Chapter VI: Introduction: TO (3)

"As your intended publication is to come out monthly, I am doubtful whether I should trouble you on the present occasion; more particularly as you may probably think of the matter yourselves without a hint from me. Besides, I am not sure whether it is not the duty of the editors of the daily papers rather than yours. For my part, I think it is the duty of all people who regard the credit of the city, or tender the peaceableness and comfort of society. Our theatre, gentlemen, has sunk to the worst state imaginable of licentiousness and savage riot. Don't mistake me--I don't mean behind the curtain; but before it. While we hold ourselves so proudly to the world, what must those foreigners think of us who visit our theatre. From a place of rational recreation, and improvement, it has become a mere bear-garden. The play is interrupted, and all enjoyment, save that of riot and brawling, killed in various ways. The very boxes themselves are no sanctuary from ruffianish incivility; while the ears are stunned, and the cheek of Decency crimsoned with the profaneness, obscenity, and senseless brawl of barbarians in the gallery, the sight is intercepted, and all comfort destroyed by the unmannerly and unjust conduct of intruders in the boxes and pit, who think they have a right to push in and even stand up before another who has been previously seated, provided they have bodily strength to make good their violence. I say, gentlemen, this ought to be stopped. The spirit of the manager at New-York, backed by the laws, has put an end to it there, so far, that no theatre in Europe precedes it in order and decency. The same power exists here and ought to be exercised. These things disgrace the city as well as annoy our audiences, and I think our daily editors on both sides would evince their regard for the public by giving a few lines every day to the reform of this evil till it shall be abated. The proprietors and manager ought to call a meeting, invoke the aid of the magistrates and the people, and come to some decisive resolutions on the subject.

Forensis."

COMMUNICATION.

_For the Mirror, &c._

"The manager, or the magistrates, or somebody is greatly to blame about the playhouse. I brought my family to the pit to see that great actor, Cooper, play Zanga. We sat in the pit the whole time the blackguards were throwing down various kinds of things upon our heads. Scraps of apples, nutshells in handfulls, and what is worse something I can't well name--some about me said that brandy or strong grog was thrown down--it might be so once;--but it was not exactly that which fell on me and my family. Since then, I went to see him in Macbeth, and left my wife and daughter at home for fear; and the fellows above were as bad as before--and had not I luckily kept my hat on I should once have got my head broke with a hard heavy hiccory-nut that was thrown with all the force and spitefulness as if the person wanted to hurt somebody very severely."

We agree with our correspondents that some prompt and effectual remedy ought to be applied to the evils of which they complain: and we are surprised it has not yet been done, because every person with whom any of us converses, makes pretty nearly the same complaint, and expresses the very same wish.

In every country there exist multitudes as well disposed as those now alluded to, to disturb the playhouse, and bring brutal riot within its walls--but they will not be allowed. Any one who reads Colquhoun's account of London and its rabble, will perceive that there are people enough there ready to do offensive offices for the pure sake of offence and savageness; but not only the magistrates, but the audience themselves will not put up with it. The latter generally abate the nuisance in a summary way--they turn out the offender; and the law warrants, and if necessary aids them. If our audience suffer these encroachments what will be the fair conclusion, but that they concur with the offenders.

It was but a few nights ago, a company (of perhaps ten,) converted the boxes into a grog shop--brought jug and bottle, and glass, and tumbler into the front seats, and there caroused, laughing, talking aloud, and swearing aloud, even during the performance. On the night the Revenge was performed, even while Mr. Cooper was engaged in a most interesting scene, a boy, not in mean clothes either, stood up at the front corner of the gallery, roaring out and speaking as loud as he could to some one on the opposite side. Yet this, were it not for the time it happened, was to the surrounding tumult, as a dying sigh to the roar of a northwester.

It cannot be doubted that in a civilized society like this, some legal means must exist to put an end to these grievances. There are other grievances, however, that cannot be so _immediately_ made the subject of redress by the magistrate, but which, nevertheless, require correction, and would never occur if every one who can afford to wear such a coat as gentlemen wear, could imitate the manners of gentlemen as well as they can ape their dress. By a number of _well-coated_ persons of this kind, the time immemorial privileges of the theatre are violated, and its customary rights denied. Provided they think themselves able to scuffle it out by bodily strength they will indulge themselves at the expense of others--one of those will sit before a lady and refuse to take off his hat--another coming late will force his way contrary to all right and usage, before a person who has an hour before taken his seat--and if spoken to, utter surly defiance. Against every such unmannered intruder, the whole audience ought, for the establishment of the general right and the good old custom, to make common cause, and thrust him out by force. No doubt there are drawcansirs enough to push this offence as far as it will go. Let them know that there have been and still are drawcansirs in England, Ireland and Scotland--that Dublin particularly was once full of them; but that they were soon brought to manners by the just resentment of the audience--the gripe of the constable, and the contempt of every body.

INDEX.

