'Bad business this,' said the Prince – 'a very bad business, Hanger; but I have the satisfaction to tell you that Sheridan is not materially hurt, and if you will dine with me this day, I will invite a gentleman who will give you an exact account of the state in which your late antagonist lies. Remain here till dinner-time, and all may yet be well.'
The Prince, from goodness of heart, and not wishing that the Major should have the painful impression on his mind that he had been the instrument of the death of a fellow-creature and one of the most convivial of their companions, had imparted to the Major the consolatory information that his antagonist was not seriously injured, and the Major looked forward to the hour of dinner with some anxiety, when he was to receive further information on the subject. The hour came. The party was assembled in the drawing-room.
'Now, Hanger,' said the Prince, 'I'll introduce a gentleman to you who shall give you all the information you can wish.'
The door opened, and Sheridan entered. The Major started back in wonder.
'How – how – how is this?' he stammered. 'I thought I had killed you.'
'Not quite, my good fellow,' said Sheridan, offering the Major his hand. 'I am not yet quite good enough to go to the world above; and, as to that below, I am not yet fully qualified for it, therefore I considered it better to defer my departure from this to a future period; and, now, I doubt not, that his Royal Highness will give you an explicit explanation of the whole business – but I died well, did I not, Hanger?'
The Prince now declared that the whole plot was concocted by himself, and hoped that when the Major next fought such a duel, he might be in a coach to view it. Conviviality reigned throughout the evening; the song and glass went round; the Prince singing the parody on 'There's a difference between a beggar and a queen,' which was composed by Captain Morris, and which is to be found in the twenty-fourth edition of 'Songs Political and Convivial,' by that first of lyric poets.
One more anecdote of the Prince and George Hanger, from the same source,28 and I have done with him.
'That the immense losses which the Prince of Wales sustained at the gaming table were not, always, the consequence of a run of ill luck, may be easily conjectured. Scheme after scheme was devised by which a heavy drain was to be made upon his finances; and he became, eventually, the dupe of a set of titled sharpers, who fattened on his credulity, and who, by acts of the most deliberate villainy, reduced him to a state of comparative pauperism. As a proof of the inventive spirit of these associates of the Prince, we have only to mention the celebrated wager between the turkeys and the geese, which emanated from the prolific head of George Hanger, and on the issue of which the Prince found himself minus several thousand pounds.
'During one of the convivial parties at Carlton House, George Hanger designedly introduced the subject of the travelling qualifications of the turkey and the goose, and he pronounced it as his opinion (although directly contrary to his real one), that the turkey would outstrip the goose. The Prince, who placed great reliance on the judgment of George Hanger on subjects of that nature, backed Hanger's opinion; and, as it may be supposed, there were some of the party who were willing to espouse the part of the goose: the dispute ended in the Prince making a match of twenty turkeys against twenty geese for a distance of ten miles, the competitors to start at four o'clock in the afternoon. The race was to be run for £500; and, as George Hanger and the turkey party hesitated not to lay two to one in favour of their bird, the Prince did the same to a considerable amount, not in the least suspecting that the whole was a deep laid plan to extract a sum of money from his pockets, for his chance of winning, from the natural propensity of the turkey, was wholly out of the question.
'The Prince took great interest in this extraordinary wager, and deputed George Hanger to select twenty of the most wholesome and high feathered birds which could be procured; and, on the day appointed, the Prince and his party of turkeys and Mr. Berkeley and his party of geese, set off to decide the match. For the first three hours everything seemed to indicate that the turkeys would be the winners, as they were, then, two miles in advance of the geese; but, as night came on, the turkeys began to stretch out their necks towards the branches of the trees which lined the sides of the road. In vain the Prince attempted to urge them on with his pole, to which a bit of red cloth was attached: in vain George Hanger dislodged one from its roosting-place, before he saw three or four others comfortably perching among the branches – in vain was barley strewn upon the road; no art, no stratagem, no compulsion, could prevent them taking to their roosting-place! whilst, in the meantime, the geese came waddling on, and in a short time passed the turkey party, who were all busy in the trees, dislodging their obstinate birds; but, as to further progress, it was found impossible, and the geese were declared the winners.
'Trifling as this circumstance may appear, it will have the tendency of exposing the characters of the intimates of the Prince of Wales, and the singular expedients to which they had recourse to restore their shattered fortunes at the expense of his character and fortune.'
