Event Comment: [C$Colman published in the Public Advertiser this day extracts from the Oxonian in Town showing what favorable things were said of the Irish in it. He apparently did so to forstall a predicted riot by Irishmen who feared their nation was slandered because the scoundrels in the play were Irish. See E. R. Page, George Colman, The Elder (New York, 1935), p. 168. Monitor No V (21 Nov. 1767) includes a letter from Timothy Calfskin requesting refund of 4 shillings since his wife was frightened by the noise of the "wild Irish" and ran from the playhouse.] Receipts: #191 4s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid from treasurer's funds #16 12s. for a Lottery Tickett No. 5,603. Paid for playing the Organ 9 nights in the Oxonian in Town #2 5s. (Account Book). [Colman seems to have been dissatisfied with Mrs Lessingham's performance, for the Harvard Extra Illustrated Vol. of Genest (opposite p. 185) contains a MS note dated Tuesday Morning: "Mrs Bulkley's compliments to Mr Hull, as she is ready in the part of Mrs Sullen he need not call any rehearsal on her account." Presumably this note was written to the prompter the following Tuesday (24 Nov.). The next performance this season of the Stratagem did not occur, however, until 22 April 1768, at which time Mrs Bulkley played Mrs Sullen, for the 1st time.] Receipts: #155 15s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Colman the clear receipt of last Monday Night for the Oxonian, and the Alterations of The Rehearsal and King Lear, #230 6s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Third Day. For the Author. House charges and Candles #64 5s. Balance to Bickerstaffe #155 11s. 6d. (Account Book). This month were published Harris and Rutherford's Narrative of the Rise and Progress of the Disputes subsisting between the Patentees of Covent Garden Theatre, and Colman's True State of The Differences subsisting....Both were reviewed in the Gentleman's Magazine. Receipts: #219 16s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Published Animadversions on Mr Colman's True State etc., with some remarks on his little serious piece, The Oxonian in Town (20 pp.). [Criticizes the play as having a bad influence on the young, with its characters of whores, bawds and pickpockets. Did our author flatter himself that he could wipe out these rooted impressions with a cold moral sentence uttered by the mouth of a woman of pleasure, and perhaps never reaching the ears of one half of the audience from the variety of noises which accompany the finishing speech of every play?" Concludes: "The reputation of our Universities is a national concern of the highest and most sacred importance....I blush when I see academical characters brought upon the stage, but I burn when I see them lampooned."] House Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [Theatrical Monitor No 7, printed a list of 84 actors, actresses, and dancers belonging to the company, who signed a Petition to the Town in favor of Colman. See Harvard Library ed. of Memoirs of Macklin, II, part 2, p. 14.] Receipts: #115 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Shortly will be publish'd Expostulations with George Colman, by Jane Lessingham. Gave Duke of Gloucester's Footmen by Malm #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #200 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by Charlotte Lennox]. Never Performed. Prologue by Colman. Epilogue by Goldsmith. Treated so badly by the audience this first night that Mrs Lennox withdrew it. Burgoyne's The Heiress [dl, 14 Jan. 1784] draws upon it (Genest, V, 242). Receipts: #234 5s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy of 3 Acts [by George Colman] never performed. [In the Shakespearean Pageant, with figures from seventeen of his plays, the chief effectiveness lay with the Musicians who ushered in each group with appropriate music: Martial Music-The Roman Characters of Coriolanus and Julius Caesar; Soft Music-Antony and Cleopatra; Grand Music, Old English Characters-King John, Richard III, Henry VIII: Magical Music, "above, about, underneath" for Prospero; Macbeth's Music; Fairy Music-Oberon and Titania; Solemn Music for Tragic Muse accompanied by Othello, Hamlet, the Ghost, Mad Ophelia and Lear with Cordelia; Dead March in Saul-Juliet's Bier with attendants; Allegro for the Comic Muse-Falstaff, Touchstone, Launcelot, Malvolio; Andante-Florizel and Perdita, Portia Antonio and Bassanio; Flourish-for Car drawn by the muses carrying Shakespeare's Bust; Final Song by Mrs Mattocks, "Sweetest Bard that Ever Sung, Nature's glory, Fancy's Child--." The Prelude is, in print, entirely favorable to Garrick's effort at Stratford. But it could be rendered in a mercilessly ironical manner if the three participating actors so chose. Mainpiece reviewed in the Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.] Receipts: #224 10s

Event Comment: Paid Mr Colman the balance of his night the 10th Inst. #104 17s. 6d.; and for the 13th Inst. #65 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #123 8s. 6d

Event Comment: Prologue by Garrick; Epilogue by Cumberland, spoken by Foote and Mrs Jewell. A Comedy Never performed [by Foote]. [Audience included Dr Johnson, Mr Colman, Mr Garrick, Dr Goldsmith, Mr Macpherson, Mr Stevens, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Lord Littleton....So much applause that the audience stopped the play and required one speech repeated (Theatrical Intelligencer).

