YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Bought with the income of the RICHARD S. FELLOWES FUND TREATISE O N THEATRES. TREATISE O N THEATRES. BY GEORGE SAUNDERS. LONDON.- PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, AND SOLD BY I. AND J. TAYLOR, AT THE ARCHITECTURAL LIBRARY, HOLBORN. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES FRANCIS GREVILLE, THE FOLLOWING TREATISE IS WITH ALL RESPECT INSCRIBED, AS AN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO THE DISTINGUISHED VIRTUES OF AN AMIABLE AND ACCOMPLISHED CHARACTER, BY HIS MOST DUTIFUL AND DEVOTED SERVANT, GEORGE SAUNDERS. INTRODUCTION. TH E following Treatife is offered to the publick, principally with a view to forward an inquiry into the efTentials of a good theatre — an inquiry which feems at this time peculiarly worthy of attention, when projects are forming for the erection of two new ones in this city. And this circumftance, it is hoped, will fufficiently apo logize for producing an arrangement rather haftily drawn up of de liberate and attentive obfervations on the principal theatres of Europe,. Our theatres have been held in fo fmall eftimation, that authors in general, who have either written, or only made occafional mention, , of thofe in other places, have paffed over thefe as unworthy of notice. When a foreigner arrives at a town, his curiofity naturally leads him in the firft place to vifit the theatre. Here he receives . his firft im- preffions of the ftate of the arts, of the genius and the manners of the people. To avoid the imputation of bad tafte, and to attain our own advantage and accommodation, it behoves us to be attentive to the principles of conftru&ing a theatre, the confideration of which being A once- viii INTRODUCTION. once taken up by the men of fcience in this country, would enfufe us not only a good theatre, but, I will venture to fay, one fuperior to any at prefent exifting. The moft fplendid theatres have been raifed through the muni ficence of princes ; and it is almoft impoffible, that any thing of the kind can be produced on a large, or elegant fcale, when confined to the intereft or the capital of adventurers. If we expect: to have a mag nificent building, we muft join in a liberal contribution for effecting it ; in return for which, befides the .honour and fatisfadion of having fo done, the fubfcribers fhould have a certain number of the principal boxes allotted to them, and their families. This is the cafe at Milan, where a fmall additional fum is paid by each fpedator at the time of entrance. We fhould alfo be very careful not to load the manager with a heavy rent ; of the opera in particular, where the falaries of per formers, expence of decoration, and attendance, are fo great, as necef- farily to deter him from producing fuch a difplay of elegance, as might otherwif$ be attained. Hitherto theatres have been ereded at hazard. No certain rule has been found, whereby an architect might proceed ; in confequence of which, we find a different form in almoft every theatre, and as many different opinions as there are perfons who have written or fpoken on the fubjed ; fome pretending that this or that form was beft, without affigning any reafons ; whilft others, indifferent to the form or to the effential qualities of the theatre, have confined their obfervations to it's materials, decorations, &c. Count INTRODUCTION. ix Count Algarotti is the firft ofthe moderns, that has written any thing. of confequence refpeding the theatre. In 1 762 he publifhed his Effay on the Opera, wherein he makes fome very judicious remarks on the conftrudion of a theatre ; but by not giving a defign, has left it to the ingenuity of the archited to obviate the faults he mentions, and to combine the advantages. After Algarotti's, a great number of publications appeared, which in general contain little more than arguments in favour of their different models. But in" 1 78 1 Monf. Noverre publifhed, at Amfterdam, " Obfer- vations fur la Conftrudion d'une nouvelle Salle de l'Opera." This work contains, befides many judicious remarks on the theatre in general, the many pradical obfervations Monf. Noverre was enabled to make, as ballet-mafter, at different