On the death of Lord Coleraine, a contemporary29 thus sums up his character: 'He was, formerly, admitted amongst the convivial companions of his present Majesty; but, as the Prince advanced in life, the eccentric manners of the Colonel became somewhat too free and coarse for the Royal taste, and the broad vivacity of the facetious Humourist gave way to associates of a more refined description. But, though the Colonel was free in his manners, he never was inclined to give intentional offence, and the peculiarity of those manners precluded all idea of resentment, and laughter, rather than anger, was the result of his most extravagant sallies.
'He was capable of serious exertions of friendship, not by pecuniary sacrifices, for, of such, his situation hardly ever admitted, but by persevering zeal when he was likely to effect a beneficial purpose. He was well acquainted with military duty, and was never wanting in courage, or the spirit of enterprise. He is generally acknowledged to have been a very handsome man in early life, but his person was disguised by the singularity of his dress. Though disposed to participate in all the dissipations of higher life, he yet contrived to devote much of his time to reading, and was generally well provided with topics for the usual conversations of the table, even in the most convivial circles. He was so marked a character that he might be considered as one of the prominent features of his time, and he was courted as well for the peculiarity, as for the harmless tendency of his humour.'
CHAPTER VI
The Prince goes to Brighton for his health – Description of Brighton in 1784 – Royal visitors – The Prince takes a house – Weltje – Sam House – Fox and the Prince – Brighton in 1785
IN 1784 the Prince of Wales had a somewhat serious illness, and we read in the Morning Herald of July 16 that 'His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, having been advised by his Physicians to sea bathing, we are informed from good authority, that his Royal Highness will set out on Monday next for Brighthelmstone. Mr. Weltje, the Clerk of the Kitchen, and Mr. Gill, the Purveyor of the Stables, are now at Brighthelmstone, preparing everything for his Royal Highness's reception.'
He left London on the evening of July 22, and the following are some newspaper cuttings which describe his visit and the general gaieties of that season at Brighton:
'Brighthelmstone will certainly prove the summer residence of the loves and graces, on account of the temporary residence there of the Heir apparent: not a cock loft but what is taken by some expectant fair, who means to make an innocent conquest, or an illicit sacrifice! – The Knights of the Dice box are collecting there from all quarters, hoping for a plentiful harvest in so singular a season for universal gul- as well as cul-libility! A pretty sprinkling of Princes of the Gallic blood is, likewise, hourly expected to complete the curious dramatis personæ.'30
'Extract from a letter from Brighthelmstone, July 25. The Prince of Wales is here quite as a private gentleman, attended by Colonel Leigh, etc. He walks frequently upon the Steine, and behaves with great affability and politeness.'31
'Brighthelmstone Intelligence. Brighthelmstone is the center luminary of the system of pleasure: Lymington, Southampton and all other places within the sphere of its attraction, lose their gayest visitants, who fly to that resort: – the women, the pretty women, all hasten to see the Paris of the day! – On Monday last, the Dukes of Chartres and Lauzun, the Marquis de Conflans, the Comte de Seguir, and others, arrived to be present at the races. They came from France by the way of Dover, but had all their equipage sent over from Dieppe. The lively and engaging Comtesse de Coniac was to have met them by the latter route at Brighthelmstone; but some dæmon, unfriendly to gallantry, and to this place, interposed, and procured an arret to be expedited from the Queen of France's bedchamber, just as the sprightly belle was casting a longing eye from Dieppe over to the British coast, and preparing to step into the pacquet. This is a prodigious disappointment to the company, and particularly to the Prince. His Highness gave an elegant dinner at his house on the Steine. The Duc de Chartres and his friends were present: the meeting was festive and social. In the evening, this convivial party visited the Rooms: the company was genteel and numerous. The Prince danced with Lady Elizabeth Conway, and was acknowledged the best performer present.
'On Tuesday, the Brighton Races began, which afforded but very little sport. The Duke of Queensberry's was the favourite horse, but lost; and the Duc de Chartres, who betted him against the field, got rid of a good deal of money on the occasion. The sport was not better the next day, but rather worse, on account of the badness of the weather. All the Ladies attended both days, mostly in carriages. Lady Charlotte Bertie was the Constellation, or superior luminary of the course. Micavit inter omnes, quantum inter ignes Luna minores. Lady Lincoln, and her sister Lady Betty Conway, drove about in a phaeton, to the great annoyance of the beaux.
