Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Downes (p. 25) states that it was acted eight days successively, but as Pepys does not indicate whether he saw its first performance, the sequence of playing it is not known. Pepys, Diary: We [Mrs Pepys and Pepys] took coach and to the Duke's playhouse, where we saw The Duchess of Malfy well performed, but Betterton and Ianthe [Mrs Saunderson] to admiration. Downes (p. 25): This Play was so exceeding Excellently Acted in all Parts; chiefly, Duke Ferdinand and Bosola: It fill'd the House 8 Days Successively, it proving one of the Best of Stock Tragedies

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. It is not certain that this play was revived at this time, but Tom Essence, which was probably acted toward the end of August or in early September (it was licensed 4 Nov. 1676) contains a scene in "Malfey's Chamber," suggesting that a revival of The Duchess of Malfi had occurred not long before the production of Tom Essence. On the other hand, it should be noted that the cast in the edition of 1678 contains names which point to a much earlier production; for example, Cademan probably acted little after his injury in the summer of 1673 and Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 35) states that Cogan and Price died ca. 1673-74

Event Comment: Under the Patronage of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. Benefit for Roselli. Tickets, 10s. 6d. each, to be had of Roselli, No. 6, King-street, St. James's-square

Event Comment: Benefit Estcourt. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. London in 1710 (pp. 138-39): On this occasion the actors represented a prodigiously satirical Interscenium, which was not to be found in the printed copy of the play....In this interlude a troop of soldiers came on, singing at the top of their voices an English song which had been made by the army in Flanders about the Duke of Marlborough. In it Prince Eugene is praised for his open-handedness, while Marlborough, on the other hand, is blamed for his avarice, so that every verse ended: 'but Marlborough not a penny.' The people, who are very bitter against the whole family, even the Duke himself, laughed prodigiously, and bandied about monstrous insults, although Marlborough's daughter, the Duchess of Montagu, was herself at the play and was so greatly shamed that she was covered with blushes....When the song was at an end, there was such a clapping and yelling that the actors were unable to proceed for nearly a quarter of an hour

Event Comment: [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as the Duchess of Braganza was at Bath, 8 Feb. 1780.] Receipts: #239 10s. (216/12/0; 22/0/6; 0/17/6)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I to the Duke of York's house, to see The Duchesse of Malfy, a sorry play, and sat with little pleasure, for fear of my wife's seeing me look about

Event Comment: HHorace Walpole to Montagu, 3 Nov.: I shall be with you at the end of the week, but just now I am under the maidenhead-palpitation of an author; my Epilogue will, I believe, be spoke tomorrow night, and I flatter myself I shall have no faults to answer for but what are in it, for I have kept secret whose it is. It is now gone to be licensed, but as the Lord Chamberlain is mentioned, though rather to his honour it is possible it may be refused, as they are apt to think at the Office, that the Duke of Grafton can't be mentioned but in ridicule.--Horace Walpole's Correspondence with George Montagu, I, 48. Receipts: #119 1s

Event Comment: [This day Horace Walpole wrote as follows to George Montagu, forshadowing an event to take place on 27 July: "If you will stay with me a fortnight or three weeks, perhaps I may be able to carry you to a play of Mr Bentley's--you stare--but I am in earnest--nay, and de par le roy. In short, here is the history of it. You know the passion he always had for the Italian comedy. About two years ago he writ one, intending to get it offered to Rich--but without his name--he would have died to be supposed an author, and writing [I, 372] for gain. I kept this a most inviolable secret. Judge then of my surprise when about a fortnight or three weeks ago I found my Lord Melcomb reading this very Bentleiad in a circle at my Lady Hervey's. Cumberland had carried it to him, with a recommendatory copy of verses, containing more incense to the King and my Lord Bute, than the Magi brought in their portmanteaus to Jerusalem. The idols were propitious, and to do them justice, there is a great deal of wit in the piece, which is called The Wishes or Harlequin's Mouth Opened. A bank note of #200 was sent from the Treasury to the author, and the play ordered to be performed by the summer company. Foote was summoned to Lord Melcomb's, where Parnassus was composed of the peer himself, who, like Apollo as I am going to tell you, was dozing, the two Chief Justices and Lord Bute. Bubo read the play himself, with handkerchief and orange by his side. But the curious part is a prologue which I never saw. It represents the god of verse fast asleep by the side of Helicon. The race of modern bards try to wake him, but the more they repeat of their works, the louder he snores. At last "Ruin seize thee ruthless King" is heard, and the god starts from his trance. This is a good thought, but will offend the bards so much, that I think Dr Bentley's son will be abused at least as much as his father was. The prologue concludes with young Augustus, and how much he excels the ancient one, by the choice of his friend. Foote refused to act this prologue, and said it was too strong. 'Indeed,' said Augustus's friend, 'I think it is.' They have softened it a little, and I suppose it will be performed. You may depend upon the truth of all this; but what is much more credible, is that the comely young author appears every night in the Mall in a milkwhite coat with a blue cape, disclaims any benefit, and says he has done with the play now it is out of his own hands, and that Mrs Hannah Clio alias Bentley writ the best scenes in it. He is going to write a tragedy, and she, I suppose, is going--to court."--Horace Walpole's Correspondence with George Montagu. Ed. W. S. Lewis and Ralph S. Brown Jr (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1941), I, 372-73. [IX, 372-373.

