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streets； so broken and bankrupt； that the FOUND DEAD on the black
board at the police station might have announced the decease of the
Drama； and the pools of water outside the fire…engine maker's at
the corner of Long…acre might have been occasioned by his having
brought out the whole of his stock to play upon its last
smouldering ashes。
And yet； on such a night in so degenerate a time； the object of my
journey was theatrical。 And yet within half an hour I was in an
immense theatre； capable of holding nearly five thousand people。
What Theatre？ Her Majesty's？ Far better。 Royal Italian Opera？
Far better。 Infinitely superior to the latter for hearing in；
infinitely superior to both； for seeing in。 To every part of this
Theatre； spacious fire…proof ways of ingress and egress。 For every
part of it； convenient places of refreshment and retiring rooms。
Everything to eat and drink carefully supervised as to quality； and
sold at an appointed price； respectable female attendants ready for
the commonest women in the audience； a general air of
consideration； decorum； and supervision； most commendable； an
unquestionably humanising influence in all the social arrangements
of the place。
Surely a dear Theatre； then？ Because there were in London （not
very long ago） Theatres with entrance…prices up to half…a…guinea a
head； whose arrangements were not half so civilised。 Surely；
therefore； a dear Theatre？ Not very dear。 A gallery at three…
pence； another gallery at fourpence； a pit at sixpence； boxes and
pit…stalls at a shilling； and a few private boxes at half…a…crown。
My uncommercial curiosity induced me to go into every nook of this
great place； and among every class of the audience assembled in it
… amounting that evening； as I calculated； to about two thousand
and odd hundreds。 Magnificently lighted by a firmament of
sparkling chandeliers； the building was ventilated to perfection。
My sense of smell； without being particularly delicate； has been so
offended in some of the commoner places of public resort； that I
have often been obliged to leave them when I have made an
uncommercial journey expressly to look on。 The air of this Theatre
was fresh； cool； and wholesome。 To help towards this end； very
sensible precautions had been used； ingeniously combining the
experience of hospitals and railway stations。 Asphalt pavements
substituted for wooden floors； honest bare walls of glazed brick
and tile … even at the back of the boxes … for plaster and paper；
no benches stuffed； and no carpeting or baize used； a cool material
with a light glazed surface； being the covering of the seats。
These various contrivances are as well considered in the place in
question as if it were a Fever Hospital； the result is； that it is
sweet and healthful。 It has been constructed from the ground to
the roof； with a careful reference to sight and sound in every
corner； the result is； that its form is beautiful； and that the
appearance of the audience； as seen from the proscenium … with
every face in it commanding the stage； and the whole so admirably
raked and turned to that centre； that a hand can scarcely move in
the great assemblage without the movement being seen from thence …
is highly remarkable in its union of vastness with compactness。
The stage itself； and all its appurtenances of machinery；
cellarage； height and breadth； are on a scale more like the Scala
at Milan； or the San Carlo at Naples； or the Grand Opera at Paris；
than any notion a stranger would be likely to form of the Britannia
Theatre at Hoxton； a mile north of St。 Luke's Hospital in the Old…
street…road； London。 The Forty Thieves might be played here； and
every thief ride his real horse； and the disguised captain bring in
his oil jars on a train of real camels； and nobody be put out of
the way。 This really extraordinary place is the achievement of one
man's enterprise； and was erected on the ruins of an inconvenient
old building in less than five months； at a round cost of five…and…
twenty thousand pounds。 To dismiss this part of my subject； and
still to render to the proprietor the credit that is strictly his
due； I must add that his sense of the responsibility upon him to
make the best of his audience； and to do his best for them； is a
highly agreeable sign of these times。
As the spectators at this theatre； for a reason I will presently
show； were the object of my journey； I entered on the play of the
night as one of the two thousand and odd hundreds； by looking about
me at my neighbours。 We were a motley assemblage of people； and we
had a good many boys and young men among us； we had also many girls
and young women。 To represent； however； that we did not include a
very great number； and a very fair proportion of family groups；
would be to make a gross mis…statement。 Such groups were to be
seen in all parts of the house； in the boxes and stalls
particularly； they were composed of persons of very decent
appearance； who had many children with them。 Among our dresses
there were most kinds of shabby and greasy wear； and much fustian
and corduroy that was neither sound nor fragrant。 The caps of our
young men were mostly of a limp character； and we who wore them；
slouched； high…shouldered； into our places with our hands in our
pockets； and occasionally twisted our cravats about our necks like
eels； and occasionally tied them down our breasts like links of
sausages； and occasionally had a screw in our hair over each cheek…
bone with a slight Thief…flavour in it。 Besides prowlers and
idlers； we were mechanics； dock…labourers； costermongers； petty
tradesmen； small clerks； milliners； stay…makers； shoe…binders；
slop…workers； poor workers in a hundred highways and byways。 Many
of us … on the whole； the majority … were not at all clean； and not
at all choice in our lives or conversation。 But we had all come
together in a place where our convenience was well consulted； and
where we were well looked after； to enjoy an evening's
entertainment in common。 We were not going to lose any part of
what we had paid for through anybody's caprice； and as a community
we had a character to lose。 So； we were closely attentive； and
kept excellent order； and let the man or boy who did otherwise
instantly get out from this place； or we would put him out with the
greatest expedition。
We began at half…past six with a pantomime … with a pantomime so
long； that before it was over I felt as if I had been travelling
for six weeks … going to India； say； by the Overland Mail。 The
Spirit of Liberty was the principal personage in the Introduction；
and the Four Quarters of the World came out of the globe；
glittering； and discoursed with the Spirit； who sang charmingly。
We were delighted to understand that there was no liberty anywhere
but among ourselves； and we highly applauded the agreeable fact。
In an allegorical way； which did as well as any other way； we and
the Spirit of Liberty got into a kingdom of Needles and Pins； and
found them at war with a potentate who called in to his aid their
old arch enemy Rust； and who would have got the better of them if
the Spirit of Liberty had not in the nick of time transformed the
leaders into Clown； Pantaloon； Harlequin； Columbine； Harlequina；
and a whole family of Sprites； consisting of a remarkably stout
father and three spineless sons。 We all knew what was coming when
the Spirit of Liberty addressed the king with a big face； and His
Majesty backed to the side…scenes and began untying himself behind；
with his big face all on one side。 Our excitement at that crisis
was great； and our delight unbounded。 After this era in our
existence； we went through all the incidents of a pantomime； it was
not by any means a savage pantomime； in the way of burning or
boiling people； or throwing them out of window； or cutting them up；
was often very droll； was always liberally got up； and cleverly
presented。 I noticed that the people who kept the shops； and who
represented the passengers in the thoroughfares； and so forth； had
no conventionality in them； but were unusually like the real thing
… from which I infer that you may take that audience in （if you
wish to） concerning Knights and Ladies； Fairies； Angels； or such
like； but they are not to be done as to anything in the streets。 I
noticed； also； that when two young men； dressed in exact imitation
of the eel…and…sausage…cravated portion of the audience； were
chased by policemen； and； finding themselves in danger of being
caught； dropped so suddenly as to oblige the policemen to tumble
over them； there was great rejoicing among the caps … as though it
were a delicate reference to something they had heard of before。
The Pantomime was succeeded by a Melo…Drama。 Throughout the
evening I was pleased to observe Virtue quite as triumphant as she
usually is out of doors； and indeed I thought rather more so