The Sun.
London, England, 1827-04-23 00:00:00

JUBILEE AT STRATFORD.

As the Jubilee in honour of the birth-day of
Shakspeare, which commences at Stratford this
day, has excited considerable interest amongst
all ranks of persons having a just estimate of the
transcendent genius of the " Immortal Bard of
Avon," the following hasty sketch of the origin,
&c. of that which took place in the year 1769,
under the superintendence of Mr. Garrick, may
interest our readers :--

In the year 1768, the corporation of Strat-
ford-on-Avon, assisted by the subscriptions of
the neighbouring gentry, rebuilt their Town-hall ;
soon after which the celebrated George Alexan-
der Steevens visited his friend, the late Mr. John
Payton, the proprietor of the White Lion Inn,
at Stratford, who having invited several of his
acquaintances to spend the evening with his en..
tertaining visitor, the conversation turned upon
Shakspeare, the Mulberry-tree, and finally upon
the newly-erected edifice, when regret was ex-
pressed that they possessed no statue to occupy
the empty niche left in the north front. Shak-
speare's occurred as the most appropriate ; and
Steevens, delighted with the idea, suggested an
application to his friend Garrick, then in the ze-
nith of public favour, to give a benefit at his
theatre, or otherwise promote a fund towards
defraying the expence of the proposed statue of
Shakspeare. This hint being approved by the
company, Steevens observed, that as Garrick
was fond of praise and profit, he would, if it
were possible, turn the measure to his pecuniary
advantages, at the same time that the intimation
would gratify his vanity ; and under this convic-
tion Steevens addressed him on the subject.—
Steeven's engagements taking him to Worcester
in a day or two following, he there received
Garrick's answer, which in no manner declined
the general wish •expressed by the application ;
and a correspondence then took place between
Garrick and the corporation, in which he ac-
quitted himself with so much address, that the
freedom of the borough being voted to him, it
was conveyed in a box made of Shakspeare's
mulberry-tree, which highly flattered the well-
known vanity of Garrick. Such were the inci-
dents, however unpromising in their first appear-
ince, to which this remarkable festival was in-
debted for its origin. Flattered by this judicious
compliment, Garrick conceived the idea of cele-
hrating the Jubilee ; and his proposed plan, be-
ing highly approved by the corporation, he de-
termined on its taking place the ensuing au-
tumn. A magnificent octagonal amphitheatre,
the
for R
100 an e
performers.l ag h Rotunda
Th ;e withinfirat -as
capable of holding 1,000 persons, was erected
upon the Bancroft, close to the Avon, somewhat
resemblingtn
open-
ing of the Jubilee was announced by the dis-
charge of 30 pieces of cannon, 12 cohorns, and
some mortars (ranged upon the margin of the
Avon), at five o'clock on Wednesday morning,
-iept. 6, 1769. The corporation met at eight
o'clock, and having appointed Mr. Garrick
steward, invested him with the insignia of his
office, viz., a medallion (on which was carved a
bust of Shakspeare, richly set in gold), and a
wand, made from the mulberry-tree. A public
breakfast then took place in the Town-hall, after
which the company proceeded in regular order
to the church, where the oratorio of Judith',
under the direction of Dr. Arne, was performed;
after which the company walked in procession to
;he Amphitheatre, preceded by vocal and instru-
nental performers, where, at three o'clock, up-
wards of 700 ladies and gentlemen sat down to

in elegant dinner, at which Garrick presided as
steward. In the evening there was a brilliant as-
sembly at the Amphitheatre, and the whole town
illuminated. A large transparency was displayed
from the window of the room where Shakspeare
was said to have been born. Fire-works vvwe
let off the whole night, from a temporary build-
ing erected for that purpose. The second day's
entertainments commenced with a public break-
fast at the Town-hall, from whence the company
adjourned to the Amphitheatre, where the Ode,
on the dedication of the newly-erected Hall, to
the memory of Shakspeare, was performed. A
public dinner was given at three o'clock, and the
town, at night, again illuminated ; with five ad-
ditional transparencie3 for the five front windows
Shakspeare'sin Hall. His bust in the Chancel
was adorned with festoons of laurel, bays, &c. ;
and, at the head of his grave-stone were garlands
of flowers and evergreens. The Masquerade at
-the Amphitheatre was attended by upwards of
1,000 persons, some of whom paid the enor-
mous sums of 15 and 20 guineas for a very so-so
Spanish dress ; so great was the demand, and
short the supply. On Friday the weather conti-
nued so unfavourable, that the pageant, repre-
senting Shakspeare's principal characters from
his plays, which it was intended should walk in
procession from the College to the Amphithe-
atre, was abandoned. The race, however, upon
Shottery-meadow, for the Jubilee Cup, value
50 guineas, took place, and was won by Mr.
Pratt's horse, Whirligig.—Garrick danced a mi-
:feat-
nuet at the Assembly in the evening, and thus
closed a ceremony, which excited the greatest
atooskeripol,
jacse.
Annual Minor Jubilee " was contemplated the
etedreasts at the thsuebtjiemcte,waoltrthhoyugohnlbyy soofmreicuitc7fes.
An
nbt eurtt a innoendeln 1794 Mr.
nextAlal Malone entertained intention of pro-
moting a commemoratirA of the Jubilee, but
abandoned his desigli in consequence of the na-
ional gloom which the revolutionary war in
France had excited.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM PARIS.—
" Mr. Canning's triumph is a source of public
joy here, as it must be to all Constitutional
Europe ; he is the "spes gregis,' the leader on
whose vigour and superior talent all friends to
civil and religious liberty build their hopes, to
defend them against bigotry, hypocrisy, and base-
ness of all sorts. I am confident that the Court
people here are greatly disappointed, and that all
their wishes and their intngues are hostile to
Canning."
BRICK TEA.--The Mongols, and most cf
the nomades of Middle Asia, make use of this
tea ; it serves them both for drink and food.
The Chinese carry on a great trade in it, but
never drink it themselves. In the tea mimufac-
tories, which are for the most part in the Chinese
government of Fokien, the dry, dirty, and da-
maged leaves and stalks of the tea are thrown
aside, they are then mixed with a glutinous sub-
stance, pressed into moulds, and dried in ovens.
These blocks are called by the Russians, on ac-
count of their shape, brick tea. The Mongols,
the I3ouriats, the inhabitants of Siberia, beyond
lake Baikal, and the Kalmucks, take a piece of
this tea, pound it in a mortar made on purpose,
and throw the powder into a cast-iron vessel full
of boiling water, which they stiffer to stand a
long time upon the' fire ; adding a little salt and
milk, and sometimes mixing flour fried in oil.
This tea, or broth, is known by the name of
Satouran. I have drunk brick tea prepared both
ways, and found it palateable enough; at least very
nourishing.—Travels of Me Russian Mission.