Afterthefallofthecurtain，Mr。Leigh，withanothergentleman，againspoke，complainingbitterlyoftheintroductionoftheprize-fighters，andexhortingthepublicnevertogivein。Mr。Kemblewasagaincalledforward；butwhenhecame，thefulltideofdiscordransostronglyagainsthimthat，beingtotallyunabletostemit，hewithdrew。EachmanseemedtoshoutasifhehadbeenaStentor；andwhenhislungswerewearied，tooktohisfeetandstamped，tillalltheblackcoatsinhisvicinitybecamegreywithdust。Atlasttheaudienceweretiredout，andthetheatrewasclosedbeforeeleveno’clock。
　　Fifthnight——TheplaywasColeman’samusingcomedyof“JohnBull。“Therewasnodiminutionoftheuproar。Everynoteonthediapasonofdiscordwasrunthrough。Theprize-fighters，orhititesastheywerecalled，musteredinconsiderablenumbers，andthebattlesbetweenthemandthepititeswerefierceandmany。Itwasnow，forthefirsttime，thatthelettersO。P。cameintogeneraluseasanabbreviationoftheaccustomedwatchwordofoldprices。Severalplacardswerethusinscribed；and，asbrevityissodesirableinshouting，themobadoptedtheemendation。Asusual，themanagerwascalledfor。Aftersomedelayhecameforward，andwaslistenedtowithconsiderablepatience。Herepeated，inrespectfulterms，thegreatlossthatwouldbeoccasionedtotheproprietorsbyareturntotheoldprices，andofferedtosubmitastatementoftheiraccountstotheeminentlawyers，SirVicaryGibbsandSirThomasPlumer；theeminentmerchants，SirFrancisBaringandMr。Angerstein；andMr。Whitmore，theGovernoroftheBankofEngland。Bytheirdecisionastothepossibilityofcarryingonthetheatreattheoldprices，hewouldconsenttobegoverned，andhehopedthepublicwoulddothesame。
　　Thisreasonablepropositionwasscoutedimmediately。Noteventhehighandreputablenameshehadmentionedwerethoughttoaffordanyguaranteeforimpartiality。Thepititesweretoowrong-headedtoabateoneiotaoftheirpretensions；andtheyhadbeentoomuchinsultedbytheprize-fightersinthemanager’spay，toshowanyconsiderationforhim，oragreetoanytermshemightpropose。Theywantedfullacquiescence，andnothingless。Thustheconferencebrokeoff，andthemanagerretiredamidastormofhisses。
　　AnIrishgentleman，namedO’Reilly，thenstoodupinoneoftheboxes。WithtrueIrishgallantry，hecametotherescueofanill-usedlady。HesaidhewasdisgustedattheattacksmadeuponMadameCatalani，thefinestsingerintheworld，andaladyinestimableinprivatelife。Itwasunjust，unmanly，andun-Englishtomaketheinnocentsufferfortheguilty；andhehopedthisblotwouldbenolongerallowedtostainafaircause。Astothequarrelwiththemanager，herecommendedthemtopersevere。Theywerenotonlywrongedbyhisincreasedprices，butinsultedbyhisboxers，andhehoped，thatbeforetheyhaddonewithhim，theywouldteachhimalessonhewouldnotsoonforget。ThegallantHiberniansoonbecameafavourite，andsatdownamidloudcheers。
　　Sixthnight-Nosignsofacessationofhostilitiesontheoneside，orofareturntotheoldpricesontheother。Theplaygoersseemedtogrowmoreunitedasthemanagersgrewmoreobstinate。Theactorshadbyfarthebesttimeofit；fortheyweresparednearlyallthelabouroftheirparts，andmerelystruttedonthestagetoseehowmatterswenton，andthenstruttedoffagain。NotwithstandingtheremonstranceofMr。O’Reillyonthepreviousnight，numerousplacardsreflectinguponMadameCatalaniwereexhibited。Onewasinscribedwiththefollowingdoggrel:-
　　“Seventeenthousanda-yeargoespat，ToKemble，hissister，andMadameCat。“
　　Onanotherwasdisplayed，inlargeletters，“Nocompromise，oldprices，andnativetalent！“Someofthesewerestuckagainstthefrontoftheboxes，andotherswerehoistedfromthepitonlongpoles。Thefollowingspecimenswillsufficetoshowthespiritofthem；wittheyhadnone，orhumoureither，althoughwhentheyweresuccessivelyexhibited，theyelicitedroarsoflaughter:——