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid Whitefield for cloaths bought #34 7s. (Account Book). All the differences between the managers of Covent Garden Theatre are settled. They met together without the interposition of any other person, shook hands, dined at Mr Colman's, and put a final stop to all the proceedings at law (Gentleman's Magazine, XLI, 520). Receipts: #186 18s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Farce [by a Gentleman from Dublin] never performed. [It was fitted to the stage as an afterpiece, and provided with a Prologue by Colman. Advertisement for the Edition of 1772 indicates that it was "attempted to be acted, "but was damned. Taken principally from Moliere's Marriage Force. See account of damning of Farce, in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre No. XXXIII), before last act was over by a candle being thrown on stage.] Paid one year's ground rent for theatre due Mich. last #100 minus land tax of #16 5s.: Total #83 15s.; Paid ditto for the New Building adjoining the theatre #30, minus Land Tax of #4 17s. 6d.: Total #25 2s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #198 16s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid Mr Babett for Papier Machee Ornaments 19s. 4s.; Paid Colman & Mrs Powell for Branson's additional salary for the last 3 seasons being advanc'd by them #93 7s. 6d. Paid ditto for 4 years' rent for apartments in their House, due lady Day next #80 (Account Book). Receipts: #124 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Dramatic Poem, Never Performed [written on the model of a Greek Tragedy by William Mason]. The Overture and all the Music entirely New Composed by Dr Arne. With New Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations (playbill). Altered by Colman to Mason's distress. (Biographia Dramatica). Books of the Chorus to be had at the Theatre. Rec'd from Bensley on account of Cash advanc'd last season #100 (Account Book). Receipts: #201 12s

Event Comment: [The preliminary number of The Westminster Magazine this date heartily condemned Colman's Comus "picked down into a skeleton," his production of King Henry VIII, and the new play Cross Purposes.] Receipts: #172 10s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 11 April 1771.] Paid Mrs Rich the balance of the Benefit for the Dispensary #36 11s. 6d., and paid Garton the balance due the Theatrical Fund #143 3s. (Account Book). [The Westminster Magazine this month comments upon the revival of the pantomime and the new scene of the Pantheonv: "This thought evidently was borrowed from the ludicrous situations of the Macaroni in the pantomime of the Pigmy Revels at the other theatre; but no one in the world borrows with less ceremony than Mr Colman, especially from Mr Garrick."] Receipts: #126 2s. 6d

Event Comment: Mr Colman's Night for the Alterations of Elfrida and Comus, & for the New Occasional Prelude (Account Book). Receipts: #254 15s. 6d

Event Comment: Gave the Porters at the several Inns of Court their Christmas Box, #3 11s. 6d. Paid Colman for the clear receipts of his night for alterations &c. the 11th inst. #254 15s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #213 8s. 6d

Event Comment: Music of Afterpiece entirely new Composed by Dibdin. [An adaptation of Goldoni's Il Filosofo di Campagna.] Book of Songs to be had at Theatre (playbill). The Wedg R. a Comic Opera of Two Acts wrote & composed by Mr Dibdin. The Music very pretty--as the Author was kept a Secret The Town fancy'd that is one of Mr Bickerstaff & call'd out to know who was the Author. Mr Garrick inform'd them that he had no power to declare who the Author was but he could assure them that it was not Mr Bickerstaffs this did not Satisfy them at last Mr Dibdin went on & declard himself to be the Author & made an Affidavit of it & then the Farce went on with Applause (Hopkins Diary). [Account of The Wedding Ring in Westminster Magazine for Feb. 1773.] Paid #4 4s. for licensing The Wedding Ring and Alonzo (Treasurer's Book). [Maria Macklin, in a MS letter to her father, 3 Feb. 1773, commented fully on this night's performance: "Written as it was suppos'd by Bickerstaffe. The music by Dibdin. I went with a party into the Gallery to see the event as there was a great riot expected, & indeed never did I see an audience more inflamed. They would not suffer them to begin the piece. At last Mr King came on with a written paper in his hand, which he said he was desir'd to read in the name of the managers. After a great noise they let him read it. He said just before the play began the managers had receiv'd a letter from Mr Dibdin in which he declared that Bickerstaff was not the author of that piece, that he had made oath of it, and was ready to do the same again, but that for very particular reasons the author could not be given up. Then they stopp'd him & roar'd out that the author should be given up then. He continued as loud as he possibly could, reading on that 'but that if Mr Dibdin did not very soon given up the author he never should be suffered to appear again on that stage or any other.' Very luckily that turn'd them as I believe the House would have come down. The piece then began. Before the end of the first act one of Bannister's songs were encor'd. The other party were against it and would not let it go on. They all stood up and insisted that the author should be known then. After some time the house being nothing but confusion, Dibdin was push'd upon the stage ready to drop with fright, and declared that he was the author himself. Then they were as noisy the other way. Made them finish the piece, but how you may guess in a storm. It is like the Padlock, but the songs not so good." (Brander Matthews, Actors and Actresses, extra illustrated, Vol. I. Harvard Theatre Collection.). Westminster Magazine this month included in parallel columns flattering "Characters of Mr Garrick and Mr Colman," the Rival managers. The article especially praised Garrick's acting.] Receipts: #252 3s. 6d

