Star.
London, England, 1809-12-15 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

We have great pleasure in announcing the prospect
of a speedy termination to the dispute which has so
long existed between the public and the Patentees of
Covent Garden Theatre.
We refer our Readers to the preceding account in
this day's paper, of what passed at the Public Meet-
ing, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, where the first
concession on the part of the Managers was made, while
we proceed to state here the result at the Theatre.
The play was The Provok'd Husband. Up to the
time of half-price, the house was almost a desert ; for
some nights past the Managers have not sent in many
orders ; in order, perhaps, to discover fairly, whe-
ther they had any considerable number of genuine
supporters on the system they had adopted. They sen-
sibly felt they had not; for they received little money
till the 0. P.'s came in at half-price. The house last
night filled' at this period of the evening; and it was
immediately clamoured through the piz and boxes that
the Managers had given in. A Gentleman stated,
that Mr. Kemble had attended the Meeting where Mr.
Clifford was in the Chair, and had yielded to the de-
mand of the public. It had been agreed by the Com-
mittee for defending the persons under prosecution,
that the boxes should remain at 7s. that the pit should
be restored to 3s. 6d. that the private boxes should be
done away, and that all prosecutions on both sides
should be stopped. A burst of acclamation took place
on this notice of victory. But it was requisite that it
should be confirmed from the stage—and the 0. P.
dance was danced, banners were unfurled, cat-calls,
bugles, bells, and rattans were put in motion; and the
vociferous discord of horrible noises drowned all other
sounds. The Play concluded in this way. The Pit
seemed then to wait with patience, in the full persua-
tion that Mr. Kemble would ria4ke his appearance ;
but the Farce of Tom Thumb began. This put an end
to all complacency. Public indignation was at its
height ; and not one syllable of the rhodomoritade of
the Farce could be heard ; until at length Mr. Kemble
made his appearance in his walking dress—half boots,
great coat, round hat, and cane, as he had walked
from the tavern. It required near half an hour to
procure what was universally bawled for—siknce. At
length he said—
" Ladies and Gentlemen"—Here he was stopt by
the noise. Ater an hundred bows, he was again
heard to say—" Ladies and Gentlemen—l ask"—
Again interrupted ! Again he began—" Ladies and
" Gentlemen, I ask ten thousand pardons for pre-1
" sinning to appear before you in a dress so little suit-
" able to the very high respect which I feel, and which
" it is my anxious wish ever to shew you in this place."
After some further interruption, but all from the inces-
sant demand of silence, he resumed, " It is entirely
" on ing to the circumstance of my not being apprised
66 that I should have the honour of appearing before
" you this night. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have
66 been with the company of Gentlemen who have
" dined together at the Crown and Anchor Tavern ;
" where a set of propositions was submitted to us
66 for consideration, and to which the Proprietors have
a agreed. The first proposition is, that the Boxes
" should continue at 7s. (Applause: and murmur.).
" That the Pit should be lowered to the old price—l.
" That the tier of Private Boxes—the tier of Boxes in
46 the front of the House—should be thrown open and
restored to the public at the end of the present sea-
" son—And, Ladies and Gentlemen, that no trace
44 or recollection of the past differences which have
" so unhappily prevailed so long, should remain, I
gr am further to say, that we most sincerely lament
a the course that has been pursued, and we engage that
a all legal proceedings shall forthwith be put a stop to,
" on the part of the Pr prietors. I pledge myself
16 that instructions to that effect shall be given im-
mediately. ("fit/douse.) Now, Ladies and Gen-
" tlemen, before I retire, giv- me leave to express
.4 my most lively sense—" Here he was interrupted
by a loud and almost universal demand to dismiss
Braden. The dismission of Brandon was vociferated
from every part of the Rit—anct there were mixed
with this, various other cries—as " Boxes, six shil-
lings."—The Meeting demanded Old Prices gene-
rally—and
no Private Boxes.—a What do you mean
" by boxes in the front ? No private boxes."—
Amidst this tumult, Mr. Kemble continued, making
his obeisance in all directions to obtain silence, but
in vain. He then retired—and, after a short interval,
returned ' • when the cry of Dismiss Brandon, was re-
vived. After ineffectual endeavours to obtain at-
tention, he again withdrew, making the most respect-
ful reverence to the spectators.
The dumb shew of the farce then went on, amidst
the noise, which was greatly aggravated by the ab-
surd appeals to the pit, of Mr. MUNDE.V, in the cha-
racter of the King, who bowed, scraped, and cringed,
holding a conversation with those nearest the orchestra,
which, of course, the hcrise could not hear. They
called for Mr. Kemble—" Not from your mouth, but
" from your master's, will we hear an answer." Still
lie persevered ; and a paper was flung upon the stage
—he took it up, and said, " He should feel it to be
" his duty to deliver it to Mr. Kemble," and retired.
An attempt was again made to go on with the
farce—but the clamour was resumed. Mr. Munden
then brought on the abashed, humbled, penitent, Mr.
Brandon, who stood before the company with a
paper in his hand, which was no doubt a written
apology, and an appeal to their mercy, which hb
was desirous to read ; but he could nod obtain
hearing. His submission was contrite, and we have
no doubt but that his apology was ample; but they
would not hear him—and he was forced to with-.
draw. Soon after Mr. Munden brought on Arr.
Harris, junior, who with an air of much submission.

