THE THEATRE. 



therefore thither to be returned, before it touched 

 any other water, or any other vessels whatsoever, 

 placed on the ground." 



But what parts — few, many or all — of the heathen 

 ancient libations, ablutions, and expiations were 

 adopted by the Druids cannot be positively asserted. 



THE THEATRE. 



During the period that Mr. Sandford has had the management 

 of the Plymouth Theatre, he has made exertions of every kind, in 

 order to render dramatic performances worthy of public patronage 

 to its fullest extent. He has been liberal of capital, and has di- 

 rected its expenditure with judgment and good taste. New 

 scenery, machinery, decorations, dresses, &c., have been provi- 

 ded, and the splendour with which The Hunchback, Masaniello, 

 Aladdin, Pizarro, and otiier pieces have been brought forward, 

 has, perhaps, not been equalled in any provincial theatre. First 

 rate actors have been engaged, whenever their assistance could be 

 obtained, and a permanent company of good performers has 

 always been kept up. 



' The house was never kept in better order, means having been 

 taken to prevent any thing like disturbance or riot in any part ; 

 and, by a recent regulation, Mr. Sandford has shown that he will 

 consent to be a loser, — in a pecuniary way, for a time — in order 

 to effect his determined purpose of preventing any thing which 

 might prove an annoyance to the majority of the auditors, or inter- 

 rupt their pleasure during the performance. 



Mr. Hield, of the Theatre Royal, Norwich, is engaged, and 

 has shown himself very effective as the leading performer of a 

 provincial company ; he has a commanding figure, and powerful 

 voice, which, with considerable talent, taste, and feeling, have 

 rendered him efficient both in tragedy and comedy ;— the latter 

 is evidently his stronger hold. In the plays of William Tell, 

 Romeo and Juliet, The Honey-moon, Pizarro, Richard III., &c., 

 he received much and well deserved applause. 



Vivash, as usual, is pregnant with humour; and, when in 

 characters which he knows to be suited to his line of acting, is 

 excellent. Those who are troubled with indigestion, or the blue 

 devils, will do well to forswear all manner of physic, and look, 

 out for Vivash at the Theatre Royal. 



Fuller has improved greatly since his first appearance in Ply- 

 mouth, and sustains the low comedy characters with much ability. 

 Miss Mason, Miss Jarman, Mrs. Horsman, and Miss Hempel, 

 make the female part of Mr. Sandford's company sufficiently 

 strong for most purposes : — Miss Mason has already appeared in 

 tragedy and genteel comedy, acquitting herself highly creditably in 