　　“JohnKemblealoneisthecauseofthisriot；
　　Whenhelowershisprices，JohnBullwillbequiet。“
　　“JohnKemblebedamn’d，Wewillnotbecramm’d。“
　　“SquireKembleBeginstotremble。“
　　Thecurtainfellasearlyasnineo’clock，whentherebeingloudcallsforMr。Kemble，hestoodforward。HeannouncedthatMadameCatalani，againstwhomsounjustifiableaprejudicehadbeenexcited，hadthrownupherengagementratherthanstandinthewayofanyaccommodationofexistingdifferences。Thisannouncementwasreceivedwithgreatapplause。Mr。Kemblethenwentontovindicatehimselfandco-proprietorsfromthechargeofdespisingpublicopinion。Noassertion，heassuredthem，couldbemoreunjust。Theyweresincerelyanxioustobringtheseunhappydifferencestoaclose，andhethoughthehadactedinthemostfairandreasonablemannerinofferingtosubmittheaccountstoanimpartialcommittee，whosedecision，andthegroundsforit，shouldbefullypromulgated。Thisspeechwasreceivedwithcheering，butinterruptedattheclosebysomeindividuals，whoobjectedtoanycommitteeofthemanager’snomination。Thisledtoarenewaloftheuproar，anditwassometimebeforesilencecouldbeobtained。When，atlast，hewasabletomakehimselfheard，hegavenotice，thatuntilthedecisionofthecommitteehadbeendrawnup，thetheatreshouldremainclosed。Immediatelyeverypersoninthepitstoodup，andalongshoutoftriumphresoundedthroughthehouse，whichwasheardattheextremityofBowStreet。Asifthisresulthadbeenanticipated，aplacardwasatthesamemomenthoisted，inscribed，“HereliesthebodyofNEWPRICE，anuglybratandbaseborn，whoexpiredonthe23rdofSeptember1809，agedsixdays——Requiescatinpace！“
　　Mr。Kemblethenretired，andthepititesflunguptheirhatsintheair，orsprangoverthebenches，shoutingandhallooingintheexuberanceoftheirjoy；andthusendedthefirstactofthispopularfarce。
　　Thecommitteeultimatelychosendifferedfromthatfirstnamed，AldermanSirCharlesPrice，Bart。andMr。Silvester，theRecorderofLondon，beingsubstitutedforSirFrancisBaringandSirVicaryGibbs。
　　Inafewdaystheyhadexaminedthemultitudinousdocumentsofthetheatre，andagreedtoareportwhichwaspublishedinallthenewspapers，andotherwisedistributed。Theystatedtheaverageprofitsofthesixprecedingyearsat6and3/8percent，beingonly1and3/8
　　percent。beyondthelegalinterestofmoney，torecompensetheproprietorsforalltheircareandenterprise。Underthenewpricestheywouldreceive3and1/2percent。profit；butiftheyreturnedtotheoldprices，theywouldsufferalossoffifteenshillingspercent。upontheircapital。Underthesecircumstances，theycoulddonootherthanrecommendtheproprietorstocontinuethenewprices。
　　Thisreportgavenosatisfaction。Itcertainlyconvincedthereasonable，butthey，unfortunately，wereinaminorityofonetoten。
　　Themanagers，disregardingtheoutcrythatitexcited，advertisedtherecommencementoftheperformancesforWednesdaythe4thofOctoberfollowing。Theyendeavouredtopackthehousewiththeirfriends，butthesturdyO。P。menwereonthealert，andcongregatedinthepitingreatnumbers。Theplaywas“TheBeggar’sOpera，“but，asonformeroccasions，itwaswhollyinaudible。Thenoisesweresystematicallyarranged，andtheactors，seeinghowuselessitwastostruggleagainstthepopularfeeling，hurriedovertheirpartsasquicklyastheycould，andthecurtainfellshortlyafternineo’clock。Oncemorethemanageressayedthedifficulttaskofconvincingmadnessbyappealingtoreason。Assoonasthedinoftherattlesandpost-hornswouldpermithimtospeak，hesaid，hewouldthrowhimselfonthefairnessofthemostenlightenedmetropolisintheworld。Hewassure，howeverstronglytheymightfeeluponthesubject，theywouldnotbeaccessorytotheruinofthetheatre，byinsistinguponareturntotheformerprices。NotwithstandingthelittlesophehadthrownouttofeedthevanityofthisroaringCerberus，theonlyanswerhereceivedwasarenewalofthenoise，intermingledwithshoutsof“Hoax！hoax！
