Andthesethingsbredagreatcombustioninthetown。
　　Wagstaffe’s“ApparitionofMotherHaggis。“
　　TheacrimoniouswarfarecarriedonforalengthoftimebytheplaygoersofLondonagainsttheproprietorsofCovent-GardenTheatre，isoneofthemostsingularinstancesuponrecordofthesmallfollywhichwillsometimespervadeamultitudeofintelligentmen。Carriedonatfirstfrommereobstinacybyafew，andafterwardsformingledobstinacyandfrolicbyagreaternumber，itincreasedatlasttosuchaheight，thatthesoberdwellersintheprovinceshelduptheirhandsinastonishment，andwonderedthatthepeopleofLondonshouldbesuchfools。Asmuchfirmnessandperseverancedisplayedinabettercause，mighthaveachievedimportanttriumphs；andwecannotbutfeelregret，inrecordingthismatter，thatsomuchgoodandwholesomeenergyshouldhavebeenthrownawayonsounworthyanobject。Butwewillbeginwiththebeginning，andtracetheO。P。maniafromitssource。
　　Onthenightofthe20thofSeptember，1808，theoldtheatreofCovent-Gardenwastotallydestroyedbyfire。Preparationswereimmediatelymadefortheerectionofamoresplendidedifice，andthemanagers，HarrisandthecelebratedJohnPhilipKemble，announcedthatthenewtheatreshouldbewithoutarivalinEurope。Inlessthanthreemonths，therubbishoftheoldbuildingwasclearedaway，andthefoundation-stoneofthenewonelaidwithalldueceremonybytheDukeofSussex。Withsomuchcelerityweretheworkscarriedonthat，inninemonthsmore，theedificewascompleted，bothwithoutandwithin。Theopeningnightwasannouncedforthe18thofSeptember1809，withintwodaysofatwelvemonthsincethedestructionoftheoriginalbuilding。
　　ButtheundertakinghadprovedmoreexpensivethantheCommitteeanticipated。Torenderthepitentrancemorecommodious，ithadbeendeemedadvisabletoremovealowpublic-housethatstoodintheway。
　　Thisturnedoutamatterofnolittledifficulty，fortheproprietorwasamanwellskilledindrivingahardbargain。ThemoreeagertheCommitteeshowedthemselvestocometotermswithhimforhismiserablepot-house，themoregraspinghebecameinhisdemandsforcompensation。Theywereultimatelyobligedtopayhimanexorbitantsum。Addedtothis，theinteriordecorationswereonthemostcostlyscale；andMrs。Siddons，andothermembersoftheKemblefamily，togetherwiththecelebratedItaliansinger，MadameCatalani，hadbeenengagedatveryhighsalaries。Asthenightofopeningdrewnear，theCommitteefoundthattheyhadgonealittlebeyondtheirmeans；andtheyissuedanotice，statingthat，inconsequenceofthegreatexpensetheyhadbeenatinbuildingthetheatre，andthelargesalariestheyhadagreedtopay，tosecuretheservicesofthemosteminentactors，theywereunderthenecessityoffixingthepricesofadmissionatsevenshillingstotheboxesandfourshillingstothepit，insteadofsixshillingsandthreeandsixpence，asheretofore。
　　Thisannouncementcreatedthegreatestdissatisfaction。Theboxesmighthavebornetheoppression，butthedignityofthepitwaswounded。Awar-crywasraisedimmediately。Forsomeweeksprevioustotheopening，acontinualclatterwaskeptupinclubsandcoffee-rooms，againstwhatwasconsideredamostunconstitutionalaggressionontherightsofplay-goingman。Thenewspapersassiduouslykeptuptheexcitement，andrepresented，dayafterday，tothemanagerstheimpolicyoftheproposedadvance。Thebitterpoliticsofthetimeweredisregarded，andKembleandCovent-GardenbecameasgreatsourcesofinterestasNapoleonandFrance。PublicattentionwasthemorefixedupontheproceedingsatCovent-Garden，sinceitwastheonlypatenttheatretheninexistence，Drury-LanetheatrehavingalsobeendestroyedbyfireinthemonthofFebruaryprevious。Butgreataswastheindignationoftheloversofthedramaatthattime，noonecouldhaveanticipatedtheextraordinarylengthstowhichoppositionwouldbecarried。