times, throughout Europe. He has expofed the faults of ftages in general, and pointed out their reme dies ; and thefe faults are infeparable from every prefent edifice of that kind *. Upon the whole, we are much indebted to Mr. -Noverre, for the lights he has thrown upon this difficult part of the theatre. In 1782 appeared an Effay on Theatrical Architedure, by Monf. Patte ; which pleafed me much, as he was the firft who attempted to lay down fome principle on which to proceed. His theory, however, in my opinion is deficient, his examination of theatres. is partial, and fometimes his comparifons are unfair. * " J'ai vu tous !es theatres de l'ltalie, de l'Allemagne, de PAngleterre & de la France. De cette quantite d'edifices, je n'en connois pas un dont les defauts ne furpaflent les fceautes." A 2 But ¦x INTRODUCTION. But how was it poffible to draw any juft conclusions refpeding theatres, whilft the progrefs of found remained fo little afcertained ? In defigning a theatre, the firft queftion that naturally arifes is, In what form does the voice expand ? To me it is matter of furprife, that fo fimple a queftion fhould not have yet engaged a ferious examination. We have many confiderable trads on the propagation, refradion and refledion of found, but on the laft two of thefe fubjeds very inconclufive. It has often been remarked, by natives as well as foreigners, that the difpofition of our theatres* was inimical to a beautiful form. To furmount this difficulty has been my endeavour •, and I flatter myfelf, that far from being inimical to fuch a form, I fhall fhew that our arrangement is compatible with one in itfelf beautiful and moft analogous to the good examples of the antique. The method I pradifed, was, regardlefs of any theory, to make my obfervations in the different parts of a theatre. About ten weeks fince, finding no plan was decided upon, either for Theatre or Opera, I began fome experiments on the voice, and comparing the refult of them with the obfervations I had before made, I drew the con- clufions which are now offered to the public. The fhortnefs ofthe time I have been engaged in this work, toge'the* .with the interference of other occupations* will I hope plead an excufe for fuch deficiencies as may appear in the following Treatife. * Three galleries, i. e. boxes and two galleries above. Feb. 17, 1790. CONTENTS. CONTENTS. Introduction Page vii CHAP. I. Optics and Phonics confidered, as they relate to Theatres - i CHAP. II. Experiments on the Voice ... _____ . CHAP. III. Of the form mojl advantageous to the Voice and Sight - 2 c CHAP. IV. Of ' finifhing a Theatre «0 Boxes . , ifrm Pit . Galleries • - . 31 . 32 Ceiling fa Opera Boxes, Pit and Gallery ¦ , 22 2 Orchejlre CONTENTS. Page Orchejlre * — * ¦ 35 Frontifpiece ib. Manner of lighting a Theatre 38 Material 39 CHAP. V. Of the necejfary Appendages to a Theatre, the Stage and adjoining Parts 41 CHAP. VI. An Examination of the principal Theatres 46 Of Monfaur Pane's Defgn for a Theatre , ib. Ancient Greek and Roman Theatres — ¦ 48 Theatre of Bacchus at Athens < ¦ » 54. Theatre of Marcellus at Rome . r 8 Theatres at Pompeii . . eg Olympic Theatre at Vicenza - .. 60 Theatre at Parma —— ¦> ... «•¦¦ . 62 # Theatre of San Carlo at Naples . ¦ . . . ft* Theatre of Argentina at Rome 6^ Theatre at Bologna _________ , 5 -. Theatre of San Benedetto at Venice • , 5g Theatre at Imola — — Theatre at Milan * . Theatre at Turin «-^ — Theatre at Bourdeaux ¦ - Thedtre It alien at Paris — - ________ 69 71 73 7S7677 Thedtre Francois, now de la Nation, at Paris ' Late Opera Hcufe in London Covent Garden Theatre .