THEATRICAL Gossip.—We mentioned last week, that some friends of Madame
Vestris waited on Sir Richard Birnie to complain of the new singer, Mr. Anderson, for having attempted to drive the lady from the stage while personating Captain Macheath. In compliance with the Magistrate's advice, Madame Vestris preferred on the following day a bill of indictment against Mr. Anderson, and his supposed agent in the matter, for a conspiracy. On Tuesday, the opera of Guy Mannering was produced at Drury Lane ; and as the Fates would have it, Mr. Anderson and Madame Vestris played the lovers. Whenever the swain stepped upon the stage, a clamour com- menced; one party, banded, as it seemed, for the purpose of upholding Mr. Anderson at all hazards' and another assailing him with hisses. Nothing daunted, Mr. Anderson advanced to the lamps ; and when silence was ob- tained, proceeded to say, that "if the opposition which had been manifested towards him was caused by the statements of Madame Vestris, he begged to say that these were without foundation." Upon this the lady, who was immediately behind him, stepped forward too, but the tumult prevented her from addressing the house. Mr. Wallack, the stage manager, then presented himself, but after enacting a pantomime, he was forced to retreat. The lady made another effort to be heard for herself; and tears coming to her relief, the tempest subsided for a few moments ; when, according to the Chronicle she spoke the following business-like speech. "Ladies and gen- tlemen, if I had not the most distinct proofs of what I have asserted, I should not have taken the legal steps to which I have resorted. I can establish, beyond doubt, that Mr. Anderson has entered into a conspiracy to drive me from the stage. I must either have adopted the course I have pursued, or I must have submitted to what was the object of my enemies. I shall only add, that if Mr. Anderson can clear himself from the imputation of insulting a female (I will not say unprotected, while I have your kind support), no- body will be more rejoiced at such a result, however unexpected, than I shall be. Give me leave to observe, that the question between us is about to be brought before a different, and in some respects a more competent, tribunal; and perhaps, therefore you may not think it right to decide it now. I earnestly hope that what has passed elsewhere will not be al- lowed to interfere with your entertainment this evening." This ora- tion turned the tide against Mr. Anderson, whose subsequent attempts to make himself heard were defeated by the universal clamour. The slay ma at length allowed to proceed; but towards the end of the second
act, Madame Vestris seemed to feel herself insulted by some asides of Mr. Anderson, for she suddenly darted from the stage, exclaiming that she " would not remain to be insulted." On appearing in the third act, she was once more forced to appeal to the audience. The play passed through its allotted number of scenes, but the mockery of affection between Henry Bertram and Julia Mannering was performed to the last with the worst grace possible.
Cuntous FRAun.-Some persons have been amusing themselves in a curious fashion at the expense of the dealers in tickets and boxes for the Theatres. They take boxes, in the name of some well-known play-fre- quenter; and when the bill is sent in, it is found that my Lord and Sir John have been sick or out of town, at the time that it was supposed they were listening to the strains of Blasis, er weeping over the woes of the gentle Juliet. A few days ago, one of these hoaxers applied to Mr. Andrews, of New Bond Street, for a box at Covent Garden, for the following Tuesday, in the name of the Earl of Belfast, and on Monday obtained the order ; when lo ! in a few hours after in Atalked the Earl in proprili person6, and declared himself profoundly ignorant both of the messenger and the aps plication. The Marlborough Street Magistrates, to whom Mr. Andrew stated the case, declared themselves unable to assist him, unless the actual deceiver were discovered ; but they charged one of the officers to attend the theatre, to assist in his capture should be happen to be there. Accordingly, Mr. Andrews himself was in waiting on the night for which the tickets were issued. A peer of the realm and a party of fashionables were ushered into the box. Mr. Andrews remonstrated against the admission of the party ; but they contrived to retain possession of their seats. An account of the affair appeared yesterday in the Times, in which it was stated that a scene of violent altercation between the peer and the bookseller had taken place in the box-lobby. In the Times of this morning, Lord Glengall avows himself the peer in question-says that the previous statement is "a parcel of stuff," and that the whole affair originated in a mistake of his servant.
" IMMORTAL SmixseRARE."-The second Shaksperian festival com- menced yesterday at Stratford-on-Avon, and all sorts of fooleries appeared to be enacting with good effect. Mr. Raymond, the theatrical manager, has arranged a gorgeous procession of Shakspeare's principal characters, but the state of the weatlier is likely to mar the spectacle. Concerts, public breakfasts, banquets, and fire-works, are in requisition. The eating-and- drinking department is under the care of Charles Wright.
The Horticultural Society have prudently resolved not to give during the present season the anniversary fete which they have been in the habit of giving for some years past. A RHY3IING Sotterron..-The will of the late Mr. Wheatstone, solici- tor, of Chancery Lane, which was proved the other day, commences in the following manner :-
"As to all my worldly goods now or to be in store, I give to my beloved wife and her's, for evermore;
I give all freely ! I no limit tix I This is my will, and she's executrix."
LATEST BETTING AT TATTERSALL'S•
Two Thousand Guineas Stakes.-Even between the Mouse colt and Augustus, the former for choice.
Derby-5 to I agst Mr. Chifney's Priam ; 7 to 1 agst Mr. Petre. Bronswielm.., 0 to 1 agst Lord Cavendish's Moose cult; 9 to 1 agst Sir M. Wood's The Mummer ; 12 to agst Lord Exeter's Augnstus •' 12 to ag-t mr. rOdsdale's Little Red Rover ; 14 to 1 agst Sir M. Wood's Cetus ; 15 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Mahmoud ; 22 to 1 agst Lord Cleveland's Vat Tyler ; 22 to I agst Lord Sligo's Brine ; 25 to I agst Mr. Roberts's colt out of Sister to Sailor; 30 to 1 agst Mr. 1tanisbottom's Zucharelli. Oaks-9 to 2 agst Lord Sefton's Mouche (taken); 5 to I agst Lord Queensberry's Maria ; 8 to I apt the Duke of Grafton's Brambilla; 20 to 1 agst Mr. Payne's f. out of Brown Duchess.
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