　　FirstNight，September20th——Theperformancesannouncedwerethetragedyof“Macbeth“andtheafterpieceof“TheQuaker。“Thehousewasexcessivelycrowdedthepitespeciallywithpersonswhohadgonefornootherpurposethantomakeadisturbance。Theysoondiscoveredanothergrievancetoaddtothelist。Thewholeofthelower，andthree-fourthsoftheuppertierofboxes，wereletoutfortheseason；
　　sothatthosewhohadpaidatthedoorforaseatintheboxes，wereobligedtomounttoalevelwiththegallery。Heretheywerestowedintoboxeswhich，fromtheirsizeandshape，receivedthecontemptuous，andnotinappropriatedesignationofpigeon-holes。Thiswasconsideredinthelightofanewaggressionuponestablishedrights；andlongbeforethecurtaindrewup，themanagersmighthaveheardintheirgreen-roomtheindignantshoutsof“Downwiththepigeon-holes！“——“Oldpricesforever！“Amidthisdinthecurtainrose，andMr。Kemblestoodforwardtodeliverapoeticaladdressinhonouroftheoccasion。Theriotnowbeganinearnest；notawordoftheaddresswasaudible，fromthestampingandgroaningofthepeopleinthepit。Thiscontinued，almostwithoutintermission，throughthefiveactsofthetragedy。Nowandthen，thesublimeactingofMrs。
　　Siddons，as“theawfulwoman，“hushedthenoisymultitudeintosilence，inspiteofthemselves:butitwasonlyforamoment；therecollectionoftheirfanciedwrongsmadethemashamedoftheiradmiration，andtheyshoutedandhootedagainmorevigorouslythanbefore。ThecomedyofMundenintheafterpiecemetwithnobetterreception；notawordwaslistenedto，andthecurtainfellamidstillincreasinguproarandshoutsof“Oldprices！“Somemagistrates，whohappenedtobepresent，zealouslycametotherescue，andappearedonthestagewithcopiesoftheRiotAct。Thisill-judgedproceedingmadethematterworse。Themenofthepitwereexasperatedbytheindignity，andstrainedtheirlungstoexpresshowdeeplytheyfeltit。Thusremainedthewartilllongaftermidnight，whenthebelligerentswithdrewfromsheerexhaustion。
　　SecondNight——Thecrowdwasnotsogreat；allthosewhohadgoneonthepreviouseveningtolistentotheperformances，nowstayedaway，andtheriotershaditnearlyalltothemselves。Withthelatter，“theplaywasnotthething，“andMacheathandPollysangin“TheBeggar’sOpera“invain。Theactorsandthepublicappearedtohavechangedsides——theaudienceacted，andtheactorslistened。A
　　newfeatureofthisnight’sproceedingswastheintroductionofplacards。Severalweredisplayedfromthepitandboxes，inscribedinlargeletterswiththewords，“Oldprices。“Withaviewofstrikingterror，theconstableswhohadbeenplentifullyintroducedintothehouse，attackedtheplacard-bearers，andsucceeded，afterseveralseverebattles，indraggingoffafewofthemtotheneighbouringwatch-house，inBowStreet。Confusionnowbecameworseandworseconfounded。Thepititesscreamedthemselveshoarse；while，toincreasetheuproar，somemischievousfrequentersoftheupperregionssqueakedthroughdozensofcat-calls，tillthecombinednoisewasenoughtoblistereverytympanuminthehouse。
　　ThirdNight——TheappearanceofseveralgentlemeninthemorningatthebaroftheBowStreetpoliceoffice，toanswerfortheirriotousconduct，hadbeenindignantlycommenteduponduringtheday。
　　Allauguredillforthequietofthenight。Theperformancesannouncedwere“RichardtheThird“and“ThePoorSoldier，“butthepopularityofthetragedycouldnotobtainitahearing。Thepititesseemedtobedrawnintocloserunionbytheattacksmadeuponthem，andtoactmoreinconcertthanonthepreviousnights。Theplacardswere，also，morenumerous；notonlythepit，buttheboxesandgalleriesexhibitedthem。Amongthemostconspicuous，wasoneinscribed，“JohnBullagainstJohnKemble——Who’llwin？“Anotherbore“KingGeorgeforever！butnoKingKemble。“AthirdwaslevelledagainstMadameCatalani，whoselargesalarywassupposedtobeoneofthecausesoftheincreasedprices，andwasinscribed“Noforeignerstotaxus——
　　we’retaxedenoughalready。“Thislastwasadouble-barrelledone，expressingbothdramaticandpoliticaldiscontent，andwasreceivedwithloudcheersbythepitites。
