SEPT. 15. This Theatre closed a short and successful season with the performances of “Travellers Benighted,” The Actor of All Work,"-and "Teasing made easy." Having given our opinion of these last popular pieces, it is only necessary to remark, that they kept their attraction to the last, and the house overflowed at an early hour. My vig, in the ONE, has now become a byword in private life: and the Sheriff's Officers say, the OTHER has put them up to trap. When the curtain dropped on Mathews's whimsicalities, Mr. Terry came forward, and addressed the audience as follows: Ladies and Gentlemen, I am desired to state to you, that the season of performance here, "curtail'd of its fair proportion," terminates this evening; and like many of its predecessors, not only dies a premature death, but has struggled into the world much later than the natural time of commencing its vital functions. The Crown graciously dispenses to this house a far longer privilege for exhibition than it is permitted to exercise by the Winter Theatres; which, in consequence of the still increasing protractraction of their annual operations, and their controul over histrionic talent, seem to emulate that Roman Emperor whose pleasure it was to shorten a summer fly's existence. But, although the Proprietors of this place are doomed to so brief an enjoy ment of public sunshine, they are proud and grateful in avowing, that they have this year basked under some of the warmest rays of your favour. They by no means would be under stood to express "aught in malice" towards their mighty neighbours; on the contrary, they are aware that those neighbours have a full right to act without cessation, and they wish them all the prosperity they derive: they cannot, however, help wishing at the same time that-since the Winter Theatres have for years acknowledged this house to rank as a regular; since they have ever called upon it, as an ally, to repel invasions against the interest of the old established play-houses- their superior brethren of the drama would keep a little more consistently in mind the humble adage of "Live and let live." It is painful for speculators in this concern to reflect, that when they are (notwithstanding your kindness) so repeatedly crippled in the run of How to grow rich, the substitute most likely to be present. ed is The Road to Ruin. The Proprietors, Ladies and Gentlemen, request your acceptance of their heartfelt thanks for your patronage, which has produced more than the average crops arising out of the extreme and meagre hurry of their Haymarket harvest. Permit me to assure you also, how fully the Performers are sensible of your encouragement. We respectfully take our leaves. This address was received throughout with unqualified marks of approbation. Since our last, the interior of this elegant theatre has been lighted with gas round the boxes: the lights are enclosed and festooned with cut glass from one to the other: and if the tout ensemble do not vie with the more brilliant display at Covent Garden, it has an air of neatness and lightness which is as pleasing to the eye as it is tasteful and elegant. SEPT. 8. A new bagatelle, under the title of "Disguises," was very favourably received this evening. The following is an outline of the plot: A young lady (Miss Kelly), in order to be enabled so marry her lover (Wrench), is obliged to practice deception on an old Count and a widow lady (W. S. Chatterly, and Mrs. Pincott), the former of whom has engaged to marry the other by a written agreement, while the latter has contrived to have a property left her by will which ought to have come to the young lady. She accordingly pretends great affection for the widow's intended, and draws off his love in consequence; while, at the same time, under the disguise of a young hussar officer, she plays the same successful trick on the widow. The result is, she procures the promise of marriage from the one, and the will from the other; and then explaining her disguise, leaves them to make up matters their own way. While the lady is thus duping" the old ones," the young gentleman is also disguised as a clownish footman, whose difficulty in keeping his feelings under, when the Count proceeds to any airs of gallantry with his dulcinea, forms some of the most pleasing and ludicrous situations of the piece. Various other disguises are introduced, and the whole went off with cclat. Miss Kelly was quite at homeand looked particularly well in her bussar dress-and Wrench kept up the spirit of the scene with a greater degree of vis comica than he is in the habit of displaying, SEPT. 16. A dramatic advertisement, in one act, produced for the benefit of the Manager, was repeated this evening, having been received with great ap plause. It is entitled, "Wanted: a Governess;" and is the production of Mr. R. B. Peake, son of the respectable Treasurer of Drury Lane Theatre. Without wishing to depress the talent of youthful genius, this divertissement is certainly more indebted to the exertions of the performers than to its own intrinsic merits. Miss Kelly was, as usual, the principal agent; and in the character of Miss Wilhelmina Griffenhoof, which she assumes in furtherance of her views on a vulgar drysalter; who was born in the Borough, bred in Bucklersbury, taught in Thames-street, set up in the seety (city), and prospered in the