Event Comment: [Lucy identified as Miss Dayes by Kemble note on playbill and by Winston MS 10.] At the opening of this season Justice Sir John Fielding wrote to Garrick not to play the Beggar's Opera fearing it had a bad influence on the minds of the young. But both Garrick and Colman continued to play it (Winston MS 10). Receipts. #183 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Afterpiece: Not acted these 12 years. [See 9 Nov. 1761.] With Additions and Alterations. [The Additions to The Fair seem to have included a number of actual animals (instead of the men costumed as an Ass and a Hog as used in Mother Shipton), for the Account Book this year for the first time notes payments, 22 March 1774, "for the hire of Horses in The Fair," and 18 June 1774, "To Mr Brooks for attending with the Camels &c. in the Fair." The tradition of bigger and better spectacles seems to have passed on from Rich to Colman.] Receipts: #180 17s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [Macklin dismissed after this night. See the account in The Genuine Arguments of the Council, with the Opinion of the Court of the King's Bench, &c., By a Citizen of the World, (London, 1774). Extracts in E. R. Page, George Colman, the Elder (New York, 1935). See notes for 23 and 30 Oct. and the subsequent action in note for 20 Nov. He did not return until 18 May 1775. This night was aparently, except for #4 5s. which was not recorded on the books of the theatre until 18 June well after the season closed. Macklin's suit in court against the rioters was judged 24 Feb. 1775. A column and a half account of the trial appeared in the Public Advertiser, Saturday 13 May 1775, giving the testimony of the witnesses accused of starting the riot, the lawyers, and the judge. The accused were Leigh, Miles, James, Aldus, and Clarke. The first four were convicted of a conspiracy and a riot, the last of a riot only. During the Course of the Business Lord Mansfield took Occasion to observe, that the Right of Hissing, and Applauding in a theatre was an unalterable Right, but there was a wide Distinction between expressing the natural Sensations of the Mind as they arose on what was seen and heard, and executing a pre-concerted Desagn, not only to hiss an Actor when he was playing a Part in which he was universally allowed to be excellent, but also to drive him from the theatre, and effect his utter ruin." See also William W. Appleton, Charles Macklin, An Actors Life (Cambridge, Mass., 1960), Chapter X.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Comedy [by William Kenrick] never performed before. [The play failed to succeed. Kenrick accounts for the failure in his Preface to the 1773 edition by reference to the Macklin affair (See 23 Oct., 30 Oct. and 18 Nov.) He quotes from the Public Advertiser (22 Nov.): "On Saturday last a new comedy called the Duellist was performed, for the first time, at Covent Garden Theatre. Previous to the curtain being drawn up, the following written handbill was dispersed about the house. 'Mr Macklin has been pursued by a malicious party to such a pitch of rancour, that at last they have succeeded so far in their cursed designs, as to get him discharged this theatre, and thereby have deprived him of the means of a livelihood; therefore if the public have any spirit, they will not suffer the new play to begin till Mr Colman promises that Mr Macklin shall be engaged again.' This handbill found its way into the green-room, and had a very visible effect on the performers, as was plainly evident from their confusion. The piece was received with great marks of approbation, and given out again for Monday, which was attended with some hissing, but that was greatly overpowered by the general applause of the audience. The overture to Thomas and Sally being attended to with silence, the greatest part of the author's friends quitted the theatre; which being taken advantage of by a party in the gallery, a riot ensued, and the entertainment was not suffered to go on till another play was given out for Monday." Kenrick agrees with this account, then analyses several other objections which he dismisses, to wit, in the play (a) too lengthy a satire on lawyers, (b) an indelicate passage in Latin (omitted from the printed version); in the audience, a conspiracy of Garrick and Bickerstaffe against him; and lack of a claque of his own friends to carry through their suport of him. Macklin's name appears on the playroll this night, but only for a accumulated 4 days of pay #8 16s. (Account Book).] Receipts: #221 3s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Colman the balance of his 3 nights for the Man of Business #230 7s. 6d. Receipts: #213 4s. (Account Book)