A
Actors, animadversion on
WOOD,
in Rapid, 62
Rolla, 65
Reuben Glenroy, 67
Harry Dornton, 73
Bob Handy, 76
Alonzo, 229, 337
Jaffier, 337
Copper Captain, 339
Prince of Wales, 339
CONE,
Alonzo, 65
Henry, 76
WARREN,
Las Casas, 65
Abel Handy, 76
Falstaff, 344
Cacafogo, 344
JEFFERSON,
Frank Oatland, 62
Orozimbo, 65
Cosey, 67
Goldfinch, 73
Farmer Ashfield, 75
M'KENZIE,
Sir Hubert Stanley, 62
Pizarro, 65
Old Norval, 155
FRANCIS,
Vortex, 62
Trot, 68
Mrs. WOOD,
Jessy Oatland, 62
Cora, 66
Mrs. FRANCIS,
Mrs. Vortex, 62
Dame Ashfield, 76
Mrs. SEYMOUR, 62
PAYNE,
in Douglas, 145
Octavian, 220
Frederick, 221
Zaphna and Selim, 222
Tancred, 222
Romeo, 223
COOPER,
Othello, 225
Zanga, 227
Richard, 230
Pierre, 230
Hamlet, 231
Macbeth, 231
Hotspur, 234
Michael Ducas, 234
Alexander, 422
Antony, Jul. Caes. 420
WEST, 68, bis
DWYER,
Belcour, 425
Tangent, 427
Ranger, 427
Vapid, 427
Liar, 427
Rapid, 427
Sir Charles Racket, 427
Advice to conductors of magazines, 402
AEschylus, 114, 189
Alleyn, the player, account of, 45
Anecdotes and good things
Dick the Hunter, 92
Dr. Young, 181
Othello burlesqued, 181
Voltaire, 184
Louis XIV. 184
Mara and Florio, 185
Macklin, 247, 248, 397, 408, 409
Mozart, the composer, 257
Old Wignell, 343
Macklin and Foote, 397
Impertinent _Petit Maitre_, 406
Curious Slip Slop, 406
Specific for blindness, 407
Kemble and a stage tyro, 407
Kemble's bon mot on Sydney playhouse, 407
Irish forgery, 407
Woman and country magistrate, 408
French dramatic, 481
Bacon and cabbage, 485
Apparition, sable or mysterious bell-rope, 325
Aristophanes, 269
Authors' benefits
see Southern, 502

B
Barry, the great player, account of, 298
Bedford, duke of, monument, 317
Betterton, the great actor, 133, 213
Biography, 24, 118, 202, 357
Bull, a dramatic one, 505

C
Carlisle, countess of, opinion of drama, 398
Catalani, madam, 96
Cibber, Colley, his merit, 506
Coffee and Chocolate, account of, 311
Cone, see actors
Cooper, life of, 28
Cooper, see actors
Cooper, account of his acting, 223
Correspondence
on abuses of the Theatre, 103, 104
----, from Baltimore on Theatricals, 157
----, from New-York, ditto, 414

D
Dramatic Censor, 49, 141, 220, 337, 414
Drama, Grecian, 109, 189, 269, 350
----, lady Carlisle's opinion on, 398
Dwyer, actor, 235
----, see actors.
Dramaticus, 251, 328, 502
Dungannon, famous horse, 500

E
Edenhall, luck of, old ballad, 487
Edward and Eleonora, remarks on, 502
English, parallel between English men and English mastiffs,
by cardinal Ximenes, 88
Epilogues, humorous ones after tragedies censured, 400
Euripides, 195

F
Francis, see actors
----, Mrs., ibid.
Fullerton, actor, driven to suicide, 504

G
German Theatre, vindication of, by Dramaticus, 251
Gifford, Wm. life of, 357, 447
Greek drama, 109, 189, 269, 350

H
History of the stage, 9, 109, 189, 269, 350, 431
High Life below Stairs, account of, 506
Hodgkinson, biography of, 202, 283, 368, 457

I
Irish bulls, specimen of, 455
Jefferson, see actors

L
Lear, essay on the alterations of it, 391
Le Kain, the French actor, account of, 438
Lewis, his retirement from the stage, 185
Literary World, what is it? 406
Longevity, instance of, 496
Lover general, a rhapsody, 399

M
Macklin checked practice of hissing, 504
Man and Wife, a comedy, 188
Menander, 350
Metayer Henry, anecdote of with Theobald, 503
M'Kenzie, see actors
Milton and Shakspeare, comparison between, 248
Miscellany, 96, 173, 241, 307, 384, 467
Music, 81, 257
----, Oh think not my spirits are always as light,
a song by Anacreon Moore, 83
----, Irish, 161
Musical performance, expectation of a grand one, 428

N
New-York reviewers impeached, 505
Nokes, comedian, 381

O
O'Kelly's horse Dungannon, 500
Originality in writing, Voltaire's idea of, 184
Otway, observations on, 502

