THE THEATRES.
THERE are now above a dozen of these places of amusement open in the Metropolis. We are not certain that we know the names of them all, but we will mention those we recollect : Drury Lane, Covent Gar- den, Haymarket, Adel*, Olympic, St. James's, Queen's, New City, Seller's Wells, Garrick, Pavilion, Surry, Victoria, and Norton Folgate. The Italian Opera Dun will be added to the catalogue next month; and it is conjectured that the new " Court Theatre," in Oxford Street, will be opened in January. Some of the warmest advocates of free trade in dramatic wares begin to think it is time for the Licenser to cry " Hold ! enough ! " As lookers-on, we conceive that the occupation these esta- blishments afford to a portion of our superabundant population in providing harmless amusement for their fellow citizens is a positive good, while the competition they excite must ultimately tend to the improvement of the scenic art. Still it may behove the persons to whose governance this department is intrusted to consider whether a further increase in the number of theatres would not tend to impoverish the two great establishments of Covent Garden and Drury Lane, at which the drama, as a branch of English literature and err, should be most advantageously cultivated. have hitherto been, upon principle, opposed to the interference of " authority ;" and our faith in the general principle is not to be easily shaken by cases of exception : but we are not going to discuss so large a Tiestion at present. Our object in mentioning the existing number of theatres was merely to state the im- possibility of giving a minute report, or examination of their claims to public attention in the small space we can afford to devote to such matters in our columns.
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