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REMARKS 
 
 ON 
 
 THE THEATRE, 
 
 AND ON 
 
 THE LATE FIRE 
 
 ATP 
 
 RICHMOND, IN VIRGINIA. 
 
 -€f » A-iM.'^ ''<* 
 
 Printed by Thomas Wilson and Sort, for iht Autlior / 
 
 AND SOLD BY WILLIAM ALEXANDER, VOBK J ALSO BY DARTOK, 
 MARVEY, ANDDARTON, GRACECHURCH-STREET, AND WILLIAM PHILLIPS, tONDONj 
 AND BY M. M, AND E. WEBB, CASTER-STREET, BRISTOL, 
 
 1812. 
 

 €ntercD at fetationer«i' TptAl 
 
THE THEATRE, &c. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 X HE considerations contained in these pages, 
 are affectionately addressed to the candid 
 perusal of professing Christians of all denomi- 
 nations. They were partly occasioned by the 
 circumstance related in the following Extract 
 from an American paper : 
 
 " A short time since a fire broke out in Rich- 
 *' mond Theatre [Virginia]. The house being 
 *' crowded with an unusual audience, there could 
 " not be less than 600. — Just before the conclu- 
 *^ sion of the play, the scenery caught fire, and, 
 " in a few minutes, the whole was in flames. It 
 *' is already ascertained that sixty-one persons 
 " were devoured by that terrific element. The 
 " scenery took fire in the back part of the house, 
 *' by the raising of a chandelier. — The flames 
 
 A 2! 
 
4f REMARKS ON 
 
 *' spread like lightning; and the fire falling 
 *' from the scenery upon the performers, was 
 " the first notice which the audience had of 
 " their danger. The performers and the assist- 
 '' ants at the Theatre, in vain attempted to tear 
 *' down the scenery ; for the fire flashed into 
 " every part of the house. No tongue can 
 '' describe the awful catastrophe ! No person, 
 *' who \yas not present, can form an idea of such 
 « a scene of human distress !— There was but one 
 ^' door for the greater part of the audience to 
 '' pass 5 and there, men, women, and children, 
 " were pressing upon each other, while the flames 
 *•• were seizing those behind. Such as were 
 '• nearest to the window, ignorant of their dan- 
 *^ ger, were afraid to leap down ; whilst those 
 '' behind were seen catching fire. One lady 
 '^jumped out when all her clothes were in 
 " flames. — Fathers and mothers were seen de- 
 '' ploring the loss of their children. All those 
 ^' who were in the pit escaped, and had cleared 
 " themselves from the house before those in the 
 '^ boxes could get down. In addition to the 
 *^' list now given, it is believed that, at least, 
 *' sixty others peri;shed." 
 
THE THEAtaS. -5 
 
 The interest which the preceding statement 
 must have excited in the pubHc mind, renders 
 the present a fit opportunity^ in the view of 
 the author of these considerations, for making 
 some remarks on the practice of attending 
 theatrical amusements. Such an address has 
 long been felt as a debt of gospel love, due to 
 those p''ofessors of Christianity who do not dis- 
 courage the practice, either in a private or 
 more collective capacity. As divers persons, 
 eminent for their rank and piety, have given 
 their decided opinion on the injurious tendency 
 of stage entertainrtients, and fully proved their 
 inconsistency with the purity of the gospel, 
 this little work will be confined chiefly to cir- 
 cumstances, and the reflections which they 
 have produced. 
 
 Before entering at large into a view of the 
 subject. Jet us consider the awful catastrophe 
 above recited, and see if that does not involve 
 in itself some hints of sufficient importance, to 
 be deeply pondered by every individual of the 
 above description ; more especially as an emi- 
 nent Apostle has left us the salutary injunction, 
 *' Let every one that nameth the name of Christ 
 
 A3 
 
t> IlEMARKS ON 
 
 ilepart from iniquity." We will first imagine 
 that a few persons, who never before entered 
 the doors of a pkvy-house, were convened at 
 Richmond, and there took a view of the scene 
 exhibited, previously to the dreadful conflagra- 
 tion. What would be their secret exclama- 
 tion ? — See here an exhibition of beauty and 
 fashion, such as our eyes never witnessed ! Mark 
 the giddy countenance and the brilliant eye of 
 every spectator, as well as the strange, and to 
 us, unaccountable gestures of the gay performers 
 of this festive scene ! Surely from this place of 
 amusement, sorrow and gloom must be banish- 
 ed for ever ! 
 
 In a little while, however, these enraptured 
 beholders begin to give way to a different train 
 of reflections. They first query within them- 
 selves, Can this gay company be composed only 
 of professing Christians ? Have those who are 
 now acting their ludicrous part on the stage, 
 and those who are entertained at the expense 
 of their time and talents, been baptized in the 
 name of Jesus? Have they vowed, or has it been 
 promised for them, that they should "renounce 
 the devil and all his works, the vain pomps and 
 
THE THEATRE. *7 
 
 glory of this world, with all covetous desires of 
 the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so 
 that they will not follow nor be led by them?" — 
 Here they pause; when, all in an instant, a 
 flame like a flash of lightning bursts from the 
 scenery! — the performers are all in ablaze! — 
 the doors and windows are set open, and while 
 those in the pit press out with the utmost impe- 
 tuosity, the air rushes in and serves as a fan to 
 the flames, which now seize those in the galleries 1 
 All is horror and confusion ! This scene exceeds 
 €ven that of the " battle of the warrior," which 
 is said to be " with confused noise, and garments 
 rolled in blood ;'* for whilst this part was ex- 
 hibited by the shrieks and pressure of the 
 affrighted crowd, the effect was indeed awfully 
 heightened '^ with burning and fuel of fire;" 
 the light and airy dresses of those who a iew 
 minutes before were pronounced a happy company 
 increasing the fury of the flames ! 
 
 In the course perhaps of half an hour, during 
 which nothing we can imagine or express, 
 can equal the real distress and anguish of the 
 unhappy victims, their bodily sufferings termi- 
 nate. Many are reduced to ashes, and many 
 
 A4 
 
9 REMARKS ON 
 
 others are left in a state the most repugnant to 
 every feehng of humanity. In short, iipwards of 
 a hundred of this brilliant assembly, by an 
 untimely and premature death, are forced from 
 this state of existence. But is this the end of 
 the fatal catastrophe? Do we, professing Christi- 
 ans, believe that we cease to exist, the moment 
 we quit this state of probation ? If we have 
 drawn no such conclusion, and no such can we 
 draw from any doctrines of the gospel, which, 
 clearer than any other, point out an hereafter ; 
 let us accompany the departed spirits to that 
 awful tribunal, 
 
 *' Where no prevarication can prevail, 
 "Where artifice and sophistry must fail.*' 
 
 Let US hear '' the Judge of quick and dead'' 
 pronounce the solemn interrogation of Whence 
 comest thou ? to each of these objects (for such 
 they are) of our tenderest pity and commisera- 
 tion. 
 
 What do they answer? — are they all silent? 
 Suppose he proceeds in the interrogation : — Did 
 my messenger of death, which seized upon you 
 at so unexpected a moment, fmd you engaged 
 
THE THEATRE. 9 
 
 in any religious avocation? — No! — Did lie arrest 
 you while occupied in any laudable employ- 
 ixient ? — -No ! — Were you even enjoying any 
 innocent amusement, or reposing yourselves in 
 the bosom of your families ?-— No '.—Let these 
 awful inquiries suffice to awaken the con- 
 sciences of those, who have felt themselves secure 
 within the walls of a play-house. We know 
 that the " Judge of all the earth will do right," 
 both with respect to these unhappy sufferers^ 
 and to us individually ; and so far from wishing 
 to exaggerate their peculiar situation, we would 
 remind all those who are in the same practices, 
 of the remark of our blessed Redeemer : " Think 
 ye that they on whom the tower of Siloam fell, 
 were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusa* 
 lem ? I tell you 7iai/ ; but except j/e rep€?it, ye 
 shall all likewise perish/' 
 
 Should these pages ever cross the Atlantic, 
 and meet the eye of any of those who witnessed 
 this awful visitation, may such, in particular, be 
 thereby induced to take warning, and to attend 
 to the prophetic exhortation of '' Seek ye the 
 Lord, while he may be found ; call ye upon him, 
 while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his 
 
10 REMARKS ON 
 
 ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; 
 and let hitn return unto the Lord, and he will 
 have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he 
 will abundantly pardon." 
 
 It is well known by travellers, that the town 
 of Richmond, and many others in the Southern 
 States of America, are notorious for tlieir traffic 
 in negroes; and that great numbers of them, if 
 not lately liberated, are still held in oppression, 
 and, may we not venture to add, cruel bondage.* 
 
 It was from this cause, that, a few years age, 
 a general insurrection was raised among them 
 for the purpose of destroying all the males of 
 the white inhabitants, except those of the 
 Society of Friends, who by their rules could not 
 keep slaves. This dreadful plan was on the 
 point of being effected, when an unusual flood 
 raised the river separating the towns of Rich- 
 mond and Alanchestcr, to such a height, that 
 the negroes of each, who were united in the 
 plot, could not meet to effect their purpose. 
 It is said, that " one black man wl;o had a kind 
 master'* made the discovery the preceding even- 
 
 »'■' See remaiks !n SutclKT'^ TraveU in North America; page 95.— 
 rt-intcd 1811, 
 
THE THEATRE. tt 
 
 ing, lest his kind master should also be massacred. 
 But what was the result of this providential 
 deliverance ? Was this degraded race of human 
 beings released from their bondage in conse- 
 quence ?— or were they not, like the poor en- 
 slaved Israelites, made to endure greater suffer- 
 ings ? Let the inhabitants of Richmond make 
 this inquiry in their own consciences. If they 
 can believe the scripture declaration, that '^ for 
 the oppression of the poor, for the sighing 
 of the needy, the Lord will arise, and will set 
 him in safety from him that puffeth at him," 
 let them now " break off their sins by righteous- 
 ness, and their iniquities by showing mercy 
 to the poor -,'' for HE who is omnipotent will, 
 sooner or later, rise up in judgment and plead 
 the cause of his oppressed. 
 
 Since the above was written, the following 
 paragraph has appeared in a weekly paper, 
 which affords some satisfaction, viz. 
 
 " The late dreadful conflagration of the 
 " Theatre at Riclimond in Virginia, appears to 
 " have had a suitable effect on the inhabitants 
 " of that city, who have determined to build a 
 ^^ church on the spot." 
 
12 REMARKS ON 
 
 We will now leave the scenes Which have 
 been exhibited across the Atlantic, and turn our 
 attention to those at home. Let us not forget, 
 that a few years ago our present afflicted 
 Sovereign was on the point of losing his life 
 within the walls of a play-house. Flad he 
 fallen a sacrifice to the assassin, would not the 
 sorrows of his family, and the mourning of 
 his people, have been rendered more poignant 
 and bitter by these awful reflections? — Our fa- 
 ther and our king died neither at the post of 
 honour, nor when engaged in fulfilling any of 
 his domestic or royal functions. He had no 
 occasion to expose a life of so much value to 
 his family and his people, to the caprice of such 
 a mixed multitude, amongst whom the basest 
 of men, are frequently assembled with the rulers 
 of the nation. But we wmII draw a veil over 
 the most solemn part of this gloomy picture, 
 and only inquire further what was the effect of 
 this merciful preservation upon those who were 
 the most nearly interested in his safety ? There 
 was indeed a form of thanksgiving directed to 
 be made use of on the occasion, but did those 
 who adopted it really humble themselves in the 
 
THE THEATRK. 13 
 
 presence of Him, " before whom tlie nations 
 are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted as 
 the small dust of the balance, and who taketh 
 up the isles as a yery little thing ? '* or did any 
 of them withdraw from the theatre in conse- 
 quence ? If no such effect w^as produced by 
 that interposition of Providence, may the pre- 
 sent incurable malarly of the Monarch of these 
 realms, and the long forbearance of God to us 
 as a nation yet laden with iniquity, though some 
 crying sins are abandoned,* lead us to sincere 
 and timely repentance. Should this humble 
 performance, designed to rouse the feelings of 
 its readers to their own real interest, ever be 
 whispered in the ears of royalty, may the Prince 
 Regent, now just ascending the throne of Great 
 Britain, be induced wisely to " ponder the path 
 of his feet, that so his ways may be established ;" 
 remembering the declaration from the same 
 high authority, even the wise king Solomon, 
 that *' when a man's ways please the Lord, he 
 maketh even his enemies to be at peace with 
 him.'* 
 
 * In particular that of the slave trade. 
 
14 REMARKS ON 
 
 Is not the present a most convenient season 
 for him to set the noble example of discouraging 
 these scenes of dissipation, which are as much 
 below the dignity of the royal character, as they 
 are incompatible with that of a Christian? Since 
 the king on his throne and the meanest of his 
 subjects, are equally the objects of infinite jus- 
 tice and mercy, as accountable beings, would 
 it not be well for the same august character, 
 to consider his awful responsibility ? He is a 
 father as well as a sovereign ; and is it not 
 deplorable, that, at so early an age, the young 
 princess should be introduced to these scenes 
 of vanity, and her mind be contaminated by ex- 
 amples and precepts, directly opposed to those 
 doctrines which she is professedly taught ? 
 
 ** The time is short and swift of wing. 
 Though we raay deem it slow," 
 
 That will bring us to the solemn period in which 
 each of us will have to give an account of the 
 deeds done in the body, and of those gifts, 
 whether spiritual or temporal, which have been 
 committed to our care. If that self-denial, and 
 the '' abstaining from all appearance of evil,'* so 
 strongly enjoined by the precepts of the gospel. 
 
THE THEATRE. 15 
 
 were so far practised by all the royal family, 
 under their present affliction, as to induce them 
 to withdraw their presence from the theatre, it 
 would doubtless prove an acceptable oblation 
 to Him by whom " actions are weighed ;" and 
 might be one means of causing the prayers 
 offered on behalf of the Royal Sufferer, to come 
 before his throne " as incense, and the lifting qp 
 of their hands as the evening sacrifice.*' 
 
 Other circumstances have also occurred even 
 within our borders, which ought not to sink in 
 oblivion. Notwithstanding the almost impious 
 prologue spoken at the opening of Co vent- 
 Garden Theatre, by which it seemed as if the 
 means Providence makes use of for the hu- 
 miliation of his creatures were held at defiance, 
 we find the two principal theatres were burnt 
 down so lately as the years 1808 and 1809.* 
 Twenty-three lives were lost at Covent-Garden 
 and one at Drury-Lane, though these were 
 few, very few, compared with the numbers who 
 
 * la addition to the two already mentioned, the Opera-house, 
 Haymarket, opened 1704, was burnt 1789. Pantheon, Oxford-street, 
 opened 1772, converted into a Theatre 1784, burnt 1792. Astley's 
 Amphitheatre burnt 1794. Koyal Circus burnt 1805. 
 
16 REMARKS ON 
 
 might have been sacrificed, had these events 
 occurred when the houses were occupied. It 
 is also well known that scarcely any seasons 
 pass over without several, who have each a soul 
 to be saved or lost, falling victims to this love 
 of pleasure, either by some fatal accident, or 
 by being crushed to death through the pressure 
 of the crowd, in a full audience, or in cases of 
 alarm. Of the latter there have been numerous 
 melancholy instances. 
 
 We of the united kingdom, cannot, at the 
 present time, make any plea of our ignorance. 
 We have not only been favoured with the scrip- 
 tures of truth in our own language for several 
 centuries, which we are told '^ are profitable for 
 doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc- 
 tion in righteousness -, that the man of God 
 may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto 
 all good works i" but we are, at the present 
 time, nobly engaged in spreading them through 
 remote regions. Are we not then loudly called 
 upon to praclise those precepts which we are 
 handing to surrounding nations? We are, most 
 certainly ; and should do well in exercising a 
 similar care to that expressed by an eminent 
 
THE THEATRE. 17 
 
 Apostle, when he said, " I keep under my body, 
 ^nd bring it into subjection, lest that by any 
 means, when I have preached to others, I 
 myself should be a cast-away." 
 
 There is another circumstance which seems 
 worthy of our serious consideration. We see 
 by the interesting publications of Dr. Buchanan, 
 that the eastern empire is still sunk in idolatry. 
 Do we not read with peculiar interest, and yet 
 with the feelings of horror, of the hundreds 
 who yearly immolate themselves on the funeral 
 piles of their husbands; and of the thousands 
 who pay their adoration, and many of them 
 fall victims, to the Idol of Juggernaut } What 
 are we doing to remedy these evils ? — We are 
 contributing to furnish them with the light of 
 revelation, as far as contained in the Scriptures, 
 translated into their own languages. This is, 
 doubtless, praise- worthy. But when these 
 poor benighted creatures, have their eyes open- 
 ed to see for themselves into the excellency of 
 the Gospel dispensation, and the purity of its 
 precepts, will they not naturally inquire into 
 the lives and practices of those from whom 
 they receive this bounty ,? Will they not expect 
 
 B 
 
IS REJVIARKS ON 
 
 that such should conform to the rules laid down 
 ill that sacred volume, which they have had 
 in possession for so many centuries ? What 
 then must be their surprise to find this very 
 people, while they are holding sacred the divine 
 commandment, '' Thou shalt have no other 
 Gods before me," so far as to make no graven 
 images and fall down to worship them, are yet, 
 at the same time, assembling in multitudes at 
 the temples of vanity, (the softest name we can 
 give our play-houses,) and there devoting, night 
 after night, to the idol of fashion, though at 
 the risk of being immolated by some fatal ac- 
 cident, or crushed to death by a hasty re- 
 treat. 
 
