq., Russ IN"
bail was stated in our paper of yesterday to be £2,000 Mangles, Esq., 'M.P., Charlai Mills, Esq., and 151':,..,
instead of £2OO. This mistake would net have occurred i Tucker Smith, Esq., M.
took the oath land their 5c,,,,5,
had our reporter been present—another strong proof why I Col. Wm. Henry Sykes was chosen chairman, and -7,0
the reporters should be permitted to give an accurate iw, Donnelly Mangles, Esq., M.P., deputy chairman, for
account of proceedings in public courts. ; year ensuing.