Event Comment: Sunday the 21st about 4 in the afternoon I receiv'd an order form the Duke of Devonshire [Ld. Chamberlain] to Shut up the House 'till farther Notice, -Fryday 26th about eleven in ye Morn[in]g I receiv'd an Order from my Lord to open on the Monday following (Cross). Theatre clos'd from 20 January 1759 on account of the death of the Princess Royal of England, Countess Dowager of Holland & Governant of the United Provinces & of the Miny of the Stadholder (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: With new Additions and Alterations. Pit and Boxes to be laid together, and no person to be admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this day at the said Office in the Theatre at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. The Doors to be open at Half an Hour after Four o'clock, Pit and Boxes at Five, to begin at Half an Hour after Six. This day is published Price 1s. Solomon, An Oratorio, with New Additions and Alterations

Event Comment: With new Additions and Alterations. Today is Publish'd Susanna, an Oratorio, with New Alterations and Additions; as it is perform'd at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. J. & R. Tonson, in the Strand

Event Comment: Today is Publish'd Price 1s. Samson: An oratorio, as it is perform'd at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. Printed for J. & R. Tonson in the Strand

Event Comment: This day is publish'd Judas Maccabaeus: a Sacred Drama. Set to Music by Mr Handel, as it is Performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. Printed for J. Watts and sold by B. Dod at the Bible and Key

Event Comment: By Authority, for three nights only. 7 p.m. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre, Price 1s. [See account of interdicted performance, 12 Jan.

Event Comment: Benefit for Lowe. Afterpiece: A Musical Masque. With new Additions. Books of the Masque may be had at the theatre, Price 6d

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. The Burletta, with the Addition of a new Act and a new Character, as originally performed at the Theatre Royal in Naples. At the Great Room in Marybone Gardens properly and elegantly fitted up for that purpose. 7:30 p.m. Admittance 3s. N.B. Mr Trotter's dauthter continues to make the rich seed and plumb cake, so much admired by the Nobility and Gentry at 2s. 6d. each, and likewise makes almond cheesecakes in a small size at 2s. per dozen. Six or eight make a Dish, and are hot every day one o'clock

Event Comment: [This month published Observations on the Use of Theatres, their present regulations and possible improvements. Price 1s. Printed for Cooper. See review in Gentleman's Magazine (p. 232). Proposal is that the "conduct of theatrical entertainments be for the future taken under the care of the goverment, and a person of judgment and integrity appointed by the name of comptroller, or conductor of the stage, who alone shall determine what old plays shall be acted, and what new ones received; and who shall take charge of the money received, and defray the necessary expenses, accounting for the remainder to the public. The author seemingly Dr John Hill, lately (see 21 Dec. 1758) upset by the failure of his farce, The Rout. (Winston MS 8). Receipts: #108 (Cross); #122 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Verney (Housekeeper). Observations on the Importance of Theatres, with computation of the Sum they might raise by Taxation, published at 1s. Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: For the Benefit of some Distressed Actors, who formerly belonged to the Theatres. Play to begin at exactly 7 o'clock

Event Comment: To the Printer of the Public Advertiser: Sir, On seeing the Burletta of Galligantus at the little theatre in the Haymarket, I was agreeably surprised to see a performance of the kind carried on in so genteel a manner, no way inferior to any opera; and after the nicest inspection of the whole performance, I have the pleasure to inform the Nobility, Gentry, &c., I found all the performers were English, their Dresses very completely adapted, their voices excellent, and their actions quite genteel and comic, their music charming and set without the assistance of any Foreigner, it being composed by Mr J@@D@@, a Native of Ireland, whose excellency in that art needs no encomium. I am, yours A True Briton

Event Comment: AA Letter to Garrick on Opening the Theatre, published at 1s. [See 1 Nov. for answer. This is Edward Purdon's 33-page criticism of Garrick, on his repertoire, his personnel and casting, and his secondary position to cg in the matter of decoration.] Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: FFoote read part of his The Minor on 9 Nov. 1759 in a course of Comic Lectures and left for Dublin on 10 Nov. (Theatrical Duplicity or, A Genuine Narrative of the Conduct of David Garrick, Esq. to Joseph Reed on his Tragedy of Dido. MS in Harvard Theatre Collection)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Henry Jones. Afterpiece: [See note under cg play this night. During this year appeared An Essay Upon the Present State of the Theatre, in France, England, and Italy, a "work absolutely necessary to be read by every lover of Theatrical Exhibitions," printed for J. Pottinger. It contains twenty-two chapters on tragedy, thirteen on comedy, opera, authors, and the art of acting. Pages 147-51 discuss the obligation of English farces to French ones.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Receipts: #115 3s. [The Weekly Magazine; or, Gentleman and Lady's Polite Companion (1760), pp. 61-63, deplores the lack of new plays and lack of competition for the Patent houses. "Our theatres seem now to aim at glorious opposition: Harlequin is set against Harlequin, one dancing master opposes another; the scene shifters, the singers, and even the drummers figure at each house by turns, and it is to be hoped soon that the mere actor will become useless....The Fair has scarce even pantomime probability...for instance Harlequin should never exercise his magical power without reason, and should never make escapes without being pursued, but here he conjures, leaps, runs and waggles without any apparent design; and the whole seems destitute of plot, a if contrived by a dancing master. Harlequin's Invasion at the other House is still rather more absurd." The author expected a speaking Harlequin, Pantaloon, Pierot, Mezzetin, &c. but found the customary figures banished for the substitution of a "stupid Taylor and his more stupid wife." Regrets the sinking of stage performance to such absurdity.