 The Apostle of the gentiles before alluded 
 to, has also declared, that the *' times of their 
 ignorance God winked at; but ?iozo command- 
 eth all men, every where, to repent/' If this 
 be true, may we not conclude, thait, in the day 
 of awful retribution, the idolaters of the east 
 will have a stron^xcr claim to mercv for their 
 sins of ignorance, than we professing Christians 
 for our numerous vices, from HIM who " is 
 righteous in all his ways," and who, therefore, 
 
THE THEATRE. l& 
 
 as we are told by a justly admired poet, in his 
 *^ Expostulation/* 
 
 " Will not punish, in one mingled crowd. 
 Them without light, and us without a cloud." 
 
 The example of the highest classes in so- 
 ciety, influences not only the middle, but 
 the lowest rank ; and it is a fact, that many 
 who, from the pressure of the times, can scarcely 
 maintain their families, and even such as are 
 in the station of servants, spend part of their 
 little store in tickets for the play-house ; though 
 the latter are sometimes furnished with them 
 as presents, by those whose example and pre- 
 cepts ought to have a very different tendency. 
 From the preceding considerations, and the 
 importance of their station and influence, may 
 the nobility of this realm set the virtuous exam* 
 pie, of withdrawing their presence and support 
 from scenes so unworthy of their rank and 
 character. 
 
 On this occasion we may venture to apply 
 the sentiments of the Honourable Secretary 
 Hughes, when he was encouraging the different 
 classes of people to unite in the support of an 
 
 B2 
 
20 REMARKS ON 
 
 auxiliary Bible Society at Cambridge. '' By 
 these means," says he, ** noble Lords may 
 indeed add lustre to their coronets. Gentle- 
 men of wide influence, may also consult the 
 temporal and eternal interest of all around 
 them. Ministers of the Sanctuary" — but here 
 we pause, and inquire if Ministers of the Sanctu- 
 ary could ever so demean their noble calling, 
 as to be seen within the polhUed w\alls of a 
 play-house ? To proceed, however, with tlje 
 worthy Secretary's address, " Ministers of the 
 Sanctuary may, by their utmost exertions and 
 influence, stand forward iu' a manner worthy 
 of their holy vocation. Instructers and guardi- 
 ans of British youth" (how important their 
 station !) " may embody their precepts by their 
 own powerful example : and you, ingenuous 
 youth, just starting in the course which Provi- 
 dence opens before you," permit the writer of 
 these Remarks to unite in an earnest desire, that 
 " you may all be regulated by the principles, 
 and so have an interest in the promises of that 
 volume, the contents of which you, and so 
 many of your seniors, have manifested so lauda- 
 ble a desire to make known, from north to south, 
 
THE THEATRE. 21 
 
 and from the rising of the sun to the going 
 down thereof" 
 
 In this sacred vokime, it is recorded, by one 
 who had both felt tlie terrors of the Lord for 
 disobedience, and had tasted largely of his good- 
 ness, that '^ they who observe lying vanities, 
 forsake their own mercies.'* Perhaps a more 
 appropriate title could not easily be found for 
 stage entertainments, than the term, '' lyin^ 
 vanities,'' Do they not, (we now appeal to 
 the consciences of those who have been en- 
 deavouring to derive satisfaction from these 
 corrupt sources,) do they not promise what 
 they fail to afford you ? and after spending at 
 the theatre great part of the night, which the 
 Author of Nature designed for rest and re- 
 freshment, have you not often lain down in 
 sorrow, and found the termination of the gay 
 scene you witnessed to be not only vanity, but 
 even "vexation of spirit?" If this has really . 
 been your experience, let the past time suffice. 
 Much depends, (the blessings of eternity may 
 depend,) on the choice you are making now, 
 when just rising on the stage of action; "choose 
 life, therefore, that your souls may live ;" and 
 
 B3 
 
22 REMARKS ON 
 
 by the unreserved sacrifice of inclination to 
 duty, prove yourselves the followers of Him, 
 %vho *^ for the joy that was set before him, en- 
 dured the cross, despising the shame, and is 
 set down at the right-hand of the throne of 
 God." 
 
 Let us now take a view of some of the objec- 
 tions that will doubtless be made to the relin- 
 quishing of these public amusements. Perhaps 
 one will arise from the consideration of what 
 will become of the numerous performers, many 
 of whom have no other means of procuring 
 a livelihood. Those who would avail themselves 
 of this charitable question, as an excuse for con- 
 tinuing in such corrupt practices, may be answer- 
 ed in the laconic expression of our divine 
 Master: ''What is that to thee? follow thou 
 me.*' But lest this short answer should not 
 be deemed satisfactory, we will suggest the 
 expedient of a subscription being raised and 
 appropriated to the needful support of this 
 degraded class of society, till they are furnished 
 with the means of providing '* things honest 
 in the sight of all men" for themselves, and 
 
THE THEATRE. 23 
 
 their families. What is expended on theatrical 
 amusenients, in the course of one season, would, 
 doubtless, amply provide for this purpose^ and 
 might enable those who have frequented the 
 theatre, and perhaps devoted a great part of 
 their time and their substance in promoting 
 the cause of vice and irreligion, to make some 
 compensation, by applying them in future to 
 acts of benevolence, and for the promotion of 
 piety and virtue; 
 
 The writer of these hints, views the class of 
 stage-players with sincere commiseration. Is 
 it not lamentable, that persons endowed with 
 superior talents, which, if properly applied, 
 might render essential service to civil or religi- 
 ous society, should prostitute them to the 
 meanest of purposes ? — purposes which, at best, 
 remind us of the following description of the 
 poet : 
 
 " A soul immortal spending all her firer. 
 Wasting her strength in strenuous idleness. 
 Thrown into tumult, raptured or alarm'd, 
 [For] ought this 5cene can threaten or indulge. 
 Resembles ocean into tempest wrought. 
 To waft a feather, or to drown a fly." 
 
 YCUNG. 
 
 B 4 
 
2'*, REMARKS ON 
 
 Do those who encourage theatrical per- 
 formers, or do the performers themselves properly 
 consider, that time and talents are loans from 
 Heaven, for which we shall find ourselves respon- 
 sible whenever the awful mandate is uttered, 
 *^ Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou 
 shalt be no longer steward?" Looking towards 
 these our fellow-probationers, in this point of view, 
 they are certainly objects of Christian compas- 
 sion. In addition to the contributions proposed, 
 and v/hich, were they from conscientious motives 
 to relinquish their mercenary employment, 
 would doubtless be aided by that body of real 
 Christians, which has long secretly mourned 
 under the weight of these crying evils, we 
 would strongly recommend the performers to 
 adopt the prayer of Agur, '' Rem,ove far from 
 me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty 
 nor riches; feed me with food convenient for 
 me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say, who 
 is the Lord ? or lest I be poor and steal, and 
 take the name of my God in vain." 
 
 There is another question which may pos- 
 sibly be proposed by some charitable people : 
 What will become of all those volumes of 
 
THE THEATRE. ^5 
 
 plays and romances, tragedies and comedies, 
 which have cost so much labour and expense 
 in preparing, were these scenes to be totally 
 abandoned? That so much time, so much la- 
 bour, and so much expense should be bestowed 
 to so bad a purpose, is certainly much to be 
 regretted ; but since they are found, by the 
 experience of ages, to have answered no salutary 
 purposes ; since, at best, they have only amused 
 the ear while they secretly corrupted the heart of 
 their greatest admirers, we can only recom- 
 mend to all who have them in possession, to 
 make the same offering to the cause of Christi- 
 anity, which those did of whom we hav^e it re- 
 corded in the acts of the Apostles, " many 
 also, who used curious arts, brought their books 
 together, and burnt them before all men ; and 
 they counted the price of them, and found it 
 fifty thousand pieces of silver." We may 
 venture to add, if this offering be made in a 
 Christian spirit, it will indeed be *' an odour 
 of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well- 
 pleasing to God." 
 
 A further consideration may also be suggest- 
 ed by some well-meaning people, and that if>. 
 
2S tlEMA^KS ON 
 
 What use must the fashionable world make of 
 their time, if all these amusements are taken 
 from them ? — Has, then, the great Author of 
 Nature, lavished no beauties, no wonders on 
 his manifold works, from the survey and con- 
 templation of which, a rational being can 
 derive unfailing sources of instructive amuse- 
 ment ? Do not many of the arts and sciences 
 afford people of leisure a fund of rational and 
 pleasing employment ? The study of natural 
 and civil history, of useful biography, of na- 
 tural philosophy, chymistry, &c. would fur- 
 nish most abundant sources of entertainment 3 
 that of astronomy in particular, which has a 
 tendency to elevate the mind, if not too much 
 depraved or degraded above mere corporeal 
 pleasures. The study of botany would open a 
 wide field of healthy recreation; and the illustra- 
 tion of it by the pencil, might furnish a more 
 useful and laudable, and we are certain, more 
 innocent amusement, than plays, gaming, balls, 
 routs, eard-parties, and other fashionable modes 
 of '^ killing time." The more gross exhibitions, 
 such as wrestling, racing, cock-fighting, pugil- 
 ism, kc. kc. as the Apostle said of some vices 
 
THE THEATRE. 27 
 
 in his day, " ought not even to be named 
 amongst Christians i" and the toleration of them, 
 in this enhghtened age, is certainly a disgrace 
 to the united kingdom ; for righteousness tru- 
 ly " exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to 
 any people :** and if, as the Scripture assures 
 lis, " all unrighteousness is sin,'* what must 
 we think of the vices here enumerated 1 
 
 There is one way, however, of filling up 
 time, without " killing'^ it, which we would par- 
 ticularly recommend, not only to the young 
 and the gay, but to the fashionable world of all 
 ages and descriptions -, that is, the daili) pe- 
 rusal of the holy Scriptures, and such other 
 writings as will really promote the interests 
 of piety and virtue. Amidst the blessings of 
 the present day, we may number those of the 
 last denomination, which, like wheat sown 
 among tares, will, in due time, we trust, be 
 separated from them, and produce a plentiful 
 harvest. 
 
 We wish, however, to add a little more 
 respecting the perusal of the Scriptures, pas- 
 sages from which being early impressed on the 
 
28 REMARKS ON 
 
 memoiy, would be attended with peculiar ad- 
 vantages, since it may justly be said of them, 
 even in times of solitude or sickness, as of the 
 Divine Author of the Gospel dispensation, 
 
 ''The recollection, like a vein of ore. 
 The farther traced, enriches still the more. 
 
 COWPER. 
 
 Many quotations fjom these invaluable re- 
 cords have already appeared, and some may 
 yet be given in this little work. The author 
 omits the references to them, as a stimulus 
 to the reader to imitate the example of the 
 Jews of Berea, whom Paul speaks of, as 
 " being more noble than those of Thessalo- 
 nica, in that they received the word with 
 all readiness of mind, and searched the Scrip- 
 tures daihj, whether those things were so." By 
 this search it would be found, that even the 
 Psalmist, who was also a king over a numerous 
 people, held the works of nature, and of Pro- 
 vidence, in the highest esteem, and thought 
 them fit subjects of devout contemplation. Af- 
 ter speaking of the natural productions of the 
 earth and of the seas, he makes this pioMs 
 
THE THKATRR. 29 
 
 exclamation : " O Lord 1 how manifold are 
 thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them 
 all ! the earth is full of thy riches ; so is this 
 crreat and wide? sea, wherein are things creep- 
 ino- innumerable, both small and great beasts." 
 And again, on a view of the firmament, " When 
 I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, 
 the moon and the stars which thou hast ordain- 
 ed : what is man, that thou art mindful of him > 
 or the son of man, that thou visitest him !" 
 
 In these sacred records, the great enemy of our 
 happiness, is represented under two very striking 
 similitudes ; sometimes by that of' a roaring lion, 
 seeking whom he may devour ;'' but more often, 
 as a cunning *' serpent," seeking, by various ar- 
 tifices, whom he may betray. By a work already 
 alluded to, we find that one o-f his diabohcal en- 
 gines, an inquisition, is still existing in Brituh 
 India. Another is also left in Spanish America. 
 These seem to be nearly the last remains of those 
 instruments of torture, by which, in a pre- 
 eminent degree, our grand adversary showed him- 
 self in the character of " a roaring Hon, seek^ 
 ing whom he might devour." But when we 
 
30 remar;cs on 
 
 take into consideration, the superior excellency 
 and value of that part in us which is immor- 
 tal, and compare it with that which is corpo- 
 real, we shall be induced to believe, that his 
 malice and cruelty, exhibited by the inquisi- 
 tion, are even exceeded by his artifice in 
 erecting play-houses; and that the latter as 
 clearly manifests his second character, repre- 
 sented by the craftiness of a " serpent,'* seek- 
 ing whom he might betray. 
 
 Yet amidst all the scenes of horror and of 
 iniquity, even now transacting on the grand 
 theatre of the universe, we may take comfort. 
 The signs of the times are auspicious. The 
 downfall of superstition, like the removal of 
 old decayed buildings, is making way for the 
 noble erection of the standard of Truth. The 
 destruction of inquisitions, and other places 
 of cruelty, shows that the rage of our com- 
 mon enemy is limited, and that these are 
 ceasing, for ever, to be the terror of mankind. 
 We trust that thousands who, like Gallic, " have 
 cared for none of these things,'* will, ere long, 
 rejoice in their claim to the dignified character 
 
of a re 
 
 all 
 
 pe 
 
 sys 
 with tl 
 
 dX 
 
 \ 
 
 i^ oxistmg in 
 
 } these haunts 
 
 Crated, like the 
 
 ed structure of 
 
 tion of all the pi 
 the realms of Christ 
 of vice and dissipation o 
 ground on which stood the 
 Richmond, to the salutary purposes of adora- 
 tion and worship of the sovereign Lord of the 
 universe ; for whose continued goodness to us 
 as a nation, while those around us are involved 
 in the most grievous calamities, we have cause 
 for the reverent acknowledgment;, " It is of 
 thy mercies, O Lord ! that we are not 
 consumed, because thy compassions fail not. 
 They are new every morning, great is thy 
 faithfulness.^' 
 
 That 
 
'vations, 
 ' of 
 
 . o .. xt. 
 
 For we ha out it out, 
 
 In ample ri reliance. 
 
 Whose stie;" .agration at defiance ; 
 
 r 
 
 Consume th ., your safety still is certain. 
 
 Presto — for proof, let down the iron curtain." 
 
 THE END. 
 
 From the Office of 
 
 THOMAS WILSON and SOS, 
 
 H^gh Ousegate, Vorlt. 
 
Page Lii^e 
 
 15. 13.&14 
 
 32. 3. 
 
 . for Cogent-Garden, read D/ 
 for Ditto, read 
 
kJk J^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 A 
 
 COLLECTION 
 
 oy 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 RELATIVE TO THB 
 
 nrn 
 
 
 WliJCH OCCURRED AT 
 
 Til fi Til EAT RE. 
 
 % F^cTs A.ri) si\rrE,ME.rT3, ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 IN RICIir^IOKD, 
 
 O.'i f/j2 26//i December, 1811, 
 
 |r 
 
 PRIXTKD AND IViiLiSUEl} BY Jen?f o'iYNCH. 
 
 l^iiJ. 
 
 
 ■^^' "^pr 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 V 
 
%o tDe labile. 
 
 The imliappy event which occurred in our derofed ci- 
 ty, has excited the tenderesi and the severest feelings of 
 which our nature is susceptible. It is, doubtless, expect- 
 ed thai some one ghouUI endeavor to satisfy tlic eager ex- 
 pectiition of curiosity; — to dry the tear that bedews the 
 pillow of sensibility, other resource must l)e had. So 
 far as a compilation goes, we use our feeble efforts : far- 
 ther we dare not, we would not venture. As tne servants 
 of the public, we have collected this tribute, and utierit 
 with the most respectfiii regard. 
 
 
 f^)^ 
 
/ 
 
 r 
 

 ctto!)elming CaUmttp* 
 
 I 
 
 .Jl N tlic wliolccnurfe ©four exi/lenre, we hare rrvcr taken wp our p<U 
 imdfcr a deeper gloom rtiiH we icci . t rii.s n ci. triu It .ail •(. ouriot 
 to record one ot tlie moil diltietling scenes which can iuippen jn th^ 
 ^■vho:c ciicie ci iiuman attaus. Tiie readei iriultex(Uie i.c inche- 
 rtrpce ot t ic narative ; ihtie !s ■^carcir b dry eye in tuis cu>tra''.ted city, 
 Wetp, my feilow citizens j for wc have setn a nignt oi v\(;e, whii.b 
 fcaice any eye h.ith iccn, or car hath htard; and no tongu^ can ade- 
 qu ttiy tell 
 
 How can we delcribe the cene ? No pen can p:unt it j no imagl- 
 r.ation can conceive it. A vhcir- Theatre wrapt in tiames-.-a gay and 
 animated ::flemhl) iudcenly tbr(/wn on the vejy veigeoi the giave--many 
 otthewijoh! howliiany, piecipit .teti in a moment nro ettrn.ty -youth 
 ^.nd beau'.y, and O'd age and ^mius, ovei whelmed in one pio'iiiicuou* 
 rum-— — fill leks, gioins rnd hun ai ; gony in i very Ihape— — fhis is 
 the heart-It nd;ng cene rliat vvc are calieu upon to . escribe VVe Jink 
 imdrr tnettfo't. kcadcr ! txtiiie oui iecilng^, loi- th»y are the teel- 
 ings <i a whole city. 
 
