AustLit

An extract from George Seth Coppin's farewell address at the Adelaide Theatre. Coppin notes the difficulties experienced by a theatre manager in turning a profit and states: 'If there is a loss upon the legitimate drama, we must descend to the sensational. If that fails we must give burlesque.'

'Buggins' comments on several social and religious matters before turning his attention to current productions at the Royal Victoria Theatre. 'Buggins' writes in some detail about the production of John Oxenford's East Lynne and notes the performances of Under the Gaslight and Octoroon.

'Buggins' chides William Hoskins for the length of each nightly performance: 'I believe if Mr. Hoskins arranged his performances so that they terminated by eleven o'clock his business would greatly improve. Fancy East Lynn [sic] and a three act drama in one night – it is simply absurd. Why not announce Macbeth, to be followed by Julius Caesar, and conclude with a Farce.'

The Freeman's Journal carries a report of the address delivered by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Liverpool on a visit to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Everton. The Bishop put his case on the 'evils of dancing' and his ambivalence about the benefits of universal education. He then turned his thoughts to 'sensational novels and the drama', arguing against the trend of writers 'describing life as it is' in their novels.

The Bishop concluded with a salutary warning to parents that they should watch what their children read and said that 'books of a sensational class as a rule encouraged vice and discouraged virtue, and the reading of them should therefore be discountenanced and forbidden'.

An advertisement for the Royal Victoria Theatre production of Dion Bouciault's The Octoroon and John Palgrave Simpson's An Atrocious Criminal on 20 June 1868, and H. J. Byron's One Hundred Thousand Pounds and Michael Rophino Lacy's Doing for the Best on 22 June 1868; and advance notice that William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and H. J. Bryon's Pilgrim of Love are in preparation.

An advertisement advising that the proprietors of the Freeman's Journal have entered into a 'job printing business' and 'are now prepared to execute orders'.

A list of suburban, country and inter-colonial agents for the Freeman's Journal.

An advertisement advising that Freeman's Journal 'is filed and may be seen, free of charge, at Holloway's, 533, Oxford-street, W. C., (late of 224, Strand) London, where advertisements and subscriptions may be received'.

An advertisement, for Greville and Company, for the sale of various types of paper, pens, pencils, slates, ledgers and other stationery items.

An advertisement advising that Greville and Company are the 'authorised Sydney agents of all the leading provincial journals of New South Wales' and are able 'to offer terms for the insertion of advertisements which can be done by none but a recognised agent'.

An advertisement for Greville and Company, agents for Messers Harrild and Sons, London, advertising the sale of various items of printing machinery and equipment.