GLASGOW EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY. 
509 
Theatre — It does not appear that any 
theatrical representation was allowed in 
this city from the Reformation till 1750, 
when Mr, Burrell, a teacher of dancing 
at the Bell of the Brae, gave the use of 
his hall for that purpose. A temporary 
theatre was erected against the wall of 
the arch-bishop’s palace in 1752, and in 
a shcTi't time thereafter it was demolished 
by a part of a congregation who had 
been hearing the celebrated George 
Whitfield preach in the High Church 
Yard, who denounced it as the devil’s 
house. At that period pQ|)ular feelings 
against theatrical amusements were so 
great that dress parties were escorted to 
the theatre by a military gaurd, — Inl 762 
the magistrates refused to give their 
Patronage ■ to Messrs. Jackson Love, 
and Beate, for building a theatre, and 
no person could be got to sell ground for 
that purpose. At length a theatre w'as 
erected in Grahamston, and opened in 
the spring of 1764, by Mrs. Bellamy 
and other performers. Theatrical re- 
presentations continued to be so obnox- 
ious to the people, that a mob set fire 
to the stage, and burned the scenery 
and machinery on the first night of 
performance. When the damage was 
repaired, the performance went on occa- 
sionally till 17«2, when, at one o’clock 
in the morning of 16th April, the theatre 
was burned to the ground. Some time 
after this a small theatre was built in 
Dunlop Street and opened in January, 
1715; but the play-goers thinking it too 
small for the city, erected one in Queen 
Street, which was opened on 24th April, 
1805, at an expense of 18,500/., raised 
in shares of 25/. It was let on lease at 
1200/., but the lease failed; it was 
then let at 800/., but this could not be 
paid. The rent was then reduced to 
400., and ultimately, the building was 
sold at a price only equal to the out- 
standing debts and ground rent. On 
the forenoon of iOth January, 1829, 
this splendid edifice was also burned to 
the ground; and since that time the 
play-goers have contented themselves 
with the old theatre in Dunlop Street. 
Newspapers. — ^'fhe first Newspaper 
printed in the West of Scotland was the 
Glasgow Courant, which appeared In 
17 Id. It was published three times a 
week, consisted of twelve pages in small 
quarto, and was sold for three halfpence 
or “ one penny to regular customers’^ 
Since 1715 there have been 18 attempts 
to establish newspapers in the city, and 
out of that number 10 survive. 
Education. — From the Reformation 
till 1620, there were numerous Acts of 
the Scotch Parliam.ent for encouraging 
learning ; but it would appear that these 
Acts had not much weight with the then 
Presbytery of Glasgow, as that reverend 
body, on 18th July, 1604-, complained to 
the magistrates of a plurality of schools. 
— “ They thought that the Grammar 
School, and that taught by John Bucha- 
nan, quite sufficient.” In 1816, exclu- 
sive of the University, and thirteen insti- 
tutions where youths were educated, 
there were 144 schools ; including the 
public institutions, there were 16,799 
scholars, of wffiom 6,51 6 were taught 
gratis in charity or free schools. It 
must, however, be observed, that there 
were not 16,799 individual scholars, as 
several of them attended more schools 
than one. Sabbath Schools were esta- 
blished here in 1786. In 1820 there 
were 106 schools, 158 teachers, 4663 
scholars, viz. boys, 2235 ; girls, 2433 ; 
besides three adult schools where there 
were 3 teachers, and 25 male, and 54 
female scholars. Of late years an im- 
provement in the mode of education has 
been effected in this city, by the intro- 
duction of infant, juvenile, and normal 
schools ; and although a number of be-> 
nevolent individuals, composing the 
Glasgow Educational Society have lent 
their aid in accomplishing this object, 
everyone will acknowledge that but for 
the unwearied and meritorious exertions 
of Mr. David Stow, the schools would 
not have been brought te their present 
state of perfection. 
The Report concluded with an * Ab- 
stract View of the State of Society in 
Glasgow at various Periods, from which 
we shall give a few extracts : — 
From 1550 to 1600 — The Reformation 
took place during this period. The great 
body of the people, however, still re- 
tained their fierce and sanguinary dis- 
position. This is strikingly marked in 
thsir being constantly armed ; even 
their ministers were accoutred in the 
pulpit. The number of murders, cases 
of incest, and other cirminal acts, which 
were turned over to the censures of the 
church’ but too plainly point out the 
depraved character of the people. 
Froml650to 1700 — ^The people had 
become more civilized, and paid more 
attention to moral and religious duties . 