P
Payne, American young Roscius, criticised on, 141, 220, 241
----, see actors
Pedestrianism, humorous essay on, 262
Players celebrated compared with celebrated painters, 387
Plays, names of, attached to each No.
Foundling of the Forest, No. I
Man and Wife, No. II
Venoni, No. III
New Way to pay Old Debts, No. IV
Alfonso, king of Castile, No. V
The Free Knights, No. VI
Plays criticised in the Censor
Cure for the Heart-ach, 59
Pizarro, 62
Town and Country, 66
Ella Rosenberg, 69
Wood Demon, 71
Abaellino, 73
Road to Ruin, 73
Speed the Plough, 74
Man and Wife, 188
Foundling of the Forest, 80, 345
Africans, 418
Poetry
Tom Gobble, 97
English bards and Scotch reviewers, extract from, 98
Occasional prologue on the first appearance of Miss Brunton,
afterwards Merry and Warren, at Bath, 121
Latin verses on do. and translation, 124
Prologue on first appearance, of the same lady in London,
by A. Murphy, 126
Duck shooting, 172
A true story, 183
Lewis's address on taking leave of Ireland, 187
On the death of Mrs. Warren, 246
Descent into Elisium, 253
Gracy Nugent, by Carolan, 261
O never let us marry, 324
Epilogue by Sheridan, censuring humourous ones after tragedies, 401
Logical poem on chesnut horse and horse chesnut, 404
Quin, an anecdote in verse, 409
Luck of Edenhall, 487
The parson and the nose, 495
Solitude, advantages of for study, 495
Soldier to his horse, 499
Prospectus, 1

R
Reviews of New-York impeached, 505

S
Seymour, Mrs. see actors
She would and she would not, merit of, 506
Southern, 502
Socrates, death of, 280
Sophocles, 189
SPORTING, 85, 164, 262, 410, 499
Spain, divertissements in, 495
Strolling Player, a week's journal of, 396
Stage, history of, 8, 9, 109, 189, 269, 350

T
Taylor, Billy, critique on ballad, 467
Thespis, account of, 113
Theobaldus Secundus, 173, 241, 307, 384
Theatre, misbehaviour there, 267
Theobald, his theft from Metayer, 503
Theatrical contest, Barry and Garrick, in Romeo, 507
Thornton, Col. his removal from York to Wilts, 164

V
Voltaire, his idea of originality in writing, 184

W
Warren, Mrs. life of, 118
Warren, actor, see actors
West, see actors
Wit, pedigree of, by Addison, 406
Wife, essay on the choice of, 477
Wood, actor, see actors
----, Mrs., ibid.

Y
Young, celebrated actor, 236

Z
Zengis, so unintelligible audience not understand it, 507

* * * * *
* * * *

Errors and Inconsistencies: The Mirror of Taste

Spellings were changed only when there was an unambiguous error,
or the word occurred elsewhere with the expected spelling.

_Unchanged:_
But this can no more be alledged
Congreve and other cotemporary authors
melo-drame [most common spelling for this publication]
the excressences of overloaded society
Ella Rozenberg
[this spelling is used in the header and first citation; later
references use "Rosenberg"]
put his hand to their heads and give them a lanch
A poor fellow, half an ideot
His coat and waiscoat were taken off

_Corrected:_
From Edinburgh he went with the company [Edinburg]
notwithstanding the difficulty [dfficulty]
the reviewers spoke with decided approbation [appprobation]
Is happy indeed if 'twas never deceiv'd
in the adjustment of individual differences [idividual]
While Reynolds vents his '_dammes_, _poohs_' and '_zounds_'[12]
[word "and" italicized]

_Index_:
Missing or inconsistent punctuation has been silently regularized.

_Poetry_
Soldier to his horse, 499 [tohis]
Zengis, so unintelligible audience not understand it
[word missing in original]

* * * * *
* * * *

THE
FOUNDLING OF THE FOREST:

A PLAY.

By WILLIAM DIMOND, Esq.

Author of "Adrian and Orrila," "Hero of the North,"
"Hunter of the Alps," &c. &c.

"And yet poor Edwin was no vulgar boy." _Beattie._

Published by Bradford and Inskeep, Philadelphia;
Inskeep and Bradford, New-York; and William
M'ilhennny, Boston.

Smith and Maxwell, Printers.

1810.

THE FOUNDLING OF THE FOREST.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

Count De Valmont.
Baron Longueville.
Florian, _a foundling adopted by De Valmont_.
Bertrand, _valet to Longueville_.
L'Eclair, _valet to Florian_.
Gaspard, _an old domestic_.
Sanguine, } _bravoes in the pay of Longueville_.
Lenoire, }

Geraldine, _niece to De Valmont_.
Rosabelle, _her woman_.
Monica, _an old woman_.
Unknown Female.
_Domestics, Peasants, Dancers, &c. &c._

SCENE--_The Chateau de Valmont and its environs, situate in the
upper Alsace, near the River Rhine._