14 PLEASURES OF MANAGEMENT. that a return from the glitter of pageantry to the sedater, and, as it is facetiously called, more legitimate offspring of the dramatic muse, would not only be acceptable but profitable. It was not unnatural to suppose that the great body of the discontented, who had been so clamorous many weeks past for the full display of their talent, possessed admirers enough to support a theatre offering them the unusual novelty of a new tragedy and a new farce on the same evening. Surely here was legitimacy enough in all conscience. Here was an opportunity for the broken-hearted public to come and see their pet performers, who, by the tyranny of their manager, had been kept from their gaze of worship for thirteen successive weeks! One would have thought that some general manifestation of the people would have taken place on the occasion -that statues of the former would have been erected, and the effigies of the latter been burnt in the street. What! a new tragedy with Mr. Macready in it, followed by a new farce with Messrs. Farren, Bartley, "dows, &c. &c. &c., the whole corps-de-ballet would be required, and "the masquerade dresses of Gustavus. No expense, saving the author, "who cannot afford to be damned this time. To give an idea of the "outré nature of this piece, the whole dramatis persona (Farren ex"cepted) have to dance throughout the third act. "If my production escaped on the first night, (and from its plea"santry I think it would,) I should be sure of a merry run. "A line will bring me to the theatre. "Scene.-London and Kensington. "Time.-1746. "Yours very truly, "R. B. PEAKE, An ex-treasurer. "A. Bunn, Esq. &c. &c. &c." PROFITABLE SPECULATION. 15 and Harley in it, played each for the first time on the same night! Why, after the outcry that had been raised, there ought to have been a general illumination! Notwithstanding all this, the illuminated, to whatever other spot of earth they went, did not come to the theatre, as will be seen by this statement: The 1st night of The Provost of Bruges, and the new The 4th. do. do. (when owing to the failure of the new farce, it was backed by the JEWESS!!) On each of these nights, the expense of the theatre exceeded 2201. exclusive of the sum of 20l. payable to the author of the tragedy, and a comparative remuneration to the author of the farce. On an experiment, therefore, of only eight nights, there was incurred a loss on each of them of 90l., whereas, if the more attractive novelties had not been suspended, there would probably have been a nightly gain of equal amount. It will be noticed, I presume, that on the only occasion on which this legitimate tragedy was played to the current expenses, or pretty nearly so, of the evening, it was bolstered up by the very piece (the Jewess) which gave rise to all the hubbub. 16 mean NECESSITY FOR GOOD ACTORS. "Can it be possible? My aunt Deborah, who set such a value on herself, going for half-a-crown ?” What! gentlemen who think themselves the finest set of actors under the sun, and receive 30l. a week, playing to almost empty benches! What can the public be thinking about? Is there no discrimination, no judgment, no taste left? or what does it ? Why, it means neither more nor less than this, that until the stage is in possession of genuine talent, of performers whose minds are of that high order, which will first of all prevent the genius of the dramatist being marred, and, next to such consideration, his genius even made more apparent―that until some master spirit shall arise capable of uniting a congenial mind with those lofty ones, whose works belong to that stage, the people will not attend the representation of plays which are purely of mental construction. Men with heads upon their shoulders are not to be dragooned into the notion that the ipse dixit of any one, particularly an actor, is public opinion. The parties here referred to, may "strut and fret" their "hour" to the end of time, but they cannot alter this position of things; and as sure as I have eight fingers and two thumbs, so sure is it, that they will not much longer have any arena to "strut and fret" in, if their pretensions are not reduced to the level of other persons' ideas, rather than their own. It is melancholy to reflect upon the vicissitudes to which the dramatic literature of the country is sub MISS BAILLIE AND SIR WALTER SCOTT. 17 ject. Any man in the direction of a national theatre, who has a spark of discernment in his composition, must feel a desire to make that theatre the medium of introducing to his audience the plays of such an eminent writer as Miss Joanna Baillie. In a correspondence I was some years since honoured with by Sir Walter Scott, that great man, in modestly endeavouring to impress upon my mind his own incompetency to dramatic writing, forcibly maintained the superiority of his gifted countrywoman, and directed my particular attention to some of her plays. Circumstances stood in the way of my following the sage's counsel; and if one had dared to differ from such authority, I should have ventured to suggest that very few among the playgoing portion of the public are endowed with a tithe part of the powers of appreciation which led him to such selections. The publication, however, at this period of some noble dramas from the pen of Miss Baillie, which had not hitherto met the public eye, and which imparted an additional lustre to the halo wherewith fame had already encircled her name, offered a temptation and an opportunity not to be resisted. I took the liberty of consulting the pleasure of the poetess, from whom I received this flattering encouragement: "SIR, "Hampstead, Monday Morning, March 14. "I am very much gratified by your proposed pro"duction of the Tragedy of Henriquez in your 18 66 66 MISS BAILLIE'S HENRIQUEZ. "theatre, and feel myself also much obliged by your expressing a wish that I should see the representa❝tion, and the offer of convenient places. I do not by any means wish to be present the first night; but "should the play prove successful and continue to "be acted, I should be very glad to avail myself of your kindness, and to have a private box for one night, as nearly on a level with the stage as 'may be conveniently arranged. If you give me "leave then, I shall take the liberty of giving you "notice in good time before I go. 66 66 66 "Wishing, for your sake as well as my own, that "the piece may be prosperous, "I remain, Sir, "Your truly obliged "And obedient servant, "To A. Bunn, Esq." Henriquez was produced with every possible attention, possessing moreover the unquestioned advantage of a renowned authorship. Its performance, "with appliances and means to boot," brought but a receipt of 145l. 9s. 6d., while the production of Herold's Opera of Zampa, a night or two afterwards, realised the sum of 2571. 15s. Joanna Baillie and Monsieur Herold! Oh, mon Dieu! What is the inference to be drawn? If a manager has not, by his own performance, the vanity of an actor to gratify, he can have but one object-to fill his treasury by the most |