The National Register.
London, England, 1809-09-24 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

them. The uproar was on this night enriched-by the
accompaniment of watchmen's rattles, horns, and whistles,
with which the audience had previously provided them-
selves. The pageantry of the audience consisted in above
twenty large placards, which were suspended from almost
every pillar of the boxes. On these the principal novelties
of inscription were, " Britons, be firm." "No theatrical
taxation." " Dickons for ever; no Catalani." "No im-
position on the public." "- Be silent; Mr. Kemble's head
catches." "No annual boxes, or Italian singers." " Harris
will, but Kemble won't," "• Kemble hear—John Bull ad-
vises—To save your fame—And sink your prices." " rem-
ble remember the Dublin tininan," " God save the King,
and God .i:Lve our pockets," &c. &c. The performers who
usually appear in the Opera of Love in a rillage,-and the
Farce of lriu Wins caine ()a the stage at intervalt, to
hear and sec the perforreance of the pit, boies, and
galleries ; and we did not find that they interrupted the
House with a.single word. This was polite; the House has
often attended to them.

The commencement of the Farce seemed to be the signal
for a continuance of the tumult, and on the appearance of
Mrs. C. Keruble, •it, if possible, encreased. At the con-
clusion of the peformauce, an. host of orators preSented
themselves to the audience from the galleries, the divisions
of the boxes, and the benches of the Pit.
The uproar continuing as vehement as ever, Mr. Kemble
at length made his appearance, and after an unanimous
salutation of hisses, groans, and every species of abuse,
declared that he was extremely sorry that the considerations
which he had the honour to propose to them last night had
not met their approbation—He begged, however, to re
mind them, and hoped they would liberally consider--
[Here the audience perceivieg an acquiescence in their
wishes was not intended, burst into a renewed uproar, In
, 'the midst of which, bovving- respectfully to all parts of the
house, Mr. Kemble was compelled to retire.]

The bills of Friday announced the play of John BuY and
The Quaker, and an attempt was made to perform those
pieces. The actors made their appearance on the stage
. as usual ;

" Each had their exits and their entranee.,, t"
and each on coming on, and going off, was greeted with
loud hisses, and cries of " Off, Off, Of!" without being
listened to a single moment. •
It is hardly fair to make any remarks on the actors, while
performing under such circumstances ; but we cannot help
remarking.that Mr. Murray, on hearing Nary shriek, in-
stead of rushing; off to her assistance, as some would have
imagined a man would (having thrown his beer as%av
with great deliheration), walked off so leisurely, and with
such .•omposure, that we almost expected to see him turn
back and take a pipe of tobacco before be set °T.
In the second act Mr. Kemble came forward, and with
some difficulty obtained a silence, when Iv.; thus addressed
the audience:—
" Ladies and Gentlemen—The Proprirtors haa-e desired met()
submit a proposal to yon."—[here there was loud applauses,
anti cries of Silence ! !fear, hear I]
After some time, silence being obtained, Mr. Kemble re-
sumed :
" Ladies sand Gentlemen—l step forward to submit to you a
propoial which I trust will elf2civally contribute tow aials the
restariurr public tranquillity."—[!..oud and cries of
the peapova!]—" The Proprietors, Ladies alai Cientle-
men, are willinv; to inbuilt to your inspection'tucir books, and.
their accounts.''—U/iNses ! and NO, n 6, no I]
The tumult lasted some time ; Mr. Keintile then said—
" Ladies and tientlemen—l only ask what I am certain vou
will not refine, impartial justice, and a patient heario;," ( Ap-
pfnuve). The Proprietors, tilßions that their conduct should
be fully looked into, are desirous of submittine; t l7eir books and
their accounts to a Comiuittee of ciie:okoito of uoimiwarh tble
integrity and honour, by whose decision they will ded.le.—
( Loud criei of no, no, no! and " the pike: till t.'.-at i 4
known).'.' 'filev ;ire %4 Ming to sie)nit their cause to such t ;en
ttetaen as the Craveraur of ttleilitnk of LuilAud—Ooncial

