CHAPTER VIII. The Classical Season at Drury - Mrs. Jordan Returns after Two Years' Absence- H. Siddons's "Time's a Telltale" Record on "Men of Leisure". "Ella Rosenberg," by Kenney-The Patentees and Their Rights - Miss Brunton a Countess Godwin's "Faulkener" - Philosophy a Fine Thing-The Return of Mrs. Siddons to Covent Garden, and the Destruction of the Theatre Eight Days After-The Dreadful Loss of Lives - Other Losses Enumerated — Cold Comforts-Transition from Despair to Desire — Vanity, Avarice - The Great Emporium of Pleasure for the Privileged Orders-The Glowing Prospect The Long Persecution and Moderated Result - Consequences Even Now Felt Mr. Harris - Mr. Kemble and His Accomplished Daughter-Drury Revives "Bluebeard," and Arnold Produces "Man and Wife:" Its Fable- Mrs. Jordan Acts in It, and Speaks an Epilogue-Its Strange Curtsey Couplet The "Unconscious Counterfeit," a Farce, SucceedsSheridan's Brother, in Law, Not Wit-The "Circassian Bride" Perishes the First Night And the Theatre the Night Following- Previously to the Account of that Catastrophe, Bishop Commended, and His Music for Shakespeare. HE efforts of the proprietors of Drury were announced by Mr. Wroughton with some confidence; but, excepting Kenney, I know of no author from whom he was likely to obtain more than common productions. One thing classical they undoubtedly did they secured Mrs. Jordan again, who had been absent two seasons. She opened the theatre on the 17th of September, 1808, with Peggy, in the "Country Girl," and played it with her peculiar animation. She was enthusiastically welcomed, which cannot be said of the "Comet," which so immediately followed, and was as eagerly gazed at. Mr. H. Siddons made an effort to supply the desiderata of the proprietors, and he produced a very respectable comedy on the 27th of October, called "Time's a Telltale." His ladies were Miss Duncan, his wife, and Miss Mellon. It was not very striking in its fable, but it yielded matter enough for pointed sentences, to which the author's scholastic habits inclined him. The best of these was an attack upon the men of leisure, which is extremely well turned. The speaker is a character called Record: "Men of leisure do many things that would startle a plain, drudging, plodding fellow like myself. The town is full of 'em. It is men of leisure that fill the card-table and the gaming-table. Leisure sends the senator to the horserace, and the peer to the boxing-ring; the daughters of industry are seduced by men of leisure; the sons of plain citizens are corrupted by men of leisure; and it is high time for you, my master, to exert yourself, and give a proof that, spite of the prevalence of idleness and fashion, the commercial genius of this country shall never be crushed by the vices, follies, and debaucheries of men of leisure." This season Kenney exhibited a melodrama called "Ella Rosenberg," which had the good fortune to possess Mrs. H. Siddons for its heroine; it was very interesting. The patentees of the two playhouses now very seriously took counsel's opinion as to the power of the lord chamberlain to infringe, by his licenses, upon their patent rights. The argument is good on both sides. To be sure, if things in this world remained in statu quo, one provision, wisely made, would be sufficient. But the population increases, and the popular mind changes. The patentees would not be invaded while their concerns are profitable. Would they like to carry on the amusements if they were otherwise? Would they consent to be bound to the bitters, as well as the sweets, for the popular advantage? — the original ground for their selection and patent security. What power can bind a growing population to two houses and one sort of entertainment? As a situation which in real life she was never to repeat, Miss Brunton, on the 1st of December, 1808, acted the offending and atoning Lady Townley. The title was, however, to be assumed without conditions of any sort, but the engagements at the altar. Her father, Mr. John Brunton, had the happiness to give her hand to the Earl of Craven, in the presence of his lordship's noble relatives, and, I believe, he never for an hour regretted that he had chosen the lovely lady, who now quitted the stage for another, which she was equally calculated to adorn. Again my friend Godwin was destined to feel disappointment in his dramatic adventures, and again, I am sure, he bore it, not with "vain wisdom all, and false philosophy," but the calm. ness attributed to Horatio, by Hamlet: "And blest are those, Whose blood and judgment are so well co-mingled, To sound what stop she please." The present play was something like a feature in the life of Savage, the poet; and the mother at least a feeling Countess of Macclesfield. But his ladies are none of them chaste; now, as he scruples not to endow them with other virtues, it is a pity he withholds that quality on the stage, if he supposes theatres may, even occasionally, |