The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-24 00:00:00

existed. Even 1 could not make myself into two Wizards,
and as for finding another Wizard, or anybody else at all like
me (though I have frequently been ridiculed for my modesty)
I was bound to reject the idea as preposterous and out of the
question. Could I improve my magic ? I could vary it, /XS I
do every night; but to quote my respected friends, the linen-
drapers' assistants (half price at 9 o'clock gentleman), " the
quality of the article would remain the same." Could I do
anythiug towards improving the personal comfort of my pa-
trons in the matter of seats, warmth, ventilation, ate. 1 Can-
didly, I did not see much room for improvement in that di-
rection, though I made a memorandum of the idea as a small
item to be attended to in my debt of gratitude. Would it be
any use multiplying the Bottle Trick by two hundred dozen
and sending away my guests in a state of unusual exhilara-
tion 1 No ! that would be a coarse and vulgar admission
that my friends only came to see me for what they could get.
Would it be any gratification to the public if I were to
stand to be shot at by the best marksman in London,
(say my friend, Gordon Cumming) with a real non-enchanted
bullet I was perfectly willing to risk any sacrifice, oven my
life, in such a cause ; but then came the terrible afterthought
—what would be the condition of London the next day, on
finding itself without a Wizard? As a last expedient I thought
—Could I give my patroue their money back 1 I deliberated
over this momentous question for some hours, and at last
came to the understanding that it was impossible I I bad
almost given the matter up as a bad job, and come to the dis-
heartening conclusion that nothing could be done but to go
on in the old course, introducing, if possible, more splendour,
more novelty, more bewilderment into my tricks time for-
merly; making my theatre more like a palace—or like a
home— than ever. But no I—in painstaking devotion to the
amusement of my patrons—in untiring exertions, in the
humblest and most energetic desire to please, I could not
alter, I had arrived, I repeat, at this desponding conclusion,
when a practical friend called upon me and threw out the
following suggestion ; " If you have got so much money that
you don't know what to do with it, and wish to ged rid of it
in one lump for the amusement of the public, why don't you
take Covent-garden There was certainly something in that.
Still I hesitated a moment, when he added—" And open
with a Pantomime." Eureka ! I had found IL I wrung
that practical friend's hand with fervour —took his advice—a
cab—and Covent-garden Theatre within the hour. lam
bound to state that the preliminary expenses of the Covent-
garden Pantomime have triumphantly answered their ex-
pected purpose. Nevertheless, great deliberation and inge-
nuity were necessary, in order to bring the outlay up to the
desired mark. In the first place, a subject necessitating un-
paralleled splendour and gorgeousness of spectacle, scen-ry,
and decorations was indispensable. I was some time in find-
ing one cf sufficient costliness, but at length decided on an
Australia-California-Rothschild Koh-i-noor-Bank-of-England-
parlour species of pantomime—to be entitled Ye Belle
Alliance; or, Harlequin Good Humour and the -Field
of the Cloth of Gold. This subject was extravagant
enough, in all conscience, for the most golden age of
Pantomime. The 'text question was to secure an author
on appropriately ruinous terms. The name of Sterling
Coin naturally suggested itself ; but that gentleman having
other engagements. I cast my eyes about among the gold
mines of the age's intellect, and decided upon Mr. Harris
and Mr. George Augustus Sale, two jewelled ornaments to
the Augustan Era of burlesque literature—the riches of whose
imagination would naturally call for an adequate rate of ex-
change in the current coin of the realm. These gentlemen I
employed to write the opening for me ; and I am bound to
say, the skill and workmanship they have displayed in ham-
mering out and fashioning the precious ore into the daintiest
shapes and devices, is worthy of a Goldsmith. My next step
was to engage a scene painter, Mr. William Beverley, a gen-
tleman who has been rolling in gold and jewels all his life. It
is needless to say that when he has been engaged it has not
been for nothing ; and few will dispute the right of any pic-
ture he ever painted to be set in the most sumptuous gold
frame. Mr. Beverley was accordingly secured. But even
now the inroads on the doomed exchequer were barely per-
ceptible. I looked about for the disengaged musical com-
poser and director, whose notes were worth most gold is the
market, and was so fortunate as to come to terms with Mr.
Loder, whom I instructed in playful north country phrase to
spire no amount of brass in his orchestral arrangements.
The balance on hand was still tremendous. At this time
Monsieur Guerin, from Paris, a elistinguished operative in the
spectacle lino, relieved me of a considerable amount, by
arranging the ocular department of the entertainment, so as
to astonish the weakest optic nerves, and enable me to defy
any other establishment to produce a pair of such geld spec.
tacles I I was compelled to mask my intentions for a while
by the employment of Mr. George Ewing, a model of model-
lers, whose sterling talent rendered him most fitting to model
my sovereigns, Henry VIII. and Francis I. The tailors' and
dressmakers' bills also, of Mr. SmiGhers and Mrs. James, who
were ordered to spare no lavishness of gold cloth, gold thread,
gold lace, gold beater's akin, and what not, added to a docu,
went of immeasurable length (which I speak of in my hu-
mourous way as the golden legend) front Mr. Priscott, the
property man, or fashioner of appointments, whose charges
for gold leaf, gold watches, gold rings, golden numbers, golden
ointment, and golden syrup, are something fearful ; these did
begin to dip somewhat deeply in what my clown facetiously
terms, " the tureen of mint sauce." And when I came to
calculate the enormous sums I had been tricked out of by two
gentleman named Brough, another called Harris, and a third
by the name of Dorrington (especially the latter) for the
tricks and changes, I felt that a trick must be good indeed
that called for such an intolerable quantity of change, and
began to feel that my accumulated sovereigns had indeed un-
dergone a large amount of the process vulgarly known as
sweating. I was not yet daunted—in spite of the consider-
able amount I allowed Mr. B. Barnett, as ballet master, with
au innumerable corps of golden-haired nymphs, to dance away
with. I solicited Mr. Flexmore (stamped current as the
shining sovereign clown) in popular phrase to "tumble into"
whatever salary he liked to name. (It is needless to say that
ho named a goad one.) W. A. Barnes, the great transatlantic
pantomimist, Mr. C. Brown, and Miss Emma Horne I engaged
as pantaloon, harlequin, and columbine. It will readily be
seen that each of these eminent " legs " stepped into a tole-
rable sum. Another " little treasure," in the shape of Miss
Harriet Gordon (who plays Good Humour in the opening),
had to be provided for, as well as Mr. Harry Pearson, with
an efficient company of comedians —each entitled to a crown
in his various department. Some hundreds of supernume-
raries, scene shifters, carpenters, and " extras" in every de-
partment, who may be regarded as so many piles of " small
change" in the financial scheme, were foend to mount up pro-
digiously. Having shown the public that the money with
which they have been kind enough to entrust me has been
faithfully laid out for their amusement, I will proceed to
describe the items of the investment.
The subject of the Pantomime is one of national importance,
illustrating, by an historic parallel, the greatest event of this
or any other age within the history of the two nations,
THE ANGLO-FRENCH ALLIANCE !

