The lessee of Covent Garden has issued an advertisement announcing
the close of the theatre, and the commencement of a second season on Monday next ! The cause assigned for this extraordinary proceeding is the complete failure of the attempt to perform the legitimate drama, especially SHAHSPERE'S plays ; which resulted in a " ruinous nightly loss." This is intelligible enough, and not to be wondered at ; but the failure is attributed to the lessee having been, 'to use his own words, "constantly thwarted and crippled by those who should have been the first to aid and forward his views." This evidently points to the per- formers ; and how far their conduct justifies the lessee in throwing upon them the onus of failure, we cannot inquire : he has at any rate redressed the grievance promptly, by terminating his engagement with those whom he wished to get rid of. It is probable that had the success of Woman Approved the lessee's judgment in the selection of that play to open with, the public would not have heard of these disputes. The theatre reopens with London Assurance ; which was produced on Tuesday, and played again last night. The present cast, in so far as it differs from the original, is very inferior, with one or two trifling exceptions; but Mrs. NISBETT and KEELEY, as Lady Gay Spanher and her " Dolly," are as genuine and amusing as ever. A Mr. Hosmass, from Norwich, made his London debut as Charles Courtly, the part that ANDERSON formerly played ; and walked through it without giving offence or eliciting applause.
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