THE AUTHOR AND THE REPORTER.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2114, 13 October 1875, Page 3

THE AUTHOR AND THE REPORTER.

During the season 1840-41,1 had the gratification of restoring another of our glorious old English comedies to the modern stage —Beaumont and Fletcher's " Spanish curate ;" and in the following and last season of Mme. Vestris' management, the pleasure of reviving my English version of the opera of "Norma" for tho .first appearance of Adelaide Kemble, now Mrs Sartoris. While superintending the production of Knowles's "John of Procida," I met with an. accident, which I only mention for the sake of a characteristic aneciiote in connection with it. In passing from the stage into the pit over some planks that had been placed for the purpose of our going to and fro to see the effect of the scenery, one of thorn slipped, and, falling on the back of a pit seat, I broke a rib, and was consequently confined to my house for about n fortnight. On my first visit to the theatre afterward, I crawled out to get some luncheon at the Garrick, and, returning to the theatre at a very slow pace, I met under the piazza cne of the reporters of the Morning .Herald, with whom I was slightly acquainted. He stopped me, and remarked . upon the alteration in my appearance, and the difficulty I seemed to have in walking. I explained to him ihe cause, upon whit;h he exclaimed, " God bless me! How sorry I am I never heard of it!"' I was both touched and surprised by the evident.interest he took in the matter, considering we knew so little of each other, and was about to express my appreciation of his sympathy, when, before I could speak, he added, "It would have made such a capital paragraph!"—" Kecollections by J. R. Planche, in London Society.