CONTENTS

OF

THE FIRST VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

1752.-Use and Abuse of the Theatre-State of the English Stage from the

year 1741 to 1752-The Hallams-Plan of the Voyage of Discovery and

Adventure by the first Company of Players that crossed the Atlantic-The

Company Occupation at Sea-Arrival at Yorktown-First regular The-

atrical Performance in America--First Play-Prologue for the Occasion

-Singleton's Poems

Page 1

CHAPTER II.

Departure of the Company from Virginia— Annapolis - First Theatre in

New-York First Theatre in Philadelphia - Death of Hallam, the first

Manager in America-Succeeded by Douglass-Old American Company

in New-York under Douglass-Second Theatre in New-York-Second

and third Theatres in Philadelphia -Third Theatre in New-York-New-

port-Theatrical Expenses and Profits-Customs of the Theatre-Benefit

Bill-Destruction of the third New-York Theatre

CHAPTER III.

19

Theatre in John-Street, New-York-John Henry-Theatre in Albany-New-

York Hospital-Doctor Cooper-First Theatre in Charleston-The four

Misses Storer Miss Cheer - Congress recommends the closing of Thea-

tres, or rather resolves to discourage extravagance and dissipation, and

names Theatres as among the sources - The resolution communicated by

Peyton Randolph-Wignell arrives-Antiquities

CHAPTER IV.

-

51

1776. Recollections of New-York during the War of the Revolution-Mili-

tary Thespians at Boston - Burgoyne's second Drama - A Cure for the

Spleen-Theatre Royal, New-York-Captain Stanley's Prologue-Tra-

gedy of Douglas-Names of the Performers of the British Army-Theatre

in Philadelphia-Advertisement for Ladies-Theatre Closed

78

CHAPTER V.

The American Company received coldly on its Return-Hallam commences

playing first in Philadelphia, then in New-York

Henry, Wignell, and

others, join Hallam — Hamlet first played — Celebrated Players of the

Character-School for Scandal-Poor Soldier-Certificates first Issued—

First Theatre in Baltimore - Richmond Hallam and Henry open the

Philadelphia Theatre - Debate in Pennsylvania Legislature -- Second

Theatre in Charleston

-

104

---

CHAPTER VI.

Reflections on the Drama Plan for its improvement and that of the Pro-

fessors of the Histrionic Art-The Contrast, a Comedy-Prince of Parthia

aud Mercenary Match, Tragedies - May-day, Farce- Mrs. Henry and

her Sisters-Harper-Doctors' Mob

125

CHAPTER VII.

Strollers - Authorship for the Stage — Managers

-

Dubellamy-Henry-

Father of an only Child

ington

-

Hallam-First Comedy accepted and delayed-Second brought out-The

Dramatis Personæ - Darby's Return-Wash-

145

CHAPTER VIII.

1790.-American Company go to Philadelphia-Widow of Malabar - Col.

Humphreys - John Martin Season of 1791-2 in New York, the last in

which the old Company remained the sole possessors of the United States-

Ashton-Final separation of Wignell from Hallam and Henry-Henry and

Wignell go to England Henry brings out Mr. and Mrs. Hodgkinson,

and others-Wignell returns with a great Company, and finds the Yellow

Fever in Philadelphia, where the Chestnut-Street Theatre had been built

for him and Reinagle-Hodgkinson, Mrs. Hodgkinson, King, Prigmore,

West

167

CHAPTER IX.

The Miser's Wedding-The Yellow Fever-Theatrical Dissensions-Arbi-

tration-Mrs. Hatton, a sister of the Kembles-Mrs. Melmoth-Celebra-

tion of the Twenty-fifth of November, 1793 - Mrs. Long-Sir Richard

Crosby-Tammany - Ciceri — Mrs. Pownall - Mrs. Wilson-Mr. and

Mrs. Henry's last appearance He sells out to Hodgkinson and dies —

Mrs. Henry's death-Tragedy of Lord Leicester-Literary Clubs. 198

Opening of the new Theatre in Philadelphia by Wignell and Reinagle-

Mrs. Oldmixon - Sir John Oldmixon-Mr. Moreton- Mr. Fennell

Mr. and Mrs. Francis-Mr. Green-Mr. Harwood-Mr. Darley-Mr.

John Darley-Mr. Blissett-Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock-Mr. Chalmers-

Mr. and Mrs. Marshall-Mr. Bates-Miss Broadhurst

-

CHAPTER XI.

223

- A

Boston-Law against Stage-plays by the General Court of Massachusetts,

1750-Hallam and Henry petition for leave to open a theatre, and are

refused-Perez Morton's Petition, 1791-Instructions given by the town

of Boston to their Representatives-Committee appointed, who report

against a Theatre

Mr. and Mrs. Morris and Harper go to Boston

Theatre built in Broad Alley - Charles Powell Plays performed as
Moral Lectures Players arrested on the Stage- Governor Hancock's
Speech-Law against Theatres repealed-Federal Street Theatre built and
opened-Prologue by Mr. T. Paine-Opposition Prologue

-

CHAPTER XII.