Event Comment: Never acted. [See Genest's comment (IV, 618) derived from Cumberland and the London Magazine-its appeal to the fashionable circles, its damnation at first performance because of the hanging of Harlequin in full view, and its modification thereafter. See 18 June and Horace Walpole to George Montagu [Arlington Street] July 28, 1761: I came to town yesterday through clouds of dust to see The Wishes, and went ac- [I, 381] tually feeling for Mr Bentley, and full of the emotions he must be suffering. What do [you] think in a house crowded was the first thing I saw! Mr and Madam Bentley perked up in the front boxes and acting audience at his own play--no, all the impudence of false patriotism never came up to it! Did one ever hear of an author that had couraee to see his own first night in public? I don't believe Fielding or Foote himself ever did--and this was the modest bashful Mr Bentley, that died at the thought of being known for an author, even by his own acquaintance! In the stage-box was Lady Bute, Lord Halifax and Lord Melcomb-I must say the two last entertained the house as much as the play-your King was prompter, and called out to the actors every minute to speak louder-the other went backwards and forwards behind the scenes, fetched the actors into the box, and was busier than Harlequin. The curious prologue was not spoken, the whole very ill-acted. It turned out just what I remembered it, the good parts extremely good, the rest very flat and vulgar-the genteel dialogue I believe might be written by Mrs Hannah. The audience was extremely fair. The first act they bore with patience, though it promised very ill-the second is admirable and was much applauded-so was the third-the fourth woeful-the beginning of the fifth it seemed expiring, but was revived by a delightful burlesque of the ancient chorus-which was followed by two dismal scenes, at which people yawned-but were awakened on a sudden by Harlequin's being drawn up to a gibbet nobody knew why or wherefore-this raised a prodigious and continued hiss, Harlequin all the while suspended in the air-at last they were suffered to finish the play, but nobody attended to the conclusion-modesty and his lady all the while sat with the utmost indifference-I suppose Lord Melcombe had fallen asleep [p. 382] before he came to this scene and had never read it. The epilogue was about the King and new Queen, and ended with a personal satire on Garrick-not very kind on his own stage-to add to the judge of this conduct, Cumberland two days ago published a pamphlet to abuse him. It was given out for tonight with more claps than hisses, but I think it will not do unless they reduce it to three acts." [p. 383]. Correspondence with George Montagu. Ed. W. S. Lewis & Ralph Brown. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1941), I, 381-83] Note: (I, 381n): Bentley's play of The Wishes or Harlequin's Mouth Opened, was offered to Garrick and Rich the beginning of 1761, but wasrefused by both. His nephew Cumberland showed it to Lord Melcomb, who carried it to Lord Bute, with a compliment in verse to that Lord by Mr Cumberland. Lord Bute showed it to the King, who sent Bentley #200 and ordered the new summer company to play [it]. There was a prologue, flattering the King and Lord Bute which Foote refused to act. Two days before it was played, Cumberland wrote an anonymous pamphlet, addressed to Mr Bentley, and abusing Garrick, who had refused to act Cumberland's tragedy of Cicero's banishment, which he printed this year [1761], unacted. The Wishes were played for the first time July 27th, 1761; the 2d 3d and part of the 4th, acts were much applauded, but the conclusion extremely hissed. The Epilogue concluded with a satire on Garrick. It was acted five nights. About the same time he wrote a tragedy called Philodamus, which he was to read to Garrick, but the latter was so angry at their treatment of him, that he declared against seeing Mr Bentley" (MS account by HW of Bentley's writings, in the collection of Lord Waldegrave at Chewton Priory)

