Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On Literature, Science, Music, Drama, And The Fine Arts.
AA'hat capers does he cut ! then backward leaps , With Merry Andrew eyeing all his steps . His comic humours with delight you see , Pleasing unto the best of company . The famous tumbler lately is come o'er , AVho was the wonder of the other shore : France , Spain , and Holland , and High German }' , Sweden , aud Denmark , and famed Italy ,
His active feats did with amazement see , Which done by man they thought could never be . Among the rest he falleth from on high Head foremost from the upper gallery , And in his fall performs a somerset ( The women shriek in dread he'll break his neck ) , And gently on his feet comes to the ground , To the amazement of beholders round .
Black Scaramouch and Harlequin of fame , The ladder dance , with forty X could name , Full of diverting and of later date , You may see there at a much cheaper rate Than at the House ; as well performed too ; You only pay for liquors , not the show , Such as neat brandy , southern cider tine , And grape ' s true juice as e'er was pressed for wine . "
The payment for the beverages consumed , and not for the entertainment provided , was obviously to evade the law , ancl it is of some significance that young Forcer , who now managed the concern , was a barrister ; and in 1735 he is known to have petitioned Parliament for a licence . When Forcer died , at an advanced agein 174-3 a person named Warren ivas his
, , successer ; and the following year Sadler ' s Wells was declared by a presentation from the Middlesex Grand Jury to be a place injurious to public morals . The next proprietor Avas Mr . Rosoman , a builder , whose name still survives in the adjacent Rosoman-street , and in 1753 Sadler ' s Wells Avas opened by him with
a regular licence granted by the county magistrates , under the provisions of that very Act , the 25 th of George II ., which , then hut newly passed , is now again the subject of so much attention . He soon after pulled doAvn the old wooden building and raised what we may consider the present theatre , Avhich , in August , 1766 , was declared completed . The
admission Avas two shillings and sixpence to the boxes , one shilling to the pit , and sixpence to the gallery . An additional sixpence entitled the visitor to the boxes to have a pint of wine . From Rosoman the theatre descended to Mr . Arnold , AVIIO gave a share of the property to his son , and had also for a partner Thomas King , the comedian of Drury-lane
, celebrated for his performances of Sir Peter Teazle , of which part he Avas the ori ginal representative . Under this management , which dates from 1772 , the admission was raised to three shillings the boxes , one shilling and sixpence the pit , and one shilling the gallery , an extra sixpence still entitling the visitor to
enjoy a pint of port , mountain , Lisbon , or punch , Avhilst a shilling was required for an extra pint . In 1778 the prospects of the speculation looked so encouraging that the interior ivas reconstructed and embellished at some considerable expense , and the entertainments then began to assume a recognised
dramatic character . " It is curious to observe that though the performance at the time when King was manager were limited only to the summer months , the principal difficulty was to provide for the security of the worthy citizens who had to get back to their habitations in a less lonely part of the town after their visits to a theatre which was on the extreme point of
the northern outskirts of the metropolis . A familiar announcement at the bottom of the old bills and advertisements was this , ' A horse patrol will be sent in the New-road that night , for the protection of the nobility and gentry who go from the squares , aud that end of town . The roadalsotowards the city will
, , be properly guarded . ' In a playbill of June , 17 S 3 , we read , ' Patrols of horse and foot are stationed from Sadler ' s Wells Gate along the Neiv-road to Tottenham-court turnpike ; likewise from the City-road to Moorfields ; also to St . John ' s-street , and across tha Spa-fields to Rosoman-roAv , from the hours of eight
to eleven . ' " Iu 177 S , when the theatre had been refashioned by Thomas King as to . its stage , the character of the performances , as we have said , ivere greatly advanced , and Avhen Arnold , who had been one of the partners , purchased his interest , as well as that of another named Sargeant , and brought Richard Wroughton , the Drury-lane comedian , into the concern , a
vigorous eiiort Avas made to stop other minor theatres from folioAving their example . At Astley ' s and at the Royal Circus , pieces of a dramatic class , hacl been tried experimentally , ancl the proprietors of Sadler ' s Wells caused a Bill to he brought into the House of Lords for leave to continue AA'ithout opposition . Astley , Hughesof the Circusand Palmer
, , , of the Royalty , drew up a statement of their case in reply , and Avhen Lord Thurlow , referring to the demand of the Sadler ' s Wells proprietary , said , 'Is it because they are the oldest offenders that they claim this ? No ! all or none . ' The bill AA-as ordered to lie on the table , and the various managers were
left to be as content as they could with the restrictions imposed by the old magisterial licences . "As a specimen of the performances which took place under this management , Ave may furnish the following reprint of an old ' board bill' of the theatre , and which , in respect to size ancl topography , might not be disadvantageously compared ivith those of the present day : —
'SADLER'S WELLS . MONDAY , APRIL the 17 th , 1797-The Entertainments will consist of a Musical Farce , Avritten and composed by Mr . Dilxlen , now first performed , called FIRST COME FIRST SERVED . The Characters hy Mr . Dighton , Mr . Lewis , and Dr . Davis ( his first appearance on the stage ); Mrs . ltoffey and Miss Sims , ( being her first appearance on any stage ) .
