in Newcastle for elegance of defign and execution of workmanship. It prefents a front adorned with a colonade of fix beautiful pillars, and two handsome wings. A fine grafs plot, with a circular gravel road for carriages in the front. This again is enclofed with painted iron palifades, with lamps. The great room is decorated with feveral splendid chryftal luftres, manufactured at the glafs-houses here, which coft, as is faid, fome hundred pounds each, and give the room, when illuminated, an elegant appearance. Befides the grand faloon, there are a coffee-room, a card-room, and a well chofen but fmall collection of books. Most of the public daily prints are taken in at the firft of these rooms for the ufe of fubfcribers. Such is a fhort description of the Newcastle Affemblyrooms, and of which our readers have a correct and elegantly executed engraving, in the 3d Number of this work.

THEATRE-ROYAL,

The advocates for the drama affert, that this fpecies of entertainment is the most refined and elevated of all others; and while it charms and delights, it at the fame time refines and improves, the human heart. There are others, however, endowed with an equal portion of understanding, who do not hesitate to affirm, that an exceffive attachment to theatrical exhibitions has been the ruin of empires, the fubverfion of morals, and the bane of industry, as well as of domeftic fociety. From the many fevere laws and restrictions, enacted by our virtuous and prudent forefathers, against stage-plays, interludes, &c. we can eafily judge in what light they viewed theatrical exhibitions;

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exhibitions; though we also well know the kind of plays they condemn; it is an affecting truth that the venal pens of Dryden, Congreve, &c. contributed, though in a very fmall degree, to poifon the loofe, laughing, licentious age of Charles II. by their dramatical compofitions. In the more virtuous reign of queen Anne, immortalized by the productions of the greatest heroes, poets, and philofophers that ever adorned the British annals, the entertainment of the drama affumed a more rational, chafte, and dignified form. Addifon, Pope, Steel, and others, united their efforts to expel the luscious but baneful dramatical entertainments, formerly exhibited, and to replace them by others more worthy the rational mind; and they happily fucceeded. The prefent reign has been diftinguished for the chastity of theatrical productions; nor do any of an immoral or licentious tendency, receive the royal countenance or approbation.

The theatre of Newcastle for many years, was in the Bigg-market, behind the Turk's Head Inn. But upon the late improvements made in the streets, &c. a new theatre was judged to be neceffary, both to answer the purpose of convenience, and to heighten the embellishments of the town. For this purpofe, propofals and a plan were given in by Mr. David Stephenfon, architect, in confequence of which he was employed to build the new theatre in the middle of Molley-ftreet. It is an elegant and commodious fituation, and if not the most capacious, it is poffibly as convenient for a moderate audience, as any theatre in the north of England. Yet it is a remark of the late ingenious and well informed burgefs we fo often quote, that it is rather unluckily placed too far eastward, and will caufe a bend in the

intended

intended new ftreet to be carried due north towards the High-bridge, &c. Its front is adorned with feftoons and dramatical emblems, beautifully formed. An act of parliament was obtained for authority to reprefent dramatical productions upon this ftage, and to transform the actors, who by law are unluckily claffed with rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars, into his MAJESTY'S SERVANTS of the THEATRE ROYAL, of Newcastle upon Tyne. So omnipotent is an act of Parliament! Yet there are fomne growling malecontents, (but there is not a poffibility in pleafing every one) who whimper fomething about an incometax, that his majefty has other sturdy begging fervants, befides the poor players, who oddly enough amufe people by "fuming and fretting their part" and then are gone.

For feveral feafons paft the theatre here has been well attended; and the powers of Kemble, Cooke, &c. have drawn overflowing houfes. Acrols the ftreet eastward is the

POST-OFFICE.

It was long in the Bigg-market, afterwards removed to the Side. But that street being fo exceedingly incommodious, in every respect, and the new ones of Mofley and Dean-ftreets being central and fpacious, and particularly convenient for the mail coaches, which occupy a deal of room, the magiftrates transferred the poft-office to Mofley-street. It is a building perfectly calculated for the purpose, is full of conveniences for the poft-mafter, &c. as alfo for the trading people in receiving and delivering letters, unjoitled by paffengers, which formerly was frequently the cafe.

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CALE

CALE-CROSS.

On the north fide of Lork-Burn, near the Sandhill, ftood the Cale-crofs, which Grey in his chorographia, defcribes as a "fair one, with columns of hewn stone covered with lead." Not many years ago, there was a ciftern at the top of it, to hold what was then called the new water. It was taken down in the year 1723. This ancient Crofs was rebuilt A. D. 17:3, after a design by Mr. David Stephenfon, architect. It is fupported by columns beautifully adorned, as well as the top with various emblematical affemblages of the town's arms, horns of plenty, &c. On the fouth-west corner, on the top, is a lion couchant, which finely fets out the ftructure, and was a prefent from Sir Matthew White Ridley. The infcription as follows: "Sir Matthew White Ridley, bart. mayor, Richard Bell, Esq. sheriff.”

It got the name of Cale-crofs, fays Bourne, from the kail or broth which was fold here in former times. This, adds he, "feems to have been its original name, for I met with it by this name in the reign of king Richard II, and alfo in a writing, dated in the time of king Edward III.

In a confirmation of the Wall-Know! hofpital, A. D. 1360, it is called "Cale-crofs."

Here, efpecially on market days, are fold eggs, milk, butter, cheefe, &c. And at this Crofs the two great fairs are proclaimed.

Without Nun-gate, half way to New-gate, ftands the

WHITE-CROSS.

This too is of great antiquity, as there are accounts of it fo diftant as A. D. 140. 11th of Henry IV.

Mr.