saw
in my life; some of them had those loose kind of great-coats on
which I have heard called _wrap-rascals_, with gold-laced hats,
slouched in humble imitation of _stage-coachmen_; others aspired
at being _grooms_, and had dirty boots and spurs, with black
caps on, and long whips in their hands; a third sort wore scanty
frocks, with little, shabby hats, put on one side, and clubs in
their hands. My aunt whispered me that she never saw such a set
of slovenly, unmannerly footmen sent to keep places in her life,
when, to her great surprise, she saw those fellows, at the end
of the act, pay the box-keeper for their places."

In 1730 the "Universal Spectator" notes: "The wearing of swords, at
the Court end of the town, is, by many polite young gentlemen, laid
aside; and instead thereof they carry large oak sticks, with great
heads and ugly faces carved thereon."

Elliston was, in 1827, lessee and manager of the Surrey Theatre.
"Quite an opera pit," he said to Charles Lamb, conducting him over the
benches of that establishment, described by Lamb as "the last retreat
of his every-day waning grandeur." The following letter--the
authenticity of which seems to be vouched for by the actor's
biographer--supplies a different view of the Surrey audience of that
date:

"_August 10th, 1827._

"SIR,--I really must beg to call your attention to a most
abominable nuisance which exists in your house, and which is, in
a great measure, the cause of the minor theatres not holding the
rank they should amongst playhouses. I mean the admission of
_sweeps_ into the theatre in the very dress in which they climb
chimneys. This not only incommodes ladies and gentlemen by the
obnoxious odour arising from their attire, but these sweeps take
up twice the room of other people because the ladies, in
particular, object to their clothes being soiled by such
unpleasant neighbours. I have with my wife been much in the
habit of visiting the Surrey Theatre, and on three occasions we
have been annoyed by these sweeps. People will not go, sir,
where sweeps are; and you will find, sooner or later, these
gentlemen will have the whole theatre to themselves unless an
alteration be made. I own, at some theatres, the managers are
too particular in dress; those days are passed, and the public
have a right to go to theatrical