An entirely new Comic Ballet , taken from a Siviss anecdote in ' ¦ Count Holberg ' s Travels , ' lately published , called BRITAIN'S DEFENDERS ; OE , A FIG FOR INVASION . Founded on the recent Landing of a Body of French Criminals in Wales , with a Characteristic View of
BHITISII UXIOJS' IN THE H 01 "R 01 ? DASGEK . The Favourite and Elegant Exercises of THE TIGHT ROPE . By Mr . Richer , relieved and contracted hy the Comic Exertions of Mr . Dubois . In the course of the Evening will be presented hy a Company of Mute Performers ( their first appearance on the Boards of Sadler's Wells ) ,
SELECT MECHANICAL FEATS OP AGILITY m MIKIATTTP . E . The Amusements to conclude with an entirely new Harlequinade , called THE MOUNTAIN OT MISERIES ; on , HARLEQUIN TORMENTOR . The subject taken from a Tale in 'The Spectator , ' for AA'hich see the Books to be had at the Theatre .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On Literature, Science, Music, Drama, And The Fine Arts.
AA'hat capers does he cut ! then backward leaps , With Merry Andrew eyeing all his steps . His comic humours with delight you see , Pleasing unto the best of company . The famous tumbler lately is come o'er , AVho was the wonder of the other shore : France , Spain , and Holland , and High German }' , Sweden , aud Denmark , and famed Italy ,
His active feats did with amazement see , Which done by man they thought could never be . Among the rest he falleth from on high Head foremost from the upper gallery , And in his fall performs a somerset ( The women shriek in dread he'll break his neck ) , And gently on his feet comes to the ground , To the amazement of beholders round .
Black Scaramouch and Harlequin of fame , The ladder dance , with forty X could name , Full of diverting and of later date , You may see there at a much cheaper rate Than at the House ; as well performed too ; You only pay for liquors , not the show , Such as neat brandy , southern cider tine , And grape ' s true juice as e'er was pressed for wine . "
The payment for the beverages consumed , and not for the entertainment provided , was obviously to evade the law , ancl it is of some significance that young Forcer , who now managed the concern , was a barrister ; and in 1735 he is known to have petitioned Parliament for a licence . When Forcer died , at an advanced agein 174-3 a person named Warren ivas his
, , successer ; and the following year Sadler ' s Wells was declared by a presentation from the Middlesex Grand Jury to be a place injurious to public morals . The next proprietor Avas Mr . Rosoman , a builder , whose name still survives in the adjacent Rosoman-street , and in 1753 Sadler ' s Wells Avas opened by him with
a regular licence granted by the county magistrates , under the provisions of that very Act , the 25 th of George II ., which , then hut newly passed , is now again the subject of so much attention . He soon after pulled doAvn the old wooden building and raised what we may consider the present theatre , Avhich , in August , 1766 , was declared completed . The
admission Avas two shillings and sixpence to the boxes , one shilling to the pit , and sixpence to the gallery . An additional sixpence entitled the visitor to the boxes to have a pint of wine . From Rosoman the theatre descended to Mr . Arnold , AVIIO gave a share of the property to his son , and had also for a partner Thomas King , the comedian of Drury-lane
, celebrated for his performances of Sir Peter Teazle , of which part he Avas the ori ginal representative . Under this management , which dates from 1772 , the admission was raised to three shillings the boxes , one shilling and sixpence the pit , and one shilling the gallery , an extra sixpence still entitling the visitor to