'The public entertainments at Brighthelmstone are, balls at the rooms twice a week, alternately at the Ship, and Castle, and plays, the other four nights, at the theatre. The balls are on Monday and Thursday; and no dress is required except in those that dance minuets. The rooms are, besides, open all the other nights for card parties, and on Sunday for a promenade. The Prince has not yet missed the Play house once, when there has been a performance at it, since his arrival. The pleasurable daughters of the place, have at their head, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Elliot, and Mrs. Walker; between whom an equipoise of rivalship and jealousy prevails, and what one has in a dimple, is counteracted by the lip, or the eye of the others.'32
'Lewes Races. The Prince of Wales is so regardless of weather, that a shower of rain is never known to interrupt his excursions. His Highness's indifference on this head, reminds us of a remark of Henry the Great, "that fate does not depend upon a sunbeam!" – The example of the British prince was followed by his insular friends and Parisian visitors. The road from Brighthelmstone to Lewes, was crowded by gentlemen jockies and jockey sharpers; carriages of various denominations, and a company of all descriptions. The Steine was depopulated of all save a few living caricatures, consisting of antique Females, and balloonified squires from the City, too awkward and unwieldy to wear boots, or venture on horseback: to this class of beings, the ball room was relinquished.
'The Course ground continued, during the races, frequented by fashionable guests. Besides the English and French princes, were present the Duc de Lauzun, Marquis de Conflans, Count Seguir, the Russian minister, and several others from the Continent. The Duke of Queensberry, Lord Cholmondeley, Lord Foley, and many more of the Jockey Club were on the ground.
'The Bets were high, though the sport was indifferent; the Duke de Chartres, Duke of Queensberry and Sir Charles Bunbury, were principally engaged in the success of the day. The Gallic Duke was in such spirits, that it was said his Highness would have mounted an Air balloon had one been present.
'A Pedestrian Race was, also, proposed between a fat gentleman, and a lean one: but the former complaining that the atmosphere was low, gave up the contest as he was fearful he should be hard blowed!'33
The Prince being at Brighton made all the difference in the gaiety of the place, and his occasional absence in London is thus commented upon: 'Brighthelmstone, comparatively speaking, within these few days, has become almost a desert; scarce a person of fashion remains; the whole company now consists of antiquated virgins, emaciated beaux, and wealthy citizens, with their wives and daughters; the latter of whom have some weight in continuing a few needy adventurers, who are as watchful as lynxes, for an opportunity of carrying off the golden prizes.'34
Note how this all changes when he returns. 'Extract from a Letter from Brighthelmstone, dated Sep. 5. We are all alive and merry here. Besides the honour of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales's company, we are favoured with those of the Duchess of Ancaster, Lady Charlotte Bertie, Lady Mary Brudenell, the Bishop of Winchester, Lord and Lady Beauchamp, the Right Hon. Mr. Fox, with many others; and, last night, the Right Hon. Mr. Pitt, accompanied by Mr. Steele, of the Treasury, arrived here.
'The Prince of Wales was, last night, at the Theatre, accompanied by the Hon. Mr. Erskine, and the Hon. Mr. Onslow, to see the Beggar's Opera, the principal parts of which were represented by gentlemen, and well represented they were. Captain Ash's Macheath much exceeded many of the professional men on either of your London theatres. It was succeeded by a well-timed address, written and spoken by Mr. Bonner, craving the friendly attendance of the company to the future benefits of the several performers.'35
We also learn by a newspaper paragraph36 that 'the house that the Prince of Wales has at Brighthelmstone, is that which formerly belonged to Lord Egremont's brother, Mr. Wyndham. The Duke of Cumberland had it last year. The house is, or ought to be, the best in the place.'
This is the house which we have seen was negotiated for the Prince by Weltje, his clerk of the kitchen; at least, this was his nominal title, but in reality he was the Prince's purveyor of his household, and was much mixed up in his financial matters. Louis Weltje was a German of obscure origin, and it is said, at one time, sold cakes in the streets. However, he must have had something in him, and must also have been thrifty, for in the newspapers of 1782 and 1783 we find several mentions of Weltje's Club, and he had a famous pastry-cook's shop and restaurant in St. James Street, and afterwards in Pall Mall. In the satirical prints in the British Museum for 1783, drawn by Captain Hays, is 'Mr. Weltjee's Fruit Shop, Pall Mall.' Madame Weltje, a large woman, is seated at a horseshoe counter, on which is a variety of fruit. In the window are displayed pines, grapes, bottles, and jars. A manuscript note says her shop was 'next door neighbour to Mr. Neville.' He served the Prince for some years, but was at last superseded. On his retirement he bought a large house at Hammersmith, formerly in the occupation of Lord Allington, the supporters of whose arms, two talbots, decorated the gate-posts. In this house, which he bequeathed to his brother Christopher, he died, probably of apoplexy, in 1810, and was buried in Hammersmith Churchyard. His name still exists in the neighbourhood in Weltje Road, which runs from the Upper Mall to King Street West, and consists of sixty-eight houses.
