Event Comment: Benefit for raising money towards cloathing Friendless and Deserted Boys for the Sea. [The Prologue and Epilogue were printed in the Public Advertiser the following day. The Prologue, written by Derrick, very Patriotic and anti-Gallic. In the Epilogue, written by Mr Lockman, Secretary of the Free British Fishery, Shuter as Boatswain followed by a "considerable number of the Boys" for Britain to maintain rule of the Waves. Finances for this evening appeared in the Public Advertiser on 24 Dec.] @Cash at the House #185 4s.@Tickets 137 16s.@#323@Deductions: @Expense of Play #84@Building on stage 3 13s. 6d.@Present to Treasurer 1 1s.@Prologue 2 2s.@Total #90 16s. 6d.

Event Comment: On Monday Next Douglas a Tragedy. [The Public Advertiser includes a full column extract from David Hume's Letter to Rev John? Home concerning Douglas: "I have the Ambition to be the first who shall in public express his Admiration of your Noble tragedy of Douglas; one of the most interesting and pathetic Pieces, that was ever exhibited upon any theatre. Should I give it preference to the Merope of Maffei, and to that of Voltaire which it resembles in its subject; should I affirm that it contained more Fire and Spirit than the former and more Tenderness and Simplicity that the latter; I might be accused of partiality....But the unfeighned tears which flowed from every eye, in the numerous representations which were made of it on this theatre; the unparalleled command which you appeared to have over every affection of the human breast; these are incontestable proofs that you possess the true Theatric Genius of Shakespear and Otway, refined from the unhappy Brabarism of the one, and Licentiousness of the other." The reference was to earlier performances in Edinburg.