The obsolete custom of taking what is called an "author's
night,"— that is to say, of taking the receipts of a certain evening in lieu of any other mode of remuneration,—is about to be revived in the case of Mr. John Saunders, the author of Love's Martyrdom' • whose "night" is fixed for Wednesday next at the Haymarket. We hope that the experiment will prove successful, but we do not expect that it will be fellowed by the generality of authors. Where an extraordinary success has been achieved, or where a dramatist has an enormous private comsexion, it may answer his purpose to take a benefit like a manager or an actor; but these are exceptional positions, and we think that the ordinary cater- ers for our amusement would act more wisely in accepting the modicum awarded by existing custom than in staking all hopes of remuneration on a mere chance.
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