 Let us cchect «.iir ideas a? nell rs we can. On Tir.iriday night a 
 new play and a new aite; piece weie played foi the len.tit oi iVlj. l*]^. 
 cide. C lc\^■ds iwarnied to iht The.'; it w.;s ihe u left h uie this 
 
 lealoii— — theie weie not Icsthai 600 pielcnt, ) he p.;'y went otF- • 
 the pamon-irne he^r.p : the firft 'ict w.s over. 1 he wiioij- jcene wa« 
 
 before tiv and all ciround us was mutn and ivhi/ ry Oh God t 
 
 tiyhat a hoinble involution t'id one minute. prodU(e ! Thecurtain roi'e- 
 or tie id act cl the panK min c-tl.t crclitltra w.s in ii;ll cS'.oi us j and 
 "M) V\ tfl came (ii to optn the icenc ; when lpalkso^nle Degan to 
 fail on the hack part oJ tiic (t igc, nd r. k<r tr'.un c nne out in un- 
 *tLtjabie tiiihtis, wavfcii his hand i« the c«i!jnj, and uttered tlieitr. 
 
sppxIFnf vrcrcis— —" The hou^e Is on fire/' H'« honrl was immiiU 
 atciy flittihed ioith to the perxons in tne O:.ge-ho;i. m heip thun on th^ 
 i{?.gc • - and aid theii retreat in that direction. This is all mat we 
 
 eaughr oj 'he /lage t-jie cry oi fire, fire^ p.ifll-d with electric \t ocity 
 
 through the houle- --every one flew ironi their leats to gain the o -bie* 
 Aiid ll .irs. 
 
 The fcene haffle* all defci iptlon. The moft heart piercng cries 
 pervadru the hou.e. **S.!Vc me, invemt!"' Wives asking ior their 
 liuft>..nds, teinaies and childicn shrieking j while the gatiuring eiemtnt 
 came roilirg on its curling flr^.^ies .ind columns o. Ih.ukc threaten- 
 ing to devour every human being in the building. M nv were trod 
 
 tijider toot Icveral were thrown back trom the win' o.as which they 
 
 ^ere Ihuggling to leap. The Itair w,iy> were in^n.eoiatsiy l-»locktd up ; 
 the throng was so great thai mnny were raiica Itveral fee; over the 
 heads of the reft-- the Imokc thnatened an infiant .uffu<.aticij. We 
 <ann()i dwell on this picture. We saw-—— wc feit it— —like other?, 
 ive gave up ourlelves lor ioit-— we cannot depict it„ M'»v II ped 
 fro-n thewindtwsor rhe first storvi and were saved— — c . i tn c.nd 
 females and men of ail descriptions were seen to piecipitate ti^emseives 
 on t!ie ground iiclow— — -'noli: of these escapcdj though several oi them 
 r/iih broken iegsj and tii'ghs, and hideous coniusions. Mcft it not 
 B'l who were in tl.e pit efcaped. Mr. Ta\K;r, the 1 It of the n uhcians. 
 ^lio quitted the ochcftr j hnding Ims retreat bv the back way cut off, 
 leapt into the pit whtiice lie entered the bemicircular avenue which Ic. is 
 to tlie door or the theatic, : nd fcuncl it ntaiiy empty. Hen, .s the 
 Jasi' ihnt elcapcd fro)n the pit ! how mel nclioJy ;hatm.inv tvho were 
 in ti-e boxes did not alio jump into the pit :i'nd fly in tie laine direction. 
 
 But tnoie who weie in the I oxes, above ana below, puthed ior the 
 lobb'cs—many, as has been said, escaped through the windows but 
 the n:c fr ot tbeir< hid noothei- resource thr.n to desitend the stairs, many 
 esc-.j/td in that way---but so gteat was the picssure that they letanled 
 each oihcrj until the devouring clement approached to sweep thtni into 
 eterniry. Several who even tnierged trom the biii d.ng were so much 
 scorched that they have since perimec^- some evtn jumped trom tne se- 
 cond window-- some otlie. s ha' e been dreacitully burnt. 
 
 The hretlewwitha lapidity, almolt beyond txMupIe. Within teu 
 minutes alter it caught, the who.e houfe wus wrapt in h;rn)cs.---'l he co- 
 loured people in the gallery, melt Oi them, e'caped thio' theft.iMsCdt 
 otfijom the rett of the home : lome have no doubt fallen victims. The pit 
 and boxes had but one common avenue---thro* which the whole cr< wd 
 had to escape, fave thoie only who leaped through the windows. 
 
 Hut the icene which enlued— — it is impoUiide to painf. Women 
 viitli dilhevelled hair ; fathers and ii.otheis fiiriiking out tor their 
 chiirlren, hufoands for their wives, brothers foi their hlters, filled tw^ 
 Tvhole aera en the outlide oi the building. A few who hid efcaptd, 
 plunged again into tie flames to fave Ion c dear object ot their regaid, 
 and thev perifhed ! ! Tlie d-veinor perhaps fliaied this n.ciancholy 
 fate. Others were frantic and would iiave ruthed to deltruction nut 
 lor the hand ol a Iricnd. The bells tolled. Almoft the \^hole town 
 ruf.ied to the fatal ipot. 
 
 The flan e mud have been caught to t e fcenery from fome light 
 
 behind Robertjon law it, when it was no longer than his arm— — 
 
 Young law it on the roof; whtn it firit built through. Every article 
 of the Theatre wa$ confumed j as v,-£U as the dwelling houfc n«xt to it. 
 
But what- IS wealth in compnrlfon of the valnahle \'vcs which have goatJ 
 forever ? The whole town js ^hrowdtd <n. woe. - Heads «? iam.'iic* 
 €xringii!i)i«td forever— ~ — many and ^rany is the hf-iiie, in which a 
 ch iVn Jias hern made that can ne-ver he filled up. We cannot o "ell 
 
 on Miis picrra'c. ut *<'0'k at the cata'oguc- ol' the v:. tin-is, anci t'nei^ 
 
 icnceiv* the calamity wriith has iaiien u^cii us. Wc muii di'op the 
 pen. 
 
 NARRATIVE. 
 
 isFe eaTBiiot paint tlic details '>r the seene on Tliursday 
 lgis:}f^_\o descrirition eass do iuslii-e ig its horrors — imd 
 there were so few persons so eool imd sieir-eolleefefi iis lo 
 aieiir'«,te!y pakii an\ pari of tc»e mass of the woes wlJc^h 
 f (f ?! in '^ jnoBient ivion u^. So ae sef\'K s a^e yo fi*a!i;*hfc 
 with horror. ih?J a ilelieaje i:encil ^\i;uhl Iklvc lo skip 
 then- Be^iides. f!T»>r ertUj^li han no! been had lo briiiij 
 together a i aecn^ate .^roiip ef woes 
 
 Iris Gainful to touch upon fhe catastroplje of those wh» 
 ha^^e .y^^ne iorevei. i\ieir ashfs are in liie grave — hut- 
 their 'iiiemorles a?e entomb' d in our hearts. 
 
 The Generous a )d worih,y Soii^h. who fjut a few days 
 i'm-e kVas erf)wnfd with one oi'tlie highest ho'iors whieh 
 Tir.'^inia ean h>>it<Av, is snat'died *i'on> ois eo mtrv, hisdis- 
 trade! faiijily, his ehihlrirn a ul hia friends! ! It is not 
 certar^J . kniw.'i rhetli.M' jc ii id t ileeff'd his escape froiiu 
 the h;ul ij ig an.* rjslud a.^iin into the flasnes to save his 
 child ! €iier^ is a eonfission in Ihe^tor^^and perhaps it it 
 as w'^ll if it never weie *:'e.'ired up. 
 
 Abraham B, Venah-e. Pr side'tt of the Bank of Virgi- 
 nia ; a man w!jo has tiHed oi!r puhlie stations with very 
 hi^ii reprste ; w)in has men in tise honse of Representa- 
 tives and in the Senate of the U;iitMl iStates, diiiiig ih@ 
 most interesting peiiods — h^ ?oo Is t^ori^vj He has left ao 
 wit*.' j|. childr7»n ; bin a Ion -4 tiaiti of ;'e]a*ives and tViends 
 to vve^') his loss. He was in t!ie ho\ with ladies; he 
 be^if eti the; I not to be jjrefi )i?ate or iijpaiient ; bi)t \\a% 
 at !«' i^th drive 1 tov^ards a wi idow in the iobbv. with a 
 «ro\vd ^f oi )«»rs The snffj^ea^in';!: smoke came rolling on. 
 Mr. V. a'^l «^>'^e who were with hi;r. were thrown down, 
 Mr. ^io?iintl ^^\] towards tho \vt;u!ow and was ''avedj Mr. 
 Y» iell thi? ctiier way and penbhed in the saioke ! 
 
r « 3 
 
 'Many dou'jHcSs v****^^''*^'' '^^ ^^^^ same \^?}r. llie vi» 
 1u5« e <fl siiiokt', vlijel. could Siol hi List est;. ^.c Hiioiii^U 
 thi i( </f, \v;.8 l>cn< (iowtnvaids ; black, (iense. iil»;»os,l su- 
 tuiad'd \>il!» oily v pours. J^iuiry wviv suilocitJcU by it, 
 vl.o liil^i.! have liiul siicngtli t'lioitj^li (o Jcuj) the windows, 
 Bo%(ial >v('U' siiv(<; In the I'lesh air which they inhaled 
 ai Jhe Nvi.idows — or evetj a< aci'aiiny. 
 
 Pooj* BoKh ! a Hjan of asiouishiag assiduity and atlain- 
 trients al <he hai, has \h i Lsled vviih hi>? wile and lur 
 nciee — he Tell ju rha|,nA a >ie(iiJi to his hojKs. He <hoc5:;ht 
 il more pnideut (o siJ still >vitSi his wile, \HJiile ihe crowd 
 passed by ; l)ut hei* sister-ia-law ^h-s Pag(*, yield iLiii; to 
 tlje s^njjathetic ia.piilse of her iVars, rnslied Ibrwartiand 
 is i-ii.ed — What a seal hasdealh ssJ upon his i'aaiily !— 
 Al one {Vllsuoo|j, live heh.less cliildiTii are convened in- 
 to oi'phans. 
 
 }iow hravi]> 1ms the hand of deiith fallen upon the fam- 
 ily of the I'iaivies! Foos* liionriiers ! t!cepl> indeed have 
 je {■} nnh of ihe e»{p of afiUeSio!]. ^Vihia live short years 
 \e 5 ad !!5niibered amoEJ!>;st the d 'a<!, the venerable Joha 
 Ijai vie. the distin.Lyaished Lev.i^ Hai vie, thv ar. liable Mrs. 
 M<iraw,tiie ii teresUifc/.^' li tie Ijov of i>i*. Bioekei^biou^^h* 
 But bv one blew, iha dislresse:! mother, Mm. Ihirvie, has 
 lost her r.ob'.e and !i'-;;'ii-sou'ed daughlLn* Jnliaiia, her ex- 
 jieiieriJ son \., J. lioTvie, and tlsat sweet little ;;!rl, Mar/ 
 "Wl if lock, her behaved Grasid-dasjj^iiter i ! : lieuder, con- 
 ceivr i you can, what you never ean have fell. 
 
 LJejit Jii ?ies I'ibbon, (d'ihe U S. Kavy, has gone with 
 the rest ! Vount^ as !se wris, he had tasted of the cup of 
 afiiieiiosi. 13<' was iake:i ta^jUVi' in ;he Piisludclpiiia. and 
 Inimnred in the priso s of i riunli — tnthis fatal nii^ht, 
 beam! PJr. Jolin Lyn !i w re iu the sanje box with i\krs. 
 GaJh'go. ]\liss'(Jo2j%ers. ]^lr. \ ei:able and oih/J-s— when 
 the alarm wa> hrst ^iven. ih*.^ cndeavoreij to <jnlet the 
 ap^?reljetisioiis oTtiK' !.?dies. b it wiien the fjont scene was 
 i:)'l1a*nes. they rea.hcd over fer I^iiss (;on>ers \\55o had 
 sunk niolionh sj- bi!w\v — im^y t<Md. itrr over ; ihe> held 
 hnr between ther.i i i a sta<e of iij^ensibility, her head i'uU 
 !in;^ over Mr. Lys:eU's le^i arm. In this njanner tliey 
 proceeded towards tlje head of the stairs, w!ien Gibbo?\ 
 said, •»L>neh, leave ►'all^ io nic I asn strosig enouj,';!! 
 to carry i:or : she is tijirhi. '.»nd ycm lan save son eb«'^'y 
 djsc." " Mr. L. rc^ikd, •» God blcb* you, GIbLou, there i& 
 
[ 9] 
 
 ilio stiir,*' and tlien turned roimd to sack some of ilie 
 fither lailies. Foar Gihboii aiul liss lovely and interest- 
 ifig couspiitdon sunk t(\:i,Tther. 
 
 ,\Ve Huist dro[) ^his reeiliil — We Iiave ah'eady staled 
 llie deaths of Ms's.Girardiii and her sweet boy — of Mis, 
 Gibson, whose husband is now perhaps on liis way from 
 Kuropc ,* wJiat a hlovi u\iOii his heart ! — of the venerable 
 'Mvs. Pa^'e ; of Mrs. Lesslic ; of the lovely Nancy Green, 
 the daughter of Mr. Green, the Manager^ of the an)ia- 
 ble Mrs. 11 Greenhow. The partieulars of most of their 
 fates are wrapt in oblivion. Their ashes are in the ^vhyg. 
 
 These perished a^nid the ilanies — but Mrs. Patterson 
 and Mr. Wm, Brown were overwhelmed liy the erowd. 
 
 Let us 6l!ano;e the scene. — It is a far more i^ratefiil 
 task to deseribe the fate of those who have, as it were, 
 miraeulously escaped. It is some relief to our feelings, 
 to contemplate those who seem again to have <« re-vi sired 
 tlie realms of light," It is almost as if the grave liad giv- 
 en them up again from its jaws. Vve are sorry, indeed, 
 that our limits do not permit us to furnihh any but hasty 
 sketches of events. 
 
 Mr. John G, Jackson was overi*eme by tl?.e sufToeatuig 
 smoke and fell senseless. His last recollection was (hat 
 his feet were descending ; but whetkc r ae floor or E;ar- 
 way Avei'e broken or he had reached the descent, l?e >vas 
 not conscious— but insensibly he descended to tin' levc-I of 
 the pit, where a strong current of fresh air revived liiin, as 
 lie lay amongst a heap of prostrate persons. lie plryggled 
 to rise and found liiiBsclf on his feet with a lady eli'urin^^ 
 to him and beseeching him to save her. With dillleiilty 
 he found the door, not being acquainted with tlse house, 
 but at last he emerged with the lady, when the fire v/as 
 pouring tiirough the front windows, and ere they jjad 
 advanced far, the roof tumbled in. 
 
 Mr. M. W. Hancock carried with him to the play, liis 
 DJcce, the tv.o Miss Herons and three boys. AVhen the 
 alarm was given, he »ad all in his pov/er to save Ills j:ro- 
 tcges — but was at last separated from ihcui all. 'i lie 
 flames Vtcre apiproaching with a degree of fury ai>d ra- 
 pidity that was perhaps never exceeded. Hitherto tlie 
 scene had been all br.stle, confusion and coissternauon ; 
 itnowfhansied to one of an awful horror and desnetati- 
 Oft iL^* beggars descL^ption. He attempted to reach the 
 
 B. 
 
f iQ*j 
 
 f enfrc tvliiil^w in tlic lobiry o^" tli(- lov/er bo::cs: Ec at 
 Jii&isiiu needed m mouniiisg an the iiCajV^ oi iJie cit>v»vs De- 
 tvix< him ami the window, ai.d jinaiiv itiiehed it, iruiix- un- 
 did hy \hc u '. availing a i id ail-Kiing ii«its of (ho«e sutilca- 
 iiii.t;* around ill is j. lie stepped withm ihe wiii«J(;w iind v.Ui* 
 diiilculi^ raised the lower sash — ha Unust liis teet 4;iit, 
 >vhen vIjc sash Avashiidriciih pixysed do\vi) am) cai-^i.i his 
 fevt bM'^>ixt it RTid «he ?.iiL lie e:\trieale(l one foot uut 
 coiilu ijot the otiicr, i.nluthoic behirksii iiHi» V/iio iiad siitliii- 
 eni stveivTtiileiUo niA^untoverhiiiiaiKitl^elowersasii \uiich 
 keiti iiiiii dowTi, did so. He t^ound iinnscif so I'ai* gone IV< in 
 siiiiOeatioii that he gave biijisch ii}»sis lo»t— tbt i^nies ii•^Wf 
 evei% flashed over hivS Kead, and (he iiitrodiiittioh oi" fresh 
 airatihe botiom o !he\*sndo\v gave him new iite, liiose 
 bfni.id idiU beirivij no lor^ger able lo ker|j nun down, lie v. ith 
 a last efilovt raised ilie sasii, exfrieaied 5»is fooi and juitspeHi 
 oiu. )t gives Its feiiieeiie pleasure to add that (he three 
 bovhaiid Qkvh whom he carried wi(li hini have ail escaped 
 tiilh their lives* ^^ 
 
 Mr. tiohn L^neh was the or.lj person who passed the 
 "l^indow ai\er Mr. Kaneoek. After he had U>l't poor Oib- 
 bcvi, he iiiCt witli a variety of horliti adventures. Ali *Aas 
 iiuerdai4aeas in xlw lobbv and sairi>cauon threatened. — 
 li was aii awfuJ erisis, and but tiiat or^e of tiie wicfdows 
 was burst open aiid let irt fiesh air, he thinivs aU iu iiio 
 liiUh} must have perished 5 al length he reaehed the win- 
 dow, where lie i'ouiid a gentleman lixed fast, whom h© 
 sinee bciievcs to have been Mr. Haucoek. After an aw- 
 fui ia]ist\ the fianies were rashin^ on in ail directions^ 
 })is hair canght fire, ho{K' deserted him ; he was 
 strnek with lioiTor at the idea of beiif<^' bhrnt alive, fie 
 riished towards the wiudovv, waving his hands as quick as 
 possible over his head and clothes. 1'his was a «ireadful 
 iBojueiit ; he saw i);anv <lrop dow n on each side of him suf- 
 ffA-aled — Ihe window was now fi'ce, and lie was scaj'celv 
 OE HiC bottom or it when he heard an awful crash behind 
 hmu kid threw himself out and providence preserved 
 him.* 
 
 Mr. B^obert dreenhow precipitated himself down thc^ 
 Siirs over fire-brands and bodies, with his fine son in his 
 TiiAj— » Jid was saved. ' oi 
 
 Irir. 'e&r? hr:ftlx isacde a womjerful eioaj*^ wUwdilSc 
 
^iikh .His laj'v was saved by a strons^ m b^h; u^he^ 
 hy ihv hii'iv o! m^; hnyl over the bodies io the stair-watj, 
 
 Aa'. ?5tctson leii i.s i.he lobhj v/iili iri^ heaci t?* the v,aU — 
 bur for a criis tk vliieh his moqib ticeicientaUy caugktr ^e 
 Vtiiild 'have died foi* wiint of air— lire fre-sb air tiiat 
 sliouiued tJn'oiigli it ivvived liUu iMnn\^;h iohix his head to 
 liK* \viisd<iw — a rirsii diaugLt of it revived Lim atid h^ 
 juir-ped oiil. 
 
