550 
LON 
the whole building, are in the Shape of a horfe-Shoe ; 
but the extremities are not made to approximate in or¬ 
der to meet the narrow front of the ftage, but, by taking 
a fweep in the contrary direction, afford to the com¬ 
pany neareft to the performances an excellent view. Thus 
the audience-part forms three-fourths of a circle, which, 
making fome little allowance for the deviation in the drop 
within the profcenium, may be faid to be completed by the 
circular fweep which connects the outer wall of the boxes 
with the profcenium. The Infixes by which the houfe is 
lighted, are made from defigns formed by the architect. On 
the ftaircafes, at each pillar, are placed antique lamps. 
Melpomene and Thalia are placed in the niches on either 
fide of the profcenium, above the cornice ; and the royal 
arms are painted on the femi-circular pannel formed by 
the arch which appears to furmount the two pillars over 
the profcenium. Thefe are done with a mold afionifhing 
firength of relief, fo that the We can hardly decide whethef 
they are carved or painted. The uniform (hape of the back 
wall of the boxes gives an unobstructed range to the found, 
at the fame time that its thicknefs (three feet) is an effec¬ 
tual fecurity againfi the fpreading of flames. In the corri¬ 
dors which furround and lead to the boxes, the floors are 
formed of ftone, and reft upon brick arches without any 
intermixture of timber. Another wall, three feet thick, 
furrounds thefe corridors. By an invention of Col. Con¬ 
greve, water is laid on to all parts of the building: 
the refervoir will contain 200 hogfheads, which will fup- 
ply the pipes for half an hour; and the directors of the 
York-buildings Waterworks have engaged, by means of 
fteam-engines, to replenifli the refervoir. The feenes 
move on an iron railway. The whole amount of expen¬ 
diture, including feenery, wardrobe, and all the other 
property neceflary to be provided for opening the the¬ 
atre for theatrical performances, amounted to about 
350,000!. 
Thus much of the interior, in which there is nothing 
wanting to elegance, convenience, comfort, or fecurity. 
But experience has often taught us, that we Should form 
very erroneous conceptions of the interior Structure of 
the mind, both as to its elegance and utility of attain¬ 
ment, were we judge of it from the firft impreflions pro¬ 
duced by the exterior frame in which it is embodied. It 
is thus with the new Drury-lane theatre. The facade or 
front exhibits along fquare and almoft-flat mafs of ftone- 
work. It may be divided into a centre and Tides. The 
fides about half the breadth of the centre; and each con¬ 
stituted by a pilaftrade of two columns, fupporting the 
plained: entablature poflible. This entablature extends 
along the centre, but with only the moulding of the ar¬ 
chitrave in the latter. On the entablature is an unadorned 
parapet, or furmounting of the front. Between each pi- 
lafter is an aperture, or blank door, correfponding in cir¬ 
cular Shape and fize with three doors in a line with thele 
two ; above which doors are five windows, the centre 
ones ornamented with pediments. The centre ftar.ds on 
an elevation of three Steps. Two pedeftals immediately 
project from the wall, in the Shape of half a hexagon or 
fix angled figure, on each Side the middle door; they are 
each Surmounted by an elegant iron tripod, on which refts 
a handfome lamp, and two cylindrical pedestals, l'ur- 
mounted by Similar objects, are, except their bales, de¬ 
tached about two feet from the building. The Side of the 
Strutture exhibits a long range of fifteen arched doors and 
windows, above which is another row of thirteen win¬ 
dows, running a little above the middle elevation of the 
wall, the remainder of which is ornamented with a cor¬ 
nice, and has an attic elevation at the corners. Two 
niches, in a line with the upper windows, appear in the 
wall immediately over the fide doors. The whole is in 
unifon with the front. In fine, the proportions are all 
Symmetrical, harmonious, and agreeable; and its afpefil 
would have been more pleafing, had the whole building 
been faced with artificial ftone, instead of the front alone. 
