The National Register.
London, England, 1809-12-10 00:00:00

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DEC. 10.

made t heir appearance, who were soon obliged to depart
though not in peace; although it is grating to an English-
man's feelings to see them enter the inside of a Theatre,
we cannot sufficiently deprecate the conduct of the 0. P's:
in filling the passages of the Theatre, and denouncing
vengeance against those Heroes of the Staff. On Wednesday,
iu the first act of Oscar and .Malvina, one of the horns
which had been repeatedly sounded in the pit, was thrown
upon the stage, and struck young Bologna. Farley took
up the horn, displayed IL to the house, bowed and handed
it off ; two men then came on with brooms to sweep the
stage, which was covered with peas. The riotous pro-
ceedings outside of the Theatre have also again taken
Ohm, and filled our streets with tumult; we must again
ask, is the Lord Chamberlain—are, indeed, all the Ministry
asleep

The circumstances of the burning of the old Covent Garden
Theatre, and the erection of a new one, were familiar to the
Jury. Upon the opening of the latter, the Proprietors penned
toe following address to the public.—" On the late calamitoui
destruction of their property, the Proprietors, encouraged.by
the remembrance of former patronage [" you will presently see,
Gentlemen," said the Learned Serjeant, how they return thli
patronage,"] instantly and cheerfully applied themselves to the
erection of a new Theatre, solicitous only, that without enlarg-
ing the audience-part of the edifice, it might afford the public
improved accommodation and security, and at the same time
prove an additiontti ornament to the metropolis of the British.
Fanpire."—" The public !" exclaimed the Learned Serjeant,
" the public do not frequent the private boxes, which are Ire
for 4001. a-year each ; the public frequent the two stank; gal-
lery ; art! how are they accommodated there ? Why, I was
there myt:clf lately, not to see the play, I confess, for that I did
ant expect to hear ; bat I was present at one of these riots, as
they are called. I am a nervous man, Gentlemen ; but I con-..
fess, was not at all frightened at the riot. The view of the
stage, with which the public are accommodatcd from the two
shilling gallery, I can compare to nothing else thau a view
through a telescope ; and the gallery is so entrenched, that even
this view is not in all parts of it to be obtained. The address
proceeds :
" This, their most anxious wish, they flatter themselves they
have solidly effected. [" As to solidity" interrupted *tie Learn-
ed Seijeant, " I saw a few heavy pillars as I entered the The-
atre,"] not only within the short space of ten months from the
laying of the foundations, but under the enormou,ly expensive
disadvantage of circumstances singularly unfavourable to build-
ing. When it is known that no less a sum than 150,000/. has
been expended in order to render this Theatre worthy of Bri-
tish Spectators, and of the genius of their native poets; when,
in this undertaking, the inevitable accumulation of at least a six-
fold rentage is positively stated to be incurred; and, when, in
addition to these pressing incumbrances. the increased and rapid-
ly increasing prices of every article indispensable to dramatic
representations come to be considered, the Proprietors persuade
themselves that, in their proposed regulation, they shall he hon-
oured with the concurrence of an enlightened and liberal public.''
" Now, Gentlemen," said the Learned Stajeant, " what do
you understand by this paper ? I am a plain man ; and I will
tell you what I understand by it. I take it to be an appeal to
the public, for their approbation of the increased prices of ad-
mission to the Theatre ; and, I take it, that as this appeal gives
a mail the power to approve of the increase, it also enables him
to disapprove of it. If it does not mean this, it is an insult and
a mockery ; and the public are, in the course of the Address,
mocked and insulted ; for, when they are told that the prices
of admissionao the public part of the House are advances', in
consequence of the expenditure of 150,0001. on .the Thermo,
they are ant informed that the annual revenue of the private
boxes alone will give the Proprietors 8/. per cent, upon this
150,0001. so that if this scheme of private boxes is carried into
execution, away with all pretence for advancing the prisms of
admitting the public to the Theatre."
The Learned Serjeant then proceeded to state, that in conse-
quence of this appeal, a vast number of persons attended she
Theatre, to express their disapprobation, both of the advanced
prices, and of the private boxes; and he thought they were,
upon both points, right. By both these innovations, in his opi-
nion, the Proprietors of the Theatre had forfeited their patent.
Their Theatre ought to he a public one; and they must take
reasonable prices of admission, and skew them to be such. Un-
der pretence of doing this, indeed, the accounts of the Theatre
were laid before a Committee of Gentlemen, whom the Learnesi
Serjeant knew to be very honourable men ; and be was only
sorry they could be prevailed upon to submit to such an impo-
sition. In two or threa days they examined the accounts of 20
years ; and sent into the world a paper, to which he was grieved
to sec their signatures. 'The public were, of course, not satis-
fied with this round statement; and he hoped the damages he
should recover to-day, would lead to an opportunity of try*
the accuracy of the Theatre's accounts. As to the private boxes,
could any man defeat! them Were such things decent ? Tea
'Theatre,. dedicated to the,public, every man, who bad six or
seveg sbilliugs is his
,pocket, had a right to go; and if -be got
tfiera first, to get the beet place in the house. This bad always
been the low af.ele4s Or ,public amusement, and always *oold
be the lasa....vgb•Uilgbt, then, had the Proprietors of oast of
ttpeniplacs.4&aipc arnuiemeot to tar, this seat is reserved foe
any Lord A. Mkt Is set Apart for Mt. B. ? Their patent saw