 3lv Gordon was Baved in a state of iiiscKsibiiity. Jii§ 
 la'Iy ^v•as savt^d bv JH^nping (brough -^ window and cHug- 
 iuQlto a ma% and lier liUie (laugh ter by hanginj^ to hey 
 Dsaulie. 1 hey liiid three chiidren there, and not one of 
 thenj was lowU 
 
 Several iijdividuais were active InriB'^ung their lives for 
 their feilow-ereatiires. Dr. Me,CaAy let do»va several from 
 the \iindow — Mi\ Doyle, Mi% Graot and others, who were 
 ei5i, iVeelved jiiaiiv as (ije;^ wove let or ji:ii;;)e'J^ vl^wu, 
 
 Tliere are some of (he unrortuna?e vietiLiss^^of Thu:*sday 
 fii<;hl, whose par ticuhir iates:%e haveiavain atte;ii|)teQ to 
 fei itia(e. We have taken nneomi«oa|>nln3 to eiOect an 
 aath-!-^!e narrative oi' the events o^this ^asastrous siigj^t^ 
 ve Ijrtve rei|u«'sted the aid oi' e^ery person who we had 
 hcn^'d was eapubie of fivi'Jiibhing 0.uy iaformation, and to 
 whom the subjeei was not too ie^.derlobe oietiticoed; yet 
 it is with suiHe paiu we have lailed in our ellbrts. We 
 sh'.ald be gnrry even to %ear tlie most ^ jstanf. appear- 
 anee of Jiegieeting the fate ar memory of arjy oue who pe- 
 rished en thalde^)iorablei5ight--hutthis appearance at toast 
 ssiii3Yit;ihIe. I'here were few persons so eoo! aodoollected 
 jas tt> he able to illustrate the liorrors of that night : several / 
 who v.erc able to poiiit out partieular threads i?i the dis/ 
 asU'ous web of destiny are bo douiVt (nd^BOwo to us : Sv/d 
 BO'ue who ::ave promised to rediiee tBeir narrative to /(Ja- 
 pe^** have been prevented froiu doing so hy their ens^ge- 
 jiieuts or their ft^eiiiigs. T!ie followisig are theody/state- 
 iiK'^ts which vve have received. They are eneug-^ howe- 
 ver, to eoianmincate a faint idea of tiic collective/horrors 
 ©f he seene 5* viiat a g^roup would have breaAed upoa 
 the canvass, if a Sew faint strokes of the penei/are so af« 
 feeia- : J''" siivh we-"? the f^elja .s of a few indivi-.hr^!!, 
 ijjmit Kiust have been the situation of ^OO^c>|>iQ ?— -410^ 
 
[ 12] 
 
 impotent is tlje pencil of Raphael h\ tlic Yaticaii, Avlicn 
 he aUempts to paint the eonUagiation of Koine ! 
 
 ^Vii shoiihl still proceed in our researches — bnt the 
 reader ha^ contemplated hoi-rors enouf^h. It is tline to 
 leave the i aths ol* death. >Ve have dwelt long- enough up- 
 on this melancholy ihenie ; and we are anxious to relieve 
 our coltinins tVoni the sDnibre sahh' of woe. With this 
 pai^er, therefore let us cease the strains ot'griel*: let us 
 drop the subject. There is only anollier point oi' view 
 in which we yet propose to consider it ; but this is not 
 directly calculated to harrow up the i'eeling-s of such as 
 liave lost their friends. liCt us of.en the pages of history, 
 and see wiiether this is the only city, which has been af- 
 ilicted by so seveie a visit^'ilin— v/iicther this is the only 
 peoph? whom -^the paths o\' ptcitsin^c h.-ive led to the grave!*' 
 
 We have learp.t nothing very particularly authentic of 
 the fate of Mrs. Wilson — we have uiereiy heard that with 
 the cool and deliberate resolution of a strong mind, she 
 remained for a time in her first position, fearin?^* rather 
 
 fatal mistake ! Mrs. Wilson perished — one of tlic best of 
 wives, the best of mothers, the most exemplary step- 
 mother that ever lived ! Words cannot express the agony 
 of her distressed family — the deep dejection of all her 
 friends. 
 
 The fate of Mrs. Heron is also wrapt in oblivion. She 
 had been unfortunate enough to lose I'cr husband by a 
 disastrous accident — and her children have now lost their 
 mo? her by one still more rapid and resistless. She Mas 
 
 eminently true to all the domestic charities of life. 
 
 But neither the hand of aifection, of friendship, nor rcs- 
 p^^ct could snatch her from the tomb. 
 
 Mrs. Cook, the lamented wife of Mr. William Cook, 
 and lier daughter S'ebecca, perislied together. Long shall 
 the disconsolate husband and father, weep over their ash- 
 es. Three motherh ss children are left behind her. 
 
 But >i'hy spread before the reader, all the havock of the 
 Bccne ? The young have sunk as well as ,the old : — 
 
[ 13 ] . 
 
 Sill of tliein dear to tliclr familios awl fi-iemls, "^Yiiliain 
 Soiidi,^iite the only prop of ilia fa-iiilj of Wrij'2;ht tsoutli- 
 g?.,te, diiii, — Each lias liis merits f each has thejiublie 
 tear. \ 
 
 What a scene was cxhibiled for several hours a fie r the 
 tragic event ! Maiij were ignoraut of the ftite of their 
 friends. Almost everj one had liis f-ars and suspicions, 
 During the next day, two persons could scarcely meet 
 without exehan^^'ing expressions full of solicitude ; " Have 
 you lost'any of your family T^— •'• Is your family safe ?^' 
 •« 1 nm i^lad of il, I am i>iad of it !" 
 
 Many escaped with extreme diiacu-Uy. Several have 
 broke!] a liinh. Mr. Johsi Richanis has brokers a lei^ ; 
 Mr. Carter Pa?;*e has broken his. Trlsss Pendleton has 
 also broken a limb — Mrs. Beott of Fairfax, is much burnt. 
 Some were severely burnt, w'lose cloths were whole, 
 
 STATEMENTS. 
 
 I occupied on Thursday evening a seat in V.iq lower cor- 
 ner box on the left of the entrance into the Theatre* 
 The Jirst I saw of the fare a piece of paper in full blazo 
 was descending- from the top and was tljen about iifteeii 
 feet above the level of the sta^e, ere It alig!ite(l, a gene^w 
 ral cry of" fire '' pervaded the house ; and the persons 
 immediately quitted their seats. 1 \vas amonr^- the last 
 to do so, and when I i^ot half tlie distance to the stair- 
 way I met with Mrs. Scott, a lady cf my acquaintance 
 who I entreated to be calm, and nnt too precipitate ; as 
 her safety depended on deliberation : her answer was 
 " I am not alarmed and will do so y^ we advanced a few 
 feet and a loud cry that it was a ** false alarm'* induced 
 me to return to the corner where 1 had sat and looked 
 through a door then open, and jhere I discovered the sce- 
 nery in full blaze and the canopy on fire. I hastened 
 back to the crowd, being a stranger at the Theatre and 
 ignorant of itsconstruction I knew of no mode of eseape ex- 
 cept thro' the avenue I had ascended to the boxes. I found 
 it blocked up by the crowd, and the light being very vi- 
 vid, I discovered thaf the persons in were principally La- 
 dies : they were greatly alarmed and crying for relief, 
 and entreating the crowd not to destroy them ; still per- 
 sisting in the belielf that as the tire w as iu the resir, t^o 
 
li - ; ^ '-^^ anilb^i::;;!? too L:>;'r tv> e:K'0-;iRrr^vie s: .r- 
 i* ' from pivssin?^ lipofi ikr^^:.« Uu^in a ?rii ute. 
 
 I ji-y Ih»j>c** wero' ill?!-!ve — a bljtck sh'ick sFuoke 
 
 1" -;' f-ri a^on lis, so I'lst;; ■? -•■^co i^h' s;j«il"j-caii- <;- lluit '-^.oj^e. 
 V *:uv} ^i^V'c^d UtVtH'ir i' iivfi hy oryh'y:,, srmk wii!t> ^a 
 J? ind I foirid it space in from n<» Eori^ej- crowiled ex-- 
 
 ce;N Ji? 5»rosfrak* hodi's I a'Jvaoco^Wir'til the exJcfriaf. 
 liL' ^ a%< eKained lomctliatl was o;i<>osh; a win»i{>\'v n*.-;t.r 
 <L'.' 5!i"a(l of thr hiairs ; this ! emloavoure.i slo force* but 
 tli?* bodies <ir syrue porsoMS staruiinj^ in f jj.al di»'eciion st^jjit 
 nir Hvo IVt't short of ir. ?n the* oif '••;« mad^^ afier the. 
 spf/v? rejiclifHl «ie I iniiHi i ave c.^usmnrd !udf a irdnuic. 
 J r.cii \vas f'(.v:npel'od to brcatln^ tliifs oppr^'ssive s« ■ckcv 
 wnicJ wan so nitolciable, That f could onlv make one eon- 
 y'i5srvr> sirr.perle to a«!viince, and J tUcn simk senseless. — 
 iftiv fast reeoilection wus lliat iiiy fict \v re df^scersiH^K^' r 
 hv.t wsisether Un!^^ floor or stair-way were broken* *or 1 L; d 
 rerudied the descent. I ain not eonscio is, f henrd no 
 iif:"se. Inscnsi'dy I deser -ded to tlie leve! of the pft» avid 
 tlit re a S!rf?!i.i»' enrreni oTf^esh air revived me, iis 1 ay 
 amongst a fjeap ot* prosti-ate persor4S. I sn*r<^y:led to iTse 
 and -"{K-nd Jiirself iir»on my feet with a lady rlin;^!ii;r to iwa ; 
 sh^ "M« seated me to save iser, aad as sr.e was ana^le (o 
 su^jport licrseM* I earried her iiv varhius direcilons to iinA 
 the outer door, wlueli I avoided from a ?iiistake that had 
 al^r.i>st nroved S'atal. I saw si^veml ]ierso s faliinj^ fi'ojn 
 the windows iuio '<he gtveet in fidl Idaae, anJ my i?«')res- 
 sion was that beeoming' desoerate by (he fire, they were 
 plir-Jiirifi; from the boxes into t-u^pit, the >)!aee oi" aU o- 
 thers lOst to be avoided, in th.is effiirt to fmd the way out I 
 sav. several gentleoien run'iisti^ to t.nd fro ia T/hcm 1 ad- 
 dress<»d the enquiry •» wiiieh is the way out ?'* but «:blaifi. 
 ed no answer. I at l^r»j;th deteriii.^ied to iinfl the avsfiue 
 thro!ir:ch wiiieh the great column of viv entered^ a.id by 
 rnni'J!;* towards it, sc^on gained lise door \7hen we ;^ot 
 ©u^. t'le fii'o was 'v^Mrin*? jfcron^b the front windows, and 
 ere •*o ba' advanced far Ujq rooftunibled in. I'he hidy 
 W'om ? V'*- ;"* j^ult elaiiiicd aiy assistance and 1 carried 
 her to -a .lAtcuf safety —I saw no raoro of tjje scene until 
 th*'^^ waits tif:8»bled down, and do not know; if a^y or how 
 jT»ii ;- i'o? <)»»» .t*<er v/e did, but ! am cr' tident ^ha' if' iose 
 JppeiU withoat ii.;;d r^n la; maiiy ^ ho fell by the suSbc^;^ 
 
fl5§ 
 ^ti aad wert Iiiu'iied be Tore iLej legiuiicd sucngtli fo risej 
 
 I>€cembcr 50, 1811, 
 
 Sir — Igrecabij fo yOiir i-equest, I pn)ceccl ^o state ihor 
 ^HVcvt. UitiCfos itriei>diiB;4 luv situation iwA escape iVoirt 
 the Theatre on The aw Tiil nigiit oJ Jhe :-6(h. inst. I {-aiv 
 ricn* witli me <o tLie play oiy niece and the two Miss tie* 
 r<5iis, AllVeti Gilliat, Pe er Kirby a;ni Nicholas GilH.ini 
 ne]i^se^vs oi n^y t^iie aiKlbelf. The House v.ab r,u(li tiow- 
 dec!: for the |.j;ids, 1 with diiikuilty procured seals a:ii>:vg 
 «oi:ie of iiicir fjieuds inosily Jadics hi b<»x iNo. 8. ar^i for 
 tlu' boys seal«> in the baek of box No. 7 — aoil ^vas 3ifti';|]* 
 ^vnea the e^arvaisi 5'os<' i?* the second ai'l of the aHerf,;'.' co 
 r}c\\ ihc boys, imniediately after which the alarn? of :o 
 wiiy given, and instantly I sa^^i^ ihe ilre rjillhig on the s^ui-e. 
 On ri sin*? from iny scat I desired the boys to lake care of 
 Ihemseives and escape as soon as |>i»ssibh', md proceeded 
 ii\>seirtov'ards the si^ats in the next box which were oceu- 
 ] led by my neice, ihi: Miss Herons and their party, witJi 
 the intention of assisting them out of the House. I r*.*^ h- 
 fd the place without miieh diiliculty, but the party bad 
 Sill left their seals and in endeavoring to return thro' ^ ho 
 lobby 1 was carried with tlie ourrent of the crowd oppo- 
 site to the place frorii w hes^ec I had departed a!id fo^md. 
 that Mrs. Gibbon, I^rs. Gallcj^o, ^Miss Conyers ari«l tlie 
 three !5oys had all left their seats — In the then»st;i(e of 
 aifairs it was evidently fruitless Sbr me to search for '^ifti^^i* 
 of the persons of whom J liadbee^i ic pursuit, and at fhi* 
 JTijictare Ibesran to thJJiL; of lavself for the first time. — I 
 v.-ss ;?• the lobby Rexl to box, Kc 7, and the flames vere 
 5{p?*roachiDg with a degree of feiry a,a;d rapidity that p^r- 
 blips was never exceedei^ — hitkerto the scene iiad beea 
 si!I bustle, confu-iion and constesHation : it now chanjTed 
 to one of awful horror i^ml de-peratioa tbat beggars all 
 description ; all ceremony was foi-gottes m couformirfr to 
 the first law of nature, f perceived the centre window id 
 ^he front end •»€ the House and deterodnv"d to e«deftvor to 
 Iffieh it ; x^itU the assistasice of a sword ca?!** wh'nli ' ?;ad 
 in liiy hand, aad tfee |>artiU^» li^atwixt th^ lofeb^ aad^ft^ 
 
r 16] 
 
 Ko. f, I TJioTiiited on \he Iicads of tlie crov.d bchvixlnie 
 Rnd ilie vrindow ; I)y this time the SJouse Avasiii total chirk- 
 ness from smoke, hiii gropiji(2^1 providential l;v I'eaclied the 
 side ol'the Avimlow, suiTonnded by the uuavailiiij^ and af- 
 i!ietir;g ci'ies of those suffocating ai'ouad me. 1 stepped 
 ^vithin the window, »;ul with dii^liculty raised (he iower 
 sash Avith the inlentioa orslipjtii)goijt, and had thi-ust my 
 feet thro' for that purpose, when ti^e sash was suddenly 
 pi'ossed down and caught my feet betwixt it and the win- 
 dow sili. I extricated one foot but eouhl not extricate tlie 
 otlier, until those behiFid me Avho had siifileient strength 
 left to nionnl over me and the lovvor sash winch kept me 
 down, did so: in t'lis situalion I found myself so far gone 
 from suifocation, tisat I f^*ve myself up as lost, the Ihimcs 
 however riis'neil over my head and tlie introduction of 
 fresh air at the bottom of the window ,qave me new life, 
 those behind me bein?*; no ion;^er able to keep me down, 
 
 1 with a last cfFort raised tlie v/indoV extricated 
 
 my foot and jumped out, without receiving any injury 
 from the fall, though much isijured in one of my feet 
 from bruises oceasioacd by tlie pressure of the window 
 sash, and I have o(her wounds and bruises received in 
 the lobby and window so sl'.ght however as under otlier 
 considerations not to be worth naming. IMr. John Lynch 
 rnerehant of this city was I believe the only person who 
 past thro' the window after me. I left many others about 
 it, all of whom must have perisiied ; so rapid was the 
 fire that I do not think three minutes could Iiave elapsed 
 from. the first alarm U:i(il I reached tlie window: at any 
 I'atc with all the exertion tliat I could make, about thirty 
 feet would I think include t!ie whole space of my progress 
 from the first alarm until I reached the window, and at 
 ih^J ti n3 many were ejfpiring with suifocation — .In the 
 ji idstOiio much sorrow and grief it aifords ;ne much eon- 
 iolatii) 1 that the three hoys and Girls whom I carried 
 viui mc have all escaped with their lives, tho' the efforts 
 whicdi I made with the view of assisting them were una- 
 vailiag. The scene which ensued out of the hou3e, was 
 witnessed by ma:^.y, and like that within, will long he re- 
 membered, but probably never adequately described. . 
 I am respeetfuMy sir. 
 
