was not to be tolerated for an instant, on any account, in any part of the house." T h e new season commenced on ist August, with tri-weekly performances, and there were perceptible evidences of improvements. For a month matters went smoothly and payingly, until the evening of the 2nd September, when there was a " burst up," compared with which anything that had previously happened was a mere bagatelle. BREAKING UP A PERFORMANCE.
For a week beforehand every dead fence and hoarding in town yvas plastered with large typicallydisplayed placards announcing as in preparation " T h e Grand Dramatic Drama, ' T h e Jeyvess, or T h e Council of Constance ;' " and the synopsis indicated as one of the stage incidents " A splendid procession of the Cardinals to celebrate High Mass." This gave much offence to a number of R o m a n Catholics, w h o looked upon it as a caricature of one of the most imposingly solemn ceremonies of their religious faith, and it yvas surmised that the manager had got it up to pander to the malignant fanaticism of an Orange Lodge then in full blast. It yvas therefore determined to attend the theatre and suppress the performance. T h e Irish brigade m a d e due preparations for the occasion. Shillelaghs yvere eschewed as unfit for fighting against actors on the stage ; but a "firingparty " yvas told off, and supplied yvith a very original sort of ammunition, which had accumulated in the tills of some of the Irish publicans. This yvas a heavy oldfashioned penny-piece of the reign of one of the Georges—a coin then in currency, but now obsolete—a nasty projectile when yvell throyvn ; and such yvas the poyvder and ball relied upon to punish yvhat yvas regarded as little less than a " Cameronian sacrilege." Sharpshooters, yvith pocketsfilledyvith the coppers, mingled yvith the main body, and proceeded to the theatre, yvhich, by the-bye, yvas crammed. T h efirstact passed without interruption; but yvhen, in the second, the curtain yvas drawn up and revealed the stage decorated and lighted for the celebration of the Jeyvish Passover, a burst of disapprobation broke forth, and threatening demonstrations yvere made. T h e whole place was a chaos of shouting, yelling, and execrating, in the midst of yvhich Cameron appeared, and with m u c h difficulty obtained a hearing. H e declared " that, having had warning of what was to happen, he had taken the precaution of procuring from the Mayor the protection of some Police Constables, w h o yvere in attendance, and ready to apprehend any disturbers. A s for the piece, it should and yvould go on." Such defiance only added fuel to thefire.A large proportion of the spectators laboured under intense excitement, and yvere in a state of extreme tumult. T h e new game of " pitch-and-toss" commenced from the gallery, and the performers yvere almost dumbfounded by the metallic fusillade poured in upon them. T h e penny-pieces w-ere hurled from all points, and one fellow had the top of his nose battered. Others forgot their role, to duck and dodge theflyingmintage ; whilst a couple of supers, more cool and cunning than their felloyvs—reversing the proverb—made hay in the reverse of sunshine by picking up and pocketing the spent pennies. O n e of theflatbullets hit Cameron on the cheek, leaving a crescent imprint. All this time the performance yvas going on, but it was only a pantomime of a very incomplete kind, for not a syllable could be heard. Cameron a second time managed to get a hearing, and in a stentorian voice inquired "what yvas yvanted," yvhen thundering yells howled forth, " Change the piece." Cameron replied " that it was now impossible for him to do so, and that he had not the remotest notion of insulting any religious denomination." H e declared that the piece had been performed yvithout the least objection or obstruction in England, Ireland, Scotland, and in the colonial theatres. T h e performance was then resumed, and so was the roaring and groaning accompaniment, diversified at intervals with penny episodes. In the banquet scene occurred the most discreditable "scene " of a most discreditable evening. Mrs. Knowles came forward to sing, yvhen some scoundrel flung a blackfellow's waddy at her, striking her (lightly) on the leg, and she was so terrified that she had to retire. Cameron was by this time infuriated. H e rushed out and yellingly offered £5 reward to any person w h o could point out the waddy slinger, but was responded to by peals of derisive laughter. T h e Mayor (Condell), yvho was sitting in one of the boxes, yvas called upon by Cameron several times to read the Riot Act but he as often declined to do so. A s for the handful of constables in the house, they were utterly poyv'erless T h e performance was at length brought to a premature close, and, though the assemblage dispersed without any outside breach of the peace, much ill-feeling yvas generated by an event which
