enable you to judge of the ardour still prevalent among the Parisians, for "running at the ring of pleasure." Few of these places are shut up, except for the winter; and new ones succeed almost daily to those which are finally closed. However, for the sake of perspicuity, I shall an nex the letter S to such as are intended chiefly for summer amusement. 1. Théâtre des Arts, Rue de la Loi. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Français, Rue de la Loi, Feydeau, Rue Feydeau. de la Société Olympique (late Opéra du Vaudeville, Rue de Chartres. de la Gaiété, Boulevard du Temple. des Jeunes Elèves, Rue de Thionville. des Délassemens Comiques, Boulevard du Temple. sans Prétension, Boulevard du Tem ple. 16. Théâtre du Marais, Rue Culture Ste. Cathe 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. rine. de la Cité, vis-à-vis le Palais de des Victoires, Rue du Bacq. de Mareux, Rue St. Antoine. 24. Bal masqué de l'Opéra, Rue de la Loi. 25. de l'Opéra Buffa, Rue de la Victoire. 26. Bal du Sallon des Étrangers, Rue Grange Batelière. 27. de l'Hôtel de Salm, Rue de Lille, Faubourg St. Germain. 28. de la Rue Michaudière, 29. Soirées amusantes de l'Hôtel Longueville, Place du Carrousel. 30. Veillées de la Cité, vis-à-vis le Palais de Justice. 31. Phantasmagorie de Robertson, Cour des Ca pucines. 32. Concert de Feydeau. 33. Ranelagh au bois de Boulogne, 34. Tivoli, Rue de Clichy, S. 35. Frascati, Rue de la Loi, S. 36. Idalie, S. 37. Hameau de Chantilly, aux Champs Elysées. 38. Paphos, Boulevard du Temple. 44. Jardin de l'hôtel Biron, Rue de Varenne, S. 45. 46. 47. Thélusson, Chaussée d'Antin, S. Marbœuf, Grille de Chaillot, S. 48. Fêtes champêtres de Bagatelle, S. 49. La Muette, à l'entrée du Bois de Boulogne, S. 50. Colisée, au Parc des Sablons, S. 51. Amphithéâtre d'équitation de Francom, aux Capucines. 52. Panorama, même lieu. 53. Exhibition de Curtius, Boulevard du Temple. 54. Expériences Physiques, au Palais du Tribunat. 55. La Chaumière, aux Nouveaux Boulevards. 56. Cabinet de démonstration de Physiologie et de Pathologie, au Palais du Tribunat, No. 38, au premier. Although, previously to the revolution, the taste for dramatic amusements had imperceptibly spread, Paris could then boast of no more than three principal theatres, exclusively of l'Opéra Buffa, introduced in 1788. These were l'Opéra, les Français, and les Italiens, which, with six inferior ones, called petits spectacles, brought the whole of the theatres to ten in number. The subaltern houses were incessantly checked in their career by the privileges granted to the Comédie Française, which company alone enjoyed the right to play first-rate productions: it also possessed that of censorship, and sometimes exercised it in the most despotic manner. Authors, ever in dispute with the comedians, who dictated the law to them, solicited, but in vain, the opening of a second French theatre. The revolution took place, and the unlimited number of theatres was presently decreed. A great many new ones were opened; but the attraction of novelty dispersing the amateurs, the number of spectators did not always equal the expectation of the managers; and the profits, divided among so many competitors, ceased to be sufficiently productive for the support of every establishment of this description. The consequence was, that several of them were soon reduced to a state of bankruptcy. Three theatres of the first and second rank have been destroyed by fire within these two years, yet upwards of twenty are at present open, almost every night, exclusively of several associations of self-denominated artistes-amateurs. Amidst this false glare of dramatic wealth, theatres of the first rank have imperceptibly de clined, and at last fallen. It comes not within my province or intention to seek the causes of this in the defects of their management; but the fact is notorious. The Théâtres Favart and Feydeau, at each of which French comic operas were chiefly represented, have at length been obliged to unite the strength of their talents, and the disgrace which they have experienced, has not affected any of those inferior playhouses where subaltern performers establish their success on an assemblage of scenes more coarse, and language more unpolished. At the present moment, the government appear to have taken this decline of the principal theatres into serious consideration. It is, I understand, alike to be apprehended, that they may concern themselves too little or too much in their welfare. Hitherto the persons charged with the difficult task of upholding the falling theatres of the first rank, have had the good sense to confine their measures to conciliation; but, of late, it has been rumoured that the stage is to be subjected to its former restrictions. The benefit resulting to the art itself and to the public, from a rivalship of theatres, is once more called in question: and some people even go so far as to assert that, with the exception of a few abuses, the direction of the Gentils-hommes de la chambre was extremely good: thence it should seem that the only diffi |