The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-31 00:00:00

E V EN IN 0-,

ADELPHI THEATRE.
MR. MURRAY'S FAREWELL.
(From the Scotsman.)
Oa Wednesday evening the Adeiphi Theatre was
crowded to excess on the occasion of Mr. Murray's
farewell benefit. The Rivals was the play, the ma-
nager appearing in his favourite part of Sir Anthony
Absolute. It is needless to say that the whole per-
formance went off in excellent style, assisted by the
kindly volunteered services of Mr. Murray's friends
and fellow-artists—Mr. Mackay, Mr. Glover, Mr.
Lloyd, and Mr. Powrie; and the audience manifested
the utmost enthusiasm throughout.
During the evening Mr. Murray delivered the fol-
lowing farewell address :
" Ladies and Gentlemen—lt was within these
walls that, on the 10th of November, 1809, I had the
honour of making my first appearance before you,
and it is within the same walls that I again apptar
before you, endeavouring to express to you the deep
and grateful sense I entertain of all the kindness, the
consideration, the forbearance you have evinced
towards me during my long and motley course of
t wo• and-forty years, and to perform the melancholy
duty of saying farewell to those I have so much
reason to love and to respect. As many may
remember, my earliest efforts here were anything
but successful, and I have great reason to rejoice that
they were not. My father was an actor of dis-
tinguished talent in London, and so great a favourite
wiih the public and his professional brethren, that on
my entrance into the Theatre Royal, Covent-
garden, under the auspices of Mr. Kemble, I was so
petted and favoured, on my father's account, that I
came before you with all the levity and conceit na-
tural to a boy of nineteen.—(Hear, hear.) But your
frowns, and the darkness of my reception here,
taught me to know myself, and to discover that I was
not ' the admirable Crichton' I bad vainly imagined.

—(Laughter and cheers.) With determined industry,
and doggedly, as Dr. Johnson says, I set myself to
remedy my defects. You, for a time, persisted in
your disapprobation—l was resolute in my efforts to
improve ; you missed—l laboured, until I fairly won
your smiles, and you began kindly to regard the
stripling who strove so unremittingly to please you.
To be brief, I rose in your favour.—(Loud cheers.)
Painful circumstances made me the manager of your
theatres ; and while, like others in my situation, I
could wish undone many things which have been
done, and have left unattempted many others I could
have wished performed, vet, considering the names of
the great artists I yearly brought before you, the
talents of the resident company, the merits of the
pieces annually produced, and the manner in which
they were brought forward, I do not think the court
before which I have the honour of pleading will re-
fuse me their verdict of approbation.—(Enthusiastio
applause.) To my successors in the management of
the two theatres I wish, sincerely wish, every pros-
perity they can wish themselves. They will profit
by my blunders ; they are both in the prime of life,
both of distinguished talent in their profession, both
highly popular ; and I earnestly desire for them
Calm seas, auspicious gales,
And sail so expeditious that shall catch
Their mimic fleets far off'—
wafting them into the havens of a golden fortune.—
(Loud cheers.) To my professional brethren I feel
deeply indebted for their kind and gratifying aid on
this occasion. To Tdr. Glover I owe many acts of
liberal kindness, and I feel great pleasure in acknow-
ledging my obligations towards him.—(Cheers.) By
Mr. Lloyd's kind assistance—(Cheers)—l am pecu-
liarly obliged, as it proves the cordial feelings of
regard which exist between us. I have further to
thank him for his great courtesy in postponing the
opening of the Theatre Royal until after the engage-
ment of the Miss Batemans here. To your distin-
guished favourite, Mr. Powrie, I owe many, many
thanks.—(Cheers.) But what shall I say to my old
tried and valued friend, Mr. Mackay—(Loud cheers)
—who, as he once by his talents saved the Theatre
Royal, has this season, by the attraction of his nn-
fading abilities, greatly diminished the losses the
Crystal Palace had entailed upon me—
' We have clamb the hill thegither
And now are toddlin down'—
but I earnestly hope that while we remain on the
pages of the world's volume,' the Bailie and the
Major may cling together in the firmest bonds of
friendship, for the sake of Auld Langsyne.'
" To the performers, orchestra, and servants of this
establishment, I return my best thanks for their con-
stant kindness to me, and cannot refrain from ex-
pressing the great pride and gratification I feel at the
splendid testimony of their affection and regard with
which they honoured me this morning—(Applause)
—and also offer my grateful acknowledgments to the
trustees and shareholders of this Theatre for their un-
varying liberality and attention; and I trust they will
not think that the reputation of the Adelphi has suf-
fered in my hands.—(Cheers.)
" And now, my kind and liberal patrons, 'tis time
for me to furl my professional sails, and say farewell
to those to whom
" All my service
In every point twice done, and then done double,
Were poor and single business to contend
Against the honours deep and broad."
you've showered on me. Some of my friends have
led me to hope that rest and retirement may so re-
store me to my former self, that I may occasionally
revisit the glimpses of our theatrical moon.' Should
that hope be denied me, and this indeed be the last
appearance I shall ever have the honour of making
before you, be assured that though the years of your
old servant be allowed to stretch into extremest age,'
the last, the most cherished worldly recollection that
trembles on his fading memory, will be the evenings
ho has spent in your service, and, above all, that in
which he now again thanks the brilliant assemblage
before him for many, many years of kindness, and
with deep, respectful, and fervent gratitude, bids you
Upon the conclusion of the address, the entire
audience rose and enthusiastically cheered 11Ir. Mur-
ray as he retired. During the delivery of the ad-
dress the presentation jugs (referred to by the ma-
nager) were exhibited on a table in the centre of the
stage.