Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-05-08

From tie Edinburgh EUcn'ng Co'sran,, Of Feb II.
THEATRICAL FUND DINNER.


The First Annual Dinner OF tie Edinburgh
Theatrical Fund was held yesterday in the AS
.e,nLly Rooms, SIR WAITER SCorr in the chair;
and uesr whom sat the Earl OF Fife, Lord Alea-
,owbank, Sir John Hope, OF Pinkie, Bart, Adm:~
raj Adam, Baron Clerk RanFsy, Gilbert lanes,
Esq, James Walker, Esq, Robert DuEdas, Esq,
Alexander Smith, Esq, &c
The cloth being removed, g Non Nob;s Domino
was surg by Messrs ThoIne, Swift, Coliyer, and
HARLEY.
The Chairman (S:r Walter Scott thea request
FL that gentlemen " ould fill bumper rs full az
i would hold, while he would say oay few
words lie was in the habit of hearing speeches,
and he knew the feeling with which long ones
were regarded. He was sure that It was perfect
iy unnecessary for him to enter into any vindica-
ION of the dI aualic art, which they had come
here 10 support. This. however, he considered 10
he the proper time and proper occasion for him to
saw few words or that love of rep eseut3tol
which was an innate feeling in human nature. -
II was the fist amusement that the child bad -
i grew greater as it grew up; and, even in the
decline OF life, nothing amused SO much hen
a common tale Is well told. The irs, thing =
,.biId does is To ape his schoom ,sier, by 13gSIns
. chair. II enjoyment, naiur+ TO hiIma-
nily. 1t was implanted in Our very nature, to
axe Plea ure from such representations at pro-
ger tines and on proper occasions In all ages
he theatrical art had Kept pace with the improve
nent of manki1d, and with the progress OF let e
.rrs and the fine arts. As he has advanced from
tie ruder stages Of society, The love ct dramatic
representations has increased and all wo.Gs of
fhis nature have been improved in character and
IN stsuc,uie They had oriy TO lun Iher eyes
10 The history o.! ancient Greece, although ne did
not lre,end TO be very deeply versed in ancient
history. Its first tragic poet commanded body
az troons at Marathon. Tie second and next g,
we're men who shook Athens with their discours-
e. az their theatrical works shook tue theatre it.
Elf If they turned TO France, III the times Of
Louis the Fourteenth, that IN the classical his
;ury of that country, they would find, that IL was
ecferIed TO by ali Frenchmen the golden age
OF The drama there. And al-o in England ia the
,i,ne Of Queen Elizabeth, the drama began to
Jingle deeply aud widely in the general politics
If Europe, not only not receiving laws from others
mi irving laws to the world aud Vindicliing the
iq.is OF mankind (chesrs.) There have been va
lous times when the dramatic art subsequently
,.ll into dsreputs. It's professors have been stig
,,ati9ed; and laws have been passed against them
20 dishonoIabe to them than to the sta esmen
~ whom they passed, and TO the legislators
~ whom they were adopted Whit we're the
mes in WHICH those laws were passed! Was
>, not when viz ue was seldom inculcated as a
oral duty, that ~e were required o relinouish
- most raiiC..ui If al our auiusements, when
30, cleg7 were eulpined cebacy, and when the
INV were denied ne right TO read their bibles 49,
y, thought that il must have been from 10 ion
n nensnce tlat they erected the drama toto an
cal place cf p olansness, and the tent OF sin.
.e do not mean o dispute that there were many
Seellent persons who Il, ught differently rom
an. and they were c. titled 10 assume, that t4sy
ere not guilty Of any hJIocrisy in doing ST.
s gave them foil credit for their tender c01scicn-
.es in making these objections, hich did not sp-
ear 10 him relevant 10 hose persons IT they
.,cre what they usurp themselves 10 be; and II
ley were persons oi worth AID pis'y, he should
-avehe liberty TO tell them, that the iifst part
~ tbei, duty vas charity, and that if ihey did
.oi choose 10 20 o the theaire, they SO least
luld not deay that they might give away, from
Ieir supefhl,y what was required for the relief
Inc sick, tho support OF the aged, and The com
~ OF The aft cieL. Thsse were duties enirin
q by our religion i,sfif Loud chaos. Tn.
.iformers are in particular manner entitled "a
p support or regard, when IN old age or distress,
hose who lad paraken Of the Amusement
lho,s places which they tender an ornament
n soccfy. Their art was OF peculiarly deli
..ie and precarOus nature They hid 20 serve
.Jag apprenticeship. It vas very long before even
q hrsi rate gsniusos could acquire the mechanical
4ovylslye OF The stage business. They must Ian
tish loag in obscmi'y before ,Lcy can avail
-,rngelves Of their natural talents; anil aftsr lhif
~ haye hH u short space Of time, during which
~ are fortunate " they can provide tne mean,
cou,fori in thsdecline Of life That comes la.e
lss.sfet a sort tine; affer which hey are frf
yendsm Their limbs tail, their teeth afsIo 'enej
eir woke is lost and they arc leii slier giving
.,ppiness a. others, in most dlsc,nsolafe state
public were liberal and generous 10 those de
IN rhs'r eso,Icnon. 4 va s3l ding ID