in Newcastle for elegance of design and execution of workmanship. It presents a front adorned with a colonade of fix beautiful pillars, and two handsome wings. A fine grass plot, with a circular gravel road for carriages in the front. This again is enclosed with painted iron palisades, with lamps. The great room is decorated with several splendid chrystal lustres, manufactured at the glass-houses here, which cost, as is faid, some hundred pounds each, and give the room, when illuminated, an elegant appearance. Befides the grand saloon, there are a coffee-room, a card-room, and a well chofen but small collection of books. Most of the public daily prints are taken in at the first of these rooms for the use of subscribers. Such is a short 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 species 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 excesive attachment to theatrical exhibitions has been the ruin of empires, the fubverfion of morals, and the bane of industry, as well as of domestic society. From the many fevere laws and restrictions, enacted by our virtuous and prudent forefathers, against stage-plays, interludes, &c. we can easily 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 small degree, to poison the loose, laughing, licentious age of Charles II. by their dramatical compositions. In the more virtuous reign of queen Anne, immortalized by the productions of the greatest heroes, poets, and philosophers that ever adorned the British annals, the entertainment of the drama affumed a more rational, chaste, and dignified form. Addison, 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 succeeded. The present 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.

For

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 necessary, both to answer the purpose of convenience, and to heighten the embellishments of the town. this purpose, proposals and a plan were given in by Mr. David Stephenson, architect, in consequence of which he was employed to build the new theatre in the middle of Mosley-street. It is an elegant and commodious situation, and if not the most capacious, it is possibly 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 burgess we so often quote, that it is rather unluckily placed too far eastward, and will cause a bend in the intended

intended new street to be carried due north towards the High-bridge, &c. Its front is adorned with festoons and dramatical emblems, beautifully formed. An act of parliament was obtained for authority to represent dramatical productions upon this stage, and to transform the actors, who by law are unluckily classed 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 some growling malecontents, (but there is not a possibility in pleasing every one) who whimper fomething about an incometax, that his majesty has other sturdy begging servants, befides the poor players, who oddly enough amuse people by "fuming and fretting their part" and then are gone.

For several seasons past the theatre here has been well attended; and the powers of Kemble, Cooke, &c. have drawn overflowing houses. Acrots the street 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 Mosley and Dean-ftreets being central and spacious, and particularly convenient for the mail coaches, which occupy a deal of room, the magiftrates transferred the post-office to Mosley-ftreet. It is a building perfectly calculated for the purpose, is full of conveniences for the post-master, &c. as alfo for the trading people in receiving and delivering letters, unjottled by passengers, which formerly was frequently the cafe.

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CALECALE-CROSS.

On the north fide of Lork-Burn, near the Sandhill, stood the Cale-cross, which Grey in his chorographia, describes as a "fair one, with columns of hewn stone covered with lead." Not many years ago, there was a cistern at the top of it, to hold what was then called the new water. It was taken down in the year 1723. This ancient Cross was rebuilt A. D. 173, after a design by Mr. David Stephenson, architect. It is fupported by columns beautifully adorned, as well as the top with various emblematical assemblages 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 structure, and was a present from Sir Matthew White Ridley. The infcription as follows: "Sir Matthew White Ridley, bart. mayor, Richard Bell, Efq. sheriff."

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

In a confirmation of the Wall-Knowl hospital, A. D. 1360, it is called "Cale-cross."

Here, especially on market days, are fold eggs, milk, butter, cheese, &c. And at this Cross the two great fairs are proclaimed.

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

WHITE-CROSS.

This too is of great antiquity, as there are accounts

of it fo distant as A. D. 1410. 11th of Henry IV.

Mr.