The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-13 00:00:00

PRESENTATION OF A SILVER CUP TO MR. DAVIDGE.

As soon as the performances of the evening had con-
cluded, the whole of the performers, with their friends,
assembled on the stage to witness the presentation of a
superb silver cup, as a mark of gratitude ana esteem to
Mr. Davidge, for his having kept the theatre open on the
Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent. On presenting
the same, Mr. E. L. Lewis spoke nearly to the following
effect :

" Six,—ln presenting this humble tribute of the Ladies
and Gentlemen by whom you are surrounded, I am sensi-
ble I shall give but a faint representation of the feelings by
which they are actuated. The situation I now stand in
is honourable in itself, but would have acquired more
honour had it been filled with greater dignity. I should
not have taken upon myself to be the organ of the Com-
pany, had I not been able, from the long experience of
many campaigns, waged under your banner, to bear indi_
. victual testimony of the merits which have elicited from
them the present expression of their feelings. The con-
duct you have universally pursued in behalf of the real
welfare of the profession to which we are attached—the
1-firmness you have evinced in combating against the

sinewy tide of malice, and the strong elastic wind of
envy, which when touched, dissipates in fumes befoire
the imperishable adamant that composes the basis
of generosity and goodness of heart. You have expe-
rienced changes and vicissitudes—you have gone through
the ordeal of persecution—you have been cheered by the
voice of popular applause, and it cannot be otherwise than
gratifying to you to find that those who have been fellow
lab oirers (though humble ones) in 'the same field are at
this period proud to hail your triumph, to sympathize in
y feelings. The hand of charity you have ever
,Irtended towards the suffering portion of our brethren,
both in and out of your establishment. You h :ye
ever displayed a facility in affording those sufferers
an opportunity of • providing against a future day of
misery, to rescue them from the obloquy of destitution and
'.he stigma of dependence. But more especially the grand
final object. your noble example, and successful attempt to
relieve us from a custom, by which, of all trades and profes-
sions, we alone are sufferer s, namely, the closing of the thea-
tres on Wednesday and Friday evenings (baring Lent. How
ear such closing can he conducive to the interests of reli-
gion and morality, I will not venture an opinion; but whilst
le performance of music of the most frivolous cha-
racter, exhibitions of the grossest buffoonery, end exa
ertions of individual talent, in anything but a grave enter-
ment, were allowed, it certainly was hard that dramatic
performance should be prohibited ; and that whilst fasting
in all other classes is a matter of conscience, with actors
it should be a direful necessity. You, Sir, have steered a
sntorbuleetrilfeaethn,t
entertaathoinmentave,
yr
toaui
nhmaevne
tp,
the public might edify, and
roadiautced a moral, rational, and in-
the actors might eat. We think, for the advantage of the
public, we are sure, for the benefit of ourselves, these ac-
tions combined could not fail exciting in the bosom of all
this expression of gratitude. lam proud to say, never
was there a more undivided unanimity of good feeling and
cordial eagerness than in the contribution of that feeble
tribute to which I now call your attention ; from the
highest- employment in the theatre to the lowest, the
anxiety has been the same, and those whose humble em..
ployment seemed almost to place them beyond the vale of
such transaction, have warmly solicited to become par-
takers in this expression of their approbation. Continue teo
be honourable, candid, and sincere in your conduct to,
un-
worthy the
mayconeßqiuttetesealitii.l,gs
allowe attempt excellence.
w present,
wards us, and you will find we possess minds not a
Perfection is the lot of few.
this cup, this
SAW
ma'r'kWoiithouthre'esi,teem,
this symbol of our gratitude ;
sentiments are written on it, and engraven on the hearts
of all who give it."
The cup was a very handsome one, and bore-an inscrip-
tion to the following effect :
" To George Bolwell Davidge, Esq. Lessee and Ma,
nager of the Royal Coburg Theatre, this Cup was pre--
sented on Saturday, April 11, 1829, by the Performers
end others employed in the various departments of that
Establishment, as a token of their grateful esteem for his
liberal and constant exertions on Lehalf of the profession,
more especially for his spirited and successful attempt to
encrease their welfare by keeping open the above theatre
on the Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent."
Mr. Davidge appeared to be considerably affected at this
proof of the estimation in which he was held by the corr.,
and after a short pause, replied nearly as follows
" Brethren and fellow-labourers in one cause, I cannot

bat feel gratified by this mark of your esteem, yet it woul4
he too much like acting to attempt to express my feeling].
in a long speech. I became manager of this theatre by
cii cumstance, and have since endeavoured by perse-
verance to render the amusements of this theatre

deserving of public support. With regard to keeping
the theatre open on Wednesdays and Fridays, I feel
convinced that there is no law to compel me to close it on
those days, and why should we lose one-third of
our emolument when at other places sleight of band,
phantismagorias, and exhibitions of not only a frivoloaso
but even of a grcss nature, are nightly tolerated ? Allow
Inc, however, also to say that it the Dramas performed
have any tendency to injure the morals of the rising gene-
ration, no inducement of private profit should make me
keep the house open for one night. Again allow me to
return you thanks, and although I have been in some mea-
sure successful, my own efforts would have been nothing
without the joint and collective efforts of the Ladies and
Gentlemen around me. May the Minor Drama flourish ;
may Messrs. Ducrow and \Vest be successful, and may the
Surrey nightly overflow, and may their overflow fill this
house ; and, finally, may health and happiness attend you
all. Ladies and Gentlemen, farewell."

