The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-03 00:00:00

Plaudite et valeta, (Terence, hem 1j

The dramas, farces, and burlesques produced here have
been characterised by such singular seccess that not only
do provincial managers win confident audiences to their
temples of histrionic display by the announcement of an
Adelphi drama or screaming farce, but in almost every
provincial town of importance there is an Adelphi theatre,
the highest complimeet perhaps that can be paid to the
popularity too,
of your appeeciation. The authors, of this
‘ little set" have more largely benefited, I believe, by their
successes here, than in any other establishment ; but they
can speak for themselves, and may their shadows never be
less. To enlarge upon the coincidental history of this
theatre world trespass too much upon your time and pa-
tience; but strange things are brought about by the
whirligig of time. On this very spot stood the roadside
farm of the celebrated actress Nell Gwynne, in whose
kindly heart Chelsea Hospital, that refuge for the poor
worn out soldier, had its origin. Under my feet is the
well of pure spring water that still bears her name, that
she loved to drink when halting here, on her way to
the village of Charing, to eat fish and curds with the
Merry Monarch ; and here, after a lapse of nearly 2a3
years, a theatre has grown up, ranking high in repute-
' tion, and honoured by the frequent presence of royalty*
How it became a theatre is equally singular—it was coa-
-1 sequent upon " True Blue," in the year 1802, through °
dye of that name having been invented by a Mr. Scott, or
"True Blue" Scott, as he was familiarly called, which
gave such a peculiarly delicious tint to the peculiarly de•
licious habiliments of the fair sex, that a rapid fortune
was the consequence—an established fact, when feminin°
influence is brought to bear on anything material or ire'
' material. " True Blue," being of an imaginative turn,
cast the fortunes of his dye on a heap of ruins that
stood, or rather fell, here, and raised out of them 0
Temple of variety, wherein he enacted a variety of enter'
tainments that could eva le the law and the monopoly of the
legitimate drama. Here Miss Scott held sway with stet/
and song ; and the piano descended through a trap, to make
1 room for Frikell acts of legerdemain. Here Charles Dih'
din, the bard and life of the wooden walls of old England.
gave his attractive illustrations of men and manners, until
I" True Blue " Scott finding acting under a mask as profit-
; able as his dye, threw it off for the bare-faced article, an
,:1
erected a theatre here called the Sans Pareil. Success av;
i tended this second move. It then passed into the hands °'
I Messrs. Rodwell and Jones, of " Tom and Jerry " Wag'
who realised by that extravaganza almost fabulous sell
Aften then, it became the property of Messrs. Terry
Yates, who kept up its notoriety by many species of 3'
•
tractions, from Mademoiselle Djeck and the Bayaderes,ll
to those undying dramas of " Victorine," " The Virse„,
Ashore," " The Pilot," and many others too numerous 1"'„
mention. When Terry ceased to be, the elder ildatherf:
i joined Mr. Yates, whose unflagging energy and judgeueg:
never ceased to gratify the public. In the course of ligg;
1 this freehold pet of the public ultimately fell into the Pg':
1 session of a person of whom you have probably heard, 011"
et
Benjamin Webster, who, I truat by "Green Bushes," " Jgl3-1.
I Pride," " Flowers of the Forest," "The Willow Copse!
" The Poor Strollers," &c., has endeavoured to folloWll/1
the steps of his predecessors. Having spoke of the tAst,,,,
will briefly allude to the future, as I do not profess,
look into the seeds of time. Ever since I became posseaso4!
this property, I have felt the necessity a a better theult
combining modern comfort with increased powers of effee t
A theatre honoured by the marked patronage of her rufbge
gracious Majesty, and that real patron of the dranes,,L „
, Prince Consort, ought, with the finest site in the nesiq
polis, if not in the world, to be second to none, o'l'
proper means and appliances, and these I shall strive to
employ to general satisfaction. With regard to the o,lg.
lish drama itself, it is in your power, ladies and gentle'
men, to give it a new life; for it is still strong .0131"
us, both with regard to authors and actors, gu.r:.
as it exists, no foreign nation has ever equalled 4,14
power, construction, poetry. and purity. I then hope
the British public will not allow us to be sol fa'd out a° to
birthright, though our stages have been lately devoted,..
four Italian operas in one night. I have yet faith in it'll,.
strength of the Saxon language being triumphant in a "1.0
matic sense, as the Saxon mind and body are dorainantallis
art, science, war, and peace. We live to please, and 10.
confident you will please to let us live. To every one aro
ployed about me, to the Press generally, to the kind heseis
who have clung to the old craft and its commander, on t"
last night of the Adelphi, both before and behind the egr.
, 1 tain, I heartily offer my sincerest thanks. It speaksWete
for us all, and is particularly flattering•to me. trut"„;"
end of September next, when I hope to welcome you 'jai
new and approved theatre, 1 respectfully wish you hex
and happiness.
After the audience had retired the companY
tor
sembled on the stage, and presented Mr. Wet „
with a gold watch and chain, of splendid workree—ni
ship. The watch, which was offered in the name "
aro
the corps dramatique by Mr. Paul Bedford, be t
the following inscription :—" This remembrance wne
the Adelphi and its fortunes for 14 years was Pre;
seated to Mr. Benjamin Webster after the last Pe
formance on Wednesday night, June 2, 1858. b.
funds for its purchase were raised by a general sui,
scription in every department of the theatre, e„t',
and all rejoicing in the opportunity of recordl7
their respect for the man, admiration of the aCto
and confidence is the manager.
Mr. Webster, who was received with the Me!!
cordial applause, acknowledged the compliment I
graceful and impressive terms ; and so closes °lf'
history of the old Adelphi.