 Your ob't servant, * 
 
 M. W. HANCOCK. 
 
t 17 ] 
 Sir— Tn eonspqnenco of the conversation, we liacl Oiig 
 
 t-Vt' U)^, 1 l.}.:vC U|) ill.> ]<en, ami VVi.l.oUl i'u Hi; I- J t; a, tt, 
 
 stuic, taas .wiif u tin* coisjiucaceiiieur *>r liie «!i I'adlii] i^jse 
 or riiiij'sdiiy iii^lii was ai.a<»urR'r(i i'l-oui Uie ^Ja <*. i ,vas 
 Icining' ovei* the' back oTsitc iVo::tbi«\. ulntli wai> juxt I? 'he 
 lunili side oi'tiie i'iieaur ; oji ni\ l<'f< h ,5i ! wa^ Lj. bthbom 
 and Oil the hencls dir. etlj below, were Mis. vialicj;**, ^/iss 
 Coiiyeis, yh's. Gib'io i, jIis. ili-axtmi. Mi*. \ eiiab-e and 
 o(hc!'s, waose aa.ues i eaMisut lee'dlect ; ihe alann of lire 
 was iiiijijedid'vely saeeeed^'d by a cry oi*, \is a false 
 aiarni, there is oo iiaug- 'r, and as we did no( iiuagi! e any, 
 both LieiiL Gibboti and iu^hcU* endeavoured Jo (jsii*'! iho 
 appreh* nsions of the la<lies \ i the l)o\ : I iived my e;es on 
 the. Sta.i^e ; the s.ene whieh was down, isad ihe appcar- 
 Rfsce of a traiis;)arency, behind wiiich i;Se;nns oi' li^ljt seem- 
 ed to descend ; but this did i50l convince me, or- any per- 
 son neai' me; a moment howi ver deciried, (licfionl stene 
 is in flames, and 1 then resolved to ji,ive all (hat assistKnce 
 w^Jch humanity diciat<'d, a .d reached over lor Mi^s C<. ?i- 
 yers. wiio iiad suiik motionless beJo^v. ijieul. Gibjoii did 
 the. same, we took her over, we hekl her bitween us, slue is 
 in a state of insensibiliJy, and t(i| all aj)pi*arance dead, hei' 
 Lead fa]lin;^'over my Ivfi ariu ; in .his manner we proceeded 
 ta;y.irds the head of the stairs, when GebSon, said. LyiiCti 
 leave Sall> to nn', I am strou;*^ enough io carry her, she » 
 li;^ht. and yo:i can save somebody else I re-::ied. God bicsg 
 yoH, Gib3)oi. tliere is (he s<uirs. 1 tlieit turned round and 
 proceeded foi' my 0!i,u;iiraj siJuadon in order to laKe out 
 lEOsue of the other Ladies, aiid as I resumed, [ p( '(rivid the 
 dreadfiil elemeait rush wi5b «he i-apidify of lighOd '.^ fsoni 
 Ihe sia-'o, aloni^ tiie faesii.4^ of :he u,?j,er h;)xe>-. lakissg hotli 
 aides ai the sa ;ie tiine, and from J he di'cadfuS c<duJu f 
 smoke which was llien (hrov.M down uj;oi iheceiiM'c of I he 
 fi'ont boKcs. ihe fii-fjues' must have met (here : all was n 'W 
 i]<ier dai'kness iij (he lobb\, and suir<{easion Jhieaiess. - . I 
 could not do any thi'i?';, J was iti the luidst of a croud- of 
 SisTerers, the cries were dreadful ; ii was an awful peiio?, 
 an 1 only that the ee.d wisdow was (iicn iju!*st open, we 
 115 jst all, all th'dt Vvcre in thai l<d)by, certainly I ave been 
 s:rlfoca«ed : the o!>enl!i4r of (he window brou.^'ht iclief 
 and hi>-)e, I ntoved oa with the 5hro::ii;to the win^lou, rnd 
 fiof to (he We-t ^liie of ir There was n t^en esuun in a 
 light coloured eoatj fixed fasl 1 1 the window se.it (wuoju I 
 
 C. 
 
r 18 3 
 
 »1nf«^ nni^ersf'^nil wns "Mr. Haiu'och.) H appeared to mt 
 tlmt his W'j,^ an'* tliii;ljs were fixed JjeUvixl the hill ol' the 
 viddiiw iin:^ tlie biiek \voi-k ; men and ^volnen were pi*e- 
 ci ^itafinj^ themselves on his shouhlers, iTi^jartllrss oT his 
 entJ-ea ies to allow him t<) free himself, and ofthe fate that 
 awaited them hi-low : many bod'es \v«re hiMiii; on the 
 gi'o ?nd to apjM'araiee iW^iin and the ila>nes were |)assin|[^ 
 ©lit of thf toj) Oi* the window ; I was undetermined, and 
 at that n»oi«>e!tt I was pushed away towi.rds the west wall 
 ©ruie Theatre: aj^ain suffbeation threatrned, the ilauK's 
 "Vfcre riishin^qj on in all diieelions, my h:^ir eauj^'ht uie, 
 (for my liat was j^one,j hope deserted me ; I was strnek 
 iNith horioi at the idea of hehv^ burnt ali\e. { i'lislied to- 
 V^ards the whidow. waving my hamls as qiiiek as possihlo 
 ovt r m\ head and elothes ; tliis was a dread :\sl moim nt, 
 1 Raw ma!i> drop down on eacii side (d* me sulForatec?, und 
 I Passed over so'Me bodies on \uy way ; (1 e window was 
 now free, and I >vas seaierly on t\w bottom (jf it, when I 
 heard an awful (rash behind me, I thrmv oiysrlf out, iissd 
 provsdraee jireservcd me. I auj wiih lii ait felt feeiiiigs Oi 
 •oii^Tutula ion on youro vn providential escape. 
 Very res-ieetiully, 
 Sir, 
 Your most obeili.'nt, 
 
 JOHN LYNCIL 
 Dec. to, 1811. 
 
 Dear Sir— Tjeinj? toM. ih^ii for ihi^ purpose of collect- 
 ini^ the best iuTormation coneernin;^ all tJio eireiimstan- 
 ces attending the late dreadful eonila;4;ration, ^o\\ wi^re 
 desi?'ons of obtaininj^ from each individual who had es- 
 caped, a short aeconiit of the manner and elreunjstanees 
 under which sncli escape was eHecled ; 1 send you thy 
 lollowin.<5 slateaient : 
 
 As the curtain arose for the eomniencement oftljei'd 
 act of the pantonji.jse. I was standlni.^' in the Ioh!)y oji iho 
 l<iwer ra I'jje of i)o\es. eo >versini^ v/ith some of my friends 
 thro' Jiie brokea mn- elof abox a!)out SO 'eel f»om the !'ead 
 o'the stairs. 'I'his box was entirely ulKc!. ;|mo5»i»* others 
 vho wer ' in it, a rl who have nerisiie 1, I r ' nember Mvs, 
 Galle^o, V!i-<^s Co'ivrs, Ijient. (jii)ho:i and Mr. \'e;:able. 
 •.^IiU/iiisdiatcl^ afiei' tUo rkiaij ui tiia curlain> and as 
 
r <9 1 
 
 !^ie scene comnienec'l, l saw .s<^vpra1 f!a1<es ofi!re fuE 
 about (lie ('cilro oi tae sUi,^v ; .jat sii^>j used it vuts pi*)* 
 feaolj tiR"! ra!Ii!i,i4; of soiae osMaiiieat or lights intended lo 
 iiiinMiiijite tiic sccae. i'lte t-r^V ol* »* iirc*' was instaM?lj 
 g'lvi^i — I advanced a iVv/ sle^s iato tat* lobby t'n(|!iii i;sg 
 f -\>iii waencc the ahirai ;irost', and tact several jjeiso ,s, 
 sa,ac ofiiicai ksiovvn to aie, eaili ig; out Jaal it was a false 
 Tsiiiiai^-I turaed abopt aud iiow suw tht^ curJain dropjud, 
 a d a ver^ t,A\'i^v i)i'i^'!it li^'a* bt aind i«— -itaea ft It assvsr* 
 «d (hat ihe aoiisc was oa ijie i.j that *jiaii' er — The ion- 
 st( iMJiiioa and confuyloij IkuI beco.; c j^eiierai ; 1 iVI( no 
 leal* v.aatcvci* IVo.a the ilaaies, a'vJ was oul* appivlien- 
 «iv;^ tiK^t iL>j tiieias^iehiosi;} <jf ihe ei'ovvd, maty would a» 
 «ivished to death ; aad with others uui'ed in ealli ig o it 
 to those aruurul lae, that tiio daagei* \uis ;aa.u;'nrjed, a d 
 b socehed tiieai not to pivss so fast oa tiiose before ; ,^o 
 ealk'd to the winds ; I end<'av.*iTd a(*vv to fojce say way 
 back to the side oi'tiie b>)X I iiad lel't, to eal.a the frars 
 oi* tiiosc with whoai I had been speaKin.^*. aid to waii un- 
 til ihe ei'owd ha! passed ; this, however, was iaipossible ; 
 the ecduain <jf the crowd ia whicdi I was eneIoi«ed. litre 
 lae irresislifdy, hvd slowly along towaids the stairs* ; still 
 feeling sio fears of (jeiag overtakea by the liaaies- 1 eaa- 
 lir<:ie(i n>!»U'd i:i aiv cloak atul prrssi:^g aiy wei^j^ai back- 
 V/ards, to ^ive as far as 'j50ssible an opportunity to those 
 013 the head oi the stairs, Twitere the pressure already 
 se^iu'/d dreadful) to effect their escape ; suddenly 1 per- 
 *«ived a thick, black, hot siaoke, curling down our heads 5 
 persoa[> w. re no longer to be d3stinci;nisiRd- utter darkiass 
 prevailed - suffoealioii was Tast approaciiinj^' — .for the hrsf. 
 jaoa^ent I was ses'io islv .ihiriiR-id — and by the aiosl violent 
 exertions ciideavoured to make my way to (he head of 
 tlii'. sli-irs — it appeared to ur' I cuuld not qaii an i.sch— 
 Tiosc a'.Hjiiad me were sinkiag---my own strenj^th failed, 
 fi.vd i veriSy believed that I never should see the li^'iit 
 at^aia ; at tills iastant a wiad.)w on my ri,^;ht was forced 
 open— fhe frcbli air somevhal dissipated the sniokv a id 
 n vjvcd us t > nc v exert ,m a universal sci'ea.a of ann^led 
 joy and despair vas i;,iven, and a I'ush towards the wia<lovv, 
 th >se next it see aed a uible to move, a d cried out •• tiait 
 thev were pressed io dea(h." I was wilhi s a few .a;%'3 
 of ii — .i;i 1 fiydes era e exertions end' avored ('> eav-h it: 
 I yc^ukl iioi : ia a last ciis^ri Qi dos^kur^ a?9;9istia^' in^a^iS 
 
[20] 
 
 bv iho slioiildpr offoiTto or o next ir.o, I drew my ftrl up 
 arc' v:.s (Licv i: bv i\.v nuittd inijiiiK' iA\>U tih, i;i,ii iiiy 
 c.s'- i.\tr iot ^, villi my hei iVuvviU <.n \hv ^viiicU.w sil', 
 c^ tUv sv 1? iusr.snt tojtisnuu Iv ?( i2ii\u: a brcKii. i'li^;- 
 ij ( Hi <;!* tlr iiNli. 1 |asi"t'd ujv hviA hwdv it aiiil iiiaii- 
 eci the ^-rtjuiiil \uihou(. iiiultiial hjny'j — lUit ii.aii> tiC- 
 
 hiiid 2i;e. 
 
 THOMSON r. MASON. 
 
 Honda;^ iucrning. 
 
 Sir— My fi lord Mr. Tliois us Nelson has infcrmcd 
 liu'. U.aJ von Aviirbi'd mo lo stale the |ji.rticuhii!? oS njy 
 |- <>M< i nuul es( ji|.e iitiii tin c;ie;.«;1VI i:jeA>hiil cohhuu;- 
 eu t.be 'iiiiatre mi »hmfedi.\ nij hi la^t. 'ihey are as 
 foliuw: 'lisehite [ejiod at >^hieh I aMi>cdiiltLe ['my 
 b«Hise, coiiijeiied ui^ lo i.steid to the ^ eoud ro^v cl bi.x- 
 €s loiiodirc a seat U.r Krs. PercHeuiu aid ii;,^hiir, 
 ViAie we leisiiiueii until i {ii^eoveiei: tlir setMu! s{ i ik of 
 fctv iui\ 01, tiu' s<ui e in i'tcsJ oT ibe t i:i (ain. \U;t n I iiiJ- 
 iLetuatrl^ istard the ei'v of hie is em beland — ] then k ft 
 iin s at, aud rioeeci ed alou^ the iiarig ^^a^. Icwasds the 
 Liiiii o. the hiai; eusc , eniiea^iu^^- the afi'ti,i;httd fni:ji!ts 
 iu have |>atieiKe, aid not |>irei]ritate tbeiiistives into the 
 iiiii .chfet , i^wd that was ^ res.Mni^ f( r^vaid. kst >ve should 
 be^^a^!i[Utl to <h'ath, belit^ving* (hat by waiiij.g a ftw 
 iiiiriuu i^, we shoiihl have nioie room, and eonsiijiieniljr 
 descis.d v.jih m< recx^:edition and Sc.lVt.y. 
 
 In a Tew seconds, tiowevei'. I was conur;{ed by the ef- 
 f«< t wl an i ich'si riJiiibU ciirrent of ^uain v.n nsj llesh, and 
 Sw.ohe on m> lungs, tha' I iiad mis; ahnJated, and 
 that our eser.pe mufet be insJantaneous or not at 
 a'h as sutibcatioii tl.irateiiOd. Vvitb an energy wi;ieh 
 IiotfiiiJ.:^ biit suth a (Sreadful crisis eoiJd insjjre. [ 
 rubiied for>\aiu. retailing n«y wife's arm looked fiist 
 11 I. line. nriJi! ! ataiied He iiisl turn in the stair ease 
 jiisl bclou, or jeiliaps i.eaiJy o]);>osite the vundow, 
 ih:\ the f<0! t cos t.er. on the lower, or si(h' next the 
 .melting house. At this [luee, the ero\ul behino me tied 
 O? ihe tiiil of my lar.:;(' loose great foat. eom- h(e!y sJop- 
 pef njy !>' ot r* hr. aiuihat'. \uli j.it,h (lirt \M)nHM)av 'wj ic!s, 
 HiiicU iiotuin^- bm aa cxeriiou i did not think m^ sell ca* 
 
[ Jl ] 
 
 pfible of niaki 1.:^^ prevcnle I. intuis situation my wife, 
 (j^-5\'itt tiiifS. sii-, Ti^Hi'e u> voiii'syii* .iiv 'i^oiiy !; x^as toi-ii 
 fro. si lue bj the rcsisiiess furcc orihe i'i*ovvd,tiiul jasiatiiKi 
 insliiiit i>i* our si'par.iiEiOij. nuubi'i's wei*;? trii.ii,)!eil il Mvri, 
 a.j 1 I did vorilv heiicvc, tkiat bhe was one o liiosc a.jfoi*- 
 tii'iiite vieiiiiii. S thjui^ht i had iSica lost the objoci which 
 lisad thus vdv stiniulahMl my exei'tio 's. and re.aaineu ^ler- 
 IVctiV iuotio liess i'^tv sanw sccoiuls, havi;i,i^' lixed .ny^ 
 glef in the eoisiifr of (he bri^ k wall to piN-vent be- 
 in/'' foi'ecd do>vn, a?id reilt'cted on (he iaipossibilily of 
 exl'.iealirii;; nj^seiT from JJie isap iKiirij^ desiru; i:on, by 
 follo^vni:^' (he prodi^^iu-is uro.vd th:i^ was tae.i wedginji; fne 
 in j!iy fos'iunaie ei/iner, »V!iihi th^isi^ reileeSiou^ wera 
 eiossisr;^ tiiy mind. I heai'd (he whidovv forced 0|>enjust 
 above nje, ami n 1( the reviviii^; iutisj: nee vif tiie clelicions 
 iHii' whieli ruslied U5)0!i jae, kind iuvi^-uratecl (he Oiihiis 
 v/hieit then savtd njy life. By exersioj^s whieh 1 now cons- 
 dei- as sa/erna^sn'aU 1 reac;i«J ilm wi alow, which at that 
 auspicious inosatin I eaj n^d undis aft d possession of, and 
 ai'tei* iooki!i,4^' down to aseeitaiu where 1 inighl aliv^^ht 
 with least injuiy to niyseif. as well as (o o(hei*s wlio had 
 preceded me. § seased ajysei** < n (lie winduw si!i, aud 
 eased myself off very (ieJiberately a!?d gradually, retlect- 
 ia,aJ the sanie *in e. that if I conld contrive my elo(hes 
 lo touch the vraH as I descended, (he force of my passage 
 tlown would be somewhat broken. I soosj experi- 
 enced the hapjn reality of this exfferiment, for 1 lassdcd 
 on my feel, perfectly erect, and have never since felt (ii© 
 least soreness or inr-o ncuiejsce frota luy manner oTescape. 
 Tiiijs, sir, i have in a hasly niai^sier complied wi(h the re- 
 quest to the best of my reco^eclion. 1 will not a( tempt to 
 describe to yon my seiis-.itiims for some (ime afier I had es- 
 caped, for aNho' njiraealo.islt preserved myscli'. from what 
 I had seen before i s^'ot out oi' (he house, and wha( I saw af- 
 terwards. I was aj^ojiized under the coiivic(ion that a be- 
 loved wife and cliild liad perished. Y(fU who are a hus» 
 band and a parent, must if pOwSaibie liiilah the picture, 
 
 I am sir. 
 
