The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-03 00:00:00

POLYTRCHNIC REVIEW.

This cheap Monthly Periodical is devoted equally
to literay and scientific subjects, and contains this
month, in addition to several impartial notices of new
publications, an essay on the " Prevention 0f Rail-
way Accidents," by the establishment of electric
telegraphs aad the use of signal fires, in which occur
several serviceable practical suggestions; and an in-
genious plan of a new life" boat, with the quaint
name of the " Kamptulicon.'7 From an exceedingly
clever article on the Drama, we have given an extract,
detailing the proceedings of the " Prize Comedy "
Committee. It furnishes a complete answer to the
various attacks which have, at sundry times and in
divers manners, been made upon them.
" It has been asked by various persons, and
ourselves amongst the number—why, granting that
Quid Pre Quo was the best of the competing
comedies, yet why, being so bad, the committee con-
sented to give it the prise ? Ard Webster even has
been pitied for having so worthless an affair forced upon
him, and being made to pay 500/. for it, besides the ex-
pense of.producing it. Why did they not re-open the
competite or declina to adjudicate the prize, it has been
asked, and •o save poor Webster his 500/. ? A simple
.f facts answers these questions, and in a
manner which does equal credit to the judgment
and discretion of the -'committee, and the liberality of
Webster. We know it to be a fact, that, when the com
milieu had got through about half their work, having
examined some fifty or sixty plays, without finding one
that had any pretensions to dramatic merit, one, in ;act,
that could possibly be put upon the stage, the idea struck
them, that it was rer3 possible the remainder might prove
as unavailable for the purposes of the manager, and his
intention in offering the prize. They then requested the
company of Mr. Webster, and put the question to him,
whether in case of such a result, the committee would
have the power to withhold the prize, and re-open the
competition ; a power which has commonly been exer-
cised on occasions by committees for such purposes. Mr.
Webster replied, that he felt the force and justice of the
suggestion, but that he was precluded from acquiescing
in it ; laming been led by some communications which
had reached him through the public prints or by other
charnels, to give a pledge that the prize should in any
case be given to one of the MSS. sent in, in conformity
with the advertisement, which one the committee had
to decide, and that if they declined to decide upon
one, he would be obliged to endeavour to appoint
another committee, and so to go over all the labour
and trouble again. Mr. Webster was then asked whe-
ther, supposing the play selected should be such that
there would be no probability of its being acted on the
stage with success, or even listened to by the audience,
he would still consider himself bound to make the expe-
riment by producing it ? The reply was, that he ap-
prehended he should be so compelled, in consequence of
the • contingent advantages,' as the twentieth, fortieth,
and sixtieth nights, etc., mentioned in the advertise-
ment, and the injustice which would be considered to be
done to the author of the play, after its being selected
by the committee, in not producing it. Under these
circumstances, the committee resolved to go on with
their labours, and to select the best of the lot, whatever
h might be, having regard as well to general literary
merit, and the possibility—the physical possibility—of
production on the stage. The result everybody knows."