!aid.--«g Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr, Brandon Is an
old alorvanfor lily father."—Mr, Harris was Inter-
rupted with " He 'must be dism;sed." He continued
••44 Mr. Brandon has been a faithful servant"—
Again he was interrupted ; and a t.,,,usand voices
called out, "Itis a sine qua non. He has not render-
ed you faithful service—he has outraged all decorum
—Send him to Bow-street—Make him a Police Jus-
tice. He must be dismissed," &c. &c. &c. Mr.
Harris retired. No further effort was made by the
Managers to conciliate, and the Farce was soon con-
cluded amidst tho din. The Company continued
some time, and with their accustomed pastime—the
0. P. dance—the usual cheers—and GOD save the
King.
The agreement made at the Crown and Anchor,
seemed to meet the approbation of the great majority
of the house. Though some objection was taken to
the price of the boxes, yet it was faint ; and certainly
that is the least matter in contention. The great
complaint was the tier of private boxes, and the un-
justifiable means employed by the Managers to sub-
due the Public. These great points being done
away and atoned for, the generous feelings of the
public, we trust, will be satisfied with the triumph ;
and agree, as Mr. Kemble said, that all tracer of recol-
lection :hall be blotted out.

The Public have given a lesson to Managers which
they will not forget ; and now that they have esta-
blished their claim to exercise the jurisdiction of cen-
sure within the Theatre unannoyed, we have no doubt
but they -will be as mild and liberal in the use, as they
have been spi:ited and persevering in the establish-
ment of their right. It is certainly true that the Pub-
lic had m,!..11 c.ime to be dissatisfied with the conduct
of Mr. B.tnNDON ; but it is equally true that in this
contest Mr. BRANDON acted as a servant, not as a
principal: and we are confident that Englishmen,
who have the magnanimity to hold out the hand of
reconciliation and friendship to his employers, will not
tarnish their character by visiting with vengeance a
mere instrument, whose attachment to the Proprietors
may well be conceived to have blinded his judgment,
whose refusal would have *deprived him of bread, and
who was encouraged in his error (if error it was) by
the countenance given to him by the Bow-street Ma-
gistrates, as often as he appeared at that Office. We
sincerely hope that the Public will take a dispassionate
view of this part of the question : if they do, we are
certain they will not debase themselves by break-
ing a butterfly on the wheel after strangling the cro-
codile in his den.—Away with such petty revenge
Englishmen, act like yourselves!—act with huma-
nity, dignity, and justice !

LONDON.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
3 per C. Cons. for epg. 70I—Red. 69H—Omnium 24 3 pr.
Exchequer Bills 6s. 14s. prem.

Government received this morning dispatches from
Walcheren—They state that the basin, the floodgates,
Istore-houses, arsenal, and in short all the works have
been destroyed. The troops had all embarked ; but
several of the transperts had suffered from the late
violent gales. Some have been driven ashore ; but
the dispatches do not say that any lives have been
lost, or that any of the troops have fallen into the
-enemy's hands.

Our Readers know already that an Austrian Mes-
senger arrived from France a fcw days ago. They
also know that Commissioners have been appointed,
who are to proceed to Morlaix to negotiate an ex-
change of prisoners— • ? have to add, that the report
still continues that . ime Messenger also brought
some kind of prvposiLions for opening a negotiation
to restore peace 1-,:ftween this country and France, but
we cannot ascertain whether it rests on any thing like
good authority.

VCre have received letters from Lord VVF.LuxoroN's
army, dated up to the 22d of November. Our cor-
respondents seem as yet ignorant of the intended

3MR•g?r

• 1

•
fought on the 20th and 21st ult. between the trench
and Spaniards; and that the latter, ander Gene►
AREsAon, having advanced into the plains n ar
Ocanna, to the N. E. of Toledo, he was
tacked by the French army, and after an obstinate

tic, so completely defeated, that he was obliged to
retreat with the remnant of hi: army towards Va•
lencia, leaving the Sierra Moriea and Seville unco..
vered.

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