 Your most obedient, 
 
 EDMUND PENDLETON, Jr. 
 
 u 
 
[22 1 
 
 G. TTi'iitinj^fo!! Earcliws slaJes for (lie information and 
 *t iiic iv*juo3( i'i LHi'. kiiU'h'iv, liiiit lie iv.iu his jiit ^'*''''^ 
 iii die Ujiprr l)o is; JimJ lie vviih sr.iiuiiii,!:, in d.v box Vtkcro 
 liis j;ui'<v was si liii.^, close So ilic iire place on the Ici'l of 
 tiie Jlnadc. (h* t the iijsi lush.iu.ion iic iiicd of tl.t^ iirc was 
 fiotji (iic two sjiaiKS, or ilakts of iiio, thut siiCteoi ('(SivaLU 
 c«hoias lUvy IVll upon the stat;e. iVr. l^obcMson wa> llien 
 on iiih iinecs lu'ToJe U;e j>o!l!ait of a boaiiiirs.i la(i,v. >>iii(:U 
 Vas iej;resei.ied ii. on the ba* k or aHt r sci ne, and, as I 
 suj;>(»sid, wat^ [n i''ur,mnL^ a j as 1 of Jiw punJc mime foi I 
 L« ti!*(i no ex'. ian;ation oliii- , nt! A'icv iLe ^.arks foil. Mi\ 
 Ja>bei*3son lutn lo(jktil oj , ami I think np(iv(ed iliat the 
 ljo55se was i'j lUiuu*;. — ^i was then oeenjieci in deukinicg 
 Miss >hiiia ^elMJn. l^Ii^is i\iaiy Pa^^e iUH! iVUs KlizabetU 
 ieidleSon. bv pessnasi^ai IV nj rus!ilni>* into the pressing 
 r.iui(i\u(!e ; pi.ink'd lo iLe s a<^e and in:'( r ed ll.eni liiat 
 liiC ditJance was Sijciu (hai «Le fiic eonid nai pos^iblv ar- 
 rive so as io i \jjire us in o.iireiieaU and iUvy would en- 
 danj^er lhei5* lives by ll e opjueshicn oi (iie crowd — Misa 
 I^eison aji(! Inhs iiu^e co:i<;ii5i(l wiib n;:' in Oi>iniv.n, 
 rfiiss I endielon sitii^keM and was apjsaiently f.^inilin^' ,* I 
 cangiil Ler, and rutbei* by stern advice and cauliojj wtiicU 
 1 used, she reviyec', oi* {Tcoveied he:* facnities,] then Una* 
 e<' t') Mioses Kelson rai.d I'aj^r, v/Ih* seemed very eaiiu 
 and coileck'd ; at this i.s^saj.t Axiss IVndJeton fi rs; ok us, 
 and (lie same njomcnl (he scenery descended in a t<'niblo 
 biaze uDon the sta:;e ; we (lien iu^iran {>csili' to move out 
 of the :)()X, and we had just raei'ged t'soin ;he dooj'. when it 
 aijpeaied to u\\\ that (he most il* not aU the canopy or 
 vault oi* ih^ theati'c fell in Vvith cO'^sidesahie noise lik© 
 tiie rnsliins; oC flaJi^e, into th^ |>i{. oi* hung round the 
 gallery a id upper boxes like eisriiuns — ! suppose it was 
 one r.iinnte ftoni the sjaiks (o (he iuliin.q of scenery. 
 1 did not look a;,uin t<>wards the staj^x. I n;0'*e(l 
 
 in<Hiera(e]y forward n!)u;'l twelve or fil'teen feet toward 
 tiie stairs, and the h.dies as I su exposed near nie. Thero 
 v/asjust lipjht enough to si e hlatkness oT a M^ry dense 
 smoke wliieli was ia-.id?y rnsjiinji; a d whirlinj^ over oui* 
 beads; I heard tha bieakin.'; oi' a wind.ow. it s(rnck me 
 foreiiily as a njost p»r!i?'«'{jt thou/,]it. Even here and ai thig 
 mo\ner.l ! did 'K»f think there Avas p;rcat dai\;;ei' in pro- 
 ceedi.i,^ the nsnal v/ ay out ofliu* tlseade, althouj^h 1 treni. 
 bleu juaeii at lao aj^.j^aehensiou of ervoi* in tny taicula- 
 
[ 2S 1 
 
 tio^ of sarcfy fvmn deliu — The conslriict?oii nw^ mnfc^l- 
 als oK Uie bouse, 1 was v»itii oiYwrn i ,r.v)raMt o;*, bii iUq 
 h^^lit[i\-ii^ v(^loc-i!y urUie 11a ue txhihiieci the Tiict that I was 
 luistiikeu as to tlie coijipubiiioii, and 1 Ssvisibled, Tiie Vri i- 
 il >w burst (hjMJuj^h, the aJi' reached uie, 't.vas ph*asa u. I 
 >ivas widsia six (eet oi it, i turieci iivoivi itaeUy. I eau ^ht 
 Ihe fiv^h bi'eezi's wiiieh eusfied in to |>!*o(!uee an iMjjiilibrL- 
 iitn — (he iiaM)ean<l !to( smoke ortii!-;>cnliiie aisd ira'iiii reaeJi- 
 ed aiy hair, my right eai*. and curled liju.ul my head.— 
 I inhaled is my nose was binvil, aU reflex tion was selsish- 
 iiess, 1 spranj^ fo tiie wind'jw avt! lea )ed about IZ icct 
 from the house and about 30 feet iVoiii tiic ^liiund. 
 
 Sm-^'^Xyseira^^d dau Jitcr set In Uiq lef! front box on 
 ihe second seat from ihe jdt dui'i'u; the pe? fonvianee. and 
 at the moment t!ie a<t()r wa^ l^n^eUa^- to the p s'tiait, I 
 saw several s!>a5'ks of (ire uill o;i ' '\e st:t^e neue ttse ac- 
 tor — Tlies'e liei^i,^ a .general motion (liroa^lio !t (be house, 
 a voice was hearc! saving-. •• kee > your seats. thev<^ is no 
 dan'^er.^' whlc'i causvd a dt lay amots;^ niany — and I a?ixi- 
 ousiy lookiuf^ fro i* whence tlje simvks proceeded, discover- 
 ed the upper part of tlie seeiiej'y on fne, and a.t the sauie 
 instant the er\ oT lire be^ amc f^eneraL an.] every [^ersoa 
 a'lirncd crowded fs'o :n tl^ir bows in sick conTusion, t'lit 
 there was no possi'jili^v of our escapini::^, and tu5-ni'i.i^ round 
 to view the isi-e, saw one oi* the actors tea!*i 1.4; down t!ic 
 Bcenerv — :>nd still thinking" it was«?nly tise sfcnery on rlsej 
 felt not the least a!iirned. — Dn looki-uj^ round in the fjox- 
 es and pit. I coiild csi^Hcovcr bst verv fi-w :>eo')le« and those 
 ^vei'e a'! nea • :s - on a-'*c;>n it of the vas' number crov* 1- 
 i!!S^ '^r the stairs caised oirs^a\. and we bein.!^ hindmost 
 and aU on a sudden the staircase fi;avc wa\ wi(!a tlie crowd, 
 and left us alone— th.at moLr.pnt the ssn^ke rushed np with 
 suc>i heat, we con id scarv*c!y i^i^A breath, and on furnini^ 
 round to j^et breath, discovered fresh air. wh!ch I fortu- 
 nately found proceeded from a window, it bein'^ so very 
 dark it was impossible to see — noi'corild ^^e hear any per- 
 son near us ^vain the ti.ne we left tite stairs, unfiS we des- 
 eended the window. I put iny daM':;:)Jer out of th.e win- 
 dow, and immediately followed mvse!'' — s!ie was fortunate- 
 ly caught by some gentle Juan, and escai)cd miliai't, aiid 
 
r\ft 
 
 [ n-3 
 
 InTfclfbu* s1i,'rli<ly« One of (lie jTCntlemen sjirsbe is very 
 cej Jain Jt.cre v»us t '>ne eaii.e on! ufier uts (hi cj.j^h (iiv iVoiit 
 vifulows. atnl in less than ten luinuCcs a'tiev we left, th» 
 flames rushed out of (he Wkndows. Ail ihose (luit fell 
 with (lie stall* ease iiras( nearh have e->i;iie(l with (iie 
 6!«ioke a( (he tiiiie, as (he smoke was exceshivelj feeveie. 
 3 lieai'd iieiiher si.^^ii nor i;roaa nttere;! from any one of 
 llie.it. It is my opiiioii had <he people h\ (he lower hox- 
 e.-' .:;'0t dt)W!3 in (he r/i' a;ul passed oul of (he west side, it 
 \v'0!iM eer'aiiil^ ha'.e givesi roon- lor (he iipjier boxes, and 
 bj tiiaJ mea»:s al'nosi every houI w«udd have been saved. 
 1 am jours vviLi sincere reswet, 
 
 JEliEDIAII ALLEX. 
 
 Dear Sit* — What I know eor>crri^ini^ that des(ri!C(ive> 
 lire, froiii actual ohseivanen, is. al^hou.^h limited, very 
 corre«'(, haviuj^ had n^» particular relaiive (o protect ; 
 every ohjeot of disdcss. thit- cane within my observan.c© 
 fiijni the be:^iinitij;^ fo i:3e er.d is as clear!} befyre my tuind^s 
 eye now as it was a5 ihe ssisrortuiratc crisis. 
 
 I told you, (hat Mr. G. and tnyself were waikin.ci; up 
 the hill, not more (lian (vve»i(y or thirty peiches fro.u (he 
 theatre, whe i tlic firrf* Hash apj.eared — he ra;» frantic to 
 the pri>tecti,>i of his wife and child ; !, coolly and dcli- 
 berati'ly to that of a^ wishin my power — (he first 1 liehekl 
 in distress riveted va\ hole atlmrion — at (lie norih west 
 window in (he IVo'il i>r (he i'lLeatre. a ^luniher ofladies ap- 
 peared, mi)s( oT whsse faces i knew — ! called to them to 
 J!i;np out, they did and were all sa\ n! — even from a bro- 
 ken bone. ye( some -ami&a i ijnred !)y the ilames^ — :<Ii*s, 
 Mcllae aid Mrs Fi' kett were nndouhtcdly the two last 
 who esc^p'd fram 5 > ' r-!« !^. 
 
 Tiie fomale pa".- of Mr. S'ielnrJs* fiaily with 
 many ^nore had b^cn received Ijs'j'ore nni »jiired — iU!io' 
 frefpient'y kno-ked down, I received all Ihii huU'\>i i'ro n 
 thai wl j<}ow anfl na ■ mn cv^'r assisted oie oT (iie u. If 
 it were necessary ! ctr-^ld bt^ partiinlar in Mrs. l^icxMt's 
 case — -IS she sulfen il .t?i>rc fi'.> n nrsf'cli i,:^ me i (hai aiy 
 lady I saw — is soon as s i j; -v is s-ife, i ran !N)nM 1 t'le b liM- 
 inu; to see iPaiy bi> ; ' tls ' cm J 1 ?)c save 1 — I saw (!r.it all 
 "wiltti I were \i>'<\ mvMd'Mfio s ,vas ilvv; li*a v i to tne (lujVf 
 near which 1 liad aion'l rcoiii the K>ej^iaflia^ 3 there the- 
 
[ 25 3 
 
 tjlaekcned and lifeless bodies of many Svlio arc now in a 
 fairway of reeovcrv, were trodden down by a gaping niul- 
 titiide — .1, with the assi'^tanee of a few wliom I do not re- 
 eoileet, dragged out many ap|:>ia*ent!y dead — among wjiojn 
 were Miss Davis a'id Mr. TiiHii, and Avitii Capt. Iletli, 
 carried olf the unfortunate Miss Ilarvie ; these were all 
 the bodies I reeo.i^nized, the last of whom appeased most 
 likely to live ; for the could speak, but tlie others, al- 
 tho' not much damaged externally, were apparently life- 
 less. 
 
 The most pleasing part of my life was that which I 
 spent in the act of preservation, but tl«e most melancholy 
 in assisting the preserved and seeking tiie lost — ^vou saw 
 part of tlrat yojjr8elf. 
 
 Your friend and servant, 
 
 D. BOYLE. 
 
 Sir — In compliance with your request, I send you a 
 brief statement of the little to which 1 was an eye witness 
 in tlie late disastrous fire at the Theatre. I was at the 
 head of the brick-row, on my v, ay from the play, when I 
 heard the first cry of fire — without any other delay than 
 was occasioned by aiding in drawing the fire engine about 
 10 or 15 yards, I hastened to the Theatre door. Mr. 
 Allen I'a^^ior had just come out, and Mrs. Gibbon was 
 standing still immediately within, apparently in a state of 
 stupefaction— I drew her through the door and proceeded 
 on to the partition door where the checks were received 
 . — between these doors I met several men and women 
 making their way out — In my progress to the stair-case, 
 I saw no person of any description — .but along the stair8 
 from the first landing place lay a number of women on 
 their faces, side by side, their heads towards the floor. 
 They were all apparently liteless — and their clothes were 
 in the greatest disorder* 
 
 My lirst impulse was to take up one of the smallest — In 
 
 •arryiug her to the outer door I met no one but two 
 
 men there received her. Three or four gentleujcn who I 
 presume, had been before employed in taking out the fe- 
 Diales afterwards came in, and lost no <imein removing 
 tlie other ladies. They were all carried as far as the 
 door, and tliera they were received and bonis cITby others. 
 
 X). 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 t lliink that Mv, .TolinG. Smith and jMr. Alexr. Sliarp of 
 this town were two of those who were in the liouse with 
 me and were very active. I distinctly recollect what I 
 saw when I first went in, hut the horror of the spectacle 
 which presented itself to my eyes on the stairs, (unap[)riz- 
 ed as I was until then that I had not met the last of the 
 audience,) makes my recollection very confused of what 
 passed afterwards. I am however confident that all those 
 who had reached the lower flight of the stairs were rescu- 
 ed from the flames, and I flatter myself that they are now 
 living. Mr. Smith and Mr. Sharp, and probably one or 
 two others, can vouch for the same fact. 
 Your*s 6ic. 
 
 G. TUCKER. 
 
 H E P O U% 
 
 Of the Committee of Invefiigation, 
 December 30, 1811. 
 
 Wc the Committee, appointed by our fellow citizens <' to 
 enquire into the causes of the melancholy catastrophe," 
 which took place in this city on Thursday night last ; a ca- 
 tastrophe which has spread a gloom over a whole city, and 
 filled every eye with tears ; have given to this melancholy 
 duty all the attention in our power. — We feel it due to our- 
 selves ; it was due to our weeping fellow-citizens ; it was 
 due to the world to collect all the lights which might serve 
 to elucidate an event whose effects are so deeply written 
 on oiir heai-ts. We have seen every person who Avas be- 
 hind the scenes, that was best able to assist our enqui<^ 
 i'P3S — v/e have heard their statements, and after sifting 
 them as accurately as possible, beg leave to submit the 
 following report to our afllicted citizens : 
 
 On the nvjihi of Thursday last, the Pantomime of ^« The 
 Bleedini*' iSun. or, A'^-nes and Kavmond,'* came on for re- 
 presentation after the play was over. In the first act, 
 among other scenes, Avasthe scene of the cottage of Bap- 
 tist tJiC Hcbher, Avhich was illuminated by a chandelier 
 apparently ha*i,^ing from the ceiling. When the curtain 
 lell on the iiibt act, aud before it rose on tli© second, this 
 
[27 ] 
 
 chandelier was lifted from its position among the scenery 
 above. It was fixed with two wicks to it ; one only of 
 them had been lit; yet when it was lifted above, this fatal 
 lamp ivas not extinguished. Here is the first link in the 
 chain of our disasters ! The man who raised it, does not 
 pretend to deny it — but pleads that he did so in consequence 
 of an order from some person, whom he supposed autho- 
 rised to direct him. That person was behuidhim; the 
 voice had reached him without his seeing the person, and 
 he does not pretend positively to recognize him. We have 
 not the most distant idea that there was the slightest 
 mischievous intention in the order or in the act — it was 
 inattention — it was the grossest negligence. The lifter of 
 the lamp says that he was av/are of the danger, and re- 
 monstrated against tlie act ,• yet yielded with too fatal a fa- 
 cility to the reiterated ordei's of a person whom he saw 
 not, but supposed authorised to direct him. We cast not 
 the slightest imputations upon the Managers, or any of 
 the regular Comedians of the stage — their positions at th 
 moment as well as other circumstances, forbid the idea 
 that the order ever passed from their lips ; yet the act 
 was done. Tiie lighted lamp was liiied — the torch of des- 
 truction gleamed at the top of the stage. 
 