- • gx CHAP. CONTENTS. CHAP. VII. Page Defer iptions of a Defgnfor a Theatre 85 Ditto for an Opera Houfe < ¦ ¦ 90 Conclufon 93 To the Binder. Place the- thirteen plates at the end. As the names of diiFerent parts of the theatre are very unfixed in the Englifh language,, it may be thought neceffary to compare fuch of them as are made ufe of in this book with thofe of other languages. Latin Italian Englijh French Theatrum Teatro Theatre Salle Orcheftra Platea Pit Parquet ou Parterre - - Orcheftra Orcheflre Orcheftre _ _ Loggia Box Loge . _ - - - Balcony Amphitheatre ou Bakf apartments for recreation, cards, and taking refrefhments ; one fet for the nobility and another fet for the hourgeoijie. Ample flair-cafes condud to every part, and every accom modation 72 Theatre at Milan. modation is furnifhed for rendering this place fit for affemblies upon all occafions. The theatre, like that of Naples, is confiderably too large : the ador is heard with great difficulty, though better than at Naples, which I think is owing to the judicious manner of fitting it up. The whole of the internal part is of wood ; the parapets of the box-fronts are main tained of a good height, and are perfedly plain and even. The en clofures which divide the boxes recede a fmall diftance from the front, which is the method I would prefer to that of projeding the fronts in curved lines, as it would give a very fuperior advantage with refpedto both fight and found. In this theatre we may learn what is the effed of found with the greateft aids it can receive in it's progrefs : and with all thefe -affiftants we find that this fpace is confiderably too large, and that a certain di- menfion ought not to be exceeded. In proportion to it's width this theatre will be found to be too long by 21 feet, agreeably to the form in which the voice, expands. vr Theatre at Turin, j* Of the Theatre at Turin. ¦¦ PI. 6. Fig. 3, ' |T^HIS theatre is attached to the king of Sardinia's palace, and has -"- the ftage-floor nearly level with his apartments. The form is an oval cut off at one end and fpread at the ftage-opening. The length from the ftage to the front of the oppofite boxes is 6 1 feet, the breadth 52. The height is ^ feet from the floor of the pit to the higheft part of the ceiling ; which latter rifes about 5 feet, mak- N ing in it's breadth the portion of a circle whofe centre is nearly in the middle of the pit. It is compofed of boards perfedly fmooth, lined with cloth, and ornamented with paintings in oil : a void is managed above on the principle of mufical inftruments. There are 6 ranges of hoxes, at the average of 29 in every ranges each box is 6 feet wide and 6 feet 1 1 inches high : the king's box is placed in front of the fcene, nearly on a level with the ftage. Under the orcheftre there is a reverfed arch, with a pipe at each ex tremity, terminating and opening underneath the ftage. The frontifpiece is highly ornamented with 4 maffy columns, with boxes between them, and in the fofite is the aperture, by which they let down a large chandelier before and after the performance, contrary to the pradice in thefe countries, where it is ufo illy fufpended in the middle of the ceiling. . The ftage advances in a circular line ; the L opening 74 Theatre at Turin. opening is 42 feet 6 inches wide, and it is 1 1 2 feet long, befides a court behind, by which they occasionally lengthen the fcenery. This theatre is conveniently approached by fpacious porticos, of which there are three j one for foot paffengers and chairs, another for the paffage of carriages, and the third for carriages in waiting : thefe lead to many ample flair-cafes, &c. I have been particular in defcribing the different parts, becaufe no pains were fpared to render this the moft perfed edifice of it's kind by the Count Alfieri. The obfervation I made was in the pit, and I found that, fimilar to others, the voice was heard proportionably better at the fides than at the end fronting the ftage.' At Turin it is generally faid to be too large, that is, too long ; for we hear remarkably well at the fides as we approach the " ftage j and the length will be found to be 19 feet too much in proportion to it's breadth. Great pains were taken to af- fift the found by the form and material ; but they have failed in the \ form, and it was injudicious to paint the ceiling on a lining of cloth.\ Of Theatre at Bourdeaux. 75 Of the Theatre at Bourdeaux. PI. 6. Fig. 4. 