*p1747 09 15 dl The Merchant of Venice. Shylock-Macklin; Antonio-Delane; Bassanio-Havard; Gratiano-Mills; Launcelot-Neale; Morochius-Sparks; Lorenzo (with proper songs)-Lowe; Portia-Mrs Clive; Nerissa-Mrs Bennet; Jessica-Mrs Ridout; Duke-Winstone; Solanio-Berry; Salarino-Blakes; Gobbo-Ray; Tubal-Taswell; Balthasar-Simpson; <i>Prologue</i> [written by $Samuel Johnson=]-Garrick; <i>Epilogue</i>-Mrs Woffington [$Rosenbach= copy of Prologue and Epilogue. Spoken at the opening of the Theatre in <i>Drury Lane</i>, 1747.]*c1747 09 15 dl Written by $Shakespear=. Play to begin at 6 o'clock. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of $Mr Hobson= at the Stage-Door of the Theatre. As the Admittance of Persons behind the Scenes has occasioned a general Complaint on Account of the frequent Interruptions in the Performance, tis hop'd Gentlemen won't be offended, that no Money will be taken there for the future. [This notice appears on succeeding bills for the season and will hence not be repeated. See note on public objection to nonadmittance behind scenes 22 Feb. 1748.] Receipts: #150 ($Cross=); #I26 12s. (<i>Clay MS</i>). <i>Nichols Literary Anecdotes</i>, II, 319-20: There is one part of theatrical conduct which ought unquestionably to be recorded to $Mr Garrick='s honour, since the cause of virtue and morality and the formation of public manners are very considerably dependent upon it, and that is the zeal with which he ever aimed to banish from the stage all those plays which carry with them an immoral tendency, and to prune from those which do not absolutely on the whole promote the interests of vice such scenes of licentiousness and libertinism as a redundency of wit and too great liveliness of imagination have induced some of our comic writers to indulge themselves in, and to which the sympathetic disposition of an age of gallantry and intrigue had given a sanction. The purity of the English stage was certainly much more fully establish'd during the administration of this theatrical minister than it had ever been during preceding managements; for, what the publick taste had itself to some measure begun, he, by keeping that taste within its proper channel, and feeding it with a pure and untainted stream, seems to have completed; and to have endeavoured as much as possible to adhere to the promise made in the prologue which was spoken at the first opening of that theatre under his direction, @Bade scenic virtue form the rising age@And truth diffuse her radiance from the stage.@