| Citation |
NYGWPB.767.033
27 Aug 1767:11,12,13 (1286)
To the printer. The late introduction of plays into the
city of Bristol, which, by the care of its corporation and
magistrates, was never suffered till within these very few
years, has given great uneasiness to their sober
inhabitants, on account of the many dangers which attend
these entertainments, and has occasioned many pieces to be
published there, to discourage the future continuance of
them in that city; one of which I now send you, and hope you
will think it worthy a place in your paper. I think most of
the arguments and reasons there laid down, may be well
applied to the state of any of our cities, where there is an
appearance of the evils therein represented, and may be no
bad consideration for the inhabitants of this, if there be
truth in the report of a play-house going to be erected
here, at a time when near one quarter of the inhabitants are
under the most distressing circumstances.
An Address to the Citizens of Bristol, especially those of
the higher rank.
Now the hurry of play-nights is over, and the company who
lately entertained the town are gone, it may be proper for
the inhabitants, as merchants and tradesmen, to cast up the
accompt, in order to judge the propriety of countenancing
such visitors in the future. And it may be reasonable
hoped, that those who have entered so deeply into the
scheme, as to be share-holders in the play-house (if on a
candid and publick spirited review of its consequences, they
see it tends to ruin the town) will not suffer private
interest to outweigh every other consideration; but like
noble minds, chearfully give up their plan of theatric
profit, rather than be chargeable with a lucrative
confederacy against the laws of the land, and against the
prosperity and domestic happiness of their fellow-citizens.
If the estimate of the sum received by the players, on
their first essay in this city, according to common report,
be true, it amounted to four thousand pounds and upwards, in
about 15 weeks; which is nearly at the rate of three hundred
pounds a week for that time. An amazing expence!
Persons of eminence in the city have remarked, that when
they have been at the play-house, and looked around them,
they have seen in crowded by they did not know whom. . . [2
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