We have seen that Fox was at Brighton in 1784. Fox, who was the 'guide, philosopher, and friend' of Prince Florizel, was at this time a man of about thirty-five or thirty-six, having been born in 1749. By his birth, education, and talents he should have been a fitting companion for the Prince, but he was lax in his morals, an inveterate gambler, and a hard drinker, and a worse comrade for a young man could scarcely be found. Indeed, at the end of the Westminster election of 1784 Gillray caricatured him in a satirical print entitled 'Preceptor and Pupil' as a loathsome toad with a fox's brush, who is whispering into the ear of the sleeping (or drunken) Prince: 'Abjure thy country and thy parents, and I will give thee dominion over many powers. Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven!'
Apropos of this election, which lasted forty days, and brought Fox in second at the poll, it is perhaps as famous as any in our electoral history. Much to the disgust of his parents, the Prince threw himself heart and soul into the fray, wearing a 'Fox cockade' at Ranelagh, and allowing members of his household to canvas for his boon companion. During the election, Gillray produced a satirical print (April 18, 1784) called 'Returning from Brooks's,' where the Prince, exceedingly drunk, and wearing the 'Fox cockade,' is being helped along by Fox and Sam House, a publican who kept a house, called The Intrepid Fox, at the corner of Peter Street and Wardour Street. 'Honest Sam House,' as he was called, was a violent politician and Whig, and during this election kept open house at his own expense. House figures in many caricatures of the time, and his fame was even enshrined in verse:
'See the brave Sammy House, he's as still as a mouse,
And does canvas with prudence so clever;
See what shoals with him flocks, to poll for brave Fox:
Give thanks to Sam House, boys, for ever, for ever, for ever!
Give thanks to Sam House, boys, for ever!
'Brave bald-headed Sam, all must own, is the man,
Who does canvas for brave Fox so clever:
His aversion, I say, is to small beer and Wray:37
May his bald head be honour'd for ever, for ever, for ever!
May his bald head be honour'd for ever!'
There is another satirical print, which is dated January, 1785, by an unknown artist, called 'Fox singing a Song to the P – e of W – l – s.' Fox and the Prince are playing cards and drinking. Fox sings:
1
'Tho' matters at present go cross in the realm,
You will one day be K – g, Sir, and I at the helm;
So let us be jovial, drink, gamble and sing,
Nor regard it a straw, tho' we're not yet the thing.
Tol de rol, tol, tol, tol de rol.
2
'The proverb informs us, each dog has his day,
So those that oppose us, this fate must obey;
But time's on our side, Sir, and now on the wing,
To make me a statesman, and you, Sir, the K – g.
Tol de rol, etc.
3
'In vain are harangues, I as well may be dumb,
And let motions alone, till our day, Sir, is come;
Then Thurlow and Pitt from their state we will fling,
They may go below stairs, Sir, so we are the thing.
Tol de rol, etc.
4
'Thus seated in state, Sir, we'll fill all our soul,
At the fountain of Venus, at Bacchus's bowl;
In all that we please, Sir, we'll take a full swing,
For who's to controul a Prime Statesman and K – g?
Tol de rol, etc.'
The Prince remarks: 'Fox, are you not the shuffler?'
'The Prince of Wales has again taken a house at Brighton for the season,' says the Morning Post of June 11, 1785, and he left London for his seaside residence on the 22nd of the same month. The same newspaper of June 28 reports that 'the visit of a certain gay, illustrious character at Brighton, has frightened away a number of old maids, who used constantly to frequent that place. The history of the gallantries of the last season, which is in constant circulation, has something in it so voluminous, and tremendous to boot, that the old tabbies shake in their shoes whenever his R – l H – ss is mentioned.'
