The Sun.
London, England, 1837-06-02 00:00:00

KING'S THEATRE.

GRAND BALL FOR THE RELIEF OF THE
SPITALFIELDS WEAVERS.

We seldom enter this theatre with feelings such as those
by which we felt influenced as we passed its gay threshold
last night. In general we know it but as the resort of mere
selfish recreation, where the nicer moralities have too often
occasion to be shocked, and mere sordid personal interest is
alone the object of managerial exertion. On this occasion
Pleasure seemed subdued into considerateness for human
woe, and to have zealously volunteereed all her best blandish-
ments to win over her votaries to the cause of charity. Her
temple seemed dedicated to a purer worship, and reminded
one of those olden days when the dance was only associated
with religious worship. May we add, that looking on the
scene which was in the course of the night presented to our
view, that the purely Sybarite indulgences of Almack's
seemed strongly rebuked.
When we entered the theatre, we found it as much
changed in its appearance as in its purpose. The stage
was converted into a martial pavilion of striped pink and
white drapery, a large trophy of old armour occupying its
centre, and several mailed figures placed on pedestals stand-
ing at intervals round its wall. These figures were, we un-
derstand, liberally supplied from the Tower, and had an
imposing effect—at least to the distant spectators ;to those
in a nearer position there was much to remind them of the
genius loci. The great point of interest which superseded
the latter was the royal box, if we may so denominate a very
elegant structure, erected for the occasion, to receive the royal
party, and which directly faced the stage. This arrangement
was certainly better than having a side state-box, as at the
time of the ball for the relief of the distressed Irish. This
structure, to which we refer, occupied the middle of the
semicircle of the house, and reached from its base at
the pit up to the gallery. It had a centre compart-
ment and two wings, surmounted by a light pediment,
and supported in front by four graceful white pillars,
wreathed with gilded garlands. An extremely rich
drapery of crimson velvet hung round this pavilion,
and in its front shone conspicuously the star of the
Garter. The boxes, on each side of the house, appeared
as connecting lines between this and the stage, which, by
the bye, was occupied by a large band under Weippert.
The appearance of the boxes was wholly changed from what
it looks at the opera. Each tier, from the lowest upward,
was dedicated, .as it were, to one of the royal orders of
knighthood, and decorated accordingly. The Garter at the
grand tier had its star and badge alternately emblazoned
upon a drapery of festooned purple silk, turned up with
white. The Bath, in like manner, had its crimson and white ;
the St. Patrick, sky blue and white ; the St. Andrew. dark
green and white ; and, lastly, the Guelphic order, which
honoured the slips, had its blue and white. All this gave
the house an exceedingly elegant and brilliant appearance,
particularly as, in addition to the chandelier and usual lights
of the house, four gas circles or hoops were suspended from
the ceiling over the pit, and two from that of the stage.
While we scrutinised those embellishments at about half-
past ten, we found the company, with a steady current, look
on the great scene of the ball and the boxes. Of the latter,
the three next the floored pit were dedicated to them who
had ball tickets. The lowest, in particular, was portioned
amongst the Lady Patronesses, the Civic Authorities, and
the Foreign Ambassadors and Envoys. Gradually these
filled with company, as did the great area below, and need
we add, the upper boxes and gallery. What shall we say
of the former especially ?—what of the tout ensemble ?
The boxes and ball company were perfectly dazzling, so
much so, that amongst those who are most familiar with
oyal fetes and public spectacles, there seemed to be but
one opinion that this was the most splendid scene of the
kind that they had ever seen.
At ten the assembly was almost as numerous as it was
at the last Irish ball—at eleven one dense crowd occupied
the area of the pit and stage, and the boxes were quite full.
When we state that great numbers of the ladies wore large
plumes of feathers, and also made the most lavish display
of diamonds, chiefly worn in tiaras resembling a Persian
crown, and add that the great majority of the gentlemen
present were in uniform, realising again Byron's " fair
women and brave men," our readers will be enabled to form
some conception of the general effect of their appearance.
Just about eleven the Princess Augusta, attended by a
great portion of the King's household, entered the royal
box, and the band immediately struck up the national
anthem. Her Royal Highness curtsied affably to both
sides of the house, and to those who occupied its centre,
and the ladies all in like manner acknowledged the compli-
ment. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland en-
tered the box immediately after the Princess Augusta, and
in about five minutes more, her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria, accompanied
by the Princess of Leiningen and a considerable suite fol-
lowed.