7% LL perfons acquainted with the theatre at Bourdeaux, are *¦ •*• unanimous in their decifion in it's favour. They all agree that the voice of the ador fpreads more equally in this than in any other theatre. The figure, reckoning at the front of the amphitheatre, is nearly equal to it's whole circle ; but the wall is cut off at about one fifth of the diameter for the ftage-opening. It is decorated with 1 2 columns of the whole height from the amphitheatre to the arches under the ceiling, between which the upper ranges of boxes are managed. It's great diameter is 64 feet, and between the boxes it is 53 feet wide ; from the ftage-front to the oppofite boxes, 47 feet. The ftage-open ing is about 40 feet*. Grdat care has been had to ufe none but the moft beneficial materials for the infide : the ceiling is painted in frefco, and the whole moft elegantly adorned. The fmallnefs of it's fize is much in it's favour, which renders it dif ficult to make a comparifon. The form is regulated thus. Within the greater circle a fquare is infcribed, three fides of which are given to the theatre, and the fourth is left open for the ftage. My plan would bring forward the ftage nearly as far as the line dividing the orcheftre and pit, thereby avoiding thofe fide boxes which incline their backs towards the ftage. The almoft infulated columns are bad ; and the L 2 disjoining j 6 Theatre lialien at Paris. disjoining of the boxes by them, and placing of fo many arches at the top, takes away much of the acknowledged benefit of fmooth and. unbroken furfaces* Of the Theatre Italien at Paris. PI. 9. Fig- u I | ^ HE form of this theatre is three fourths of an oval : it is 58 feet -"- long from the ftage-front to the oppofite wall, and 48 feet wide between the walls. If the archited meant to follow Monfieur Patte's principle, he has adopted the worft part in choofing this form, and has negleded in. every other inftance the good advice that author gives. He has fepa- rated the boxes by the moft ill-formed partitions, which projeding a little from the wall are fo many checks to the found. This theatre is univerfally condemned, and is a difgrace to that polifhed nation. I need not here repeat my arguments refpeding the too great length of the theatre ; but fhall leave them to be applied by thofe who have the leaft acquaintance with this building. Thedtre Francois, now de la Nation, at Paris. 77 / . ( Of the Thedtre Francois, now de la Nation, at Paris. < JP1. 9. Fig. 2. ' fHT^HIS building is infulated, but communicates by two bridges with -*• houfes on either fide. It is furrounded on three fides by open fpacious corridores and a portico of eight columns in front. The plan fhews one half of the theatre taken at the height of the firft floor of the boxes and balcony, all the reft at the level of the pit-floor. The theatre (or falle) within the walls is 64 feet wide, 5 8 feet 6 inches long from the front of the ftage-floor, and 52 feet high from the floor of the pit to the centre of the -ceiling. The ftage-opening is 42 feet 6 inches wide The form is that of two femicircles whofe dia meters are oppofed to each other at the diftance of 6 feet ; the inter mediate fpace being bounded at each end by a ftraight line. The ftage- floor advances into the theatre, in a curved line, to the diftance of about 1 1 feet from the end of the femicircle neareft the fcene. There are four ranges of boxes, exclufive of thofe in the arches ; part of the upper range is occupied by the gallery ;. and a little above the level of the ftage a balcony projeds over the pit. From the firft floor of the boxes 1 2 pilafters rife to the whole height, fupporting a domed ceiling, which is interfeded by groined arches. This theatre is held in great eftimation for the equal force with which the voice reaches every part of it ; and had it been executed agreeably to 78 Thedtre Francois, now de la Nation, at Paris. to the original plan *, I do not hefitate to fay it would have been ftill A nearer perfedion. Although it is faulty in many refpeds, yet the ad vantages refulting from it's proximity to the form, in which the voice expands, particularly deferve our attention. , , ^According to the experiments on Prop. I. Chap. II. 'this theatre is about 9 feet too long in proportion to it's width ; which I believe will be found to be the cafe upon an accurate obfervation in the theatre. The advantages it poffeffes can arife only from the dired force of the voice, for in almoft every other inftance it is far from aiding the voice : for example, the pilafters projed confiderably before the walls, there are many arches in the ceiling, a balcony projeds over the pit, and a range of enclofed boxes furround the fame. /\ * The original defign, as projeded by Meff. de Wailly & Peyre, architeds du Roi, was e circle into which the ftage advanced nearly one third of the diameter. Of Late Opera Houfe in London. 