　　imposition！“Mr。O’Reilly，thegallantfriendofMadameCatalani，afterwardsaddressedthepit，andsaidnoreliancecouldbeplacedonthereportofthecommittee。Theprofitsofthetheatrewereevidentlygreat:theyhadsavedtheheavysalaryofMadameCatalani；andbyshuttingoutthepublicfromalltheboxesbutthepigeon-holes，theymadelargesums。Thefirstandsecondtierswereletathighrentstonotoriouscourtesans，severalofwhomhethensawinthehouse；anditwasclearthatthemanagerspreferredalargerevenuefromthisimpuresourcetothereasonableprofitstheywouldreceivefromrespectablepeople。Loudcheersgreetedthisspeech；everyeyewasturnedtowardstheboxes，andthefewladiesinthemimmediatelywithdrew。Atthesamemoment，someinveteratepititehoistedalargeplacard，onwhichwasinscribed，“WeladsofthepitWillneversubmit。“
　　Severalotherswereintroduced。OneofthemwasacaricaturelikenessofMr。Kemble，asking，“Whatdoyouwant？“withapititereplying，“Theoldprices，andnopigeon-holes！“Othersmerelyborethedrawingofalargekey，inallusiontoanotorioushouseintheneighbourhood，thedenizensofwhichweresaidtobegreatfrequentersoftheprivateboxes。Theseappearedtogivethemanagersmoreannoyancethanalltherest，andtheprize-fightersmadevigorousattacksupontheholdersofthem。Severalpersonswere，onthisnight，andindeednearlyeverynight，takenintocustody，andlockedupinthewatchhouse。Ontheirappearancethefollowingmorning，theyweregenerallyheldtobailinconsiderablesumstokeepthepeace。Thisproceedinggreatlyaugmentedtheanimosityofthepit。
　　Itwouldbeuselesstodetailthescenesofconfusionwhichfollowednightafternight。Foraboutthreeweeksthewarcontinuedwithunabatedfury。Itscharacteristicswerenearlyalwaysthesame。
　　Inventionwasrackedtodiscovernewnoises，anditwasthoughtahappyideawhenonefellowgotintothegallerywithadustman’sbell，andrangitfuriously。Dogswerealsobroughtintotheboxes，toaddtheirsweetvoicestothegeneraluproar。Theanimalsseemedtojoininitconamore，andonenightalargemastiffgrowledandbarkedsoloudly，astodrawdownuponhisexertionsthreecheersfromthegratifiedpitites。
　　Sostrongdidthepopularenthusiasmruninfavouroftherow，thatwell-dressedladiesappearedintheboxeswiththelettersO。P。
　　ontheirbonnets。O。P。hatsforthegentlemenwerestillmorecommon，andsomeweresozealousinthecause，astosportwaistcoatswithanOembroideredupononeflapandaPontheother。O。P。toothpickswerealsoinfashion；andgentlemenandladiescarriedO。P。handkerchiefs，whichtheywavedtriumphantlywhenevertherowwasunusuallydeafening。ThelattersuggestedtheideaofO。P。flags，whichwereoccasionallyunfurledfromthegallerytothelengthofadozenfeet。
　　Sometimesthefirstpartofthenight’sperformanceswerelistenedtowithcomparativepatience，amajorityofthemanager’sfriendsbeinginpossessionofthehouse。Butassoonasthehalf-pricecommenced，therowbeganagaininallitspristineglory。Atthefallofthecurtainitsoonbecamecustomarytosing“GodsavetheKing，“thewholeoftheO。P。’sjoininginloyalchorus。Sometimesthiswasfollowedby“RuleBritannia；“and，ontwoorthreeoccasions，byaparodyofthenationalanthem，whichexcitedgreatlaughter。Aversemaynotbeuninterestingasaspecimen。
　　“OJohnnyBull，betrue，Confoundthepricesnew，Andmakethemfall！
　　CurseKemble’spolitics，Frustratehisknavishtricks，Ontheeourhopeswefix，T’upsetthemall！“