But, if the appearance of a Structure Should be as expref- 
D O N. 
five as poflible of its life, then this is not the exterior of 
a theatre, but rather of a Quakers’ Meeting, for it exhi¬ 
bits very little indication of a place appropriated to dra¬ 
matic amulements. Of all its deficiencies, its greatest is, 
its being without either colonade, arcade, or portico ; 
not merely becaule thofe objects are in themfelves beau¬ 
tiful, but becaufe they are eflentially ufeful to the visitors 
in rainy weather. For this ufeful purpose, porticos and 
ambulatories were generally attached to the Roman thea¬ 
tres. From an account published in the Monthly Maga¬ 
zine for Jan. 1812, it appears, that the entrance of this 
houfe was intended to be “ furmounted by a fine colonade 
fupported by eight pillars.” 
The beauty of the inferior, the natural curiofity of the 
public to See a new thing, and the circumstance of there 
being but one other theatre in this va(t metropolis, con¬ 
tributed to fill the houfe during the firlt feaSon ; and the 
fecond feafon, which has lately clofed, has been rendered 
highly prod uftive by the firft appearance of Mr. Kean, whofe 
powers of afling have rendered it extremely difficult to 
procure a feat in the theatre on his nights of performance. 
—This Jioule is built to afford fitting-room for 2810 per- 
fons: 1200 in the boxes, 850 in the pit, 4.80 in the lower 
gallery, and 280 in the upper gallery. The architect is 
Mr. B. Wyatt. 
Drury-lane, is fo called from Drury-houfe, which flood 
at the fouth end of it near Little Drury-lane. Pennant, 
Says, “ It is Singular that this lane, of later times So no¬ 
torious for intrigue, Should receive its title from a family- 
name, which, in the language of Chaucer had an amorous 
Signification : 
Of bataiile and of chevalrie. 
Of ladies love and drucric. 
Anon I wol you tell.” 
Some writers have lately found, fault with Pennant for 
understanding here the word druerie in a fenfe fo contrary, 
they Jay, So diametrically opposite, to its original Signifi. 
cation, which they pretend is “ modefty and decency of 
deportment.” We muft in this instance Support Mr. Pen¬ 
nant, and obferve, that the word, as ufed in Chaucer, is 
entirely French ; and comes from the adjective dru, 
“ vveli-fledged, ftrong, frolicfome;” as a bird that has all 
his feathers, and is ready for amorous Strife. The French 
fay, Ce gaillard ejl dru ; meaning, that “ he is a frolicfome 
young man, fit for love and courtfliip.” Hence we con¬ 
clude, that, if ever the word has obtained the other mean¬ 
ing, it muft have been taken aftray from the genuine Ho-, 
nification.—This place was not lefs famous for intrigue 
formerly than it has been in later times. In the forty- 
fixth number of the Tatler it is thus humouroufly' de- 
feribed : “ There is near Covent-garden a Street, known 
by the name of Drury, which before the days of Christi¬ 
anity, was purchased by the queen of Paphos, and is the 
only part of Great Britain where the tenure of vaiialace 
is Still in being. All that long courfe of building is un¬ 
der particular districts, or ladyfiips, after the manner of 
lordships in other parts, over which matrons of known 
abilities prefide, and have, for the fupport of their age 
and infirmities, certain taxes paid out of the rewards of 
the amorous labours of the young. This feraglio of 
Great Britain is difpofed into convenient alleys and apart¬ 
ments, and every houfe, from the cellar to tiie garret, in¬ 
habited by nymphs of different orders, that perfons of 
every rank may be accommodated with an immediate con- 
fort to allay their flames, and partake of their cares.” 
A few yards from the front of Drury-lane theatre, we 
get a fide view of that of Covent-garden ; and approach¬ 
ing the fouth entrance of Bow-Street, a place long famous 
for the attendance and t ran fact ions at the head office of 
the police kept there, we catch the afpeft of that e!e°-ant 
play-houfe, as we have had it reprefented in Plate VLI d . 
To our engraving, which, as far as the limits of the cop¬ 
per would allow, moil faithfully reprefents this buildino- 
we Shall join Some observations upon the architecture, in- 
1 terior 
