The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-27 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE.

On Tuesday afternoon a highly influential meeting of
the admirers of the drama took place in the green-room
of this theatre, at which Sir Henry Webb, Bart.,
presided, and Lord Lennox acted as Vice-chairman ;
the Earl of Glengall (Chairman of the Drury-lane
Committee), and several other gentlemen of literary and
theatrical celebrity, honoured the meeting with their
attendance.
Sir H. WEBB, after paying a well-merited tribute to
the merits of the stage manager, Mr. E. Stirling, pre-
sented that gentleman, on the part of Mr. Smith, the
manager, with an elegant chased silver snuff-box, and
passed a high encomium on the increasing exertions and
indefatigable activity of that meritorious officer, in pro-
moting the interests of the establishment.
Mr. STIRLING, on receiving the box from Sir H.
Webb, made some jocular observation in regard to his
previous connexion with theatres, and said that despite
the clouds that may have hitherto " lowered on his
house," the house now brightened, and the prospect
looked everything that was gay and brilliant in the
extreme. -

Smith to
Lord DINNox said he was deputed by
:arylebone Theatre, a testimonial, similar
present to Mr. Higgie, the acting Mr.
oid the
tor
t o]: i fe
oneth e
their remarking how exceedngly happy
opprespoerntotendittyooMf r. Stirling, and he could not av
thatitwas
of Drury-lane the two ar-mlainees assembled under
luenhdoenre,thseeeomd
neeflasgo,
viz.,hap thosepily fraternised, and that such interwoven spirit of
good fellowship existed between them.
Mr. HIGGIE returned thanks for the compliment con-
ferred.
Mr. SMITH, the lessee of the theatres, then stood up
and observed, he had no reason to say " a plague on
both our houses," but success to all and each, and every
one, and assured the company that Mr. Harris, his trea-
surer at the Marylebone, had been his true and
servant for years, and felt proud in handing him a small
souvenir of his regard. (This was a snuff-box similar to
the others.)
Mr. HARRIS acknowledged the compliment with gra-
titude.
In the course of the evening the Earl of GLRNGALL
and Sir HRNRY WEBB expressed themselves in laudatory
terms in regard to the management of Mr. Smith, which
they said had resuscitated the theatre from its ashes like
the Phoenix of old, and if carried out in the same spirit,
would lead to a total and much-wished for regeneration
of a bad system which had for too long a time reflected
discredit on the pseudo caterers for the public amusement.
The health of Mr. Smith being given, that gentleman
briefly said, since his entering on his arduous avocation,
he had exerted himself to the utmost to please the pub-
lic. Time, trouble, labour, or expense were as nothing
to him, if he could but secure the public approbation,t_e
and that he had thus far succeeded in so doing, h crowded houses which had honoured him with
at-
tendance afforded a proud and flattering proof..
that if
• tly observing
Mr. DuRN, the treasurer quain
certainly should
the orchestra were in attendance, e
hin both Pockets,"
call upon them to play up “ Mon '
separated in
caused a universal laugh, and the. company...y. their i
the greatest good humour and conviviality