The Sun.
London, England, 1824-12-04 00:00:00

THE HIGH BAUM?? OVIOUTHWARIK.

Mr...ra it Es"presented a ptitition from' Mr. Priqsep, thg High
Bailiff of Southwark, tendering his resignation in consequence
of the misunderstanding which had arisen between • thin and
his deputy on a late occasion, and which had led to certain pro-
proceedings in that Court. The Worthy. Member, in jare-
sends* this petition; hoped that as Mr. Prinsep was about
to retire from office, the Court would see the propriety ere-
scinding the vote oreenstsre which had been passed on a former
occasion.
A long conversation took place upon the form .of this lied.
flan; many Alei»bers being of. opinion that the resignation
ought not to be accepted in the manner proposed, and others
it ought. It was at length resolved that the resignation should
be accepted without any qualification. A discussion then
arose about appointing a successor to Mr. Prinsep, when it was
resolved to invest the office pro impore in the hands of the
City Solicitor, to prevent any inconvenience arising by their
having so important an office left unfilled between this time and
the 16th of present month, the day appointed for filling up,
'the place.
'Phis being the day for the ballot to elect a
„Marshalnian, in
the room of Jehir Porter deceased, some conversation arose up-
necessity at instituting a .preliminary inquiry into the
qualifications of those who were to be received tut candidates
for the- Off ee, a.s It was'one so closely connected.with the effi-
ciency of the civic police., The.motion for referring the subject
,to the Committee of General PUrposes to report thereupon, was
AegatiVed bV'a show of hernia.:
Cotitt.then' proceeded wow, offaion ; when 11 enrY Fos-
ter wiaeleeted without opposition,„ , .
, .
Aidciniari MOMPSONitove notiee„. that at the. next.
CotierfiesVould'rnoire that no:. ru4tre appOitiiigni he made in
their police, without submitting the priviodketnisideretibli of
the qualifications of the candidate to the Committee of General
Purposes.
The Court, after disposing of some routine business, then
adjourned. •

FOR TRH SUN.

.; -.~-~_

• 'ME PRAMA-4LETTEjt IV.)
Ma. EOl,l'OR-I'o proinote the improvement of
the 641;4 Drama (which,l. trust it will tend to),
as well as., to relkve;the Managers. of. our Thee-
(rep, in; part, from the trouble and responsibility
of criticism and selettion, which tbelr.other avo-
catloaa allow them not to attend to (i. e. as it
should:be attended.tofor the best interests of
the Drama), I now come to propose the Institu-
tion of a Theatrical. Society, which, through the
medium of a Committee .of their number, shall
first examine, and from time to time, recommend
to the notice of Managers such Pieces as, in their
opinion, may be broeght forward and represented
on the Stage with advantage and honour to all
parties.
In the Metropolis of the British Empire, and
in this enterprising age, there cannot be. wanting
individuals who will readily' and willingly lend
their assistance, pecuniary and personal., in estab-
lishing and forwarding' the ends of so' desirable
an objeCt. I have no doubti Sir, that when the
unitive' for the Institution of this Society become
generally known, and its utility understood, that
gentlemen, qualified. by-fortune, and .of literary
liabits,. will liberally came forward in aid of the
reformation, not 'of the Parliament, but of the
.Iklodern Drama.. - „ .

I therefore confidently, anticipate an early an•
.nouncement of tie,-;L;cm(ftut Theatrical Society :
His Royal Higintess.tha,--,-, Patron. Omit-
ing for the present the enumeration of minor de-
tails, I proceed to state,, that a Committee often
shall be appointed from the list of subscribers
(five to retire itttnually, and be replaced by an
equal number), on whom shell, devolve, for the
time, the execution of all duties whatsoever con-
nected 'with the purposes of the Institution.
Among many, one subject to which the early and
particular attention of the Committee should be
directed is, the inspection and examination of
new Pieces of the higher classes for Stage repre-
sentation. They' *ould, by public advertise-
ment, invite Writes of Plays to send their per-
formances for approval and recommendation to
the Theatres, to their apartments; and, subjoined,
are forms of reply (Nos. 1,'3, and 3,) which will
tend to explain the nature of the recommenda-
tions alluded to.

