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most blasted Goodman's Fields theatre, that dra-
matic temple was for a period vacant. It had
been made brilliant as the foster-home of the
foundling Roscius, who was found like a second
Moses, in obliviious rushes, and rescued by the
kindly Giffard, who cherished the nursling into
colossal grandeur. In the dawning of his thea-
trical glory, Garrick left his Egyptian stage, and
sought his promised land, leaving thus the soil
of his foster asylum unprotected. In this exi-
gency, Mr. William Hallam succeeded to Gif-
fard's throne, rendered renowned, but unfortu-
nate, by the events just refeered to. Druary Lane
now raised its drooping crest and became the
centre of attraction, while its minor rival, Good-
man's Fields, fell proportionably in the shade,
and failed as a theatrical place in ten years af-
terward. Hallam encountered the reverses
most skillfully and manfully, and proved, with
his efficient co-laborers, good and industrious
husbandmen; but they could not avert the course
of the dramatic seasons. Thus, after a struggle
of eight years, William Hallam became a bank-
rupt in 1750.

Perhaps at no period in the history of Eng-
land's drama, did it stand on a more elevated
pedestal of enlightened glory than at this time.
Its refinement and poetical purity was not at the
same degree of brillancy in the former half
century. The era referred to is the proudest in
English dramatic history. The most eminent
literary men of that day, and those renowned for
morals, talent and genius, surrounded the drama
with ardent solicitude. They wrote for the
stage, and attended its exhibitions, accompanied
by princes, prime ministers, and leading stes-
men. The imperious aristocracy of old England
were grouped in the boxes, and rapt in attention
to watch the performances. There, too, seated
in the front forms of the pit, were to be seen the
most learned men of the day, with the wits, lis-tening with critical acumen to the beauties and
faults of hte language, weighing the elocution
and just emphasis of hte actors with nice judg-
ment. Thus encircled by peerless beauty, taste,
refinement, poets and literary men, the actors
mored amid an assemblage of so impressive a
character, that we may well be astounded when
we reflect at the melancholy contrast of the
present audiences who mainly give support to
the struggling efforts of the drama to exist. We
may well ask the reason, why the drama has
thus deterioated to even cimmerian darkness,
while the sister arts have steadily progressed to
unprecedented perfection? It was at this bril-
liant era of the London stage, when the first
poets and writers of the day contributed to its
well-being, and their works were illustrated by
Macklin, Barry, Mossop the elder Sheridan, King,
Dodd, Moody, Parsons, J and C Bannister, Mrs.
Cibber, Mrs Crawford, the first Mrs. Pope (the
ci-devant Miss Young) and last, not least, the
imcomparable David Garrick! It was this hal-
cyon jubilee of the British stage that gave birth
to the American drama.

We have stated that William Hallam was
Giffard's successor in the proprietorship and
management of Goodman's Fields, in 1750, and
as its governor, he had strined every nerve to
sustain its fortunes. He failed! and became an

utter bankrupt. His fanancial difficulties were
strictly investigated by his creditors, and the
examination developed a minus of five thousand
pounds. The creditors were so well satisfied
with the integrity of his accounts, his unflagging
zeal, prudent dirscretion and untiring industry,
that they not only unanimously forgave him
their debts, but presented him with all the the-
atrical assests such as the wardrobe, properties
and a portion of the moveable scenery, some of
which served to illustrate the scenic exhibitions
of our first stage. Most of these appendages of
the theatre were brought to this country. I re-
member that a number of the original proper-
ties, brought out in the first company, were
kicking about the scenes of the old South street
theatre in 1807. An old sceptre, which I found
over the dome of the house, old Mr. Lewis Hal-
lam said had been used by Garrick, in Good-
man's Fields. He was rehearsing on the stage
at the tie when I brought it down. He seemed
much pleased with its discovery, and chuckled
over its aged, crumbling remains, with much
gout. On this theme, and other anecdotes con-
nected with the original company, he dilated
with much dry humor and interest to the per
formers during the morning, near the stage door
of the old South street theatre. But, more
anon, of these reminiscences.

Mr William Hallam was thus, through the
generosity of his creditors, placed in a condition,
by the re-possession of his theatrical property,
to again commence business. He perceived
truly that he could not contend successfully
against the two royal theatres--one backed by
the fame and influence of Garrick, who, in 1747,
had become a manger. The two metropolitan
houses had concentrated the talent of England,
Ireland and Scotland and their rivalship ab-
sorbed all theatrical interest and patronage. In
this crisis of his managerial affairs, Hallam cast
about for a fresh field of action. London had
not then a redundant population. The provincial
ground of Thespis was duly occupied through-
out Britain. Like another Columbus, he be
thought him of a western world. The English
colonies of North America, yet in the cradle of
suckling childhood, were supposed to be uncivil-
lized in all social relations; yet a California fame
(as at the present day pertains to that El Dorado)
tingled in the ears of Bull's subjects, and pro-
mised ample scope for all kinds of enterprize.
In this mood of reflection, Wm. Hallam planned
a theatrical voyage of discovery, the doncut-
ing of which adventure he confided to his bro-
ther, Lewis Hallam, an actor, and who was re-
puted to be an excellent low comedian.

The idea of planting the drama in the new
world was a bold and an original thought at
that early time, and could only have been con-
ceived by an ardent and vigorous mind. A wri-
ter has well said that "What I admire in Co-
lumbus is not his having discovered a world,
but his having gone to search for it on the faith
of an opinion." Hallam's scheme, at the time,
was thought to be perfectly Uto[ian, and was
the subject of green-room jest and jeu d'esprit
while he was organizing the details at London.
The asylum which he opened, subsequently