'man whose habits have been familia rised from his infancy with our follies and our vices; but they are strikingly just in ́the mouth of a Battuécas, for such must be the impressions of a rational and intelligent being, whose Judgment hath never been corrupted, and who, far from being cloyed with the specious appearance of the world, must feel and enjoy its charms with avidity. THEATRICAL JOURNAL. DRURY LANE. DRURY-LANE THEATRICAL FUND. T I gratifying duty to record in these pages, the annals of that benevolence for which England is famed throughout the globe, but never have we enjoyed a prouder feeling of exultation at our country's munificence, than from the commemoration which these lines are intended to introduce. Our encomiums of the liberality then displayed, might indeed be lavish without flattery, but they are not required,—the pursuits of active charity have a record elsewhere, and a recompense which will endure for ever! On Wednesday March the 11th, a splendid public festival was given at the City of London Tavern, for the purpose of increasing the Fund for the Benefit of decayed Actors of the above Theatre, which was most numerously attended; and his Royal Highness the Duke of YORK having entered the dinner room at a quarter before seven, im-' mediately took the Chair, supported, by The Earls of Yarmouth and Essex, Lords Holland and Montford, Sir John Silvester, Bart. Pascoe Grenfell, J. H. Massey Dawson, and John Dent, Esqs. the Hon. Douglas Kinnaird, Richard Wilson, Esq. &c. &c. &c. On the cloth being removed, the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were given, and Non Nobis Domine, God save the King, Hail Star of Brunswick, &c. were sung by Messrs. Pyne, Broadhurst, Smith, Taylor, and the other vocal per formers. The health of the Duke of YORK having been proposed by the Earl of Essex, and drank with three times three, His ROYAL HIGHNESS, in returning thanks expressed the great pleasure he felt at seeing so numerous and respectable a company assembled; and, he was sure, they could not have assembled in a better cause. Amongst the various Europ. Mag. Vol. LXXIII. Mar. 1818,' Charities with which this metropolis abounded, none, said his Royal Highness, came more home to their feelings than the present. Every Englishman must feel a pride in nurturing and encouraging the genius of his own country; and they could not effect that object better than by affording a comfortable retreat to those who had passed their best years in the service of the public.-(Cheering.) He should not detain the company longer, assembled as they were for a convivial as well as a charitable purpose, but would propose as a toast, "Success to the Theatrical Fund of Drury-lane Theatre, and its worthy Master, Mr. EDMUND KEAN."-This toast was received with loud and long continued applause, until I am Mr. KEAN rose, and spoke to the fol lowing effect:-"The generous sentiment which your Royal Highness has been pleased to express, with reference to the Drury-lane Fund, assisted as it has been by the kind plaudits of this company, induces me to undertake a task, to the just performance of which,' notwithstanding all your kindness, I inadequate. In the name of my brother actors, subscribers to this Fund, which, by your presence, your Royal Highness will this day greatly assist,-in the absence of those whose prayers for your welfare arise from the retreat of pover ty, and from the bed of sickness-in the name of those unfortunate persons, who may, hereafter, be indebted for relief to the Drury-lane Fund, allow me to attempt an expression of those thanks which their hearts must necessarily feel, but to express which, with the force and feeling the occasion calls for, demands powers infinitely greater than those which I possess. As Master and Treasurer of the Drury lane Fund, it is necessary that I should make some ohservations as to the nature of that Insti tution, and the particular causes which have occasioned this meeting.-This K k duty I will endeavour to discharge. But amongst the many circumstances which prove how little fitted I am for the task assigned to me, there is one that I must particularly allude to,-I mean the presence of a Gentleman, whose knowledge of the Drury-lane Fund must enable him to speak of it with more correctness than I can do; whose eminent abilities did honour to his profession; whose private virtues lent a grace to the Institution, and whose name added a lustre to it.(Great applause.) I allude to my immediate and most respected predecessor, Mr. John Bannister -a Gentleman, whose long professional career, was constantly marked by public favour and by private esteem—( Applause)—a Gentle man, whose retirement from the stage, though it deprived every actor of a brother, did not withdraw from him a friend. His contributions to the Drurylane Fund must rank foremost amongst the most useful and disinterested acts of his life. To myself, it is a particular sourse of regret, that any circumstance should have operated to occasion me to succeed him. But, placed in this situation, I am called on to offer some history of the nature of our Institution. The name by which our Establishment is not uncommonly, nor improperly distin guished, at once declares its founder and chief benefactor-it being generally known as "GARRICK'S FUND."