The Statesman.
London, England, 1813-10-23 00:00:00

IYESi*MS7:g qEsslOlq.

1,

t• . ,
• ~",(THEON THEATRE.
This wslits.erg appeal from a conviction, in vtilielt
Mr. Coady, es Proprietor of this Theatre, waseort.l,
victed:in a penalty of 501. upon the Statute of the 1
10th of Geo. 11. for causing plays to be acted at that
Theatre, without a licence from the Lord Chamber-
lain.,
Mr. OMINEY argued in support of the conviction.
.The Act of the lOth of Gehrge 11. had been passed
'to explain and amend an Act of: the 14th of Queen
Anne, called " The Vagrant Act." By this Act
any person performing, or causing to be perforined,
any interlude, tragedy, comedy, or opera, :affront
kgal authority, was liable to a penalty. of 50'.
conviction, - Upon this Statute Mr. Candy had been
convicted, who had appeared and acted as Manhger
and Proprietor of the Pantheon. In that capacity he
had-applied to the Magistrates for a licence for music
and dancing, and- had obtained it. In that capticity
he had also applied to the Lord Chamberlain fir al
licence to act plays, and had been refused. Prot-
withstanding this refusal, and that a formal mltice
had been given to him from the Lord Chamberlain's
office, that if be were to persist in having plays
acted at his theatre, it would be at hip peril he. re-
solved to persist. Among other pieces which he
caused to be performed, as the palmier piece of
The Cabinet. It mas proved, that the dialogue was
the same, the songs the same, and it was acted in
the same manner es The Cabinet was acted at Co-
vent-garden. It was true, that, by way of evading
the law, a piane-forte was on the stage, the chords
of which were occasionally struck ; bat the per-
formers paid no attention to them, and which rather
disturbed the dialogue than assisted the performance.
He was convinced,. however, that this artifice would
not be considered sufficient to allow him to escape
the penalty of the law. .
Some evidence was then gone into in auppott of
the conviction.
Mr. Lousdale swore (as he had before sworn at
the time of the conviction), that he attended the
Pantheon Theatre or .the night of the 26th of July ;
that it had all the appearance of a regular theatre;
and that he paid three. shillings for his admission into
the pit, and saw others pay the same ; that the piece
performed was The-Cabinet, and that it was acted
exactly in the swine• way as at the regular theatres.;
and that the dialogue was delivered in the same way,
and not in recitative. He admitted that chords were
occasionally struck, but this rather disturbed than
Resisted the dialogue, and the performers paid no
attention to those. chords. lie stated positively,
that the dialogue was not in recitative. He was used
to theatrical representation, and had been employ.
ed in writing the words of recitative for Sadler's-
wells. •
Mr. Mash, of the Lord Chamberlain's Office,
stated that Mr. Candy lied presented a memorial to
the Lard Chamberlain., to be allowed to act plays,
which was refused. It being afterwards understood
tote Mr:Cundy's determiuetloreto have pier meted
without the-Lord Chamberlain's licence, he called at
the-Fantheon Theatre on the. '24th of July; by di.
rection of the Lord Chamberlain, and wee Intro-
dated by Mr. Hill, the stage-manager, to Mr: Can-
dy.es proprietor. He theal gave him a formal mike
in writings not to persist is •his intention of sitting
plays without the Lord Chamberlain's licence but
Mr..C.undy then said, that he etinceived tire Isiagis.
trate's Dewy to berpuffideot, and he.should gas-on:
The application of Mr. Cundy to the Lorr&Cham-

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h.,underiligned in consequence would not lose a be lain was also read. itstated, that-in consequence
se.ment iiilreqatstlng hi•i• Rice Heftily Count de Vet.. of .repeattd assurances from COL -Creanle; 'that tie
ternieh to amine his iniptttisrliSjesty how .giesttly) wouWobtain.a proper licenee,-heihad-;been induced
his Majesty the King .the to spend-near 60,0001.. in . the repairs •of the -Pen.
moo lively andliticeriOntgribt,-iiiiit.ffiebenefieent in theon.; usid•that he should -Ise absolutely ruined, if
tension of tthe IntMistldKCourtiers nut ',Oen .abie to not permitted to usethetheatre for Iliseatrical. repro.
produce- the disked result, is -*entitle' of the freib imitations. •
marks of interest end. collilence'Whieh his %Injeity j .31v. T. Johnson' :Property Manner of .the Thee-
the Emperor has'heen pleatitlii tb givi film onthis im- y tre, proved that be was entgagedeted paid by Mr.
portant occasion. • TheseetfOrts.vmade With 'common I Coady:, as were the performers.
acicord t 6 give a lasting and iolld'pleitteite Europe, I Mr. ScAeterr ,then addressed the Bench against
fluid not fail to add t these 'tietitimedts"if ;Men& 1 thecoaviction. 1- This ;Prosecution .appeared to have
shipiand etteeiniteitt-vihich kith geserAtttilnitttially I. originated from the office of the Lord Chamberlain,
feel ;• and•hts Excelleney'the Couiit 'de 'Metternich and it was represented' that 'either Lent liertfeed or
',flows of hOw 'Mad value et' rfthing'wfiali • tite•Priftee Regentliihose name had also bren•cnee-
••aentimentS Is 'the eyes, 'aid &kr 'teas tinned) were- of opinion, that .it was not proper or
his Majesty, • • • ' • i decorous -tbat 'the -.peopie of this great metropolis
idercigwed avails iiimself of this npportuni- I should he gratified in the anuirneeiimonths by :any
lit to his Excellency Count de Ketternlcit 1 theatrical leepreormatioas, except at the 'Lyce'um
ion of his most partieu!ar grlltlttide frit ' Theatre, in the Strain!. ,Witatmotives those per.
•oofs of kindness and confidence-Obi& Mil soilage% could hare 'for such an -*pinion, he could
has personally shown' kim, antl'hip htiii aott*ily, bat woad 'rather *et* supposed-that the
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