The Sun.
London, England, 1812-10-12 00:00:00

i)TtI.TRY—LANt TFIEAsiRi.

. .
An event so interesting in the dramatic 'world
as the opening of a-new Theatre on 'a` site:
has Sig long been devoted to the Scenic •M‘i'ses,
'-iit)turally excited public curiosity on Saturd, y last,
ri444.,Plight degree. At an early hour ails! the
latenncea .the Theatre were throngedby.acrowd
of anxious visitors, and a great pressure took
place? tits; soon as the dOors were 'opened. It is
-Irojtistice to the Managers to state, flat all pos-
..sible aririfigements were made on their part,. by
stationing.`Peace-offieers , and military, wherever
alert was
.any likelihood of danger, and both of ,
those bodies exerted thernselVes .Witli'great teal.—
' Happily, AO serious mischief took, place; .a4ircum-
stance really' Surprising, 'considering . the number
and,,anxiety.of the eroy-d,.- Many of the persons
who had taken places,in the boxes were unable to
proeure them "but this, thbugh mortifying to the
'parties, Was a: petty grievance, and was hardly
avoidable on such an occasion. -As soon as the
angel-ice were settled with some degree of comfort, ,
a.gq-neral burst of applause was heard, and was
Jse ran tiMes repeated, in testimony of a general
:Atpprohitilon of the edifice, and its 'embellish-
mc4-0,,., •
Tiiti play was Hamlet, and far 'from enterino-
into-a 'severe analysis of the performance, we are
disposed to think that, considering the agita7
tion of the eight, altogether it was support-
ed , very well. Previous,. however, to the play,
the curtain was drawn up, and the avhole
of the company retained presented themselves
to-the audience, with the exception .of ELLISTON,
who atterv.7ards came forward to delk'er the occa-
sional Address, which will be found in another
-part-of our Paper.—Piefdre it was spoken, " God
save the King." -and " Rule: Britannia " were
,sung by the Performers. The Address was then
spoken. .Scvetal of the Morning Papers, we ob-
serve; -are severe in theitcOmments on the poetical
merits of this Address, but it is not Unlikely that
it was the best that Was sent ; it contains passages
which breathe a poetical spirit, and,'considering
the difficulty which haS always been allowed to at-
tend this species of composition, and of discover=
ing siOnicthing new, after so many have been writ-
ten. on similarp:xasions, we are dispoied to think
that th 4 Critics have been much too hard' upon
the Noble. Author, whiise high merit as a Poet is
ConspichOus in his other works. :DRYDEN, GAR-
'RICK, and .Dr. JOHNSON, are the only literary
characters .who 'lime been distinguished,. among;
all our longsnceession of PtSets; for theatrical ad-
dresSes. JOHNSON wrote but five, and PoPE but
one good one. Therefore Lord BYRON should be
respected rather than censured for what he has
done. _ _

The Theatre altogether is well calculated to
gratify public expectation, and to contribute to
public amusement, by the facility with which the
eve and the ear are g,ratified. We have not at
present an opportunity of entering. into a minute
description of its beauties altogether, or of no-
'tieing any detects which may attend it. The in-
lerior , is very splendid, tho Ugh perhaps overlaid
wi*Ortraments. The'lamps on the stag&have so
brilliant an effect, that they have been erroneously
thought to be gas-lights. They are,-we under-
stand, the invention of Nr.BARTosT, of the Board.
of Trade. The general aspect of the interior is,
light, elegant, and pleasing.- The public are much
indebted to those who have so ably, so assidnous-
-1,7, and so successfully encountered and overcome
the difficulty of wading through such a -mass of
impediments as the destruction of the old Theatre
occasioned; and' of presenting to the nation, so
Noble an edifice for. the performance of the chief,
most gratifying, rational and useful of its arriuse-

thents.
Mr. ARNOLD, iint.l6' a CoMmittee,, is to be the
chic( superintending manager, and_ .the practical'
-directioaof the stage is allotted to Mr. RAY M D
They have both conducted theinselve3 with such
pdgment, and impartiality, in discharging
- the same offices at. the Lyceum, that the public
'Hill full reason to rely on their experience, good
sense, diligence, and the general propriety Of
their conduct, in, fulfilling the duties of the very
arduous situations now assigned to them.