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approbation., and cries af.no, no, non. The Attorney-General'
of England—(Nu; no; no!). •• The Solicitor-General—Off, off,
off!).
Here the tumilt rose so high that he could no longer
be heard ; and after vainly endeavouring agaiu to obtain
a hearing, he left the stage amidst loud cries of—" Don't
bow to us, we'll never Bow to you,--.440 Jlodification,—Xo
Convention,—Come back, no evasion Mr. SKVEN•IIIILLINI,
JACK, &c."
The conduct of the audience was much as usual ; the
placards of only differed essentially in their increased
size and number from those exhibited on Thursday.
Among the placards, the following were The most conspi-
cuousl—" A representation of Kemble suspcniled from a
',allows—Motto, A cure for my etches."
" Be firm and unanimons in- resisting imposition, and they
must give wny. .Boxes 6g. Pit 3s. 6th"
" No Italian depravity nor French duplicity, native what
and old prices."
" No live stock from Italy." •
" ISO Dalian Cats," •
" John.Kemble treats John Butt like ir calf" • •
• " Keep your money, assemble outside, and exhort the pibile
tot to come in." •

" Let them perforra to empty benches, that will bring theta
to their senses."

" Would they have dared to raise their prices if Drury•ktae
Theatre had tint been burnt ?"

" John Kenai)le versus John' Bull."

.~

" Support King George but resist King John." - •
"Be true to the cause, and do not sutler yourseh'ei to .5i4
lenced by those hirelings who fill a part of it.'
" Angels and Ministers of grace defend" onr pockets—tc But
why eamest thou in so, questionable n shape r,
In
one part of the house a caricature was exhibited,., •
re-
presentint a conference between John Bull and Mr. Kem-
bk. In another part, a burlesque scene from Macbeth was
held forth to view, purporting to be Mr. Kemble and Mr.
Uarris in the characters of Macbeth and Banquo, with the
Ulowing dialogue:
Iffacbet it—" Thou can'st not say I did it."
Banyno—" A lie—a bl—y lie—upon my soul a lie—a d—4
lie."

The placard bearers of were less
.molested than usual.
A disturbance took place- in one of the boxes, in con-
sequence of which the pressure was such that a lady
fell half over, and was in great danger of falling inti,The
pit. Rattles and horns were very numerous, and were
triumphantly brandished' and blown in the facet of. the
police ollicersi. There were but few attempts to speak, and
those few were not attended to. After the performa•ices„,
the audience in the pit amused themselves dancing on the
lienclies, which caused such a cloud of dust to arise, that
Ni remain in the house was to brave suffocation. God saute
Me Ring was, as usual, sung several times in the course of
the evenin.z, as was Rule Britannia and Hearts of oak.
The Rouse was cleared before eleven, about an hour after
:he fall of the curtain.

The same confusion and noise existed last Light as &r-
-ing: the preceding evenings. The placards e more Lit-
ineretts ; they (lid not, however, present any additioi.al
onveltv—some of tbeni had booghs or laurel 'attached to
them, which were particulady :reeted. Atter the firer-
'orinmuce had finished Mr. Kemble made his apvearanee ;
the clamour was so ioccs,ant that. little of what he said
could be collecW ; we understood- him in say that the
a pairs of the .Thea' re would undergo the investigation f
Comtnitee---atter which, that they would be submitted
to the Public ; and unless this prupoiltion was acceected to,
that the l'heu tre would be closed. lie concluded by sayiag,•
that since it appeared the wish of the British Public chat
:I,l3(l.tnie Caialani Mould not perform at this theatre, that
hul relinquished her engagement. This. Addit ss had
cons:derahle etfect on the audience, and they retired mach
inorc. satisfied than on former aveniags: • - •

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