195 

 HUMOURS OF A FREE NIGHT. 



The first house that opened for the season was 

 Crawford's ; and he was obhged to commence with a 

 " free night/' by virtue of his patent. Thinking that 

 there must be some amusement, on an occasion when 

 the doors of a theatre were thrown open, like those of 

 a hospital, to take in all comers gratuitously, I resolved 

 to adjourn to Crow Street, and witness the performance 

 on both sides of the orchestra. If there was one par- 

 ticular spot in the world where every moral and physi- 

 cal cause could combine to render such an event more 

 ludicrous than at another, that spot was Dublin. The 

 idea of a Dublin gallery going into the boxes, pretty 

 strongly defends my assertion. By an early atten- 

 dance and a tremendous crush, (in which my ribs were 

 like to have shared the fate of my hat,) I was carried 

 into the house, through the pit entrance, and recovered 

 my understanding within two seats of the orchestra. 

 My reader must imagine the appearance of the front — 

 I cannot describe it — as well as the roaring and filli- 

 looing, and moving in and out. Soon after the doors 

 were opened, it was packed in every part like a box of 

 corks ; and I only regret that my memory does not 

 serve me to record some of the conversation that 

 ensued between the "leedies and jontlemen," for this 

 night only, or sprinkle my page with a few of their 

 jokes. However — 



The play was " Douglas ; " and on this occasion all 

 the principals of the theatre were exempted from duty, 

 and the characters were allotted to understrappers. 

 That of Glenalvon fell into the hands of a little, black- 

 browed, bandy-legged fellow, by the name of Barret, 

 well known throughout Dublin for his private particu- 

 liarities, and possessing at all times a great circle of 

 acquaintance in Mount Olympus. The Irish people 

 have great sympathy and enthusiasm : and notwith- 

 standing their personal inconvenience, and the carica- 

 ture daubings of the beauties of Home (the actors 

 appearing to be all abroad when they were at home) 

 then and there exhibited, they saw and heard the 