79 i^ / Of the late Opera Houfe in London. , PI. 10. Fig. 1. f "QIR John Vanbrugh had intereft enough to raife a fubfcription of ^ thirty perfons of quality, at iool. each, for building a ftately theatre in the Haymarket : on the firft ftone that was laid of this theatre were infcribed the words Little Whig, as a compliment to a celebrated beauty, the toaft and pride of that party. The houfe being finifhed in 1706, it was put by Mr. Betterton and his affociates under the manage ment of Sir John Vanbrugh and Mr. Congreve, in hopes of retrieving their defperate fortunes; but their expedations were too fanguine. The profpeds of the theatre being unpromifing, Mr. Congreve gave up his fhare and intereft wholly to Vanbrugh*." This theatre underwent feveral alterations f,vthe principal of which * See Biographical Didionary, ed. 1784, art. Vanbrugh. f " At the firft opening it, the flat ceiling that is now over the orcheftre, was then a femi. oval arch, "that fprung fifteen feet higher from above the cornice. The ceiling over the » pit too was ftill more raifed, being one level line from the higheft back part of the UDDe gallery to the front of the ftage ; the front boxes were a continued femicircle to the ba walls of the houfe on each fide. This extraordinary and fuperfluous fpace occafioned fuch an undulation from the voice of every ador, that generally what they faid founded like th gabbling of fo many people in the lofty aifles in a. cathedral. The tone of a trumpet tie fwell of an eunuch's holding note, 'tis true, might be fweetened by it ; but the articu late founds of a fpeaking voice were drowned by the hollow reverberations of one word under another." Cibber's Apology. 4 . * Was Sp Late Opera Houfe in London. was in 1782, when it was enlarged under the diredion of Mr. Novofi- elfki. The form was then made an oblong rounded off at the end op pofite the ftage. The length was, from the flage-front to the oppofite boxes, about 58 feet, and 23 feet more to the fcene; the breadth be tween the boxes 43 feet ; and the height 44 feet from the centre of the pit to the ceiling. There were three ranges of boxes, 34 in each range, befides 1 8 in a line with the gallery ; in all 1 1 6, allowing the fpace of two for entrances into the pit. Each box was from 5 to 6 feet wide, from 7 to 7 feet 6 inches high, and 6 feet deep. Thofe in the firft range being on a level with the ftage, had their fronts continued in one even line to the central box ; but all the ranges above, as alfo the firft gallery, projeded in curved lines over the pit. A fecond gallery was managed in the cove of the ceiling, which was groined for that purpofe. Five entrances led into the theatre ; three from the Haymarket, and two from Market-lane. Being confined to the original walls, Mr. Novofielfki had not the op portunity of giving it a greater width ; the form therefore remained ex tremely bad, and the ftage and it's appendages wretchedly confined and inconvenient. But I will defift from particularifing thefe defeds which were unavoidable, and fpeak of fuch as in my opinion might have been avoided. The only affiftance found can have to reach the end of a long, con fined fpace, is plain and fmooth furfaces to condud it : inftead of which, the line of the box-fronts in this theatre was continually broken by the projeding curves, and thefe covered with paper ornaments, which were liberally Theatre in Covent Garden. 