'Lewes, July 2. – The Prince of Wales, on Monday last, at Brighthelmstone, amused himself for some time, in attempting to shoot doves with single balls, but with what success, we have not learnt; though we hear that his Royal Highness is esteemed a most excellent shot, and seldom presents his piece without doing some execution. The Prince, in the course of his diversion, either by design, or accident, lowered the tops of several of the chimnies of the Hon. Mr. Wyndham's house.'38
A few paragraphs from the Morning Post of this year will give us a good insight into the Brighton of the period.
July 6. – 'The Brighthelmstone intelligence has no novelty to recommend it; merely a repetition of the old story; morning rides, champaigne, dissipation, noise and nonsense: jumble these phrases together, and you have a complete account of all that's passing at Brighthelmstone!'
July 8. – 'A correspondent says, Brighthelmstone is much altered from what it was last season. Neither money, nor any speculating jewellers who give good tick, and discount upon a gentle feeling. The – has been tried and found wanting – all about him is not sterling – but one good endorser in the whole set, and he abroad. Times are bad.
'Mrs. Johnson and Windsor have undertaken to provide for the necessities of Brighton this year. The female adventurers of last season were totally ruined: even Bet Cox, who made as good a hand of it as any, swears she will not run the risk again, and that, though as how she was with the Prince, one night when he was drunk, yet that did not compensate her for the wear and tear with his attendants. We have not yet heard Mrs. Smith's opinion on the subject; but, as she was nearer the fire, she could not well escape being scorched.'
August 4. – 'Brighthelmstone is at present very thin of company, few females arriving there but the corps d'amour. Women of virtue and character shun these scenes of debauchery and drunkenness, ever attendant on the spot which is the temporary residence of a – .'
August 18. – 'His Royal Highness the Prince is so attached to his bathing residence, Brighthelmstone – he has so many sea nymphs there, rising from Old Ocean every morning to greet him; that, in the true spirit of an English Prince, his sole desire appears to rule the waves: and, when he comes to Town, he is actually like a fish out of water.'
August 25. – 'Plague upon the skippers that they do not understand the navigation of their own coasts! for, surely, some of the Margate Hoys have blundered by both the North and South Foreland, and landed their cargoes on the Sussex Shore. Never were there such a set of curmudgeonly knaves and dowdies, before, in Brighton, say the conscientious keepers of the subscription books! The lodging-houses are full, the streets well frequented, and the Steyne crowded – but who bathes, who raffles, and who subscribes? They vow that they never had so little Gold in their Autumn crop, since they were obliged to content themselves with the profits of their fishing, to wash their smocks upon the beach, and to live on crabs and pickled herrings!
'In fact, the visitors of this place are either a wiser, or a poorer sort than formerly. Snug is the word with most of them; they give as little into amusements, dissipation and extra expences, as they can well avoid – hence, the obvious policy of the inhabitants to render the necessary ones as high and as productive as possible – they treat Londoners in their town as we treat Dutchmen and others, in our charge for lights and landmarks – make them come down handsomely, as it is to be done but seldom. The innkeepers here, are a kind of beasts of prey, whose rapacity is in proportion to their former abstinence: they are leeches, who think a plethora of the purse is no less dangerous than that of the body; and, though you come here only to have your constitution put to rights, they will, also, gladly take charge of your property.
'An Irish gentleman being asked, the other day, by a friend, which Inn he thought the best, observed that they were both bad enough; at one you were imposed upon; at the other, cheated. The Rooms have been pretty well frequented on a Sunday, when it is the Vauxhall price of admission. The play house must, long since, have shut up, were it not for the extraordinary abilities and fertile resources of Mr. Fox,39 and the patronage of the fair emigrants from Cleveland Row, Jermyn Street, and King's Place – there have been no gentlemen enactors, this year; so much the worse. With deference, be it said, to the judgement of certain titled ladies, who, adding to their purity by every successive plunge into the salt water, pronounced the mixture of gentlemen with professed actors, a perfect contamination. Better sense, however, and more extra liberality prevail at present; for ladies now ride to the Downs to see Earls and great folks play at cricket, with footmen and drivers, without having their delicacy wounded, or their finer feelings deranged. That game has become the favourite amusement with the young men of fashion here. Mr. St. John is the best bowler; Lord Darnley and George Hanger the best bats; Bob the postillion, the best stopper behind the wicket. As to his Royal Highness, he is but a young cricketer; the ladies, however, commend his agility; and, since Mrs J – n's squad arrived, he has been famous for catching and running.
