$20 
LONDON. 
public expe&ation had been fo much excited, that the 
doors were crowded at an early hour ; and the difficulty 
of entrance was exceffive. When at length the crowd 
had (lowly laboured their way into the hall, they found 
other difficulties; and the pafl'ages to the doors for re¬ 
ceiving money were fcenes of nearly as much druggie 
and danger as the ftreet. No ferious accident, however, 
occurred.—The Addrefs with which the theatre opened 
was attended with a very remarkable circumftance. The 
committee, while the houfe was building, had advertifed 
to requeft the communication of poetical addrefles from 
all quarters; from thefe, one was to be felefted, and the 
reft returned to the writers by means of a private mark, 
fo that the names of the unfuccefsful candidates might 
not be known unlefs they chofe it. Out of a hundred 
and twelve pieces which had been fent, not one was 
thought fit for the purpofe ; and, a very fhort time before 
the opening of the houfe, the committee fent to lord 
(Byron, to requeft hint to favour them with an addrefs. 
His lordlhip complied ; and with that addrefs the houfe 
opened. This circumftance created a great fenfation 
among the difappointed candidates; and one of them, 
Bufby by name, in fitted upon reciting his compofition in 
the theatre, which occafioned a vaft deal of noify mirth. 
As many others of the competitors were public writers in 
. newfpapers, magazines, &c. it may be fuppofed that the 
■ decifion of the theatrical committee would be very much 
impugned, and that lord Byron’s compofition would be 
decried as much as poffible. This has been the cafe ; 
but, for our own parts, we think his lordfhip’s lines have 
great merit, are well fuited to the occafion, and will (land 
the teft of time. We (hall therefore prefent them to the 
, reader. 
In one dread night our city faw, and figh’d, 
• Bow’d to the dud, the drama’s tower of pride ; 
in one (hort hour beheld the blazing fane, 
Apollo fink, and Shakefpeare ceafe to reign. 
Ye who beheld, O fight admir’d and mourn’d, 
Whofe radiance mock’d the ruin it adorn’d ! 
Through clouds of fire the malfy fragments riven, 
Like Ifrael’s pillar, chafe the night from heav’n; 
Saw the long column of revolving flames 
Shake its red (hadow o’er the ftartled Thames; 
While thoufands throng’d around the burning dome, 
Shrunk back, appall’d, and trembled for their home j 
As glar’d the volum’d blaze, and ghaftly (hone 
The (kies, with lightnings awful as their own ; 
Till blackening allies and the lonely wall 
Ufurp’d the Mufe’s realm, and mark’d her fall;— 
Say—(hall this new nor lefs afpiring pile. 
Rear’d, where once rofe the mightieft in our ille. 
Know the fame favour which the former knew ; 
A (lirine for Shakefpeare—worthy him and you? 
Yes, it diall be—the magic of that name 
Defies the fcythe of time, the torch of flame. 
On the fame fpot (till confecrates the fcene. 
And bids the drama be where (he hath been ;— 
This fabric’s birth attefts the potent fpell; 
Indulge our honed pride, and fay, How well! 
As foars this fane to emulate the laft, 
Oh ! might we draw our omens from the pad. 
Some hour propitious to our prayers, may boaft 
Names fucli as hallow dill the dome we loft. 
On Drury firft your Siddons’ thrilling art 
O’erwheltn’d the gentled, llorm’d the (lerneft, heart. 
On Drury, Garrick’s lateft laurels grew ; 
Here your laft tears retiring Rofcius drew. 
Sigh’d his laft thanks, and wept his laft adieu. 
But ftill for living wit the wreaths may bloom 
That only wafle their odours o’er the tomb. 
Such Drury claim’d, and claims,—nor you refufc 
One tribute to revive his (lumbering mufe ; 
vWith garlands deck your own Menander’s head ; 
jNpr hoard your honours idly for the dead ! 
Dear are the days which made our annals bright. 