(No. 1.)

Theatrical Society Committee Rooms,
January

Silt—l am directed by the CoMmittee of this Society to
acknowledge the receipt of your manuscript Tragedy, entitled

_, and to return it herewith. After an attentive and care.
ful perusal of your work, the Committee are of opinion that,
though its poetical merits are. considerable, and some of the
scenes are drawn with great .truth and fidelity to nature, it is
yet'deficient in action—more a dramatic poem than an acting
Play which, trn^h the whole, unfits it, in the judgment of the
Committee, for Stage representation.
X. Y. Sec. L. T. S.
To A— B—, Esq.. &c. &c.

(No. 24
Theatrical Society Committee Rooms,
February

Slit—The Committee of the Society desire mei() inform you,
that they 'have received and read attentively your Play entitled
The Committee think favourably of it ; and that'
with certain alterations and curtailicents, it may be adapted
and rendered fit for the Stage. On the inner margin of the
Big.: you will observe (in pencil) several remarks made on dif-
ferent scenes and characters of the Piece, to which the Corn-
mime beg to direct your attention. iihould you think proper
to attend to the remarks, and return die Play, altered and cor-
rected aecording to the spirit of these suggestions, the Com-
mittee will be happy In giving it their recommendation to
Theatre. X. Y. Sec. L. T. 8:
To C— Esq., ace,

(No. 3.)

'theatrical Society, Committee Rooms,
March,

Sin.—The Committee of this Society directs me to acknow.
ledge the receipt of your Tragedy, entitled I am
glad to inform you, that the Committee are unanimous in opi-
nion, that it Is a work of uncommon merit, and cannot fail,
under usual circumstances, of being favourably received by a
British audience. On the inner margin of the manuscript is
marked In pencil, one or two observations (chiefly relative to
scenery, stage convenience and management), which the Com-
mittee request may be attended to ; they will then be most
happy to recommend your Tragedy of to the Manager
of ---.. for representation. X. Y., Sec. L. T. S.
To B—. F—., Esq., &c.. &c.

The phraseology, orilTe specimens of Theatric
Society Correspondence, will at least sound to
an Author's ear, disgracious" than the
printed laconic seplies.of (hoe-thrifty Managers.
Authors, moreover, wzillil_be certain of securing
an early answer to their Various applications, and
that. their worlcsOvitlyp view to the Stage, would
receive, not only this prompt attention, but also
a careful and criti4lerusal—a channel opened,
and an opportunity: afforded them (which they
want) of a written, ,or personal. correspondence
with the.'Delegates of Authority. This corms.
pondence would necessarily extend to a variety
of subjects .connected with the Drama, which,
'in time, could not fail to exalt its character,
as well as to promote its purity and improvement.
Hints to, and materials for the use of Authors,
either for original composition, or, for the re-
vival and adaptatton for the Stage of neglected
Dramatic works of the elder school, would be
furnished them through the agency of the Com-
mittee. And other
.objects equally important,
would also lie cultivated, tending, I sincerely
hope, not only to the permanent advantage of
our Theatrical establishments, but to the honour
of the British nation.
Managers, it may be argued, would he hostile,
and object to the principles of an institution tend.
lug to lessen their consequence and abridge their
:'
power., .
answer, it is impossible that they
.(Maaageta),,can object.. Their interest would
. be
so. clearly promoted and forwarded' by the
boors of.the Institution, that on this point alone
am wiliiag to rest. The conviction 'of their Car:
dial co-operation aii
suppdrt. ' But, US snF addi:
tional security flint neither their interest. nhr
authority may suffer, or be lost sight of, by those
who best understand both, I should propose that

the names of the Managers of Drury-lane. and.
Covent-garden, pro
~tenspore, be added to the
Committee of Ten,. as permatient'extraOrdinary
MeMbeis. As permanents, therefore, of the Com-
mittoiv, their voice would always be listened. and
attended to, with that deference and respect to.
whlch iL is entitled .by their high official situa-
tion. The Committee too, I dare venture to
assert, would leave 'untouched the: wide range of
Melodramei‘Pantomitne, Furpe, end the long list
of Ornamentals which now glitter in, and distin-
guish the, modern temples of Thalia- and Mel-
pomene, These, in conjunction 'with their other
avocations, would serve to occupy sufficiently the
leisure hours of our Patent Managers.
And now, Sir, in anticipation of sin-'early
existence to the London Theatrical Society, I
declare myself (with the temperament of the
vender of glass of • the East) a candidate for the
Secretaryship, and request you will not fail to
acquaint me. when the first meeting of the Society
is announced.' . .

