Event Comment: [The Westminster Magazine for October presented brief critical comments upon eight new actors at Covent Garden who performed this month: Mr and Mrs Whitefield, Young, Clinch, a young Lady (Mrs Armstead), Lee, Melmoth and Mrs Hunter.

Event Comment: Lusignan by Mr G. as Usual very fine (Hopkins Diary). [Judgment confirmed by statement in London Chronicle, 14 Oct.] The Comedy of As You Like It, obliged to be deferred. Paid a cotton bill #2 11s. 4d. Receipts: #219 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [The Gentleman in the mainpiece under the pseudonym of Melmoth was the voluminous writer Samuel Jackson Pratt. Identification by Hopkins MS Notes. He had acted first in Dublin, 1772-73.

Event Comment: The Tragedy of Tamerlane oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of the Indisposition of Mr Barry

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. 2nd night (Treasurer's Book). Paid Tabor & Pipes 3 nights (this incl.) #1 11s. 6d.; Mr Cooke's 4 boys, 5 Oct., #1 10s. Receipts: #245 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Barthelemon's Bill for Music, Maid of Oaks, #24 3s. Receipts: #199 3s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #13 10s.; Paid salary list #565 1s.; Ph. Butler's gratuity 10s. 6d.; J. French on Acct #5 5s.; Mr Baddeley's Law Bill #4 7s. 3d. (Treasurer's Book). [Butler's gratuity occurs weekly from now to end of season. It amounted to #13 11s. 6d. for the season. Butler was a sceneman or carpenter. No further itemization in this matter will be noted.] Receipts: #109 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #13 9s. 6d.; Paid salary list #564 6s.; Mr Brereton's draft on the managers #20.; J. French on Acct #20. Receipts: #146 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By ParticUlar Desire. The Farce greatly hiss'd (Hopkins Diary). Paid Mr Slingsby's draft on the managers #14 13s. 6d. Receipts: #259 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: After this night The Maid of the Oaks will be laid aside for sometime. Rec'd Mr Condell's first payment for Fruit Office #20. Receipts: #200 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: New Scenes and Dresses for the Mainpiece. Paid Mr Dibdin in part of #100 allowed for his Benefit for the Cobler (remitting #50 in part of his debt), #50. Receipts: #124 8s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by R. B. Sheridan] never perform'd. New Scenes and Dresses. [Gentleman's Magazine for Jan. states: "Tuesday 17, Was performed for the first time at Covent Garden a comedy call'd The Rivals, said to be written by Mr Sheridan. Some objections being made both to language and character, the author has thought proper to withdraw his piece for correction, and it has since been played with applause." See 18 and 28 Jan. The Westminster Magazine, Jan., remarked: "This comedy was acted so imperfectly, either from the timidity of the actors on a first night's performance, or from an improper distribution of parts, that it was generally disapproved....The author promised some alterations, which implied that he would be glad the Town would suspend judgment till a farther hearing" See 28 Jan. John Hampden quotes from Lloyd's Evening Post, 18 Jan., the Morning Chronicle and Morning Post of the same date, and the London Chronicle of 19 Jan. articles damning the casting and the imperfectness of the actors, the impudence of Shuter in particular, and the fatigue of the audience.

Event Comment: Afterpiece. By Desire. For the Author (2nd night). Paid Mr Luppino for dancing dresses #18 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #162 15s. 6d. Charges: #73 10s. Profit for author [Dr Franklin): #89 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)