The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-24 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

DRURY.LANE.—The Beggar's Opera, which
for the last few years has been reduced into two
acts, was last night represented at this Theatre.
We sincerely wish that it was wholly banished
from the Stage, as it is calculated to corrupt the
manners of the lower orders, and to give encou-
ragement to thieves, in spreading an air of gaiety
and specious philosophy over their profession.
We hardly need observe that its original purpose
was to ridicule the Italian Opera, and inciden-
tally to attack Sir Rol:mut' WALPOLE and his
brother-in-law, whose quarrel at the time was
well known the public, and whose characters
were understood to be designated under those of
Peachum and Lockil. What were wit and satire
at the time, however descriptive of human na-
ture, are now little better than hackneyed cone-
mou-place. The best points have become, like
Graliano's reasons, 44 two grains of wheat hid in
two bushels of chaff." It is well known that'
Archbishop HennmG and Sir Joule Frer.nuso
protested against the representation of this Opera,
as tending only to the encouragement of vice.
The latter, who was a ►ery shrewd and expe-
rienced Magistrate, once assured Mr. Iluan
K&LI,T, the dramatic author, of this fact ; and
when the latter expressed doubts on the subject,
Sir Jortx desired him to attend after the next
representation, and it was found that, on every
subsequent performance, the calendar of crimes
was very much increased during the following
week. It would be much to the credit of the
new Covent-Garden Managers if they wholly ex-
pelled this vulgarizing and licentious piece from
their boards. If it were now to be presented to
the Licenser as a novelty, we are sure that he
would refuse his sanction to the representation, if
he performed his duty with a proper regard to
the morals of the lower orders. But it is
time to return to the performance of last
night. Mr. Hoax mnde his first appear-
ance this season in Machsalh.—llis merit as a
singer is well known, and it is but justice to
him to say that he is improved in acting, and
has more ease in his deportment.—Miss POTET,
a very pleasing actress and singer, was the Polly.
This Lady is too much inclined to decorate the
melodies generally assigned to her. As to
" Cease your Funning," we never expect to hear
the original simplicity of this beautiful air any
more, it is now so much overwhelmed by orna-
mental luxuriance. Miss BLAKE, a pupil of
NATHAN, who first came before the public at the
Haymarket Theatre in Machealh, and deservedly
acquired credit in the part, after Madame Verret,
was so ludicrously converted into a captain of a
band of desperadoes, was the Lucy of last night.
She is a good singer, with a very powerful voice,
and she displayed characteristic spirit in the
part. DOWTON and GATTIE displayed so much
humour in Peachum and Lockit that it is to
be regretted that their talents were not em-
plowed on better materials. The very amus-
ing farce of Simpson find Co. followed, and was
rendered, as usual, highly diverting. The only
change in the performance was the appearance of
Mr. BROWN in Bromley, which perhaps he ren-
dered more of the coxcomb than the gallant.

COYINT-GARDEL—The play of The Point of
Honour was last night repented, and Miss F. H.
KELLY, was able to resume the part of Bertha.
She acts with great feeling, and of course is pro-
portionably effective. Mr. C. K EMILE and Mr.
COOPIR were powerful supports of the piece. The
once popular and still amusing farce of The Pad-
lock followed, Miss PATON, on her entrance in
the part of Leonora, met with an illiberal recep-
tion from a part of the audience, in consequence,
of course, of the dispute between ker and the
Haymarket Manager. Enough has been said on
that subject, which indeed ought to have been
confined to him and the Lady. The liberal
feelings, however, of the audience in general,
soon overcame this despicable hostility against a
female, which she supported with a becoming
mixture of diffidence and latent resolution, and
soon completely subdued by the excellence of
her musical exertions and the merit if her
acting. We subjoin the answer of the Covent-
Garden Proprietors to the letter from a
correspondent in our paper of yesterday. It ap-
pears to be perfectly satisfactory as to the Great
Goats, &c., stating that the matter is, as for-
merly, optional with the wearers. As to the
other charge respecting the Box-keepers, we can
can only say that we frequently visit this
Theatre, but never saw an instance of the• im-
puted fact, nor do we suppose it possible that,
under the new arrangements, any of them would
venture upon such au eleemosynary obtrusion.

Box-OFFICE ESTABLIMMENT, COVINIT-GA.R-
DEN.—We have authority to state, in conse-
quence of a
,letter which appeared in our Paper
yesterday, that the arrangements at Covent-
Garden Theatre, with regard to great coats, um-
brellas, &c. has been made solely with a view to
the accommodation old security of the public; hut
that it is still optional with them to avail them-
selves of it or not. The Place-keepers have
most positive orders not to ask for any thing
front the parties frequenting the boxes, and such
as have been found to do so have been imme-
diately dismissed. If the author of the anony-
mous communication had cause of complaint, he
might immediately have had it remedied, by ap-
plication to the Proprietors.
Miss Guam, who performed the Chamber-
maids, &c. at Covent-Garden Theatre for the
last three or four years, and first appeared at the
Haymarket Theatre as Margaret/a, in the excel-
lent farce of No Song No Supper, is among the
removals this season to Drury-Lane Theatre.—
She is well calculated for the line of parts
allotted to her.

Mrs. GRANT, a lady residing in Scotland—an
authoress, we believe, has forwarded to Sir
RICHARD BIRNIE, through the agency of Mr.
AcitrituaNN in the Strand, a large bale of books,
intituled, " Popular Domestic Tales;" with a
request that his Worship would cause them to be
distributed AMOllg the poor prisoners in the dif-
ferent prisms, of the metropolis.