Ere Garrick fled, or Brinfley ceas’d to write. 
Heirs to their labours, like all high-born heirs. 
Vain of our anceftry as they of theirs; 
While thus Remembrance borrows Banquo.’s glafs, 
To claim the fceptred (hadows as they pafs, 
And we the mirror hold, where imag’d (bine 
Immortal names emblazon’d on our line ; 
Pnufe—ere their feebler offspring you condemn, 
Reflect how hard the ta(k to rival them. 
Friends of the ftage—to whom both players and plays 
Mu ft fue alike for pardon or for praiie ; 
Whofe judging voice and eye alone diredt 
The boundlefs power to cherifti or rejeft;— 
If e’er frivolity has led to fame, 
And make us blufh that you forbore to blame; 
If e’er the (inking ftage could condefcend 
To foothe the (Ickly tafte it dare not mend ;—■ 
All pad reproach may prefent fcenes refute. 
And cenfure, wifely loud, be juftly mute ! 
Oh ! fince your fiat (lamps the drama’s laws. 
Forbear to mock us with mifplac’d applaule: 
So pride (hall doubly nerve the aftor’s powers, 
And reafon’s voice be echo’d back by our’s ! 
This greeting o’er,—the ancient rule obey’d, 
The drama’s homage by her herald paid, 
Receive our welcome too—whofe every tone 
Springs from our hearts, and fain would win your own. 
The curtain rifes—may our ftage unfold 
Scenes not unworthy Drury’s days of old ! 
Britons our judges, Nature for our guide, 
Still may we pleafe, long-long may you prefide. 
The new parliament met on Tuefday the 24 th of No¬ 
vember. Here it may not be amifs to prefent a ftatement 
of the number and duration of parliaments within the 
reign of his prefent majefty. 
Met. Diffolved. Exifted. 
y - 
rn. 
d. 
19 May 1761 
11 March 
1768 
6 
9 
22 
10 May 176!} 
30 Sept. 
1774 - 
6 
4* 
21 
29 Nov. 1774 
1 Sept. 
1780 
5 
9 
4 
31 Ocft. 1780 
25 March 
1784 
3 
4 
26 
18 May 1784 
11 June 
1790 
6 
0 
25 
10 Aug. 1790 
12 July 1796 
20 May 
31 Dec. 
1796 
1800I 
5 
11 
3 
United Kingdon. 
22 Jan. 1801 29 June 
1802 J 
5 
11 
is 
3 r Aug. 1802 
24 Ofl. 
1806 
a 
2 
2 5 
15 Dec. 1806 
29 April 
1807 
0 
4 
15 
22 June 1807 
24 Nov. 1812 
29 Sept. 
1812 
5 
3 
7 
The reft of the week was employed in the houfe of 
commons in fwearing-in members and in choofing a 
Speaker: to this office the Rt. Hon. Charles Abbott was 
unanimoully re-elefled. 
His royal highnefs the prince-regent was pleafed to 
open this new parliament in perfon. This was accord¬ 
ingly done, in great Hate, on Monday the 30 th; and, 
eight years having elapfed fince a fpeech had been deli¬ 
vered from the throne, great intereft was made for tickets 
of admiflion to the houle of peers. The princefles Au- 
gufta, Elizabeth, and Mary, came to town from Windlbr; 
and, with the princefs Charlotte of Wales, were con¬ 
ducted to the houfe by the duke of Cumberland. At 
one o’clock the prince-regent went from Carlton-houle 
to St. James’s, where he was received by the lord-cham¬ 
berlain and the officers of the houfehold. His royal high¬ 
nefs was drefled in regimentals ; and was conducted to 
the levee-room, where he remained till the (late-carriages 
were announced to be in readinefs ; when his royal high¬ 
nefs and his attendants entered the carriages, of which 
there were four. In the firlfc carriage were the equerries 
and page of honour ; in the fecond, the earl of Macclef- 
field, captain of the yeomen of the guard, the grooms in 
waiting, 