 Mr. Kiee (the property-man of the Theatre) says, that 
 he saw the scene was o\er in wiiicli the lamp was used ; 
 he saw the lamp after it was lifted up ; he was aware of 
 the danger of its remaining in that position ; and spoke 
 to one of the carpenters, three times repeatedly, «' Low- 
 er that lamp and blow it out." lie did not see it put out ; 
 for he was drawn by his business to another part of the 
 stage. 
 
 Mr. West declares that he was passing by to commence 
 the 2d act of the Pantomime, and saw tJie lamp up and 
 heard Rice giving directions to the carpenter to extinguish 
 it. 
 
 Mr. Cook (the regular carpenter of the Theatre) de- 
 clares that he saw tfje carpenter alluded to above, attempt- 
 ing to let down the lamp immediately after ihe oi'der to 
 let it down had been given ^ that he lias no doubt this at- 
 tempt was made in consequence of the order ; that he saw 
 the cords tangle and t!ie lamp to oscillate severa] inches 
 from its perpeiidicular position. The chandelier above 
 was 'uoved by two cords which worked over two pulleys, 
 
 .^ •^ ■-■^ 
 
[ ^8 ] 
 
 inserled in tlic eolIav-beajTi cf ihe roof; ami tlic straight 
 line iVo III iliC bicp.in io tlsi; lamp ^vas, 3ir. Cook thinks, 
 about 14!? OP IB feet. Thus soiue idea may be iiad of the 
 degree of oscilhi5iu:i. 
 
 Mr. Aiulorson, (one of the Perfijrir.crs of the Theatre,) 
 says, ihiit lie liad remaiked, even beloie the re]>]'eseu- 
 tation, how unskUfiilly the ehandelier ]jad played; and 
 that an attempt to move it had caused it to ride circularly 
 around. 
 
 Mr. Yore [anoilier of tjie workmen of the machinery,] 
 most conclusiveiv eonihrais this statement. He saw, tliat 
 in the attempt to lower the lamp, as it was ]ierched amon|^ 
 the scenery, the carpenter had railed in liis effort ; that 
 lie then jerked it. and jostled It ; that it was thus swerved 
 from its pcrpcndieulai* attitude, and brought into contact 
 with the lower part of one of the front scenes. Tlie scene 
 took fire ; the flame rose, and tapering ahove it to a point, 
 must have reached the roof, which was elevated 6 or 7 
 feet only above the top of the scene. 
 
 We wert' assured, that there was not one transparent 
 scene hanging; that is, a scene coated Avith varnish and 
 extremely c< iubustsblc — thai there was only one paper 
 scene hanging, Y»likh Mr. Utt the l^rompter declares, 
 was removed 6 or. 8 feet hehi^jd the lamp. Thirty five 
 scenes were at that moment hanging, exclusive of the flies 
 or narrow borders which repiTseiit the skies, roofs, &c. — 
 all of these .Si were canvass paintings : AvhieJi thougli not 
 extremely coni])ustibie on the jrainted side, arc on the other 
 so well covered with the fibres of the hemp, as to catch 
 the ilame. 
 
 Efforts were made to extinguish iliv flame. Mr. Cook, 
 the carpenter, ascended into the carpenter's gallery ; but 
 in vain. He did succeed in letting down some of the 
 scenes upon tlie floor, under an idea that this was the sur- 
 est means of extinguishing tlie flame ; but he could nof 
 ilistinguish the cortls of the scene that Avas on fire. The 
 roof soon eaugbt, and the sense of danger compelled him 
 to fly for his life. 
 
 The cdmmiUee must noAv be under the necessity of 
 draAving the attention of our felloAv-cirizens.^to the cAcnts 
 which lock place in front of the curtain. Mr. West states 
 that immediiuely on {;is entering the stage to go on Avith 
 his part, he heard so)n« bustle behind the scenes^ Avhich 
 
[ 29 3 
 
 lie eonceivcd to be a mere fracas — tlie erj of « fire'* then 
 saluted bis ears, wbieb gave bim no serious apprebensi- 
 ons, as be knew tbal little accidents of this description bad 
 often taken place ; <bat be beard some \ oices exclaim, 
 <^ don't be alarmed," >vhicb exclamation be repeated 
 tbrougb a solicitude to prevent burrj and confusion ; that 
 be bad not at tbat moment seen any flakes of lire fail be- 
 bind tbe scene 5 but seeing them at length falling from tbe 
 roof, lie retired behind tbe scene and found tbe whole 
 stage enveloped in flames ; when finding it unavailing, 
 be attempted to make good bis own retreat. 
 
 Mr. Uohertsonf who was the only performer besides, 
 tbat came before the audience, assured tbe committee, 
 that at tbe moment when he first discovered the flame, it 
 was no longer than his bandlverebief ; that be repaired 
 immediately to the stage, as near the orchestra as he could 
 come : ** there be conveyed to tbe audience, not wishing 
 to alarm them, by gesticulation to leave tbe bouse ; tbat in 
 the act of doing thai, be discoveicd tbe flames movisig ra- 
 pidly, and then be exclaimed, '< Tbe bouse [or tbe Thea- 
 tre] is on fire ;" tbat be went din ciiy (o the stas^e box, 
 where some three or four ladies were sitting, emreating 
 them to jump into his arms ; tbat he could save them by 
 conveying them through tbe private stage-door ; and tbat 
 lie still entreated, until be found it necessary to make bis 
 own escape ; tbat his own retreat b^ the private door was 
 intercepted by the flames : tbat be found it ne' essary to 
 leap into tbe stage box, and join the general crowd in tbe 
 lobby ; tbat be gained one of the front windows ; assisted 
 in passing out some ten or twelve feniales, but at last 
 found it necessary to (brow himself from tbe window." 
 
 1 his narrative is due to (he exertions of a .gentleman, 
 who first sounded tbe alarm ; and to whom there are a 
 few who have not done tiiai justice which he deserves. — 
 liCt us now return to tbe tsa-Esniis-ion of the fire ; where 
 the point of flame reached I he roof. The roof was unfor- 
 t!:'»alely not plastere<i aiid sealed ; there was a sbeating of 
 plank, pine plank we are told, nailed over tbe rafters, 
 and over tiiese, the shingles. The lozirs of tbe pine bad 
 perha|>s oozed out ol' tlie plank, through the heat of our 
 summer's sun, and stood in dropsupon it. Yet however this 
 may have been, no sooner did the spire of ilio Hajiie reach 
 tbe roof than it caught. The iire Bj[>vtud vtilU a rabidity 
 
C 50 ] 
 
 I 
 
 thro' this combustible material, unparalleled, certainly ne- 
 ver equalled by any of the loo numerous fires Avhieh have 
 desolated our city — In four or five minutes at least, tlie 
 >vhole roof was one sheet of Jlames — It burst through the 
 jbuUs-eyc in front — it sought the windows where the rare- 
 fied vapour sought its passage ; fed by the vast column of 
 air in the hollows of a Tiieatre, fed by the inflammable 
 pannels and pillars of the boxes, by tlie dome of t!ie pit, 
 hy the canvas ceiling of tlie lower boxes, until its suffoca- 
 ted victims in the front were wrapt in its devouring flame, 
 or pressed to death under the smouldering ruins of th« 
 building. 
 
 Here we must pause in our melancholy task. We have 
 traced the conflagration to the fatal lamp, lifted as it was 
 lit, then jerked and jostled out of its perpendicular positi- 
 on, to the scenery — to the roof 5* until every thing was en- 
 veloped in its fury. But there is one part of the subject 
 which, though it does not fall strictly within the letter of 
 the Resolution, or perhaps the line of our duty, is yet too 
 interesting to be passed over. "Why, this fatality 9 Why 
 Lave so many victims perished on this melancholy occasi- 
 on ? It cannot be said it was the combustibility of the 
 building and the rapidity of the fire, great as they undoubt- 
 edly were, which altogether produced this mortality of 
 the species — for we cannot believe if large vomitaries had 
 been erected for the passage of the crowd, if there had been 
 doors enough to admit them that more than onC'tenlli of 
 an audience should have perished on the occasion. 
 
 It was in the opinion of the committee, this ill construc- 
 tion of the Theatre itself, which was principally its cause. 
 How numerous were the occasions on which it had long 
 before been said, as the crowd was slowly retiring at the 
 end of a play : " Suppose the house were on fire, what 
 should we do ?''— Yet we slept with too fatal a security 
 over the evil — we trusted and we are ruined. New doors 
 were not opened ; the winding stair-case was not strait- 
 ened, the access to the avenves of the Theatre was not 
 wilarged. 
 
 Even the relicts of our fellow •citizens as they lay, 
 pointed out the causes of this fatality. They ^weie found 
 strewed in heaps at the foot of the narrow stair case 
 which lead from the boxes — and though with less profu- 
 sion, on the ground immediately under tlie lobby of ih% 
 
f SI ] 
 
 t)oxei above, ft'om which lobby their retreat down the 
 stairs had been iiitereepted by the crowd which choaked 
 thein up. On that fatal night there were in the pit and 
 boxes 518 dollar tickets, and SO children — exclusive of 50 
 persons who were in tlie galleries. Of these 598 had to 
 pass tlirough one common avenue, and although all the 
 spectators in the pit may have escaped, except a few who 
 may have jumped into the boxes, yet the crowd in the 
 lower and upper boxes had no other resource than to press 
 through a narrow angular stair-case, or to leap the win- 
 dows. The committee not being particularly conversant 
 with the construction of Theatres, have requested Mr. 
 Twaits, one of the managers of this Theatre, to furnish 
 us with his ideas on the subject* He has favored us with 
 a statement Avhich we beg leave to incorporate with our 
 report, in the words following, to wit : 
 
 ** By the lequell of the Committee of Enquiry into the caufc of the 
 late dreadful calamity at the theatre on the night of the 26th inftant, I 
 aiTert that the iofs of fo many valuable lives, and the diftrefs which is 
 felt by all on the occafion, is wholly attributable to the conftruction of 
 the late theatre and its materials. 
 
 ** In all theatres, that I have seen, except the late one, there have 
 been three distinct and separate doors of entrance — one to the Boxes, 
 ^ne to the Pit and one to the Gallery. The late Drury-Lane Theatre 
 fead in the centre of each side a spacious hall, with broad and ftraight 
 ftair cases, which ter:T;inated In the lobbies of the Boxes; three entran- 
 ses to the Pit, one in the front and one on each side j and four entran- 
 ces to two Galleries, two on each side. These avenues were firm and 
 eoinmodious, and in their construction prefented every facility for ef- 
 cape, when any danger affailed the audience. Miferable reverfe! In the 
 late Richmond Theatre, but one entrance to the Boxes and Pit, and 
 chat so narrow, that two perfons could fcarcely pafs at the fame time— 
 the way then lying through a gloomy paflage to a narrow winding 
 Ifcair cafe which terminated in as narrow a Lobby.— —It is, there- 
 fore, evident, that this ever to be lamented Iofs, which has at once 
 deprived your city of fome of its brighteft ornaments, and defo- 
 lated many families, is wholly attrioutable to the mal-conftruction of 
 the late Theatre, which certainly offered no means of fpeedy efcape. 
 The rapidity of the conflagration mull have been caufed by the unfin-. 
 ifhed state of the building, there being no plaftered ceiling or wall to 
 prevent the communication of flame.'* 
 
 The committee cannot close their melancholy labours 
 without expressing one hope, that irreparable as our own 
 calamities have been, we may not have suffered altogether 
 in vain, tbat our own misfortunes may serve as beacons to 
 the rest of our countrymen ; and that no Theatre should 
 be permitted to be opened in the other cities of the United 
 States, until every facility has been procured for the es* 
 oape of the audienc*. 
 
ORDINANCES. 
 
 On the ?7(h of Dec. the Common Council of tlie city of 
 Richmond, assembled and passed an order authorising Di*. 
 Adiims, Ml'. Willig^m Ilaj. Mp Raiston and Mr Gam- 
 ble to collect and deposit the remains of the unfortunate 
 sufferers, in sucli urns, coffins, or other suitable inclo* 
 sures as thej shall think fit, and have them conveyed to 
 the public burial j^round with the solemnity due to th© 
 occasion. On tlic 28th it was represented to the Presi- 
 dent and Council, that the remains of the devoted vie* 
 tims couhl not conveniently be removed to the public 
 burial i^ro'iad, whei'cfoi'C it was ordered that tlie relics 
 sliouh! all be interred ia the place wliere they fell, and 
 that the ground should be purchased and appropriated 
 accordingly. Moreover, it was ordered, <* tliat the city 
 Constable communicate to the citizens, that it is earnestly 
 recommended, that they will abstain from all business 
 for the space of fo?ty~eight hours after the passing* of the 
 ordinance, that tlie Wednesday foUowinji; should be ob- 
 served as a day of humiliation and prayer ; and that no 
 shows, plays, piH[)iic balls or assendjlies should be exhi- 
 bited withisi the city for the space of four months/* 
 
 Sini'.lar orders nnd resolutions were passed by the peo- 
 ple aiii i!ie Co isf;tuted authorities in Norfolk, Petersburg, 
 Frederic Usburg, and most of tlie principal towns of Yir- 
 giaia- Ihe i^Kecutivc passe 1 a resolution expressive of 
 their sorrow for tlie loss of their beloved Governor, as 
 •weli as fir that of their other fellow citizens. Congress 
 followed thcii* example. Upwards of 100 ^ledical Stu- 
 dents froai this state, assembled in Philadelphia, put on 
 the weeds of woe, and prepared to honor the manes of 
 their brothers and sisters : tiie youn.ijc .gentlemen of the ci- 
 ty caught the sympathetic flame, and requested to parti- 
 cipate in the mournful iirocession, they were admitted, and 
 bewailed t!ie fate of those whom they never knew ; but 
 than wliom, tfiey never can know characters superior. 
 
 The young gentlemen of the Navy paid appropriate 
 honors to tlie mevaorv of their beloved fellow soldier, 
 Lieut. Gibbon : ])oor lelioAV ! his Aite was a peculiar one ; 
 so was that of the dear partner of his fate—-** recpiiof'CdiH 
 in puce," ' , 
 
t ss f 
 
 ir» THE CITIZEVS OF B/rjnf'»A'». 
 
 In the sincerity of afflicted miids, a>i<I deeply wonndecl 
 lie.tn!!, peiMiit. us in express the au,^ius}i whicli we f*'el 
 foi' the late drea.l'ul cala-iiity, of which we cannot hit 
 cosisider ourselves the in locent ca ise. Fro ii a lihei'al 
 a id eidi.^htencd conniiunily we fear no reproaches, hut 
 Me as'e conscious that many liave t(»(i much cause to wisti 
 they had never known us. To theii* neivy we a,ipeal for 
 foi',^lveness, not for a v-riiue coaimitted, hut for one which 
 couhl not be prevented. Our own loss cann be esii* 
 mated hut by ourselves— *tis true, (with one exceptitii,) 
 we have not to lament toe loss of life— hut we have lost 
 our friends, our patrons, our property, and in part, our 
 Iio nes Nor is this all our loss-In this miserab c calamity 
 >V8 Tilda seitence of banishment from your hospitahle 
 city No niort; do we ex^ject to feel that .i;low of pleasure 
 wiich pervades a ^^rateful heart, wlsileit receives favours 
 lib 'rally^hestowed. Never a.^ain shall we behold that fe» 
 miniue hiiuiauity which soea,^;erly displayed itself to sootha 
 the viciiui of disease, nrr view with exultation the beue» 
 vol('nt w 1 1 fostere 1 tiie fatherless, aid shed a ray of co a- 
 foi't on the demrting soul of a dyiuj^ mother. Here th«i| 
 W#c»ase — the eloquence of Grief, is Silence^ 
 
 James Ko.se, 
 Hopkins H.ohertson% 
 Cna-i, ronnjj;^ 
 Ciiarles ihiraiiaif 
 W -I, Tivaits* 
 Thos. Caidfipi'U 
 
 WUliam Jlnderson^i 
 7 ho mas Hurkep 
 A. Pla*'ide, 
 
 miu iJiark^ 
 
 iw 
 
 ly^TEliMEYT OF THE DE iJ>. 
 