'On Saturday last, the Marquis de Conflans took his departure for Dieppe. The Prince and his company went to see the Marquis embark, when a very extraordinary and humorous scene was presented. It being low water, the boat could not approach the shore – the Marquis was anxious to get on board, and stood, for some time, in suspence, when the Prince, to show him that persons of their rank should not have the propensities of cats, or the frippery of petits maîtres, taking one of his companions by the hand, rushed at once into the water. The Marquis, pour l'honneur de la France, could not do otherwise than follow him; the line advanced with resolution, but could not long withstand the force of the waves, which overset them; they then rolled like porpoises in the water, till they got the Marquis aboard the packet; when they despatched him, in a proper state, to pay his respects to the Dauphin. Vive l'amour et l'allegresse, et bon voyage, M. le Marquis!'
September 10. – 'The flux and reflux of company not being so great here as at some other places, there has been very little novelty since my last intelligence. The lodging-houses are, still, in general, full, though there are some occasionally to be disposed of at the following reasonable rates: for a house upon the Steine, eight guineas a week, or the same faced with blue and buff,40 for the trifling addition of two guineas (for which you may have the credit of being a member of that party).41 Two beds, with a dining-room or parlour (the former, perhaps, being supplied with a good live stock) for three guineas; and, for a guinea per week, a single gentleman may be accommodated with an apartment, where, if he finds himself streightened for want of room, he may be gratified, at least, with a prospect of better things, and have the view of a large piece of water, commonly called the English Channel. Hence, too, he may form some idea of our naval grandeur, by contemplating the fleet, as it lies at anchor before the town, consisting, at least, of an hundred sail – of fishing smacks; or, he may indulge in a peep of the ladies dipping into the water, or bobbing at a wave in rough weather; for the Master of the Ceremonies has judiciously assigned them the place nearest to the houses, and has sent the gentlemen, for decency's sake, two hundred yards further to the westward.
'If we may believe the printed list, half the fashionable persons, and about one-fourth of the w – s of London, have visited Brighton in the course of the summer; but, for those of the most consideration, who are to be seen in their shoes, as well as upon the List of the Company, take the following names: His Royal Highness and suite, more respectable, though not as numerous as last year; the Earl and Dowager Countess of Darnley, with her family; Earl and Countess of Clermont; Lord and Lady Beauchamp; the Countess of Shaftesbury and family; Baron and Baroness Nolcken; Lord Belgrave; Lord Lucan, with his family; Lord and Lady Lisle; Lord Gage; Sir Sampson and Lady Gideon; Sir Eardley Wilmot; Earl and Countess of Sefton; Lord Herbert; Sir Godfrey Webster; Mr. Wyndham; Mr. T. Townsend; Mr. St. John. Some city beaux sport their gigs upon the downs, and their persons upon the Steine: they would fain be thought men of fashion, but their very best airs in the ballroom partake of Coachmaker's Hall; the City dancing-masters being ten years behindhand in the refinements of their profession. There is very little show of beauty in the Rooms. Among the young ladies of family, Miss Bingham, daughter of Lord Lucan, is almost the only one that deserves notice in that particular; and, however singular, in this place, it is a fact that one of the ladies who has been most distinguished for elegance, is a Miss I – s, from Cow Lane, West Smithfield!
'The Rooms, as I hinted before, have been almost deserted, except on particular nights. At the last ball but one, at the Ship, only seven couple stood up, and the lady who took the lead, according to the etiquette established in pride and folly, was pro NUMMORUM atque hominum fidem credite! – no less a person than Mrs. Tr – d, daughter of the naval baronet, who, in his lifetime, gained many signal advantages over the tribes of Benjamin and Levi. The Castle has been somewhat more fortunate. But Fox, the manager, has been so successful, as to excite the envy of his rivals, who have it in contemplation to set up a theatre in opposition to his. It was for this purpose that Signor Grimaldi's journey was undertaken, which, by the newspaper accounts, proved so fatal to him; and, as he, with Mr. Spencer, the harlequin, is to have the principal concern, we may expect that the prime parts of the entertainment at the new Theatre, will be pantomime, with grinning and jumping in abundance. If Mr. Grimaldi should bring down his young pupils from the Circus, it will, perhaps, be necessary for Mr. Fox to engage the General Jackoo, or the Dancing Dogs. At present, he confines his attempts to Comic Opera, Comedy, and Farce; and, for these, it must be confessed, he has good materials. His company may be called a good one – for the country – though the greatest part are recruits, and want drilling. Yet, why for the country, when there are so many London performers without engagements in the summer.