Event Comment: Pit and Boxes to be put together. No Person to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd this day at the Office in the Theatre, a Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be open'd at Half an Hour after Four O'clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half an Hour after Six

Event Comment: Receipts: #224 18s. 6d. Advanc'd to Mrs Ward #20. Paid Sarjant on acct of salary #5; Paid Ridout one third of the surplus of this night's receipt being #144 18s. 6d. than the #80 allow'd for the charge: #48 2s. 6d. This morning I was at Mr Shadwell's for his Orders [for free theatre tickets] & took all my sisters to Covent Garden Gallery to see the Jovial Crew & Rape of Proserpine, which was full of noisy holiday people (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 544)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Dyer, Miss Helm, Mrs Viviez, Mrs Leppie. Tickets delvier'd out by Redman, Chapman, and others will be taken. Receipts #23 14s. 6d. plus 1!2 value of tickets. @Tickets Mrs Dyer Box 8@Pit 35@Gallery 29@Value #10 3s.@1!2 Value #5 1s. 6d.@Tickets Miss Helm Box 3@Pit 20 Gallery 20@Value #7 5s.@1!2 Value #3 12s. 6d.@Tickets Mrs Viviez Box 15@Pit 42@Gallery 71@Value #17 3s.@1!2 Value #8 11s. 6d.@Tickets Mrs Leppie Box 6@Pit 38@Gallery 34@Value #10 12s.@1!2 Value #5 6s.@Tickets Redman Box -@Pit 40@Gallery 44@Value #9 16s.@1!2 Value #4 18s.@Tickets Chapman Box 52@Pit 150@Gallery 79@Value 43 8s.@1!2 Value #21 14s.@Tickets Jarvis Box 3@Pit 77@Gallery 55@Value #18 8s.@1!2 Value #9 14s.@Tickets Cockayne Box 2@Pit 19@Gallery 7@Value #4 1s.@1!2 Value #2 6d.@Tickets Dumay Box 17@Pit 31@Gallery 36@Value #12 10s.@1!2 Value #6 5s.@Tickets Mrs Granier Box -@Pit 18@Gallery 16@Value #4 6s.@1!2 Value #2 3s.@Tickets Miss Davis Box 23@Pit 27@Gallery 13@Value #11 2s.@1!2 Value #5 11s. (Gratis)@Tickets Paddock Box 1@Pit 24@Gallery 26@Value #6 9s.@1!2 Value #3 4s. 6d.@Tickets Hitchcock Box 17@Pit 42@Gallery 3@Value #10 17s.@1!2 Value #5 8s. 6d. (Gratis)@Total Box 147@Pit 573@Gallery 433@Value #166@1!2 Value #83 Money #23 14s. 6d.@#106 14s. 6d. #9 12s.; Paid Blackmore a bill for the theatre, #71 12s. 6d.; A Bill for Rich #30 0s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Hilliard. Tickets of Miss Hilliard at Mr Pervil's, Auctioneer, upper end of Bow St., Covent Garden; and of Sarjant at the Stage Door of the Theatre, where places for Boxes may be taken. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Receipts: #24 2s. 6d. in cash. Charges #64 5s. Deficit to Miss Hilliard #40 0s. 6d., coverd by income from tickets #79 17s. (Boxes 101; Pit 278; Gallery 129). Paid for 7 doz. wax candles at 24s. per dozen #8 8s

Event Comment: The Twenty-Third Day. Daily Advertiser, 18 Aug.: Last Saturday John Sterne was committed to Newgate by Justice Welch, for the Murder of Mr Matthews, an eminent Surgeon in Brook St., Holborn. [Sterne had been an usher in Mathews' Academy, was discharged, but Matthews let Sterne live in Matthews' house for a long time, then expelled him and put his belongings on the stairs. On Friday 15 Aug. Sterne got two pistols and came back to Owen's Coffee House. Here] he waited three Hours for Mr Matthews, who was gone with a Friend to the little Theatre in the Haymarket and afterwards into Company at the Pewter Platter, a publick house in Cross St. [There Sterne shot Matthews.

Event Comment: Calculated for the use and entertainment of the town in general, but particularly the admirers of The Minor, and more especially those who have been present at the humorous representations of that piece. 'The plain roast and boiled of the theatres will never do at this table. We must have huge seasoned ragouts, and rich sauces.' Perhaps I may produce something that may hit your palate--What think you of a Mimick? Vide the Introduction of The Minor. Nothing will be taken under full prices. No admittance behind the scenes. Care will be taken to keep the house cool. To begin exactly at Seven

Event Comment: The Managers of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane intended to have opened their House next Saturday [13 Sept.]; but as the Weather continues so fine they shall defer it 'till next Week. The Day of Opening the season, with the Play, will be advertised on Monday next in this Paper (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Never acted there before. [The Death of George the Second prevented the performance of the 25th taking place. The Theatres closed for three weeks--heretofore six weeks. See Remarks on the Minor, with Foote's Answer, Gentlemen's Magazine, Nov. 1760, pp. 502 ff. Opened 17 Nov.