-It was his happiness, ten years after he first set this plan on foot, which was in the year 1766, to receive from Parliament its sanction, establishing this as a Corporate Body. From him, as Patentee of Drury-lane Theatre, the Fund derived the greatest advantage. He generously devoted one night in the season to its benefit, and his last will recorded his posthumous liberality. Up to his death, prosperity attended the Institution,and, after his decease, his spirit seemed to hover around that fabric which he had reared- and, in aid of it, his Executors placed 40001. in the hands of the Trustees. The fund progressively increased till 1793. Our records then show a dreary and barren waste of twenty-years, and not only were no be quests made during that time, but our receipts fell lamentably short of the claims that were made on the fund. So much so, that the melancholy task devolved upon those who administered the fund, of decreasing, in a ratio of 10 and even 20 per cent., the pittance which had previously been the sole solace of misery and of wretchedness. In 1814, and 1815, prosperity again shone on us, and by the kind permission of the Committee of Drury-lane, a benefit was again resorted to, which enabled us to restore to our annuitants what we had long withheld from them. Having made this statement, it is now my duty to express to your Royal Highness, the deep obligation I feel for your presence, on this occasion. Allow me to say, that this day will stand proudly distinguished amongst the numerous records of the City of London. Great are her charities,-wealthy and respectable are her citizens,—and it must fill them with sentiments of the most gratifying nature, to reflect, that they have ever found, in your Royal Highness, a champion in the cause of virtue—a guide in the pursuit of every thing good and estimable-(Cheers.) The list of our patrons, on this occasion, is already before the world-our possessions amount to 3201. per annumand I need scarcely say, that is a sum manifestly inadequate to meet the claims which the decay of our brethren may expose the Fund to. I am convinced, that, were our records known by the Public, they would afford the best commentary on the state of the Institution and the best reason for supporting it. Our records disclose a long list of hopes destroyed, of expectations disappointed! There is not a page of it that would not draw a tear of pity from the most obdurate-that would not afford to the moralist a lesson worthy of the deepest consideration (Applause.) All the varieties of distress which the Poet has painted are there to be found: "Ambition this shall tempt to rise, To bitter scorn a sacrifice And grinning infamy; That mocks the tear it forced to flow, And keen Remorse, with blood defil'd, And Moody Madness laughing wild, Amid severest woe!' (Cheering).—The poet might have found in our • brief chronicle' many realizations of this last sad description. Permit me again to express my gratitude to your Royal Highness for your appear ance here this day—and to apologise to the company, for having detained them so long; and I have now only to add my hope, that the Master's defects will not prove the Society's misfortune." (Loud Cheering). This address he delivered with the most graceful and persuasive eloquence, and we do not remember to have heard a speech more apt to the purpose or more tasteful both in the composition and delivery-it was evidently drawn from him, also, on the instant, as the Royal Duke coupled his name unex. pectedly with that of the fund they were assembled to support. The Duke of York then proposed, "The health of the late Master, Mr. John Bannister.” — (Applause). Mr. BANNISTER thanked his Royal Highness, and the noble company present, for the high honour conferred upon him. When he retired from the stage, he had considered it a great happiness that he had an opportunity of resigning the situation of Master of the Theatrical Fund to Mr. Kean, whose exquisite and original talents were calculated to render it most important services. If heretofore the Committee of Drury-lane Theatre had experienced any feelings of disappointment while contemplating the superior patronage enjoyed by the Theatrical Fund of Covent-Garden, he hoped, after the experience of this day, Mr. Kean might be allowed to say, iù his usual excellent manner Now is the winter of our discontent (Thunders of Applause). The Vice Presidents," 16 The Committee of Drury-Lane Theatre," "The Performers," The Ladies of the Stage," "The Memory of Garrick," "The memory of Sheridan,"“The Duke of Bedford," and "the Covent Garden Theatrical Fund," were among the toasts which followed. Thanks were returned by Lord HoLLAND, the Earl of YARMOUTH, and others. A variety of judiciously selected songs and glees