The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-09-12 00:00:00

-

L.

• •as EDITOR or Tax SEITES4I4N.
•,;sta,—AS a great.toverof Music, and a constant
• *leiter to most Of ihe-public places of amusement, I
• '*as much concerned, on my return to town two days
since, to perceive, from a Letter in your Paper of
Friday last, that some very material changes had
taken pine in the Hand at Covent-garden 7'heatre,
. soder the directiOn of Mr. Donor, of whom I know
;tithing more than as a Composer of celehiity, from
moue of whose prodocrickas I have experieuced great
pleasure. • •
It appears from the statement of your Correspon-
• drat, that the Salaries, within a short period, have
• been o materially reduced, that it is impossible any
persOn can subsist on the miserable stipend now paid,
As the Performers are prohibited from taking any
other engsgAnent whatever, being required to sign
an article which prevents their absence any night
during the season, although snob absence be supplied
by a proper and efficient deputy. This statement has
induced me to make very particular enquiries among
. some professional Gentlemen that my love of the
. science have introduced to my acquaintance, and I
am sorry to and that many rnosfrespec- table Per-
formers, sod of long standing in the crchastra, have
been compelled to relinquish their engagements, io
consequence of the arbitrary measures. adopted by
Mr. &snot, who it appears can introduce a foreign
star, at an esorbitant advance of salary, to the se-
clusion of an old servant, whose talent, if not tope-
lior, at least equals the person's thus introduced. I.

ila not led to this observation from the cirenmstanci
of thonew Performer being a fereignert,
.as tam of
opinion'that a Theatre as eminent as Coveotiarden,
should select superior ability of any country, that
may render the performances worthy the liberal pa.
moms of the Public; and, surely, Music is not the
least consideration, when we are informed that every
.:weparatioo is making by the engagemeat of first-rate
stingers, to produie Operas in the beat manner pos-
sible. Now, sir, you will no doubt be surprised at
~..learning that 'the vacancies nhich have occurred in
this ones respectable Bend, are filled by persons to.,
tally inconipetent to the duly they have eiscierteken;
_ ae prey. which I need ool) motion NMI ipeteltelf of
- Mr. Bonon having engaged a pewee% ttedeo,
ilaiter; and so little acquainted with saimlit as to be'
strider the necessity of applying to a piefoatiatml man
for instruction relative to the teaser cliff, the lustre.
*neat be was engaged to perform oat most probate'?
. for the Ent time in an/ reveler establishment. liila
1 regret to add, is not a solita►y instance of improper
persousbeing inducted into-what neght decidedly to be
one of the best Orchestras in the Metropolis, is assosisie

individual, whose professional practice Ins latlierto
been
.that of a 'tree[ fiddler, is aro asiogeelipoiiitof
-the vlOlOOlOl at this Theatre, although It h slowly
impossible at he can be fitter thesituation.
sions melt as these must therefore either proceed from
interested motives on the part of tbeeeempoirered to
engage the instrumental Performers, or from Ignorance,
either of which is equally prejudicial to the Public.
In conclusion, Sir, I have only to rentvelt„ that meth*
present high prices of admission are so liberally 4C-
, ceded to by the Public, the performances shoeld be,
in every •department, of a-very superior description.
)t therefore behoves Mr. Haaatsto be catlike, in

admisting such penurious and discreditable changes
in so important a part of Theatre. Your inser-
tion of this will oblige, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
•Sept. 10. AN OLD AMATEUR.
P. S.—Since writing the above, I am sorry to learn
from the Daily Papers that Mr. WARICI the excellent
Leader of the Band, has resigned his situation at this
Theatre.

We have complied with the with of this and our former Cor
respondent upon thissubject, by Inserting their Letters; causerie.
ing every thing in which the Public are concer ed. or which
lays claim to public attention, a It topic for remark. wbe'ber
deserving of approbation or censure arid shall be.eqoally will-
ing to-afford an opportubitymeAlefenee or explanation to the
parties, whuie conduct in this breach of She public servire, and
ilowards individ stab of acknowledge! merit, from whom the fre-
quenters of the Theatre have derived mach gratification, has ex-
cited these observations. In the meantime we volunteer so far
in their favour 86 to say, In regard to nee aikidos in our pre-
sent Correspondent's Lotter, that as coercive no spas is any
degree undeserving of patronage or polder approbation on ac
count of his former employment or Ratios., if these have been of
nu honest character. Unfortunately there is awe W ipseb
tuoileal merit to our streets, and tee little where thitortiled ba
hulk fug it.—EDITOR.

By the Lord Sidmnuth packet, which arrived et
Falmouth on Monday last, we have rereived ad-
.N;Ces from Gibraltar down to the 9.fitb of August. -
be garrisott, continued healthy at that data. but was
suffering great privation.% in coolie/pence of all sop.
plies from the coast of Barbary being prnhibited.—
Fresh meat and all sorts of provisions were becom-
ing extremely scarce and dear. The Spaniards are so
alarmed at the danger of the contagion finding its
*way among them, that it is daily expected all com-
munication between the Rock and the Spanish .ter-
:Rory will be closed. According to the last ac.
counts from Tangiers, brought to Gibraltar by the
Quarantine schooner, the deaths from the plague. in
that town alone, from the 49th of July to the 11th
of August, amounted to 62. In a small
named Marchsnd, 'to' the North West of Tangiers,
and consistink of about 45 houses, with • popola.
tion.af Minot., 49 perisotts have already, fallen
victims, among whom were three entire families, one
consisting of seven persons, and two of six each.—
The disease has extended itself to four other Villages
In the neighbourhood of Tangiers. It is said that a
fifth part of their population. has beg's. 'l' el"`aff''
'he disease is now distinctly ascertained be the
arse plague of the Levaut.