 T!ic arran^^ements for this melancholy occasion eouti 
 Hf>t ') ' vjomdeted bt^foi'C Sundav— ..iid as the ^dact"! of ia» 
 te/ i^nt hdd bven chaa^el frjm t:ie Church to the aresi 
 fjVf'iM'e tlidi Tiieatre sto)l,to that fatal and d^^voted a^ji^ 
 V.i^ fuiicral prof-essio.i did not m »ve as was ori^i'mllv coi« 
 t3 a )l,i evl hy the C )m nittee, frj ii the iii)list \Iaeti:i»« 
 il Mi,;% ic ic thd riieati'e, where t!ie relics lay. t.» ta0 
 
4 »* J 
 
 ]^ i>. J atteison li > — ill iioiii, \Lv Li I J t-t — {\ i It <l.( { liT* 
 |,>— LitiUift in laiiii^^i'fe- liit- l,xti liiivt i-iiuii(il — LiMc- 
 li>!» oi* Hit* Jb;a; k — i\»iii»biis of iha Lt^isluluiit' — iK« 
 C(H<ii of liusun,;^h— » ouiiuon lial!— Ciii/tiis, on t'ooi 1^.1 d 
 
 cij> iiorse bui'k- >\hv ^raiul tlu' leu^tb aiid ^oKii.iiifjt of 
 
 thr line ? 'llif^ iiiovvcl up itie main hirtel in til Ujtjf 
 
 •truck tije i-i-^ss slieet leading to tiie bank — t»ere iUvf 
 
 Veie joji;e(l by the Covpise ot poor JM/iuita hurrit^ vko' 
 
 rxj/iifd at hrr broUu r jn la\v's- the Casbier of Jbe lianiv— 
 
 Hay moved up the Caj iiol Bill, and at Ibe Capiiol vt i*© 
 
 joined by the bearers of two Iaij;e maliogany boxes, in 
 
 vhieb Mere ereio^ed the asbes and i*eiics of the deceui-rd. 
 
 •ibe mouinful procession tben moved to ♦• <be dexoud 
 
 •pot ;" and in I be eenhe of the area wbere onee su od 
 
 tLe pit, tbese precious irlies were buried in one eoUiUioti 
 
 grave. 'Ibe service for the dead was read b> the Kevd., 
 
 l^iV, Buchanan- — 1 lie wJioU^ scene defies desri|;tion A' 
 
 %^holecity bathed in leais ! — ■ — liow awful the transition 
 
 en ibis devojedspor ! — \ lew (iays since, it was the ibea* 
 
 Ire of j« y and merriiiient— aiiin.aied by tbe sound of uju*. 
 
 •ic and the bum t»f a deJi^iited ukuiiitude. Jt is now a fun 
 
 Deral pyre ! tbe receptacle of tbe relics of our friends '— * 
 
 «,ndin:i^hort time a monument will ki^nd upon it t«» pomi 
 
 out wiictc tiieir a«ut}i lay ! 
 
 A LIST OF DEAD. 
 
 Sfargaret Audi rsoDf Jj Mrs. Convert and chile!, 
 
 s Milliani Cook a&ll 
 
 ll^deline Bausman, daugh-I} daugbter. 
 
 ; ter of Mrs. iiausnuut, S Margaret Copland^ 
 
 Sdrs. 1 ayioe Braxton^ 1^ ('. Coutts, 
 
 jBieiijaniin Boti* Wid Mi's. ^ FJvira Coutts, 
 
 l>atts# S Anne Craig;, daugliteP of 
 
 ^ Mrs, Adam Craig. 
 
 RTary Clay, > 
 
 ^il^, V^ftj Jf*'!!^ *> ^^^^* Mary Davis, 
 
 ^Ceor|j;e Di&ui); a yotttl^ 
 
f Si J 
 
 MiM '•.llioff.ft-om N. Ke;;;. i 
 l]iio;iiHs Krazer, ajouth, 
 
 Gii'aiNJin and son, 
 liooi'i't (ireeiiliowf 
 lie 1 Mid, 
 
 Sullj (jak'wood, 
 
 Ai^ie ill Ten, 
 
 l'u(>v Griilin, 
 
 Jiioi^l. Jd.n^ Gibb( 
 
 
 4^riana Huaier, 
 Jirs. JerrmI, 
 
 S 
 
 S x^flrs. Elizabetli Pag% 
 
 S Pictiit, 
 
 S 
 
 S Charlotte Raphael, 
 ^ Jeaa Babtible iiuzier, 
 
 George W. Smitli, Govcrw 
 
 vV'iilia If So"ith;5ate^, 
 
 ^ Cecelia Ti'oinu, 
 Jilrzaijetli Jaeoirs, daughter s iOjiiri.v rroaiir. 
 
 of Jose>)h Jacobs, 
 Bai'racti Jud^h'* cUiid, 
 
 JMrs* Laforest^ 
 
 Liessssiie, 
 Miss liittfepa^e, 
 I'tioinab Leci'ois* 
 
 Irlrs. Moss, 
 
 C)H»''J'^» iMarksw wife 
 Mordeeai Mav^k*^ 
 
 Abrabasn B. VemlAt^ 
 Piesidt'iit of the B.iaa* 
 
 ^ .^Irs Thomas Wileon, 
 S Mary VVlUiSs>eii» 
 
 ^ Jaae Wiwle, 
 
 > James Wahljn; 
 S Jolui Welch, a sfran^«t||( 
 of Ij kitely (Voai K<igjuud, aijf 
 Nej)hew to Sir ^i. i^i-oi. 
 
 ii.dw«trd vVautoiis 
 
 Mr, Wm. Brown, "n. 
 
 Mr. A. Mat shal of Wjthe, ^ 
 Mrs. Patterson, J. 
 
 Crushed ta dsdih^ 
 
 On the 27th Dec. Miss Juliana Harvio, 
 28fh, Mrs. Joh'i Bosher, 
 
 29th Mr. K. ,T, ilarvie. 
 
 ' 5d Jan. 1812, Mr. Joha inaub, 
 
 15Ul' Mrs. Scot:. 
 
• • 
 
 PEOPLE OF COLOViL 
 
 KoWrt Tenill, a mulattos pieasanJ. a mulatto moTr? art 
 
 b<>>, S ht'lonj^inj^ to jVlr. Rose. 
 
 Funnv OoflT, Ij Jajues b.dusonson, a nnilat- 
 
 IBt'^srv Johnson, S to bo^, who died uiiic&. 
 
 Vf *:- > 
 
 u 
 
 ND, Deecjjiher, 28. 
 
 Yesterday sncTi of the rcni%OT^9|\^tl^^«iiB<^^'i«Hii 
 feliow-^iiizens \\\\i) I<»sf their H^s in the conf!a1i:ra<ion of 
 the llM-atre on 'lluiisdav nij^ht, were entombed on the sjot 
 fvhere the diieiiil eaiastitj lie lia[|€r.€<!. A li^rpt r K;n-i 
 course of peoph' attended on Uns melancholy occasion, thaa 
 irt; recollieel ever to have seeii as&eiiibledin Ihis place. 
 
 December Si» 
 
 Testerday w'"# " a dav of humiliationand ]?iaTer/'— 
 A"l 'he ^hops and stores were shut, the Rev. Mr. IJiiir 
 |)i«a«hed at the church, afuueial seriiion. t\er\ i?lace 
 oi: I ub'ic worship was opened. Mr. Sjjeece preached at 
 th«' Capitol in the moinin^. Mr. Lpj^an in the'eveuini^. — ^ 
 hlv Brice ar«d Mr Grigg at the Ba| tist n.eetir j; hiiise 
 in the morning. Mr. Couitiuy at t!.e new Methoiiist 
 Chiiirh in the morning — ard at the old one, Mr. Bollieu * 
 in the morning and Mi. Mooie in the livening. l:.ver^ 
 place was tilled to o\erilowJng. 
 
 Casualties^, 
 
 In f^P chapter of accidents, it is painful to be obTiced 
 to n.ention tie t anse ol Mr. id aid J iJ)ie\. (ic (I tiie 
 Uiost I I'on isirg liiciai^ chaiaciers in Virgii ia ; le vus 
 in ihe upper tieroj bo>cs. and in the act ol assii-tirg ^( i. e 
 ladies unkiio\wi to him. mLcu fhat destructive \ajoi;r, 
 »)enti(ired in oiLm cen Uiunic afici s, ^rddei Iv issued \'n>m 
 ijie ta^ttru ^art i>r lUe buUtiii j^— he ba» uo Hame^ ^et iii« 
 
f 3? 1 
 
 fn?,f>i aT! 016 of liis l»ai(r^ Uxvi* Ue&.i d^-' y^ '' ""'■^ 'Vt^ 
 «.f.(f..'U jU'jI lo save hi.iisv^Si' by Tie stairs ; H-j? i 
 
 siivweti by the ') kUcs of sirosnate 1 la 1^ 
 •«){>. lej' thai! i^ij life the ii wlVa his See^, s'u* vv j ii:i(,?'Ui«, .i;3 
 faJe to e'iance. a s>l auiJoHi i^ly jii a jed ( ;^- of ;m > )f 
 the Ujjpei' wsJii'ii^V") — 'lis li.'t^ is, lUa'ik U^'JiL ; rd. 
 
 fcas 5»»ilfered severely, ai J indeed. s(i13 s hfvi's. 
 
 :Dc. ^leoa\v*s sifna^io i is tri'y d-' >n*\^ )3 -. as well o^ 
 acc'jiiat of (lis ow.i ui iiil^, as (!iat of tiie jojr unrarru la-e 
 «iiderers oa that oeea^iri — Isis as-istau o a a jhysieia?! 
 aid as a fj^ieiid, would hav^* been a »aS is ? j J he woes of 
 many; it may not -Iw de uied jjresu it:)ii<i i ri sayiM^;. in 
 the loss of his aiti, so^nv lives have bee » los*. Tae i^ij '.«'J3» 
 he has reeeived is not i icin"a!>le, but ii is s::;!i as o leu- 
 tralise his usr^ul seeviees (or a !:>i;^ S: ae ; al'sei* 
 havin,i^ exerted iiis streai^th, for (lie ^a^Vfy of hie f)oors;j*» 
 feri ij^ ladies witiiia his reach, when all oj ;jre hi«iise!f, 
 he precipitated hi»aseli* from the window, (say 2t) feet 
 hii^ii,) his whoie weight cojnioi; on fiis ri^;!il l •^, so lace- 
 rated the muscles, as to fa!ise him to iuui ,i,ie for aowm 
 time that his thigh was broken. 
 
 Many persons had their liubs fraetur?'d, ;• td so!ne were 
 severely burnt ; yet most of thi'm are now e:? a fair waf 
 of recovery Mr. John Richards, in es; a< inj:^ throuijjb 
 a window, fraetnred a limb ; Mr. Samuel D>er nset witJi 
 a similar accident; Cas'ter B. Page also escaped with a 
 hroken leg; Mrs. Hatcher of Manehestei*. iveeived consi- 
 derable i'ljnry tVosn a fracture. To eninnerase all the ac« 
 cidents, would at present be exceeding the 'irisits which wg 
 have j)rescribed for ourselves on the present occasion. 
 
 In order to refresh the mind after this lis:; jbrions nar- 
 rative, we give an account of a few hair-br adfh escapes 
 made by some of our ladies, taken from a genileman who 
 has conversed with thejn si see tlieiv escape. 
 
 Mrs. McRae miraculously escaped without the assis- 
 tance of any person witiiin ; she wandend iibont in thd 
 dark over seats and benches ; she thinks soniejiai* 
 la the pit, she afierwards ascended the boxes ; she could 
 n dlher see nor feel any pei'son ; her senses were nearly 
 cxhalisted, when part of the bnildin?^ fcil, ai I j^ave her 
 light to see a passage tlirough the w5;hIow ; Kr;e was then 
 V\ the lobby, and meeting with no ob^triicSion. threw her. 
 8'd Tout head foremost, and v.as rortuaatdy received witjjw 
 l>ut suffering any mulerial ii^jury. 
 
f s« j 
 
 !P[cr si^t^r Miss Delia liaves was savrd hy ihelfijivr r^ 
 featioti of Mr. Thoinas I'lan ibon. wLo had anoihii* ;»»ii!jjg 
 hiHy iiudt'r Iiis protei^tiiin, whom he let down Iroiii a win^ 
 (iow ; he pushed I>iiss Mayes over (he ohstri.tting eiowd^t 
 Mie iVll in the pass.tji;e, was tiodcien down lor soiiie time^ 
 liui hv tlie assisUiiue ol* a i;enUeinan ai the landing, wan, 
 piilh'd from the lalien. and i'oiluijatelv leseued uiJiitii.— * 
 Jiibseii. McMurdo and Green, bustled th< ir \va;v 'till 
 they ajiived at the inner door, wiion Miss i\icMui(io, be* 
 ii\^ ne.\t to it, aud havinfi; |M)or Miss Green by the hufKU. 
 Vt^s seized herself by sonte body outside, who pulled hep 
 i>ikU iii>d by the violenee oT his exertion, she lost her hold 
 oj Miss Green, who was sliil ab](i* to ery out, •» ah f 
 ilon'l have me ;'' a volley of vapour at that time rusljed 
 i;*['oi« that door to tiie outer door, so thick* that nol)ody 
 e©ul(^ sAand there, and m;^ny had fallen ; it is ima.^ine(£ 
 that Miss Green, with some moie in that darkness, mis- 
 si?d the door asid fell, and eould not receive timely relier^ 
 IJliss Gouch also, without any particular protector, encaji* 
 ed unhurt, one of the last ; being a delicate young ladyj^ 
 stie was several limes thi'own ba<;k by iiihuman seltislju 
 iiicu ; she ri!mily, when almost exhausted, made a d spe- 
 ralc eiTiirt, and was like the rest, caught uniujuied 5 s^li^^ 
 liaving near a mile to walk, would not admit of the ati* 
 tendance of any person, seeing so iiiany objects in dis- 
 IresH, who had a greater claim to assistance than she had |^ 
 bot before she went far she was m'ar falling a victim to^ 
 lier humanity, fur, from the great exertions of body and| 
 ipiud necessary to her preservation — her spirits failed, her^ 
 and she must have lain probably lifeless, in the stue^ 
 tliaX night, had not a gentleman fortunately seen Uer, and[ 
 oXtcJ* reviving her. brought her home. 
 
 Mr. L. 11. Gii'ardin. who has lost an affectionate a.iiiaide: 
 >viie, and a son whose dawn jiromised a bright day, had* 
 left the Theatre in company with Mr. Doyle, just a.fe^sV 
 liaomentg before the lire commenced. He had left his wif0f> 
 and son with several of their male and female relatives, be-i, 
 caust^ an acute complaint did not allow of his being eo liin- 
 ed in a box. In the course of the first piece, he had b»-en. 
 ualking or standing in various jjarts of the house: just 
 \vhen the pant(»mime was about to begin, he observed 'ai*. 
 dear boy asleep in his mother's arms, urge I his earn i 145; 
 Ijgyt^ UiWe-^'ii Coo iudul^idty foud jmotUei' vbjctled— -Ui4i i 
 
( 89 > 
 
 tli^ poor cliiHlvas still asltep, when the liorrid alanvj ap» 
 |)alied e>er> lieai'5 ! Mrs. (x s brotlu'r, urjdev \vh a he [ro- 
 te i\nn she more espet ially ^vsls, did evu r thiiiix ^^^ eould 
 to save her aiid liei' <'hi!d ; vai!i, iVu i { Iei;s effbi'ts ! 1 wle© 
 she was torn (Vosu hw beloved bo,i — ?vviee slje i-iihhid (o 
 reeover lii:H, The second lime her brolhei^^as irvehiCibly 
 se:?u!*a(ed iVonj he:-; he saw her no njote, an 1 was luii- 
 liialrly eom|>elie(5 I)}' thr appeoaj'hiisi^ llatnes lo jiim|> out of 
 a window. 'i'huK i( appears tUut this excellent !ady feil a 
 vieiin lo ^nafernal ove! She would not br skived without 
 liei* darlsn,:r hoy. arjd !)oth were losl ! O God I tht^ heai't 
 of a moUu'i' is thy ma^tee |>ieee ! As to Mi. Ui?ardir», 
 tae iiioment he saw t e fiauies, lie i'U!?he<i buck ioto The 
 b'>use ; fou d (he first passa!:;e aiiuosl e a, Jy ; hi'^^ught 
 o\it Oi' tise house a iV'vsah' v. iion! iw roun 1 in a state of 
 di*ti'aetion, near t\w box wh«'!e tiekets were taken in- 
 iiide ; returned, entered the cireu ar i>assa;.,e, ar^d had 
 reached the foot of ?h.e fatal stair-ease* vvli^n husjjing ru- 
 ins fell d<)wn with !M.erid e!'a>-h ; voiuiL!.es of sufroeatiss^ 
 "Vapour rolled on ward'* : lurid f^auies dasted through them ; 
 be with the fituios^ d ^^^u'tr i-^'r* -jfed ; \\as, in hii^ ie- 
 t real, (grasped b; a haif prostrate fi'inale, v^houi he raised 
 a >d brouj^hl 05!t ; he riturntd io Hht' I iekei door ; aSas ! 
 destruction was already ra.:^in.£i^ vhh a'i its furv iii tJte 
 eireular pas a.e, wisieb tiie va, v^us and flauje | reverted 
 bin from a^aifi enterij-;^'; he (hen went to the eastrni 
 •lie in seaeh oi'his \ufe a; d «on ; th^n roMnd the wiiole 
 bouse ; then iioiue ; aia»» ! his fears were lea.ized ; arid 
 ah rentaining L« pes vnnis^* d. I§e is now left, lit^e so 
 many others, ji cUseojisoJiHe n-ourrer ! 
 
 Siichcircuiustanees eonUl be niultiplied, to fill a voUitne, 
 by those who coniier ed wu the g;round aad lii tiic neigh* 
 bori'»£i; houses al! thai iii.'ht. ba< thest* cases li/i ;;• nut «• 
 
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