Event Comment: For the correspondence between Aaron Hill and the Duke of Montagu concerning Hill's proposed occupancy of hay see Buccleuch and Queensberry MSS, I, 369-71

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Benefit Michael Lally. [Tickets at Lally's House, in Great Russel Street, over-against Montagu-House.] Receipts: money #42 15s.; seals #163 9s. (Account Book); #180 (Rylands MS.). [According to the Account Book, Lally was charged #30 for his benefit.

Event Comment: By Particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Positively the last Night. [Intended as satire on the Reverend John Henley's Oratory (eccentric preacher, 1692-1756) and as a puff for The Midwife or Old Woman's Magazine, edited by Christopher Smart and John Newberry, 1751-53. The Old Woman's Oratory written and produced by Smart. See the Gentleman's Magazine, 1752, p. 43; and Horace Walpole's letter to Montagu 12 May 1752, as follows: It appeared the lowest buffoonery in the world, even to me who am used to my uncle Horace. There is a bad oration to ridicule, what is too like, Orator Henley; all the rest is perverted music. There is a man who plays so nimbly on the kettle drums, that he has reduced that noisy instrument to be an object of sight; for if you don't see the tricks with his hands, it is no better than ordinary. Another play on a violin and trumpet together; another mimics a bagpipe with a German flute, and makes it full if disagreeable. There is an admired dulcimer, a favourite saltbox and a really curious Jew's Harp. Two or three men intend to persuade you that they play on a broomstick, which is drolly brought in, carefully shrouded in a case, so as to be mistaken for a bassoon or bass viol, but they succeed in nothing but the action. The last fellow imitates farting and curtseying to a French horn. There are twenty medley overtures, and a man who speaks a prologue and epilogue, in which he counterfeits all the actors and singers upon earth' (The Yale Edition of Horace Walpole's Correspondence, IX, p. 131). [See 3 Dec. 1751.

Event Comment: By Command of his Majesty. The first night the King went to the play, which was civilly on a Friday, not on the opera night, as he used to do, the whole audience sang God Save the King in chorus. For the first act, the press was so great at the door that no ladies could go to the Boxes, and only the servants appeared there, who kept places: at the end of the second act the whole mob broke in and seated themselves; yet all this zeal is not likely to last, though he so well deserves it (Walpole to Montagu, 24 Nov.)

Event Comment: Did I tell you that the Archbishop tried to hinder the Minor from being played at Drury Lane? For once the Duke of Devonshire was firm, and would only let him correct some passages, & even of those the Duke has restored some. One that the Prelate effaced was 'You snub-nosed son of a bitch.' Foote says he will take out a license to preach Sam Cant against Tom Cant. (Walpole to Montagu, 24 Nov.). [See also Duke of Devonshire's statement to Garrick concerning the alteration of some lines, Private Correspondence, ed. Boaden, I, 120. See Gentlemen's Magazine, p. 502: Extracts from Christian and Critical remarks on a droll or interlude, call'd the Minor, said to be acted by authority; and Mr Foote's answer. Ten columns of alternate attack and justification.

Event Comment: The Earl of Arran to the Duchess of Ormond, 19 Jan. 1677@8: I met her Lord [Lord Cavendish] last night at the French play (HMC, Ormonde MSS., New Series, 1906, IV, 90). Henri Forneron, Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth (London, 1887): [The Duchess of Portsmouth] was at the last extremity when a slight change for the better took place, and she got up, had herself dressed, and dragged herself to her Sedan chair, to be carried to the French play, where she heard the king was to be with Madame Mazarin. The players had come to London for a short time, and Charles attended all their representations (pp. 197-98). Forneron apparently drew this information from a letter dated 20 Jan. 1677@8