The Princess Augusta, the Duchess of Kent, and the
Princess Victoria, mutually kissed in a very affectionate
manner, which drew much hearty applause from the com-
pany present. The whole of the royal box, although it was
very large, and led down by two flights of stairs to the
floor of the pit, was quite filled with the noble individuals
who attended upon the Royal party ; amongst others, we
noticed his Grace the Duke of Wellington. The foreign
legation boxes, which immediately adjoined this central at-
traction, were all well attended. We only noticed the ab-
sence of that diplomatic corps to which we should have
considered such a scene as this most interesting—the
Turkish. Not a Moslem did we see during the whole
night. Had they been present they might have fancied the
Paradise realised in the numberless lovely young women
who mingled freely in this scene of enchantment.
As soon as the excitement caused by the arrival of the
Royal party had subsided, quadrilles began ; but the crowd
was so great that it was with the greatest difficulty the sets
could be formed ; and the evil seemed almost irremediable,
since the more the lookers-on squeezed to give room, the
greater the number of couples who rushed into the opening
made. Still the grace and elegance of the fair dancers
soon exercised a potent influence over crowd and disor-
der, and effected a very agreeable Terpsichorean display.
The lady patronesses of the ball had mustered some of
their loveliest young friends in fancy dresses, and we had
thus a quadrille of Grecian girls, and Spanish, besides re-
presentatives of the seasons—not, of course, including that
very monotonous one which has just passed away. These,
and a few fancily-dressed gentlemen, were the only excep-
tions from the general costume of the company. Waltzes
were also given in the course of the night, but chiefly after
the crowd had in some degree diminished. The Royal
party had refreshments as they sat in their box, and after
having apparently greatly enjoyed the scene before them,
left the theatre with the same demonstrations of respect
as those with which they had been received. The plea-
sures of the ball did not, however, droop upon their de-
parture, but were rather sustained with the more vivacity
from many senior parties retiring, and leaving a freer space for
the numbers who were eager to share in the agremens of
the waltz and quadrille.
Upon every side we heard but the one remark—of the
splendour of the whole scene, and we are most happy to
add that many, when evidently suffering from the effects of
so excessive a crowd, cheerfully suppressed their feeling,
with some remark or other respecting the increased advan-
tage to the charity from the increased concourse. Never,
in fact, were anticipations of a failure, and some such were
yeilded to in the early part of yesterday, more completely
falsified. We cannot pretend to compute the numbers who
so filled the theatre in the whole area of its pit and stage
floor, and its boxes and gallery, but they must have been
thousands. There were refreshments supplied gratis, and
of an unexceptionable kind, to the company who were en-
gaged at the ball. Their re-animating effects we witnessed
till daylight began to dawn, when we left the whole scene
of gorgeous gaity with eyes aching from looking upon it for
full five hours. We cannot conclude our notice of it with-
out remarking that the admirable arrangements of Colonel
Rowan, in regard to the police force, caused the whole
system of setting down and taking up this vast company to
be
conducted with extraordinary regularity, order, and sa-
tisfaction.

Our readers will find in our Court Circular the names of
those who formed the suite of the Princess Augusta, the
Duchess of Kent, and the Princess Victoria. In addition,
we can only say that we ourselves noticed in the course
of the evening, at least one half of the members of the
House of Peers mingling in the scene we have sketched
above.

The value of Mr. Washington Irving's present
work (" Adventures of Captain Bonneville") is the greater,
because the state of things out of which arises the wild and
tragic interest of the story will cease to exist with tie gradual
advance of civilization towards the regions of the "far west";
and future authors will be, therefore, unable to portray it.
Rival parties of trappers will soon exhaust the streams. The
fur-bearing animals extinct, a complete change will come over
the scene ; the gay free trapper and his steed, decked out in
wild array, and tinkling with bells and trinketry ; the savage
war-chief, plumed and painted, and ever on the prowl ; the
trader's cavalcade, winding through defiles or over naked
plains, with the stealthy war party lurking on its trail ; the
buffalo chase ; the hunting camp ; the mad carouse in the
midst of danger, the night attack, the scampado, the scamper,
the fierce skirmish among rocks and cliffs—all this romance of
savage life, which yet exists among the mountains, will then
exist but in frontier story, and seem like the fictions of chivalry
or fairy tale. •
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—The ordinary monthly
meeting for general business was held yesterday afternoon ;
Viscount Gage, V. P., in the chair. Mr. Yarrell read the
Report of the Council, from which it appeared that the total
receipts of the past month were 1,689/. 4s. 6d. ; and that there
had been expended 1,1731., including 8311. to the gardens,
1821. to the museum, and paid 158/. to the general establish-
ment. Several presents were announced to the museum and
menagerie, the number of visitors to the former being 452,
from whom 61. 3s. was received ; and to the latter 23,568, and
the sum received therefrom 8.541. 10s.