　　Thetragedyandafterpiecewereconcludedfulltwohoursbeforetheirregulartime；andthecriesforMr。Kemblebecamesoloud，thatthemanagerthoughtpropertoobeythesummons。Amidallthesescenesofuproarhepreservedhisequanimity，andwasneveroncebetrayedintoanyexpressionofpetulanceoranger。Withsomedifficultyheobtainedahearing。Heenteredintoadetailoftheaffairsofthetheatre，assuringtheaudienceatthesametimeofthesolicitudeoftheproprietorstoaccommodatethemselvestothepublicwish。Thiswasreceivedwithsomeapplause，asitwasthoughtatfirsttomanifestawillingnesstocomebacktotheoldprices，andthepiteagerlywaitedforthenextsentence，thatwastoconfirmtheirhopes。Thatsentencewasneveruttered，forMr。Kemble，foldinghisarmsmajestically，added，inhisdeeptragicvoice，“LadiesandGentlemen，Iwaitheretoknowwhatyouwant！“Immediatelytheuproarwasrenewed，andbecamesotremendousandsodeafening，thatthemanager，seeingtheuselessnessoffurtherparley，madehisbowandretired。
　　Agentlemanthenroseintheboxesandrequestedahearing。Heobtaineditwithoutdifficulty。HebeganbyinveighinginseveretermsagainstthepretendedignoranceofMr。Kemble，inaskingthemsooffensivelywhattheywanted，andconcludedbyexhortingthepeoplenevertoceasetheiroppositionuntiltheybroughtdownthepricestotheiroldlevel。Thespeaker，whosenamewasunderstoodtobeLeigh，thenrequestedacheerfortheactors，toshowthatnodisrespectwasintendedthem。Thecheerwasgivenimmediately。
　　AbarristerofthenameofSmythethenrosetocraveanotherhearingforMr。Kemble。Themanagerstoodforthagain，calm，unmoved，andsevere。“Ladiesandgentlemen，“saidhe，“Iwaitheretoknowyourwishes。“Mr。Leigh，whotookuponhimself，“forthatnightonly，“thecharacterofpopularleader，said，theonlyreplyhecouldgivewasoneinthreewords，“theoldprices。“Hereattheshoutsofapplauseagainrose，tillthebuildingrang。Stillsereneamidthestorm，themanagerendeavouredtoenterintoexplanations。Themenofthepitwouldhearnothingofthesort。Theywantedentireandabsoluteacquiescence。Lesswouldnotsatisfythem；and，asMr。Kembleonlywishedtoexplain，theywouldnothearaword。HefinallywithdrewamidanoisetowhichBabelmusthavebeencomparativelysilent。
　　Fourthnight——Theriotersweremoreobstinatethanever。Thenoiseswereincreasedbytheadditionofwhistles，bugle-horns，andwatchmen’srattles，sniffling，snorting，andclatteringfromallpartsofthehouse。Humanlungsweretaxedtotheuttermost，andthestampingonthefloorraisedsuchadustastorenderallobjectsbutdimlyvisible。Inplacards，too，therewasgreatervariety。Theloosewitsofthetownhadalldaybeenstrainingtheiringenuitytoinventnewones。Amongthemwere，“Comeforth，OKemble！comeforthandtremble！““FoolishJohnKemble，we’llmakeyoutremble！“and“Nocats！
　　noCatalani！Englishactorsforever！“
　　Thosewhowishtoopposeamobsuccessfully，shouldneverlosetheirtemper。Itisaproofofweaknesswhichmassesofpeopleatonceperceive，andneverfailtotakeadvantageof。Thus，whenthemanagersunwiselyresolvedtofightthemobwiththeirownweapons，itonlyincreasedtheoppositionitwasintendedtoallay。Adozenpugilists，commandedbyanotoriousboxeroftheday，wereintroducedintothepit，tousetheargumentumadhominemtotherioters。Continualscufflesensued:buttheinvincibleresolutionoftheplaygoerswouldnotallowthemtoquail；itratherarousedthemtorenewedopposition，andadeterminationnevertosubmitoryield。Italsostrengthenedtheircause，byaffordingthemfurthergroundofcomplaintagainstthemanagers。
　　Theperformancesannouncedonthebillsweretheoperaof“LoveinaVillage，“and“Whowins？“butthebillshaditalltothemselves，forneitheractorsnorpublicweremuchburthenedwiththem。Thelatter，indeed，affordedsomesport。Thetitlewastooapttotheoccasiontoescapenotice，andshoutsof“Whowins？whowins？“
　　displacedforatimetheaccustomedcryofoldprices。