enjoy a pint of port , mountain , Lisbon , or punch , Avhilst a shilling was required for an extra pint . In 1778 the prospects of the speculation looked so encouraging that the interior ivas reconstructed and embellished at some considerable expense , and the entertainments then began to assume a recognised
dramatic character . " It is curious to observe that though the performance at the time when King was manager were limited only to the summer months , the principal difficulty was to provide for the security of the worthy citizens who had to get back to their habitations in a less lonely part of the town after their visits to a theatre which was on the extreme point of
the northern outskirts of the metropolis . A familiar announcement at the bottom of the old bills and advertisements was this , ' A horse patrol will be sent in the New-road that night , for the protection of the nobility and gentry who go from the squares , aud that end of town . The roadalsotowards the city will
, , be properly guarded . ' In a playbill of June , 17 S 3 , we read , ' Patrols of horse and foot are stationed from Sadler ' s Wells Gate along the Neiv-road to Tottenham-court turnpike ; likewise from the City-road to Moorfields ; also to St . John ' s-street , and across tha Spa-fields to Rosoman-roAv , from the hours of eight
to eleven . ' " Iu 177 S , when the theatre had been refashioned by Thomas King as to . its stage , the character of the performances , as we have said , ivere greatly advanced , and Avhen Arnold , who had been one of the partners , purchased his interest , as well as that of another named Sargeant , and brought Richard Wroughton , the Drury-lane comedian , into the concern , a
vigorous eiiort Avas made to stop other minor theatres from folioAving their example . At Astley ' s and at the Royal Circus , pieces of a dramatic class , hacl been tried experimentally , ancl the proprietors of Sadler ' s Wells caused a Bill to he brought into the House of Lords for leave to continue AA'ithout opposition . Astley , Hughesof the Circusand Palmer
, , , of the Royalty , drew up a statement of their case in reply , and Avhen Lord Thurlow , referring to the demand of the Sadler ' s Wells proprietary , said , 'Is it because they are the oldest offenders that they claim this ? No ! all or none . ' The bill AA-as ordered to lie on the table , and the various managers were
left to be as content as they could with the restrictions imposed by the old magisterial licences . "As a specimen of the performances which took place under this management , Ave may furnish the following reprint of an old ' board bill' of the theatre , and which , in respect to size ancl topography , might not be disadvantageously compared ivith those of the present day : —
'SADLER'S WELLS . MONDAY , APRIL the 17 th , 1797-The Entertainments will consist of a Musical Farce , Avritten and composed by Mr . Dilxlen , now first performed , called FIRST COME FIRST SERVED . The Characters hy Mr . Dighton , Mr . Lewis , and Dr . Davis ( his first appearance on the stage ); Mrs . ltoffey and Miss Sims , ( being her first appearance on any stage ) .
An entirely new Comic Ballet , taken from a Siviss anecdote in ' ¦ Count Holberg ' s Travels , ' lately published , called BRITAIN'S DEFENDERS ; OE , A FIG FOR INVASION . Founded on the recent Landing of a Body of French Criminals in Wales , with a Characteristic View of
BHITISII UXIOJS' IN THE H 01 "R 01 ? DASGEK . The Favourite and Elegant Exercises of THE TIGHT ROPE . By Mr . Richer , relieved and contracted hy the Comic Exertions of Mr . Dubois . In the course of the Evening will be presented hy a Company of Mute Performers ( their first appearance on the Boards of Sadler's Wells ) ,
SELECT MECHANICAL FEATS OP AGILITY m MIKIATTTP . E . The Amusements to conclude with an entirely new Harlequinade , called THE MOUNTAIN OT MISERIES ; on , HARLEQUIN TORMENTOR . The subject taken from a Tale in 'The Spectator , ' for AA'hich see the Books to be had at the Theatre .