8t liberally diftributed in every part of the theatre. The firft gallery was low and inconvenient, and very little could be either difcerned or heard there by thofe who were fituated behind. The fecond gallery by being next to the ceiling was the beft fituation in the houfe for hearing, but very prejudicial to every other part. And thus that which was of ne- ceffity bad was rendered ftill worfe, by adopting almoft every means in the finifhings, that could oppofe the progrefs of foundN / Ofthe Theatre tn Covent Garden., Pi. io. ./ Fig. 2. is the plan taken at the level of the front boxes. Fig. 3. the plan at the level of the firft gallery. ' | *HIS theatre is 86 feet long from the ftage-opening to the oppo- -*¦ fite wall at the end of the gallery, and $6 feet wide between the walls ; 3 1 feet' 6 inches high from the ftage-floor to the ceiling, which flopes upwards to make room for the upper gallery. The form of the -area between the box and gallery fronts is an oblong, 36 feet 6 inches from the front ofthe ftage-floor, and $6 feet from the fcene to the op pofite boxes, and 38 feet 6 inches wide between the boxes. The front boxes are 18 feet deep from the front to the back, the firft gallery 30 feet 6 inches, and the fecond gallery 21 feet 6 inches. I will firft take notice of the inconveniences theatres are fubjeded to, when built of this form, and-then examine the prefent one in particular. M If 82 Theatre in Covent Garden. If the fides of a fquare be ill adapted for viewing, as reprefented on pi. i. fig. 1 1. the fides of an oblong niuft be proportionably worfe : it is impoffible to view the ador from the diftant end of the fide boxes with out great pain, and even then he muft be feen very imperfedly, and thofe feated behind cannot fee at all. But the diftance occafioned by this form is not the only defed ; a confiderable one arifes from the great depth of the front boxes and two galleries over them. The fronts being low, neceffarily obftrud the found : the little that enters is pre- fently attraded and abforbed by the perfons, clothes, &c. of the fpec- tators in the foremoft rows * ; the continual refpiration of fo great a concourfe of people in this confined fituation, together; with the lights, foon renders the air unfit for the purpofe of conveying found ; the air lofing it's elaftic property becomes extremely unwholefome> and any remedy applied to thofe particular parts by the partial introdudion of cold air would be produdive of bad confequences. If it be neceffary to have apertures to renew the air, they fhould be general ; or where one only is ufed it ought to be fituated fo as equally to affed the whole theatre. Perfons of rank and private parties are ohliged to refort to the fide boxes in order to avoid being incommoded by the much complained of admiffion of all charaders into the front boxes ; but here they lofe the advantage of fight, befides being obliged to a diftortion ofthe body in turning towards the ador; or if, to avoid thefe inconveniences, they » This obfervation I have often made in the firft gallery, where the difference of hearing before the upper gallery and under it was very apparent. make Theatre in Covent Garden. 83 make choice of the ftage-box, the line of lamps before their eyes is equally offenfive. I believe it is univerfally agreed that the pit is the only good fituation in our prefent theatres. Covent Garden theatre has been built about 60 years ; during which time it has not undergone any material alteration, except in the deco rations, till the year 1784, when it was judicioufly widened under the diredion of Mr. Richards, who was confined to the prefent walls, and therefore could not extend it as he wifhed. This therefore with refped to it's form remains with all the defeds ufual in Englifh theatres. Mr. Richards would have aded judicioufly had he introduced more painted ornaments in lieu of projeding ones, which as a fcene-painter I am rather furprifed he did not. For example, the parapets of the gallery-fronts and upper boxes, which afforded opportunities for plain furfaces, are filled in with folid balufters ; the others are divided into panels and tablets, with carved ornaments in the friezes ; pilafters are placed at the fides of the gallery without the leaft apparent neceflity, and the like all round the lower range of boxes, with decorative arches over ; and all the partitions are lined with paper, and feftoons of drapery hang in front * ; than which nothing can be more injurious to the progrefs of found. The public fhould not fubmit to be crowded into fuch narrow feats : 1 foot 9 inches is the whole fpace here allowed for feat and void ; * This I imagine to have been done to hide an architedural