eight o’clock precisely
Seven o'clock came , and so did the audience ; all the rank and fashion of Clapham and its vicinity was fast filling the theatre . There were the Smiths , the Gubbinses , the Nixons , the Dixons , the Hicksons , people with all sorts of names , two aldermen , a sheriff in perspective , Sir Thomas Glumper -LRB- who had been knighted in the last reign for carrying up an address on somebody 's escaping from nothing -RRB- ; and last , not least , there were Mrs. Joseph Porter and Uncle Tom , seated in the centre of the third row from the stage ; Mrs. P. amusing Uncle Tom with all sorts of stories , and Uncle Tom amusing every one else by laughing most immoderately . Ting , ting , ting ! went the prompter 's bell at eight o'clock precisely , and dash went the orchestra into the overture to ` The Men of Prometheus . ' The pianoforte player hammered away with laudable perseverance ; and the violoncello , which struck in at intervals , ` sounded very well , considering . ' The unfortunate individual , however , who had undertaken to play the flute accompaniment ` at sight , ' found , from fatal experience , the perfect truth of the old adage , ` ought of sight , out of mind ; ' for being very near-sighted , and being placed at a considerable distance from his music-book , all he had an opportunity of doing was to play a bar now and then in the wrong place , and put the other performers out . It is , however , but justice to Mr. Brown to say that he did this to admiration .