The Sun.
London, England, 1832-10-12 00:00:00

REMUNERATION TO DRAMATIC AUTHORS.

During the last 10 years Drury-lane and Covent-
garden theatres have each paid to dramatic authors,
upon the average, 1,500/. per annum. This year
the sum paid at Covent-garden was 1,750/., and at
Drury-lane nearly the same. In these sums musi-
cal composers are not included, but there are some
exceptions; for instance, 400/. was paid to Mr.
Planche for Oberon, including 100/. for the copy-
right, and 500/. to Weber, for the music.
The practice used to be for the author of a full
five act piece, if there was no specific compact, to
receive 100/. for the third night, 1001. for the sixth
night, 1001. for the ninth night, 100 for the 40th
night, if a piece ran so long; but sometimes 500/.
have been given for a three-act piece; the average
remuneration at once for a tragedy or comedy was
from 200/. to 400/. Mr. Beazley received 84.01.
from Covent-garden in one year for three pieces—
namely, The Steward, a comedy, Ivanhoe, arid the
Cozening, a single-act piece. Mr. Colman received
1,000/. for John Bull, and nearly that sum for 'The
Africans. Mr. Poole received 400/. from the Illy-
market for Paul Pry, including the copyright, and
Mr. Sheridan Knowles the same sum from Covent-
garden for The Hunchback, but exclusively of the
copyright. Mr. Jerrold received 50/. from rhe
Surrey theatre for Black Eyed Susan, and 101. for
the copyright, and 150/. from Drury-lane for The
Rent Day. Mr. Moncrieff received 200/. from the
Adclphi for Torn and Jerry.
It is remarkable, that whilst the sums received
40 to 50 or 60 years ago by authors from the the-
atres for their pieces were much less than the above,
the value of theatrical copyright has greatly dimi-
nished amongst the booksellers. O'Keefe only
received 40 guineas from the theatre for his Son-in-
, Law, and the same sum for Dead Alive and Agree_
able Sarprise, and 60/. 10s. for Summer Amusement
a comedy; for The Young Quaker, a regular comedy
102/. 125.; Peeping Torn, 50/.; and the Beggar ,
Horseback, 30 guineas; but for the copyrights from
90/. to 3001. could be readily obtained. Now, how-
ever, the booksellers will scarcely make an offer for
this description of property, and even Mr. Sheridan
Knowles is scarcely able to obtain anything for the
copyright of The Hunchback. This change is attri-
buted to the prevalence of translated and adapted
pieces, which has rendered this species of copyright,
almost valueless in the estimation of the trade.
Of late years the rule has been at Drury-lane
and Covent-garden, for the author of a new piece to
be remunerated at the rate of 331. 6s. Sd. per night,
which gives for nine nights 300/. ; but this is sub-
ject to exceptions, by bargains being made between
the parties. At the Haymarket there is no rule,
each piece being the subject of a bargain or contract
between the author and the managing proprietor. 1;
is the same also at the Surrey and other minor theatres,
All the dramatic authors complain heavily of the
practice of the country theatres in surreptitiously oh,
copiesraining
di of pieces
emat successfultheir(m,n in Lo
houses,
the
erdo
authors
ir, i anti
notplaying
receiving any remuneration whatever from such
theatres. Some of the proprietors and managers
of these theatres allege that their concerns are so di-
minished in profit, that they could not afford to pay
any thing for their new pieces. It appears, hoc eve;„
though it is not shown how they obtain no copies,
that there must be some expense attending it; and
some of the authors say they would be satisfied with
a mere trifle per night, if it could be secured to them
as it is to dramatic authors in France.

CAUTION TO PARENTS.---A dreadful ac-
cident occurred on Wednesday to a poor little child, at the
house of a baker in Whitechapel-road. The mother, who
occupies the back room on the second floor, and is greatly al -
dieted to drink, went out with some acquaintances to a
public-house in the neighbourhood, locking her child, a
little boy about six years of age, in the room, and the little
fellow was playing with the fire, when, by some accident,
his clothes caught fire; his dreadful screams brought tho
people of the house to his assistance, the door was burst
open, and the flames soon extinguished. The poor fellow
was much insured, but great hopes are entertained of his
recovery, The feelings of the wretched mother can be
better imagined than described.

The Ordnance Office, in Pall-mall, has just
undergone a complete embellishment, and now presents ay
i
stylish an exterior as the smartest private dwelling n the
metropolis.

IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.--A Frenchman
resident at a principal fishing town on the French side of
the Channel has recently discovered a method of presery
ing fish perfectly fresh and wholesome for eighteen days,
Kentish Chronicle.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS.—I❑ Whitecross,
street prison there are no less than 395 prison-rs at ►his
moment detained for debt—in the King's Bunch about the
same number—and in the Fleet about 200; making about
900, exclusive of those in the Marshalsea, lionseinonger-
lane, and other gaols of the metropolis. Most of these
prisoners contemplate seeking their discharge under the Act
for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors, and are only waiting
the pleasure of one of the frier Commissioners of the Court,
who, it is said, is at present engaged in pheasan--sh.nuing.
—Evening Paper.