222 

 THE DRAMA. 



KING'S THEATRE. The amateur manager has found the Opera 

 House rather an expensive plaything. The wires are not pulled for 

 nothing, and the puppets will find their way to the treasury, though 

 not always, it seems, with success, if we are to credit the account of 

 some of the fair correspondents to the Times. However, that is no 

 affair of ours. If Mr. Mason had realized his pompous announcement 

 at the commencement of his career, we should have little reason to 

 complain ; but having obtained the subscriptions to the Italian opera, 

 his whole efforts have been directed to crush it. Accordingly we see 

 German and French operas introduced the former with such exquisite 

 precision of detail the chorusses so admirably practised the whole 

 management so perfected by the indefatigable German artists them- 

 selves that the Italian, independently of the claims of either to musical 

 superiority, has been actually eclipsed by the very industry of its rivals. 

 Had half the pains been taken with the Italian opera, there would have 

 been no vacancy for the German or French either ; but it has no chance 

 a very few such Masons as this, our amateur manager, would suffice 

 to destroy a fabric which cost the labour of hundreds of better workmen 

 to raise. Instead of a wreath of laurel, his exertions ought to be 

 rewarded by one of stinging nettles, conveying, thereby, a pungent 

 reproof to himself, and a very pretty moral to other soi disant managers, 

 who, like the little boy in the story-book, touching what they do not 

 understand, get stung for their ignorance and folly. 



DRURY-LANE. The proceedings of the Drury-Lane authorities are 

 at present involved in the deepest mystery. We have heard of nothing 

 further than Wallack's departure for America, and Mr. Bunn's being 

 ordered off on the recruiting service. We hope he will be able to secure 

 a few Lions for the next season, without the aid of Monsieur Martin and 

 the iron cage no more " terrific combats," for heaven's sake ! unless, 

 indeed, they can be done in good style. If the days of the gladiators could 

 be renewed, and government be persuaded to lend us a few felons to be 

 pitched against some of twenty of the " Zoological," then, indeed, 

 Drury would have some pretensions to fame, and poor Davidge might 

 turn his Cobourg into a conventicle. But we fear the effeminacy of the 

 age is decidedly against all such manly recreations; for the gallant 

 attempts of the military lessee, towards a renewal of such glorious times, 

 by the introduction of a clawless, toothless, old, broken-backed lion, 

 failed, last season, to interest the discerning public ; and the jackalls, 

 hyenas, and other interesting debutantes, lifted up their sweet voices in 

 vain. 



If the Captain wishes to direct the public taste that way, and is suffi- 

 ciently unprejudiced respecting the rights of the legitimate drama, about 

 which so much is insisted, we would advise him next season to try the 

 effect of a little fight between two charity-boys, between the acts ; which, 

 if properly received, might enable him, before the end of the season, to 

 get up a very pretty entertainment between all the prize-fighters and 

 the wild beasts in the metropolis. The Captain might then play the 

 principal part himself; and it would indeed be a consummation worthy 

 of a " military manager"! 

 COVENT GARDEN. Laporte goes on prosperously. He seems to un- 



