Street, and commenced playing in April, 1754, with the tragedy of The Fair Penitent. The place has since been occupied as a sail-loft, and the remains or traces of scenic decoration were to be seen within forty years. This was called the new theatre. The word "new" seems to have applied to all the places or buildings used by this company, although there had been no previous establishment of the kind. The prices of admittance were, box 6s.; pit 4s.; gallery 2s. 6d. The company gained money and reputation, notwithstanding a continued and vigorous opposition. Pamphlets were published and distributed gratis during the whole theatrical campaign, and every effort made to show the evils attendant upon plays, and players, and play-houses; but Shakspeare and his followers prevailed. The tree was planted, and could not be rooted out. The effort of the wise should be to improve its fruit by cultivation, trimming, and grafting. The Fair Penitent and Miss in her Teens were the first dramatic pieces presented to the inhabitants of Philadelphia; Nicholas Rowe and David Garrick, the first dramatists who spoke from the stage in the city of Penn. The tragedy was thus cast: DAVID DOUGLASS. 33 The house was, as might be expected from the excitement, full to overflowing. In the course of the evening a great tumult was occasioned by the discovery of one of the unfriendly petitioners in the pit. He was considered as a spy, and peace was not restored until he was hustled out. The governor added six nights to the twentyfour first granted to the players. Thus they held possession of the town until July, as their thirty nights, three in each week, occupied ten weeks. In addition to the pleasure of success, the Thespians were gladdened by a visit from William Hallam, the father of the American stage, the original projector of this prosperous scheme. He landed in June, 1754. There is reason to believe that Lewis purchased all the property, interest, and good-will, from his brother William the original owner, as he returned to England immediately after a settlement of their accounts, and we hear no more of him. Lewis, now not only manager, but sole proprietor, transported his company to the West Indies, and, dying in Jamaica, his widow married David Douglass, and placed him on the theatrical throne of the western hemisphere. During the absence of the company in the West Indies, the theatre in Nassau Street, New-York, was taken down, and Douglass procured a building more accordant to his views to be erected for the reception of his company when they should return to that city. This building, the third theatre VOL. I. D erected in the United States, was on Cruger's wharf, between what are now called Old-slip and Coffeehouse-slip. At that time the south-east side of Water Street was unbuilt, and the spot on which it stands was occupied by the tide-water. "Cruger's wharf" was the name given to a projecting block of buildings to the east of "Little Dock Street,' bounded by the water, and having the water on each side, in what were called docks. Douglass had built his theatre without obtaining permission from the magistracy to enact plays. This was a sad mistake, and no doubt offended dignity had determined before his arrival to punish him for neglecting those "boos" which the patron exacts from the patronized. The manager was made sensible of his neglect immediately upon his arrival in the autumn of 1758, for it would appear that until this time the Thespians were roving among the West India islands. On application for permission to perform plays, the "gentlemen in power" refused it. Douglass made an appeal to the public in Gaine's Mercury of November 6th, stating that he had, “to his great mortification, met with a positive and absolute denial" when he "applied to the gentlemen in power for permission to play." He goes on to say that "he has in vain represented that such are his circumstances and those of the other members of the company, that it is impossible for them to move to another place; and, although in the humblest manner he begged the magistrates would in DOUGLASS'S HISTRIONIC ACADEMY. 35 dulge him in acting as many plays as would barely defray the expences he and the company have been at in coming to this city, and enable them to proceed to another, he has been unfortunate enough to be peremptorily refused it. As he has given over all thoughts of acting, he begs leave to inform the public, that in a few days he will open a HISTRIONIC ACADEMY, of which notice will be given in this paper." This was considered as an attempt to evade, or resist, the prohibition of the magistrates, and on the 8th of December Douglass found it necessary to deny all such intention, and concludes his apology thus: "The expense of our coming here, our living since our arrival, the charge of building, &c. amount to a sum that would swallow up the profits of a great many nights' acting, had we permission. I shall conclude with humbly hoping that those gentlemen who have entertained an ill opinion of me from my supposed presumption will do me the favour to believe that I have truly explained the advertisement, and that I am to them and the public a very humble and devoted servant." His explanation of his Histrionic Academy was, that he "proposed to deliver dissertations on subjects moral, instructive, and entertaining, and to endeavour to qualify such as would favour him with attendance to speak in public with propriety." This man appears to have been by descent and education a gentleman. He afterward filled the office of one of his majesty's judges. He had failed to bow the knee to power even before he had approached within its bounds, and he was thus made to lick the dust before a gracious permission was granted, to enlighten his judges, their satellites, and the people entrusted to their care, by the recitation of the pride of English poetry and wit. Permission was at length obtained to perform thirteen nights, and the second theatre in NewYork was opened with Jane Shore. Singleton's prologue was spoken by the second Lewis Hallam, then eighteen years of age; and an epilogue, written probably by Mr. Singleton, was delivered by Mrs. Douglass, Hallam's mother. The epilogue, as marking the opposition which the theatre now had to sustain, and the degree of ability with which that opposition was met, and likewise the improvement of poet Singleton by his transplantation, shall be inserted here. Much has been said, at this censorious time, So when the unhappy virtuous fair complains |