(TO blaintinied):

FOR THE SUN.

PROTEUS.

WALT!! x3l CROSS.
F4DITOR-lii a MorninOltilier of this day
I read the ft:Mowing remarks
"Chafing Crass, as it stood before the civil. wits, was iniief
thoic beautiful gothic obelisks, erected to totijugii affecticihi by
Edwtril the First, who built such Rime wherever &Verse of
his beloved Eleanor rested in its wayfrOelLirteoltrithleeto West-
minstei.• Rut neither its ornamental situatiee,' the'beauzy of
its structure, .nor the noble design,or iti erection (Which did
honoui to humanity)' could preserve it front the merciiess zeal
of the times,: for in 1647 it was demolished by order of the
Hoitia of .Commons as popish and superstitioutt."—(l:lereld,
Dec. 2, 1824.)

As the blind rage against those structures, (not
quite properly called obelisks), has long subsided,
and they-are now generally admired as beautiful
specimens in their peculiar style, it could hardly
be believed, were not-the fact undeniable, that
one of the'niost beautiful of them, and. one very
near the metropolis, is now falling fast into ruin,
by mere neglect. The state •of the Cross at
Waltham is such as fills every admirer with ap-
prehension, lest it should soon be past restora-
tion. It is surely a great reproach to the county
.of Herts to have suffered this decay to proceed
so far. But if Herts feels not the call, or dreads
the eipence of ' restoration, her neighbour Mid-
dlesex (a tolerably opulent dame) would doubt.
less tend a helping -hand. .Tottenham Cross, not
comparable; to• this in elegance,. ,has been re-
stored' That at Northamptoni and perhaps some.
'others, hive received similar attention. But the
remains' -of Waltham Gross show clearly that it
world he'equal- to any in beauty. The cross of
Churbig, 'which 'is now, past 'reparation, appears
not to 'have beewtomparable to this. Pennant
at least says, speaking from a drawing he had
seen, that " the • gothic parts. appear
.far from
rich." It was, however, octagonal, and orna-
menti%id- above with eight figures. In Mr. Brit.
ton's beautiful work, The Architectural. Antiqui.
lief,- it a' fine engraving of this and other, Crosses,
with the following remarks :---

The Cross at Waltham, Hertfordshire, thomgh more de-
lapidated than either of thejbrmer, is more enriched in its archi-
tectute, and more elegant in 'lts sculpture; and I am inclined
to
,believe that these structures, near 'the metropolis,, were more
faithfully executed thin 'those more remote from Court. This
;
formerly stood on steps, btit the ground having been raised
round it,. and the steps coveted, it appears much shorter than the
others.—(This might be corrected in the restoration.)—Stand-
ing in a narrow street, which is a very great thoroughfare, at-
tached to a puhlie inn, aria at 'the very turning of ti road, it is
eXposcd,,tomuch danger, and these things consideia, we cease
to wonder at its shattered and mutilated condition.-{lt 'might
he a little yemoved.).7lnl72o, 1)r. Stukely was commissioned;
by thaSociety of Antiquaries; to have tome posts placed round
it for protection ; and in 1757 he petitioned, Lord Monson, who
wairthen. Lord of the Manor of Cbeshunt, in which it stands, to
build some brickwork round the case, .and set up some other
posts. It has six faces."—(Arch. Antig., Vol. 1.),

The author then refers to the plate for further
particulars. As the Cross at Charing had eight
faces, it is probable that it was at first still
more richly adorned ; though the ornaments
might have disappeared 'by decay before the
drawing was made, to which Pennant referred.--.
Be this as it may, if attention should be recalled
to Waltham Cross by what I have now written,
many lovers of antiquity will rejoice, as well as
Yours,. &c. X.