The Sun.
London, England, 1838-07-07 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

With the performances of last night—Knowle's play of IVontax's
IVd
or Love's Disguises, and Auber's opera of Fra Diavolo—this theatre
closed for the season; a season more of experiment, we fear, than profit;
yet its success seems to have been such as to induce Mr. Macready to en'
counter the pains and penalties of management for another season, the
prosperity of which, it is to be hoped, will remunerate him for the toil
and anxiety of both. At the close of the representation of Mr. Sheri-
dan Knowles's play, Mr. Bartley came forward, and delivered the follow'
ing valedictory address :
" Ladies and Gentlemen,—The office which I hold here makes it nll
duty to address a few words to you at the close of our season.
" When Mr. Macready took upon him the arduous task and serious
responsibility of conducting this establishment he was prepared to en•
counter obstacles and to make sacrifices ; he has encountered the for•
mer, and he has made the latter; but the result of his experiment is a
deep and proud sense of gratitude for the applause and encouragement
with which his efforts have been received,
" It was his object, his ambition, frankly announced by him, to con.'
duct the theatre upon an altered system—in a different taste--to attempt
a sort of counter-revolution on our stage in favour of our nations,' drama. This is a change he could scarcely hope to achieve in a single
season ; but, Ladies and Gentlemen, he has the most confident, the
most sanguine, hope of the future from the past. An opinion has gone
abroad that our standard English plays are no longer attractive
to an English public. You will, I am sure, learn with pleasure that
the plays of Shakspeare, produced at this theatre, genuine and un-
alloyed, have been the most attractive and the most profitable per-
formances of the season. We have tbrther to acknowledge our obli-
gations for the liberality and zeal with which the pens of Bulwer and
Talfourd, and the pencil of Stanfield, have been engaged in our cause;
and to add to the happy recollections of our season a new success bf
Sheridan Knowles, together with the introduction of the name of Rooke
among those which adorn English opera.
" Ladies and Gentlemen—Mr. Macready, upon entering or, the con•
duct of this establishment, pledged himself to the public t'nat interior
arrangements and regulations should guard the respectat,le visiters 01
the theatre from intrusions justly considered offensive, as inconsistent
with social and moral propriety; that no orders should be issued, and
no exaggerated or fallacious announcements should ap'isear in the play'
bills. These pledges have been strictly kept,
" It only remains for me to state that Mr. Macready will eontinUe
the lessee—that the theatre will be re-opened by him in September-'
that, in the meantime, no cost or pains shall be spared in following uP
the principles, and achieving the objects, put forth at the commence•
ment of his undertaking, and that he confidently trusts the ensuing
season will have new claims to your patronage and support.
" Until the period I have mentioned--In the name oh all the peace',
users, and in my own—l respectfully bid you farewell ,"
This Address, which was spoken with great propriety and feeling,
was received with very great applause by a numerous and most respec-
table audience, who expressed much satisfactign at the statements it
ccntained.