Poultry, she made some good points at the mania of governesses teaching their pupils all the various fashionable accomplishments, from the humble though useful occupation of shoe-making, to the more elaborate study of geometry and navigation. We have besides a youth fond of shooting, Shenstone, and singularity. These alliterations are well managed; and as the hits are harmless, the audience received them good-humouredly. SEPT. 20. At the end of the first piece (My Uncle), Mr. Bartley came forward, and spoke the following address. AN ADDRESS including a NEW PLAN for changing the order of Dramatic Performances at this Theatre; delivered by Mr. Bartley to the Audience, on Saturday, September 20, 1817. "Ladies and Gentlemen, "The depressed state of all Theatrical Property, and the obvious decline of Public interest, in the once favourite amusements of the Drama, are increas ing evils which have been ascribed by various conjectures to various causes, To comment, generally, upon these would, in this place, be impertinent; but amongst others, a large portion of the Public have advanced, that the early hour of commencing the performance renders it impossible to attend an amusement which interferes with the late hours of dinner, or the protracted hours of business, and a no less considerable body of the community have complained, that the late hours to which the representations of the stage are extended, materially derange the ordinary habits of life to which they are accustomed. All par. ties, however, have agreed in condemning, as with one voice, the length of Theatrical performances, in which the attention of the auditors can rarely be kept alive during a period of at least five hours; and never without fatigue both ofbody and mind. "In some degree, to remedy the evil complained of by those whose habits of life or avocations would not permit their early attendance at Theatres, the custom of taking Half Price was introduced. But it must be obvious to every one, that this plan has been found incompetent to its object. Many persons who would be desirous to witness the early part of a performance, are indisposed to pay the price of a whole evening's entertainment for that portion of it only which they can enjoy ; and it may reasonably be supposed, that thousands who might wish to enter a Theatre at a later hour (as at the usual time of second price) are wholly excluded by the certainty of finding the best seats occupied. Thus numberless persons, from the one or the other cause, are deterred from frequenting the amusements of the stage. 66 Long experience and much reflection on these contending difficulties, have suggested to the proprietor of this theatre a mode of reconciling them. It is obvious, that to accommodate one principal class of the patrons of theatres, the performances must cominence at an early hour; and to gratify another, no less important class, they must be continued to a late one; and as the man of leisure cannot be induced to forego bis present habits of dining at the old English supper time; and as the man of business, and other person, of early and domestic pursuits, cannot be prevailed upon to abridge their hours of sleep in order to compliment with their company the performance of a midnight Melo Drama; it is become necessary, to the interests (if not the very existence) of Theatres, that some measure should be adopted to meet the wishes and tastes of both classes, on whom their prosperity immediately depends. With this view, it is proposed as an Experiment for the few remaining nights of this season, to try the Plan (so novel to a regular theatre) of dividing every evening's entertainment into two distinct parts or performances. Each performance to consist of a full three-act Opera; or of a short Opera, with a Ballet, or a Musical Entertainment. The FIRST PERFORMANCE(the doors to open at half-past five) to begin at 6 o'clock precisely, and to last til! about 9. "The SECOND PERFORMANCE to begin at half-past niue, and to conclude at twelve. "Although, as the entertainments of the Theatres have increased in length, it has never been proposed on that account to increase the prices of admission. Yet, now that it is intended to limit their duration, it is respectfully and cheerfully proposed that the following reduction shall take place: the Prices of Admission to either. Performance will be, Boxes 3s.-Pit 2s.— ~ Gal Is.—Up. Gal. 6d. "Boxes and places will be taken for either performance; and the Grand Saloon, with its admired decorations, will be appropriated, by a new arrangement, to the use of the company visiting the Boxes at the second perforinance, and as a promenade for the company to wait for their carriages on leaving the boxes at the conclusion of the early entertainments. "We are fully aware that we shall have to encounter many professional jokes upon this occasion; and we believe it is pretty well known that we have had every thing to struggle against from rival Theatres, that ingenious opposition could devise. We do not quarrel with opposition; because it is quite natural that every man should think first of himself; and study his own interest in preference to the interests of another; but we are alike prepared to smile at the good-humour ed raillery of our friends, and the hose tile attempts of our enemies, who may both, perhaps, be inclined, in different spirits, to call this "a BartholemewFair scheme." Let them call it what 1817. they will, we know that our sole aim is to exist by your favour, and by devising all means for your entertain. ment, till we ultimately receive an honest reward for our labours. PERFORMANCES. Aug. 26. Persian Hunters-Fire and Water-How to die for Love. 27. The Wizard-Ditto-The Padlock. 