634 Theatrical Matters. [Junr, 
lating every year, the only surprise is to find their doors open. On the 
subject of the receipts and expences, &c. some curious details have 
been lately given. Drury Lane is said to contain about 3,060 people. 
Covent Garden about 2,800. We should have conceived the numbers 
transposed. 
In 1805 Drury Lane Theatre held 3,611 persons, when the receipts 
amounted to 770/. 16s. The expences, including performers, lights, 
ground-rent, &c. were upwards of 200/. per night. Salaries 740/. per 
week, or about 124/. per night. The receipts of Drury Lane Theatre 
during the four years after building in 1812, were, first year 79,924l. ; 
second year 78,389]. ; third year 71,585/ ; fourth year 49,586/. In 1816, 
the seven last nightly receipts on Kean’s performance (as Sir Giles Over- 
reach, and one as Bertram) were 3,984/., averaging 569]. each night. 
From a statement of the accounts of Covent Garden Theatre from 1803 
to 1809, six years, it appears that the receipt of each season averaged 
61,000/., and the average profit of each year 8,345/. ‘ 
It appears by the suit in Chancery relative to Covent Garden Theatre, 
that the annual expences of that establishment amounted to an average of 
about 53 or 54,000/., making the nightly expences between 3 and 400/. 
By the same proceeding it appears that the average profits are about 
12,000/. per annum. The nightly expences of each patent theatre is else-_ 
where stated to be from 200 to 220 guineas, and Mr. T. Dibdin, wh 
has examined the Drury Lane books, gives the expences of that hous 
at the latter sum. 4 
The provincial theatres are, as they always have been, the very 
emblem of struggle. How any man who is tall enough to enlist in the 
militia, or strong enough to dig in the colonies, would ever undertake 
the management of a country theatre, is to us beyond all conception. 
The Irish theatres are now illuminated by the transit of some of our stars, 
and a week’s success must lighten the darkness of a year. Mrs. Waylett 
has been lately the star of Cork, where she quarrelled with Mrs. Humby 
about a song. The results of this important quarrel have not trans- 
pired. Miss Foote declared herself ill used, and protested against the 
management in a public appeal ; and Mr. Kean was suddenly indis- 
posed, and deprived the honest Cork people of their Richard. Another 
effort however was made, and he appeared as Macbeth... But the actor’s 
malady became so formidable in the third act, that his son was obliged 
to offer to play the part of Norval. This was a curious substitute for 
Macbeth ; but as the hero was not forthcoming, there was no remedy. 
The cause of this propensity to fall down in the green-room, has like the 
results of Mrs. Humby’s quarrel, not transpired. 
At Bristol, Mr. Macready—we believe, the tragedian’s father—was 
found dead in his bed. Miss Coveney, an infant, sang a bravura, played 
in opera, and had a benefit ; and Miss Love, or rather Mrs. Calcraft, 
has been delighting all the world in the Siege of Belgrade, &c. 
The Apeurut closed, after a productive season, with a punning speech 
from Yates, of which the following is the most punistical fragment :— 
“It will be, perhaps, in the recollection of some of you, Ladies and Gen- 
tlemen, that we commenced the season with Wanted a Partner, and I need 
not tell you how efficiently that want has been supplied by. the firm of 
Mathews, Yates, and“ Company; and though you, who have found the 
capital for carrying on the firm, have not been actively engaged in the con- 
cern, yet we trust you have been any thing but sleeping partners ; nor can you 
blame us for any want of activity, since our Earthquake has filled the pit, 
