The Auto-Biography of John Britton, F.S.A., Honorary Member of Numerous English and Foreign Societies

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

101fn

text excerpt

A memoir of “the clever, eccentric, and good-hearted Mark Lonsdale,” as T. Dibdin calls him, would have proved an interesting piece of biography, had it been written immediately after his decease, or rather by himself, for he was truly a legitimate son of Genius; […]  As manager of, and principal author for Sadler’s Wells, he gained and saved money;  […]  He afterwards took the Lyceum Theatre, where he speculated on a new species of entertainment, in the hopes of realizing some little property; but was not successful.  On the publication of Denon’s splendid work on the Antiquities, &c. of Egypt, Lonsdale employed some of the best scene-painters to make a series of pictures from the most interesting prints.  These were so adapted and applied as to produce a moving panorama for the stage, and I was engaged to write and read a short description of each successive object as it was shewn to the audience.  The whole made a pleasing and rational exhibition, but was not sufficiently attractive to draw remunerating houses; indeed the unfortunate adventurer was unable to pay his creditors.  Before the theatre closed I joined three friends to take a benefit, and we made up an evening’s programme of the Egyptiaca, recitations, songs, &c., by which we cleared £31, after paying £10 for the use of the House.  This was in the year 1802; and the event is memorable, as the house was lighted by gas, being, I believe, the first time that valuable light was employed within the walls of a theatre.

excerpt from 'The Auto-Biography of John Britton, F.S.A., Honorary Member of Numerous English and Foreign Societies' pp. 101fn (254 words)

1658920696077:

1658920696077