-

242

-

Hallam and Hodgkinson open the New York Theatre, December 1794 -

Mr. Benjamin Carr-Mr. and Mrs. Marriott-Mr. Munto-Mr. Nelson

-Mrs. Solomons Mons. and Madame Gardie Mrs. Faugeres' Belisa-

rius-Fontainville Abbey-Mr. Fawcet-First plan of the Park Theatre-

Mrs. Hallam withdrawn from the Stage-Hartford-Providence Theatre

-The Friendly Club

260

CHAPTER XIII.

1796-Mr. and Mrs. Johnson-Mr. and Mrs. Tyler-Mr. Jefferson-Mrs.

and Miss Brett-Mr. and Mrs. Cleaveland-Mons. and Madame Val-M.

Francisquy-M. Dubois-Opera of The Archers-Mr. Hogg-A third

Manager added to the partnership of Messrs. Hallam and Hodgkinson,

whose violent quarrels had threatened destruction to the Company-En-

deavours to mediate - Williamson of the Haymarket, London - Revived

Quarrels Mrs. Hallam withdrawn, and a new Agreement among the

Directors-Company at Hartford-John D. Miller-Old American Com-

pany open in New-York, 1796- Mysterious Monk - Arrival of Wignell

with Mrs. Merry, Mr. Cooper, &c. - Godwin - Holcroft Edwin and

Angelina-Bourville Castle - John Blair Linn-Doctor Elihu Hubbard

Smith-Tell Truth and Shame the Devil- The Comet- Mr. Miller-

-

-

--

Vexations of Theatrical Management-Dialogue with a would-be Actor-

Wignell opens the Philadelphia Theatre, December 5, 1790 - Mrs.

Merry-Mr. Cooper

279

CHAPTER XIV.

Letter from T. Holcroft-New Theatre, Park-Boston Theatres-John B.

Williamson-Bunker's Hill, a Tragedy-John Burk - The Hallam Riot

-Hodgkinson hissed off the Stage-Hallam breaks into Jail—The

Author's visit to Philadelphia, May 1797-Convention from the Abolition

Societies-Doctors Barton, Rush, Griffiths - Bartram the Botanist-

Uriah Tracy-Oliver Wolcot-Joseph Bringhurst-Wm. Cobbett―The

Ancient Day-Natural History-Man of Fortitude-Boston and Charles-

ton Theatres-Names of Performers known at this time in the United

States (1797)-Wignell and Reinagle, and the Philadelphia Company in

Greenwich Street, New York

CHAPTER XV.

309

Solee and Company open in John Street, August 18th, 1797-Mr. Whit-

lock-Wignell and Reinagle's Company in Greenwich Street-Mrs.

Merry-Mr. Cooper-Mr. Bernard-Mr. Warren-Mr. Fox-Mr. and

Mrs. Hardinge-Mr. and Mrs. Byrne-Mr. John Joseph Holland . 333

CHAPTER XVI.

Critics-Critiques-Plays, Players, and Playwrights-Remarks of John

Wells, Esq. on altering the titles of English Plays and passing them for

American-A hint to English Dramatists on the same Subject

CHAPTER XVII.

373

Agreement between John Hodgkinson and William Dunlap, on the one

part, and the Committee empowered by the Proprietors of the Park

Theatre, on the other-Re-appearance of Mrs. Hallam on the Stage, June

1797-Agreement with the Proprietors of the Haymarket Theatre, Boston

-Hodgkinson and Company in Boston, July 1797

CHAPTER XVIII.

384

The Orchestra-The Swiss Catholic Priest-The Inquisition-The Victim's

Tale-The Ex-noble-Young, an English musician, executed for murder

-M. Pellesier-Monsieur and Madame Gardie, their Story and Tragical

Death

391

CHAPTER XIX.

Causes of the Decline of the Draina, and Remedies proposed

407

THE

AMERICAN THEATRE.

CHAPTER I.

1752.- Use and Abuse of the Theatre-State of the English Stage from the year 1741 to 1752-The Hallams-Plan of the Voyage of Discovery and Adventure by the first Company of Players that crossed the Atlantic-The Company-Occupation at Sea-Arrival at Yorktown-First regular Theatrical Performance in AmericaFirst Play-Prologue for the Occasion-Singleton's Poems.

IF the fine arts, as we believe, are effective instruments for promoting the best interests of man— if the pleasure of the virtuous, as Plato tells us, is their aim and the test of their success-if their great sphere and scope is that beau ideal which lifts us above the grovelling, the vile, and the sensual—it is the duty of every good citizen to encourage their cultivation in the country of his birth or residence, and to cherish the memories of those, whatever their motives, who introduced them.

The histrionic art is so inseparably connected in our minds with the Drama, that, in contemplating

VOL. I.

B