A PERSIAN'S DESCRIPTION OF AN ENGLISH THEATRE.


In Europe the manner in which plays are acted, and balls and musical
parties conducted, is (entirely) different from that of Hindoostan. The
people of this country (India) send for the singers to their own houses,
where they view the entertainments, and squander away a large sum of
money for one night's (amusement.) In Europe it is usual for a few
individuals to enter into partnership, (or) as it is called in English,
a company. They fit up a house in which dancing girls, skilful
musicians, singers, and actors, are engaged to perform. The audience
consists of from three to four thousand people. The lower orders, who
sit above all, give one shilling, equal in value to half a rupee; the
middle classes, who sit lowest off all, a rupee and a half; and the
great folks and noblemen, who sit (round) the middle of the house, give
two rupees and a half. Separate rooms (boxes) are allotted for them. The
place where the king sits is in front of the dancers. His majesty sits
there along with one or two of the princes, and these give each an
ashrufee. Now it is to be understood, that a poor man for eight anas,
and a rich individual for two rupees and a half, see a spectacle which
is fit for royalty itself, and which the people of this country have not
even seen in their dreams. In one night the dancers and musicians
collect five or six thousand rupees, which cover the expenses, and the
audience is sufficiently amused.

It is the aim of this _caste_ to accomplish great undertakings at little
expense. In Hindoostan, luxurious young men, for seeing a nautch
[dance,] squander away, in one night, one or two hundred rupees; and
lakhs of rupees of patrimony, which they may succeed to, in a short time