435 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



ance get out, having once got in ; 

 and never was precaution more 

 necessary. 



In the crowd before the doors, 

 (long before they were opened,) the 

 heat and pressure became almost in- 

 tolerable, — many persons fainted ; 

 and after the doors were opened, 

 Nnany were in danger of suffocation 

 from the weight and force of the 

 numbers from without, who could 

 not be prevailed upon by the repre- 

 sentations or shrieks of the sufferers 

 confined within, to disist from at- 

 tempting to force the passage. The 

 danger now became so sreat, that 

 the guards were unanimously called 

 for by the terrified persons who 

 were included between the inner and 

 outer doors, and who could not 

 make good their retreat. The sol- 

 diers, with the utmost dexterity and 

 good temper, cleared the crowd from 

 without ; and lining the entrance, 

 pcmiitted any one to retire, but no 

 one to enter. In the space of a 

 few minutes the two galleries were 

 tilled, and so closely wedged, that 

 not one more could get admittance. 

 The pit was two-thirds filled, not 

 from the pit doors and i)assages, but 

 from the boxes : gentlemen who 

 knew there were no places untaken 

 in the boxes, and who could not get 

 up the pit avenue, paid for admission 

 into the former, and poured from 

 the front boxes into the pit by 

 twenties and thirties at a time: still, 

 even after it was crammed 

 tlemen crowded the 

 and being unable to descend 

 Avant of room in the pit, remained 

 where they were, nor could be dis- 

 Joged by those whose right the boxes 

 were — having engaged them, per- 

 haps weeks before. Some ladies, 

 however, were permitted to occupy 

 the front rows. The police officers 

 2 



, the gen- 

 front boxes, 

 for 



vainly attempted to clear the oth«r 

 rows for those who justly claimed 

 them ; all their efforts were fruitless ; 

 twice were they under tlie necessity 

 of attempting force, and as often 

 they were overpowered by num- 

 bers and beaten back, and the for- 

 cible possession was triumphantly 

 maintained. The rush into the other 

 boxes was great, but order was 

 more easily preserved ia them, for 

 it was impossible they could dtscend 

 from them into the ])it. 1 he lobbies 

 were as much crammed as any other 

 part of the house ; and happy were 

 they who could get a station at the 

 small holes at the back of the boxes, 

 or who could procure a view of the 

 stage as the box doors were occa- 

 sionally opened. The heat in every 

 part of the house became excessive 

 very soon after it was filled. What 

 air could be given Mas admitted. 

 'J he stage curtain was raised two 

 feet from the stage, but the num- 

 bers were so great that all the means 

 tried were insufiicient. It was ob- 

 served however with satisfaction, 

 that but few females were exposed 

 to this distressing state in the pit, — 

 they were about twenty, and were 

 humanely placed in such situations 

 near the orchestra as to have the 

 full benefit of the air from the stage. 

 The utmost noise and confusion 

 universally ]irevailed during the 

 whole of this awful scene. 



Master Betty's appearance Avas to- 

 have been preceded by an occasional 

 address. — Mr. Charles Kemble came 

 forward to speak it : but the cla- 

 mour and uproar Avhich prevailed, 

 rendered all his efforts to be heard 

 or to bespeak attention ineffectual. 

 A principal cause of interruptioe 

 arose from the people of thegallcrjr^ 

 who expec'ing that Master Betty 

 V'ould himself speak the address, 



called 