diversified the enter tainments of the evening, and the Duke of YORK left the room just before eleven o'clock, amidst the reiterated plaudits of the company, Mr. KEAN had previously reported the subscriptions to amount to nearly 10002. In concluding our brief narrative of this Theatrical Feast of Reason," we are happy in being enabled to give a copy of the following lines, the extemporaneous production of Mr. DIDIN, Johnston took his benefit, and three, which issues from it is scarcely less. There are two large circles, the upper regular and emitting an uninterrupted blaze, the lower proceeding from a disposition of the glass materials, which gives it the appearance of easy drapery, and shining out in six distinct and equidistant spaces. Above those is a smaller circle, lighted up with equal brilliancy, while the glass work ascends towards the roof in a pyramidical shape, väried and ornamented in a very tasteful manner. The whole is dependant on a large, but almost hidden central bar, and six. inclosing lines, or tubes of polished, brass, by which the gas appears to be supplied The elevation of this superb lustre is higher than that at Coventgarden Theatre. To the pit and the dress circle it affords a serene and gratifying light, and can only be specifically observed by the eye being directed upwards. But at the uppermost circle, the illumination and the heat are rather too powerful. The design and execu-, tion, however, are highly creditable to the genius and reputation of Mr. Col❤ ̧ lins, the inventor and artist. The objections that were so loudly and generally urged against the Pagodal or, Chinese ornaments in the saloon, have been removed, and a more quiet appearance is presented there in the charge of colour on the seats or sofas from red to green. The light, however, produced from three suspended circles is not sufficient for the spaciousness of the room, and will probably be remedied. The Play was John Bull, followed by Obi; or, Three-fingered Jark. In the several performances of those there was nothing new to be remarked. To talk of the exquisite acting of Dowlon, in Job Thornbery, or of Johnstone, in Brulgruddery, would be only tiring our Readers with "a thrice told tale." The same objection prevents a repeti- ¿ tion of the merits of Oxberry, in Dan, of Powell, in Peregine, and of Mrs. Orger, Miss Boyce, and Mrs. Sparks, in Lady Caroline Braymore, Mary l'hornberry, and Mrs. Brulgruødery. PERFORMANCES. MARCH 23. This evening the activity of the Managers, during the recent short recess, was manifested conspicu-, ously, in the display of a new and magnificent lustre of cut glass, suspended from the centre of the ceiling over the pit, and communicating, by innumera ble gas flames most beautifully disposed, a profusion of light to all parts of the bouse before the curtain. The splendid apparatus is not in compass so large as that of Covent Garden, but the light COVENT GARDEN. If the modern stage is not remark. able for the vigour of its inventions. it certainly cannot be said to have slept much of late and variety is among the best compensations for deficiency in the powerful and the original. The novel of Rob Roy has becu transformed into a drama, aud was this evening exhibited. The dramatis persona were → Sir Frederick Vernon. Mr. EGERTON. Rashleigh Osbaldis Mr. ABBOTT. Dougal Major Galbraith Baillie Jarvie Jobson.. Diana Vernon Mattie Kattie ... Mr. MACREADY. Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. LISTON. Mr. SIMMONS. Miss STEPHENS. Mrs STERLING. Mrs. BISHOP. Helen Macgregor....Mrs. EGERTON. Highland Peasantry, Soldiers, &c. Those form a numerous population, and the Play is a continued bustle. The story commences after the first volume of the Novel, and then follows the narrative with tolerable closeness to the catastrophe in the dea h of Rashleigh by Kob Roy's hand. We may there fore leave the detail, and speak of its performance. The music is in general pretty; for it has, with a few exceptions, been taken from the popular metody of Scotland, The idea was suitable, and the choice fortunate. The audience unexpectedly heard the fine airs which have been so long touching and popular, and Roy's Wife, sung as a duet by Miss Stephens and Sinclair, with some others, were loudly encored. The scenery makes a conspicuous feature of the Play. The second act presents an admirable view of Glasgow by moonlight, the spot of Roboy's interview with Fran is Osbaldistone; but the chief action ly ng in the Highlands, the, principal delineations are of the mountain and the lake, the heath and the ravine. The scene of the ambush was a, very able and picturesque view of the interior of the mountain country: - a long lake spreading in misty blue, among crags and teils, bare and broken, promontories, and the scattered and hardy vegetation of the North. The figure of the heroine, wife of Macgregor, standing at the gorge of the pass with her target and sword, united MARCH 23 - Rob Rey was repeated. The spirit and variety which struck, us in this Drama on its first performance |