*p1778 11 30 dl The Fathers; or, The Good Natur'd Man. Principal Characters by King, Dodd, Bensley, Parsons, Baddeley, Whitfield, Webster, Mrs Baddeley, Mrs Hopkins, Miss Younge. [Cast from text ($T. Cadell=, 1778): Sir George Boncour-King; Young Kennel-Dodd; Mr Boncour-Bensley; Old Valence-Parsons; Old Kennel-Baddeley; Young Valence-Whitfield; Young Boncour-Webster; Miss Valence-Mrs Baddeley; Mrs Boncour-Mrs Hopkins; Miss Boncour-Miss Younge; <i>Prologue</i>-King; <i>Epilogue</i>-Miss Younge. [These were spoken, as here assigned, at all subsequent performances.]*a1778 11 30 dl The Irish Widow. ^As17780919^.*d1778 11 30 dl ^As17780919^.*c1778 11 30 dl Mainpiece [1st time; C 5]: By the celebrated $Henry Fielding=; and never yet performed or published. With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. [and incidental music by $Michael Arne=. Prologue by $David Garrick=. Epilogue by the same (see text)]. <i>Public Advertiser</i>, 12 Dec. 1778: This Day is published <i>The Fathers</i> (1s. 6d.). "This play was written by Mr Henry Fielding, some years before his death. Mr Garrick saw it at that time. Mr Fielding gave the only fair copy he had of it to his friend $Sir Charles Williams=, of whose judgment he entertained a high opinion. Sir Charles soon after went abroad, and the comedy was mislaid. Mr. Fielding communicated this circumstance to his family on his death-bed; and enquiry was made for it, but without effect. At length $Mr Thomas? Johnes=, Member for <i>Cardigan</i>, looking over Sir Charles's books, found a comedy in manuscript, which he read, and, approving, had it transcribed and sent to Mr Garrick for his opinion, who, like $Archimedes=, cried out, 'This is the lost sheep! This is Mr Henry Fielding's play!' Mr Garrick communicating it to Mr Johnes, Mr Johnes immediately sent the original manuscript, which was in Mr Fielding's hand-writing, to the family, with his best wishes for its success, promising to assist it to the utmost of his power" (<i>Gentleman's Magazine</i>, Dec. 1778, p.586). See also, for corroboration of the above and for other details, $Wilbur L. Cross=, <i>The History of Henry Fielding</i>, 1918, III, 99-104. Receipts: #210 11s. 6d. (186.6.0; 23.19.6; 0.6.0).