29. Free and Easy-Ditto-Is He Jealous. Sept. 1. The Wizard-Ditto-Two Words. 2. The Purse-Frederick the Great-Fire and Water. 3. Persian Hunters Of Age to MorrowDitto-Ditto. 4. The Purse-Rich and Poor-Ditto. 5. The Wisard-Fire and Water-Bachelors' Wives. 6. Election-Ditto-My Uncle. 8. Disguise-Adopted Child-Fire and Water -The Padlock. 9. Devil's Bridge-Disguise. THE SURREY SEPT. 1. After the new melo-dramatic burletta of "The Vicar of Wakefield," which has increased in attrac tion, A new burletta, altered from a French proverb called "On fait ce qu'on peut, et non pas ce qu'on veut," written by Mons. Dorvigny, first acted in Paris in 1779, afterwards in London, as "Transformation, or the Manager an Actor in spite of himself" was produced under the title of "At all in the Ring." Mr. De Camp late of the Drury Lane Company personated the following characters: Liberal, a gentleman of fortune, and an amateur of the drama; Double-tongue, a stammering prompter; Fripon, a French chanteur; Cockney, a young citizen, and stage-struck hero, who jumbles his sentences together "My name is Norval on the Grampian hills," &c.; Old Cockney, his father, a drunken citizen; Mrs. Cockney, his mother; Checkstring, a coachman, who follows his passengers to secure his fare; and, lastly, Mr. de Camp himself. These various characters are assumed THEATRE.. to convince Grubb, an inmate of Libe ral's of his illiberality in classing all theatrical exhibitors as useless beings; and to shew with what ingenuity one individual may "play many parts." Our readers will perceive that this piece is similar to the one produced at the Haymarket, under the title of the` "Actor of all Work," though the dialogue is considerably varied: and, bad we not previously witnessed this eccentric exhibition, it is but justice to say we should have been much gratified by Mr. de Camp's sudden changes. His Double-Tongue was admirably dressed; and his Fripon was a fair carricature of the affected grimaces of an Italian Buffa. The Lady of the Lake" has been revived, and with the occasional assistance of the various productions of the present season, changing them every week, this theatre may boast an extensive patronage, to which the liberality of the proprietor and the exertions of the performers so richly entitle it. POETRY. THE HALL OF FLOWERS. AN IRISH LEGEND. Tap darkly over the deep bine wave, While the Baalfires blaz'd in Monona's And ev'ry spirit that loves the night "Why was I not call'd to the Feast of "The blue-ey'd daughter of Lir is there, And the sister-virgins with golden That watch the fires of Kildarna's shrine: Like the meteor-spark of the yellow flow'r, glow: But flow'rs as bright for me shall rise, And he thought of his bride's far-distant bow'rs: Ere he look'd again, the mist was filed; Were the living lamps of this Hall of And a thousand arches seem'd to lean With those starry wreaths around them The purple moss of Senana's cave, near, Or the sweets the spirits of night distill On the hunter's dream by the lonely rill, Were not so soft as the syren's trill That melted and dwelt in Fingal's ear. The rust was brown on the warrior's shield, The roe had slept on the battle-field, Ere he thought of his love's forsaken bow'rs; Then the lady of beauty said, and sigh'd, Return and smile on thy blue-ey'd bride, But take this living lamp to guide Thy steps again to my Hall of Flow'rs," The Chief has sought his father's hall, Thrice a hundred years have roll'd, Since thy spirit bent to Glorvine's spells; Thou had'st slept on earth in holy rest, And the stone of thy fame had here been blest, Had'st thou welcom'd a weary wand'ring guest, And call'd me to sit at the Feast of Shells. "The spirits that feed unholy mirth Lurk in the painted gems of earth That darkly in poison'd fumes decay; And those that kindle a warrior's breast Whose ray can the serpent's eye appall: But the spirit of truth and freedom dwells In the wild flowers deep among Erin's dells; She came not to grace thy feast of shells, Nor sat as a guest in Fingal's hall. I bless'd them not, and their pomp is past→→ Thy walls have crumbled before the blast, While I shew'd thee the bliss of my secret bowers; I have breath'd on thy soul, and thou art mine! The living lamp of my throne is thine; Thy Erin shall be my realm of flowers." The Chief was gone ere the day-star roseA thousand crystal columns close The path he trod on that sainted shore: And a giant hand from the deep blue wave Came forth the living lamp to save ;-The harp still rings over Fingal's grave, But the mighty lamp is seen no more, FRIENDSHIP'S FAREWELL. V. Oboard the Honourable Company's Ship N Monday, July 28, 1817, died on the WEXFORD, Mr. WILLIAM MORICE, late of Fen Church Street, on his return from a voyage to India for the re-establishment of his health. The following attempt to honour his memory, claims no merit but for sincerity of feeling. It is the unadorned tribute of one, who long enjoyed his valuable friendship, and who now deeply deplores |