_ _ _ --- --- -
The piece, as will be seen by an explanatory lino in the bill,
is entitled
" A LEGEND OF THE MEETING OF THE
MONARCHS."
And the various circumstances which attended the meeting of
Henry VIII. and Francis I. on the Field of the Cloth of Gold
are so introduced as to bear on recent occurrences. The
reader shall hear in what manner.
Scene I.—" The Subtorraneous abode of the Gnome Brita-
nicus."

Scene 2.—" The Land's End, Cornwall, with the departure
of the Gnsine Britanicus to France."
Diorama No. 1. " The entry of the Emperor Napoleon to
London."
Diorama No. 2. " The visit of Victoria and Napoleon to
the Tomb of Napoleon I. in the Invalidee at Pal iB."
Scene 3._.. The Deck of the Royal Harry, 128 guns—the
Departure of Henry VIII. for France."
Diorama No. 3. " The Voyage from England to France."
Scene 4.—" The Chateau of Francis I. at Guisnes."
Scene 5.—" The Field of the Cloth of Gold, including a
grand Ballet and the Great Tournament after Holbein's cele-
brated picture." ,

Scene 6.—" The Bedchamber of the Monarchs."
Scene 7.—" The Farm-house of Blondettee."
Scene 5.—" The immense Transformation Scene (painted
by W. Beverly) of the Abode of the Fairy Good Humour in
the Realms of Eternal Starlight."
The concluding Scene, designed by M. Guerin, painted by
Mr. W. Beverly, and on which an expenditure of many hun-
dred pounds has been incurred, will form a Grand Military
Spectacle, representing the " Apotheosis of England and
France, with the descent of the Genius of Victory with the
Coronals of Valour."

The Band will be conducted by Mr. Chas. Hall, and will be
the largest in Louden, the performers being first-class.
The extensive and complicated Machinery by Mr. H. Sly-
man.

On Wednesday, Dec. 26, the Doors will open at Half-past
Six, commence at Seven.

The Box-office is now open, under the direction of Mr.
O'Reilly. Private Boxes (which may also be taken at the prin-
cipal Libraries), 31. 35., 21. 25., 11. Is., and 128. Grand Bal-
cony, 45. Upper Boxes, 2s. ed. Amphitheatre Stalls, 2s. Pit,
2s. Gallery, is.
Half-price at Nine o'clock.
The care of the front of the house will be committed to Mr.
Hingston, who will, doubtless, endeavour to care most cour-
teously for everybody.

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