1804. ADDRESS From the CHARITABLE SOCIETIES of KILKENNY to the GENTLEMEN of the KILKENNY THEATRE, Presented to them at the close of the Third Season, October, 1805. The Charitable Societies of Kilkenny, impressed with the liveliest sense of gratitude, beg leave to return their unfeigned Thanks to the Gentlemen, who, with their wonted humanity, have exerted their Theatrical Talents in aid of the Charitable Funds of this City, when the gross sum of nearly SIX HUNDRED POUNDS was collected; a considerable proportion of which is funded for the benefit of those USEFUL INSTITUTIONS. The Prayers and Blessings of the Objects, thereby relieved, pleading" trumpet tongued" with the MOST HIGH in behalf of their kind BENEFACTORS, must speak their thanks; while the honest consciousness of their benevolent intentions can alone offer to such minds an adequate Reward. PROLOGUE Written by Mr. Mason, and Spoken by Mr. Rothe, At the opening of the Theatre, the 1st of October, 1804. Whene'er the Bard commands the tear to flow, Such are the wonders of the Comic page : "To-night, she warms the youthful breast to feel "And from indulgence, criminally blind, But, in our scene another use we find, The Lines marked with inverted commas were intended to precede the Tragedy of Venice Preserved, which had been prepared for an early representation, but the indisposition of Mr. R. Power rendered it necessary to lay that Play aside, and alter every proposed arrangement. They were not spoken therefore, but in their place were substituted some popular Lines, that were written upon the circumstances of the times. EPILOGUE, Written and spoken by Mr. Langrishe, At the close of the Theatre, the 16th of October, 1804. Four times your presence hath our efforts grac'd, Tho' Critics censure, and tho' Zealots frown, Can these be female charms? this beauty's sphere? Let them succeed! e'en their success must shock ye, On savoury sauces they with science treat, And think true taste consists in how to eat. 1804. An Epilogue of a former year, (p. 9) had alluded to the Fashion for Farming and Feeding, which existed so generally at that period. It was the custom of the Ladies about this time, who kept Carriages, to drive 'em. A Mrs. Thornton had rode a match at York. Б Be't ours, with well-meant jest, and sportive wit, These fleeting follies of the hour to hit; Be't yours, whose judgment is refin'd and clear, T'establish genuine taste, and fix it here; Thus shall these pleasant scenes the age befriend, Reform the morals, and the manners mend. No sports like these our Gallic neighbours know, Forc'd into sad * fraternity of woe; Long have they toil'd, and bled-for what?-to gain. A life of bondage, or a death of pain. That once gay nation must no longer find Its pleasures in vacuity of mind; Their upstart Tyrant, tottering on his throne, The scourge, disgrace, and wonder of the times. Back from such painful objects turn your eyes; Yet some remain, who still these sports decry, Then take our cordial thanks-a tribute due; By him, our pride, our genius, yes, our heart, 1805. have drawn here some of the most celebrated and virtuous Men of the Nation. Among our other Visitors, we delight to contemplate the immortal GRATTAN. We see also the classical and worthy Lord Bishop of MEATH; the EARLS of BELMORE, DESART, and CARRICK; the VISCOUNTS MOUNTJOY and MATTHEW; the Lords LISMORE and DONALLY, and their respective Families; the Countess of ORMONDE, the Viscountess MOUNTJOY, and a long list of COMMONERS, and beautiful WOMEN, many of them residents of our own happy County; nor must we forget the OFFICERS of the 74th Regiment, of the five recruiting Detachments, of a Corps of Artillery, and of four Troops of Dragoons, with the STAFFS of the Lieutenant-General and the Major-Gencral. We have, in short, in gay succession, all the various appearances and amusements of Chariots, Horses, Telegraphs, Dog-Carts, Concerts, Balls, Plays and Assemblies. The exertions, the manners, and the worth of those individuals, to whom all this is owing, ought never to be forgotten, nor can we soon cease to remember the large sums expended here by such a number of wealthy families. We are sanguine enough to think, that a change is already distinguishable among us, from cold and austere manners, to a love of pleasure and of society, and we are glad of it, for we shall have no unsafe subjects, when the People are amused and contented. To particularize any of the Plays for superior excellence, would be unjust; but if we were to judge, by its effects on the Audience, we should say that the First Part of Henry IV. was the nearest to professional perfection. We shall long remember the manner in which Falstaff gave his whimsical Soliloquies on Honor, with the description of his 150 Recruits, his delivery of "A mad "fellow met me on the way, and said, I had unloaded all "the Gibbets and pressed the dead Bodies," with all his scenes during and after the battle; the death of the fierce and interesting Hotspur, and the magnanimity and tenderness of the Prince of Wales. Upon the whole, this Play was got up with a success which we feel ourselves unable to describe. On Thursday last Mr. GRATTAN was complimented with a PUBLIC DINNER, at the SHEAF-INN, by the principal Inhabitants of our City, as an expression of their respect and regard for him. It was honored by the presence of MAJOR-GENERAL the HON. ROBERT TAYLOR, the FIELD OFFICERS OF THE GARRISON, the HIGH SHERIFF, the MAYOR, and all the Gentlemen of the Neighbourhood. Cooke and Attwood, the principal Musicians at the Theatre, took separate Benefits, the profits of which were equally divided between them, according to a previous arrangement. Cooke took the first; Atwood's concluded the Concerts. But the source of all these pleasures is at an end; our Plays are now over; and if to the classical and elegant recreations they have afforded us, we add the gratification of numbering the many valuable advantages they have brought among us, the respected Actors must be very sure, that they carry home with them the regret, admiration, respect and affection of the CITY OF KILKENNY. One circumstance only took from our happiness: the Gentleman to whose taste and exertions we are indebted for the distinguished place which we now hold in the Empire of Fashion, was prevented by severe indisposition from taking any part in those Performances, which he had himself established; our alarms, however, were removed by seeing that he was able be a spectator of the last Play, and we ardently hope to see him leading, with recruited health, the festivities of the next Season."--[Dublin Evening Post, Oct.18th, 1804.] Since Health, on genial wing, return'd, t' impart But ah! how humble must these Plays appear! * Mr. R. Power's Indisposition, throughout the preceding Season, has been already noticed. + Master Betty, better known by the appellation of the Young Roscius, was performing about this time with a measure of applause that has been seldom enjoyed by any of the Veterans of the Drama. |