defed, the floor pf the upper ranges being below the architrave of the under range. M 2 though 84 Theatre in Covent Garden. though a moderate-fized perfon cannot conveniently fit in a lefs fpace than that of 1 foot 10 inches from back to front, nor comfortably in lefs than that of 2 feet. The frontifpiece is fuch an one as no archited would have applied. Were a painted frame to be propofed for a pidure, how would a con- noiffeur exclaim ! The fcene is the pidure, and the frontifpiece, or in other words the frame, fhould contraft the pidure, and thereby add to the illufion. The great advance of the ftage-floor was made with a view to obviate the great difficulty of hearing, in this theatre;/ but the little fervice of fuch remedies I truft is fufficiently demonftrated' in Chap. IV. } The ftage is very much confined, and therefore fubjeded to thofe inconveniences fo ably fet forth by Monfieur Noverre in his " Obfervations fur la Conftrudion d'une nouvelle Salle de 1'Opera." The original form of this theatre was fimilar to the prefent theatre in Drury-lane^ and ifjreprefented by^the dotted lines, fig. 3* \ Ch a m Defcription of a Defign for a Theatre. Sj Chapter VII. Defcription of a Defign for a Theatre. PI. 1 1 and 1 2; PLATE n reprefents the plans — fig. i at the level of the ftage- floor — fig. 2 the principal entrance ; being under the coffee-room. Plate 1 2 contains two fedions — -fig. i from a to b, fig. 2 from c to d on the plan. Thefe defigns exhibit only the Internal parts of the theatre, being con fined to the principles of conftrudion, diftribution, and accommodation. The decorations are purpofely avoided in order to preferve our atten tion entire to the other objeds. The external parts muft always be made applicable to the fituation. Agreeable to the principle laid down in Chap. II, and III. that the dired force of the voice only can be depended on in a theatre, this is planned upon the exad form in which the voice expands. The diameter with in the line of the covered boxes is 6o feet ; the diftance from the ftage- floor to the oppofite central box is 45 feet : therefore 30 feet being the radius or femidiameter, 15 feet are left for the additional force of the voice in a right line from the ftage-front j and as 1 7 feet is proved to be the proportioned diftance for throwing the voice into a femicircle, this plan leaves 2 feet upon the ftage which is generally the ador's fituation,. as at x. The height from the ftage-floor to the ceiling is 45 feet, and 2 the: 86 Defcription of a Defign for a Theatre. the gallery being below it and receding from the ftage, brings all the > fpedators in front within an angle of 36 degrees. In this plan very ' few can be faid to be feated fideways to the ftage ; all within the femi circle, which contains full four fifths of the company, are feated in front, befides thofe in the pit. To obviate the objedion that our boxes in general are not defirable fijtuations for hearing, a balcony is here projeded before the boxes, poffeffing more advantages than will be found in the pit, being more elevated and ftill near to the adorj fo that the whole of the audience would be within a very moderate diftance of hearing, and throughout She advantages are nearly equal. The firft gallery projeds only 8 feet over the boxes, and the upper gallery but 9 feet over the other. Thus the evil of confined and deep cavities is prevented, and a free circulation of air muft be the confequence, which is fo very neceffary to the con veyance of found and regard for health. This plan affords an opportunity of placing the orcheftre in a cen trical fituation, and thereby preventing the predominancy of fome inftruments above others, and rendering the mufic more united and harmonious. Under the orcheftre a reverfed arch is managed, in a method fimilar to the Italian. The ftage-opening is 3 8 feet 6 inches wide ; the front ofthe ftage- floor is preferved ftraight, which together with the frontifpiece projeds 7 feet 6 inches before the fcene. The ador will confequently have very little advance to make, and will appear (as he certainly fhould do) ^among the fcenery. An Defcription of a Defign for a Theatre. $y An advantage this form poffeffes