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Mr. George Coppin. T o do anything like justice to such a colonial career as his, would far exceed the necessarily restricted limits of a general work such as I a m yvriting. Coppin's professional biography would of itself exhaust a tolerably bulky volume, and form a contribution to dramatic literature second in interest to no other that has yet appeared. M y resume of his subsequent eventful procedure (unprecedented in this or any other country) must therefore be of a curtailed and cursory character. Cynics and jokers have frequently found pleasure in designating George Coppin an "Artful Dodger;" but anyone having a knoyvledge of, and dispassionately revieyving, his public life, cannot do otherwise than avoyv that though "dodging " might have been reduced to an art yvith him, it was not always to his own permanent advantage. N o m a n in the colony m a d e more fortunes, or had the misfortune to lose so m u c h of what he had won by honourable and persistent industry. N o sooner had he a good " pile " raised than it rapidly disappeared, and, in his singular transitions from affluence to insolvency, he had no compeer in again righting himself, replenishing, and paying off his creditors. Every reverse he met yvith only enabled him to recover from his doyvnfall yvith renewed vitality ; and the unfailing courage and indomitable energy with which he cheerfully re-commenced the battle of life, indicated the possession of an organization accorded to but few individuals. Coppin's grand mistake was a disregard of the golden rule, ne sulor ultra crepidam. H e m a d e his money by the legitimate business to which he yvas bred, and in yvhich he was an adept, and outside that he should not have travelled into other speculations. In 1852, after realizing a fortune at Geelong, he visited Adelaide. After paying off his creditors, he proceeded to England in January, 1854, and fulfilled several successful engagements there. W h e n in England Mr. Coppin arranged for the construction of an Iron Theatre to bring with him to Melbourne, the contract for which he actually signed one night whilst playing " Paul Pry " at the Theatre Royal, Manchester. This was " T h e Olympic," better known as " T h e Iron Pot," erected at the south-east corner of Lonsdale and Stephen Streets, the foundation of which yvas laid by G. V. Brooke on the 18th April, 1855. In six weeks it yvas completed, and opened by Professor Jacobs, a wonderful Wizard imported by Coppin. A corps dramaticjue, scarcely since excelled in the colony, was transported hither with " T h e Pot," in which the, dramatic season commenced on the 30th of July, the opening pieces being " T h e Lady of Lyons" and " T o Oblige Benson," the company consisting of Messrs. G. V Brooke, R. Younge, R. Heir, Harry Jackson, Leslie, Ryan, Webster, Robins, Perry, Wheeler, Lester, Sefton, M ' G o w a n ; the Misses Fanny Cathcarf, Herbert, Glyndon, Graham, St. Clair, Julia Matthews; Mesdames Brougham, M'Gowan, Avins, the Chambers Family, and though last, by no means the least, Coppin himself. O n the n t h of June, 1855, they inaugurated thefirstGrand Opera season in Melbourne, which lasted eight weeks, and a short season of English Opera was afterwards given. T h e artistes engaged yvere M a d a m e Anna Bishop, Sara Flower, Julia Harland, Mrs. Fiddes, M a d a m e Carandini, Mrs. Guerin, Mrs. Hancock; Messrs. Laglaize, Lyall, Walter Sherwin, E. Conlon, Hoyvson, Farquharson, Gregg, and Hancock. Conductors: M M . Lavenue and Lindley N o r m a n ; leader of the orchestra, M . Strebenger; a chorus of twenty-six, w h o received 20s. a night each; and a ballet led by Strebenger. T h e operas produced were :—" Norma," " L a Sonnambula," " Lucia de Lammermoor," "Martha," " Der Freischutz," " Lucrezia Borgia " " Bohemian Girl," " Maritana," " T h e Mountain Sylph," and " Masaniello." Coppin and Brooke subsequently entered into partnership and purchased the lease of the Melbourne Theatre Royal for £21,000, yvhich they opened on the 9th June, 1856, with the comedy of "She Stoops to Conquer," Coppin delivering an introductory address, and playing Tony Lumpkin. The receipts amounted to ^ 4 7 8 15s. 6d. As this was thefirstintroduction of Grand Opera, the public taste had not been educated in those days to so high a standard as to appreciate the treat, and the result—in consequence of the heavy expenses -yvas a loss to the management of ^ 3 0 0 0 . U p o n an off night, the 2nd July, when Mr. G. V. Brooke was passing through Melbourne on his way to Sydney, he made hisfirstappearance at the Theatre Royal in " T h e Serious Family," Coppin also playing in the comedy, " T o Oblige Benson," supported by the best company ever seen in Australia. The receipts yvere ,£531 16s. T h e regular dramatic season commenced on the 25th of August, 1856, with "Love's Sacrifice," and the following very excellent company : — G . V. Brooke, G. Coppin, R. Younge, R. Heir, G. Rogers, C Young, H . Edyvards, F. Young, Gordon, Sefton, Leslie, Burford, Webster, Gould, Burton, Evans,