1 827.] Notes for the Month. 511 



of the " Joint stock Associations," which the last few years have created. 

 One director, it appears, charged two others, openly, with having made 

 ,4,000 by a single job (we are not sure that job would be exactly the 

 correct term for such a transaction) in the money affairs of the Company. 

 One of the dignitaries impugned then arose, and confessed that the said job 

 had been talked of; but it was only " in jest" " poison in jest!" it was 

 only a job u in a merry sport" all (to use the worthy director's own ex- 

 dressive phrase) all " gammon." The most entertaining part of the affair, 

 however, was the manner in which Mr. Whittle Harvey's House of Com- 

 mons heroics which he took it into his head to sport rather out of their place 

 were treated by the Company. The meeting was composed unluckily 

 for eloquence of practical people ! steam arid pit-coal people who knew 

 what smoke was, being daily in the practice of manufacturing it ; and 

 who, moreover, were talking of the management of their own property, not 

 that of the public and upon whom as much as the song of the nightingale 

 upon the hungry hawk the tropes and figures of the member for Colches- 

 ter's rhetoric were wasted ! As for example " Standing there, as he (the 

 honourable member) did, in a proud and eminent situation ! (loud hisses, 

 and cries of " off !' ) " standing, not as the representative of a rotten borough, 

 but of a place where the inhabitants knew how to appreciate character !" 

 (great laughter, and more particular hisses !) He was glad that the meeting 

 treated the matter in so facetious a way : he should have more remarks to 

 address to them, which " (renewed hisses, and cries of * Ah ! that may 

 do in another place ',' &c.) The same agreeable sort of running commentary 

 continuing to accompany the honourable member and director, during the 

 whole of his Ciceronian harangue. The fact is, that this talking, where par- 

 liamentary forms do not interfere to prevent occasional unlucky scintilla- 

 tions of truth, is a delicate matter. And, besides, the affectation of par- 

 liamentary style or dignity in private discussions, is like an actor's wearing 

 his stage clothes in the street : none but very vulgar performers are ever 

 guilty of it; and those who are, become very properly exposed to the 

 huees of the populace. 



Prospects for the Opera. The hands into which, by the course or 

 failure of commercial speculations, the management of our public places of 

 entertainment fall from time to time, are rather curious. A very respec- 

 table vender of boiled beef, in Fleet-street, some little while ago found 

 himself we believe to his sorrow, in the event metamorphosed into a 

 dealer in murder and rope-dancing, at the Royal Circus; and Mr. Peter 

 Moore will never be forgotten (and, if he were, his wig would never be 

 forgotten) as the arbiter of taste and purveyor of public diversion at Drury 

 Lane Theatre. The Opera House, for the ensuing season, it appears, 

 will be almost as facetiously managed and possessed. The directors of 

 Italian opera as assignees of the property will be Mr. F. Bernasconi, 

 plasterer; Mr. W. Leonard, surveyor, and Mr. W. Richardson, stable- 

 keeper! A fourth manager appears, who is designated " gentleman," and 

 his name is Grum ! 



The Examiner of last Sunday (the 7th instant), contains a notice on 

 the affairs of Greece, in answer to Cobbett's paper (Register, 29th Sep- 

 tamber), upon the unlucky business of the steam-boats. This matter, 

 now, is hardly worth discussion. Long since, investigation was tried, 

 and the accounts were found so involved, and the statements of those parties 

 who could give information, were so wilfully unintelligible, that all hope 

 of a fair analysis of what had been done, was abandoned by every body. 



