The National Register.
London, England, 1809-12-24 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

had it not been for the Epilogue which was well written,
and which MRS. EDWIN gave with a degree of point we
did not suppose her capable of. Some .very necessary
eurtadinents have rendered it more palalcable, through
the Heel:. We understand that it is from the pen of Ma.
COBB.

111 R. Bildt\ DOA".

The restoration of order has produced an extraordinary
change ; not only inside, but outside of the ho'use, inas-
ch as the most violent supporters of the Managers, are
now become their most virulent accusers. From whence
comes this spirit—not of Satire, but of the Satyr 7—from
whence this blowing; hot and cold with the same breath ?
Are we, indeed, to suppose that the Horning Post instigated
Managers to continue their opposition to the sense of the
public, in order that Ministers might carry on their pri-
vate Theatricals with universal applause ? This idea has
before been started ; their cloak is too scanty—the cloven
foot appears !
Is it for the Morning Post to tell us that the Xerragers
have kept the public in a state of alarm—that they caused
all their opponents to be treated wiih direspcct—and that
they have sacrificed an old and faithful servant/ ls it for
the iliorning• Post to tell us this ? We have throughout the
contest, endeavoured to preserve the happy medium between
a regard for the public voice, the public liberty, the public
right of theatrical controol, and a due consideration for the
interest and the ctedit of the Managers; and we will tell the
Morning Post that the Managers have not by their aban-
donment of their system acknowledged it to have been un-
• justifiable throughout. No ! there have been mutual con-
cessions—prosecutions have been dropped on both sides
—the public retain the old prices for the pit—the
Managers establish the new prices for the boxes ;
and a mutual arrangement has taken place respecting time
private tier! With respect to their dismissal of an old
awl faithful Servant, on that subject, we prefer the gener-
?it warmth of the perhaps too violent Statesman, to the
cold malignant censure of affected pity. This point cer-
tainly merits serous considerations that Mr. KEMBLE cer-
tainly did consent at the Crown and Ailchor, subject to the
approval of. the Managers, to ali the articles proposed,
there can be no doubt ; but these arrangements, when
agreed to, were first to have been announced in the morn-
ing papers : it was not intended that Mr. KEMBLE should
acquaint the audience with them that Evening ; but the
unexpected call obliged him to come forward. What then
did he at first say ?—" it has been proposed to me"—the
eagerness with -which the audience caught at this—their
happiness at the prospect of peace and order—the conse-
quent universal clamour—prevented ;hem from attending
to his very words; when he had ended, they considered
the whole as rafied, though strictly speaking the only
part -which he had absolutely promised, was the mutual
relinquishment of all prosecutions. This he certainly did
• with a good grace, and the stibstquent conduct of the pro-
. prietors has sliewn that they litmally acquiesed in what v
at first only offered to the public as a proposition. It
was then objected that Mr. KEMI:LE did not notice the dis-
missal of Mr. ...aasinox.—We are not in the secrets of the
greenroom, but we can w ell suppose that Mr. K cmicu hoped
that the liberality and candour of a British Public, when it
had time to reflect seriously would not insist on this sacri-
fice; and it is possible that Mr. K EsinLE avoided this part of
the proposition, lest the very mention of it should be under-
stood as a promise to perform it. With respect to Mr. BRAN•
DON he was the servant of the Managers, not so immediately of
the public ; he had a duty to perform, for which, strictly
speaking, the Managers alone were answerable—but say
his enemies, " he overstepped the hounds of moderation."
What then ! are we to allow nothing for the misrepresen-
tations of party, and for the exaggeration of newspaper
accounts ? Besides, were there no traps laid for Mr.