WINDSOR, APRIL 12.—Yesterday, at one
o'clock, the following personages arrived at the Castic in
their separate carriages :—Lord SE.ELMEaSDALE, Lord
SPENCER CHURCHILL, and Lord FARNHAM. On their
being introduced to the KING, they presented petitions,
and each bad the honour of a separate audience, when
they took leave of his MAJzsry, and,•after partaking cf
some refreshment, left the Castle on their return to town.

Yesterday afternoon, at three o'clock, the
KING, accompanied by the Lord Steward, left the Castle
in his pony phaeton, followed by his usual sute of attend-
ants, &c. His INIAJEszy proceeded by Queen Ann's
Ride, Sandpit-gate, and Mill-hill, to Virginia Water, anti
returned to the Castle at half-past five o'clock.

This morning, at nine o'clock, the Duke of
CUMBERLAND arrived at the Castle, and had the honour
of breakfasting with his MAJESTY.
The Duke of CUMBERLAND left town at an
early hour yesterday morning, on a visit to his MAJESTY
at his Palace at Windsor.

The Duchess of KENT and the Princess
SOPHIA MATILDA visited the Princess AUGUSTA on Satur-
day, at her residence in the King's Palace, St. James's.

Lord ROLLE gave a grand dinner to the
Duke of CUMBERLAND, on Saturday, at his residence in
Upper Grosvenor-street ; there was a numerous party to
meet his Royal Highness.
The Duke of MANCHESTER transacted busi-
ness on Saturday at the Foreign and Colonial Offices.

On Saturday afternoon Mr. HALCOMB and
the Rev. Mr. ISAACSON attended at the Office of the se-
cretary of State for the Home Department, with a petition,
signed by 11:3,000 of the inhabitants of London and West-
minster, praying his MAJESTY to dissolve the Parliament,
and applied to Mr. Secretary PEEL to forward it to his
MAJESTY. The petition, which was so voluminous as to
require two persons to carry it, was sent down by Mr. Se •
cretary PEEL by a King's messenger to his MAJESTY, at
his Palace at Windsor, in the course of the afternoon.

The Earl of LAUDERDALE had a long in-
terview with the Duke of WELLINGTON yesterday. The
Dean of CHESTER also visited his Grace.

The Duke of WELLINGTON entertained a
select party party to dinner yesterday, at his residence in
Downing-street.

The Spanish Minister had a conference with
the Earl of ABERDEEN on Saturday, at the office of the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

The \Vurtemberg Minister transacted business
at the Foreign-office, Downing-street, on Saturday.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer entertained
a numerous party at dinner on Saturday, at bis residence
in Downing-street.

Lord MARYBOROUGII gave a grand dinner
party on Saturday at his residence in Saville-street.

The Lords of his Majesty's Most Hon. Privy
Council had a meeting at eleven o'clock on Saturday morn-
ing, at the Council-office, Whitehall. The Lords present
were—the Lord President of the Council, the Judge of
the Admiralty Court, the Judge-Advocate-General, and
Viscount BERESFORD. Their Lordships were occupied in
hearing the arguments of Counsel in the case of a petition
from Jersey till half-past two o'clock, when the case con-
cluded, and Counsel were ordered to withdraw. Their
Lordships soon afterwards adjourned.
HIGHLAND Scrwor, SOCIETY.--On Satur-
day the annual dinner in commemoration of the establish-
ment of this Society took place at Freemasons' Tavern.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussrx was in the chair,
supported by the Duke of SOMERSET, Viscount Com:-
melt, the Earl of ROSEBERY, Lord GLENORCHY, and
other distinguished persons. The important benefits
which have resulted front this Society are so notoriously
and so generally acknowledged, particularly amongst the
upper classes, that it is unnecessary to point it out as de-
serving public.support. When we state.that the Society
has at the present moment under its care upwards of
20,000 children, we think that those who!have the means
will not hesitate to increase the resources of the institu
tion, which are at present somewhat impaired by the di •
minution of interest on funded property, and the reduc-
tion of rents. After dinner the company were gratified
with the customary allowance of toasts, speeches, and
songs. The Royal Chairman several film-, did Ali,
GRANT the honour to ask her to sing some of her coun-
try's ballads, and warmly applauded her exe,
them. A liberal subscription was entered into.