over every other, refpeding the number of fpedators it will-contain, I fhall prove by comparing it with Covent Garden theatre. In this defigned theatre every fpedator would be well accommodated, and the different ranges of boxes and galleries maintained of a fpacious height. A perfon feated in the moft remote part from, the fcene, would be 15 feet nearer the fcene than a perfon fo fituated in Covent Garden theatre *. And yet, In Covent Garden theatre, In the defigned theatre, The upper gallery will contain 384 perfons - - - 525 Firft gallery and flips - - 700 - - - 927 . Boxes - 729 - 600 Pit 357 - . - - 368 And were the number of feats in. this defign increafed by reducing their width from 2. feet to 1. foot 9 inches, which is the fize. of thofe in Covent Garden theatre, this would afford room for exceeding the nightly receipts of that houfe by 40 pounds. The prefent defign exhibits a form the moft analogous to the antique that it is poffible for our arrangements to permit t : a fpedator feated in any part of this theatre would have the additional gratification of * That the comparifon fhould betaken from the front of the fcene, I think is fufficiently demonftrated in Chap. IV. See " Frontifpiece." + By infcribing a triangle within the circle which the boxes defcribe we fhall find that one fide will be the line of the ftage-floor, anfwering to the Roman fcene : or by infcribing a-fquare within the fame circle, otir fcene will be found nearly anfwering. to the Greek. Thje difference on the plan is that our feats are continued beyond the femicircle. feeingv 88 Defcription of a$h CON- Conclufion. , CONCLUSION. A M O N G the various defigns I had projeded for theatres I con- •*" -^- eeived the two here offered to the public to be the beft, as- com bining the greateft advantages, and uniting the intereft of the manager with that of the public. Many obftacles, it is true, oppofe the forming of a perfed work ; but we fhould carefully diftinguifh between the greater and lefs imperfedions ; and it is particularly the province of the archited to make the former fubfervient to the latter. I cannot help repeating what I before obferved, that it is in our power to have a theatre fuperior to any exifting ; but I defpair of feeing a magnificent one ereded till undertaken by a company of perfons of rank and fafhion, whofe influence and example would foon produce a fum more than equal to its charges. Late inftances teftify the avidity with which fubferiptions are entered into, although the fpeculations of private individuals. Many fchemes might be propofed for this purpofe ; but that which appears to me the readieft and moft feafible, is to divide the property into a number of fhares ; each fhare to be entitled to a box in perpetuity. Suppofe for exampl&the theatre to contain 165 boxes, and 65 to be the number of proprietors ; a fubfeription of 1500 1. each would produce 97,500 1. and each proprietor by holding a box would poffefs equal to an annual intereft of 1 26 1. for the 1 500 1. The pro prietors would have it in their power to choofe a fit perfon for the manager, 94 Conclufion. manager, to whom the theatre might be let for fhort terms at a pepper corn rent ; the rnanager to keep it in repair and produce a ftatcd number of exhibitions, for which there would f emain the receipts for i oo boxes to be let to yearly fubfcribers, and the receipts for admiffion into the pit and gallery, which at a moderate computation would amount to 40,0001. annually *, befides other contingent advantages 5 a fum that would command the moft magnificent reprefentations. * The yearly expenditure has been ufually confined to i8,oool. THE END. Plate I. Fig.l. Fy 2. FW-9 Fig. 10 . Fig -3- behind, front Fig. 13. Fig. 6. Fig.7. / 1 / 1 \ 1 AX Uj Y- <''(' J^.72. ¦ "" " * ''//'¦'/':':'; ":;\' Z/W/i'\\ Of/// j ill '/<' I I j ' 1 Fig. 12 . Jfy.fi. B L— --' Fig. 14. W 1 ///Iv/ ..^////va'/Z? //<>r«SS!»!B!S^HII fijiLAA. f.* •-> Mel FUaxSf. Fig. 2 77 ' v//-' f J//fY///K (// I /rr// x/( Scale- of Feet. ¦*..r....l I I I r I I I I 1 10 20 30 40 jo 60 jo So go 100 a "V 3? ^ ,X ^ $ ¦^ s ¦c ¦XUafJoft Xane zzr Stprzhr 7tziy7i afore Stage giatrr S S^ATemr ditto T T. SttzzrCq/es *b _-. -_-.., ... 'im th, T.