Event Comment: Paid Mr G. Garrick's two notes for Mr Weston, #15 12s.; Paid Mr J. French on acct #12 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #227 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Weston per Mr G. Garrick's 3 notes #19 11s. 6d.; Mrs Robinson in full of salary #32. Receipts: #218 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Weston. Mainpiece: By Desire. Tickets deliver'd for A Comedy will be taken. Paid 6 days salary list at #86 14s. 7d. per diem, #520 7s. 6d.; Mr G. Garrick on acct #50; Rec'd from Sinking Fund #45; Stopages #15 17s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #149 9s. Charges: #64 12s. Profits to Weston: #84 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Christmas Tale oblig'd to be deferr'd. Paid Mr G. Garrick on acct #50; Mr Calthorpe's 1st payment #157 10s.; Tallow chandler's 5th Bill #42 9s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #167 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd Stopages #4 12s. 6d. Paid 4 days salary list #348 14s. 6d.; Mr King's extra salary #2; Mr G. Garrick on acct #50. Receipts: #245 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnston (Housekeeper and Box-book keeper). Rec'd from Sinking Fund (3rd) #73 10s.; From Mr Clutterbuck (1st) #500; from Stopages #11; Paid Salary list #564 16s.; J. French on acct #5 5s.; G. Garrick on acct #100. Receipts: #276 4s. 6d. Charges: #84. Profits to Mr A. Johnston: #192 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Altered from [The Relapse, by] Sir John Vanbrugh [1st time; C 5, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick (see edition of 1781)]. The Characters new dressed. Receipts: #229 7s. 6d. (217.13.0; 10.8.0; 1.6.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. 3rd piece: Written by D. Garrick, Esq., with Additions. 4th piece [1st time; MF 2, by Charles Stuart]: The Overture and Music chiefly new, by Gehot, and Shield, who composed the music to The Flitch of Bacon. Public Advertiser, 3 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Wilson, No. 2, Henrietta-street, Covent Garden. Ibid, 29 Apr. 1779: This Day is published The Cobler of Castlebury (1s.)

Event Comment: The Characters all New Dress'd. A new Comedy [by Dr Benjamin Hoadly] never before acted. [The previous July Garrick had been entertained by the Rev. Dr John Hoadly at Alresford and carried on a pleasant correspondence with him afterwards. In his letter 19 Aug. 1746 (Folger) he wrote]: I had the pleasure of the Doctor's company [brother Benjamin Hoadly] to supper at my lodgings the night before I set out for this place; we talk'd about Ranger, but whether he will appear next winter or sleep forever in ye scritore, is not yet determined: 'tis pit, faith. [That this friendship was exceedingly profitable to Garrick is indicated by the fact that Benjamin Hoadly seems to have turned over the profits from the three author's nights to Garrick. (1) Garrick by a bargain with John Rich received #80 advance cash and promised to pay nightly charges (3rd, 6th, & 9th nights) of #60, and (2) to divide equally the remaining profits on those nights. The agreement was drawn 27 Dec. 1746. Garrick noted on this document]: N.B. the copy of the play is my own, and the profit arising from the printing of it. [Hoadly seems to have received only the #100 given him by George II for dedicating the printed copy to him.] [Settlement for the three performances was made 6 April. Total receipts for those nights (14, 18, 21 Feb.) was #570 11s. Total expenses were #182 2s. (including #2 2s. for the licensing). The profit of #388 9s. was equally divided and Garrick received his #194 4s. 6d. on that day. He had received the other #80 the day before the play opened, 11 Feb. 1747. See documents in Folger, Holograph Letters of David Garrick, p. 38, seemingly Edmund Malone's copy, of BM Add MSS 21508.] Receipts: #205 9s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. King of Denmark. Richard-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). For the King of Denmark.--Richard by Mr Garrick, for the first time these six years-Beyond discription fine, -his voice clear to the last (Hopkins Diary). No money taken at stage door. None returned after curtain is up. The doors (by particular desire) will be opened at half an Hour after Five. To Begin at Seven. Neville MS Diary: Hearing about 7 o'clock that Garrick did Richard III, one of his very capital characters which he has not done these 7 or 8 years, resolved (if I could get in to see him) to bear the abhorred sight of that woman-like painted puppy, the King of Denmark. After one unsuccessful attempt got into the Pit with the greatest difficulty after the third act. Garrick is inimitably great in Richard & very different from the other Richards I have seen; his expression of the dying agony of that wretch is beyond description. Some actors speak with as strong & loud voice in that scene as if they had received no wound & were not dying. One Lloyd, who waits on Garrick sometimes, observed that he himself says he never acted better in his life, modestly observing that something must be allowed to the improvement of his judgment. During the dance (for there was no farce) I was within a yard of the Danish tyrant

Event Comment: This Tragedy is taken from ye French by ye Revd Mr Francis. A great Noise before ye play began, occasion'd by ye Music not playing what they lik'd, they being Palted wou'd not come into the Orchestra-a Branch knock'd down, Candles thrown &c.-Mr Garrick went on, order'd ye Music in, & all was quiet-went off with great Applause (Cross). Never acted before. Characters New Dress'd Mr Garrick is intitled to my sincerest Gratitude for his Performance as an Actor, and for his Punctuality as a Manager...his strong good Sence, with that Spirit of Theatrical Criticism, which is his peculiar natural Genius (Prefatory matter by Francis first in ed.). Receipts: 180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Wrote by one Mr Crisp. A Gentlewoman, who never appear'd upon ye Stage before did Marcia (Mrs Graham) & had deservidly great applause, the whole play went off, with General Approbation. Mr Carey had his fiddle broke by an apple playing the first Music--the Prologue & Epilogue much lik'd--both wrote by Garrick (Cross). Gentlewoman-Mrs Graham, afterwards Mrs Yates (Winston MS 8). Tuner Letter the 2nd pub. at 6d.--29 pages

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these 30 years. This day publish'd. Price 1s. Reflections upon Theatrical Expression in Tragedy. [By Roger Pickering. This is a defense of the theatrical profession, "which in all countries is considered low and contemptible." Author's thesis: "A master of theatrical expression in all its extensive significancy must be possess'd of such accomplishments, as to set the profession above all contempt." Garrick is mentioned as best example. True tragic expression "requires Genius, Education, Reading, Experience...and a solidity of thought which never accompanies abject morals" (p. 11). Includes an interesting treatise on acting-sections on figure, voice, ear, memory, management of feet and legs. Comments on costume: "Taste in dress demands that an actor be conversant in the mode of dress ancient and modern, in other countries as well as in our own...Alexander and Cato were not masters of the snuff box, nor Greek women of French heels." The appendix asks why all our plays are not dressed in character in point of time and place, and why they do not contain at least one "scene" proper to the country. The author (p. 61) sees need for variety in acting same role, especially when a play has a continuous run of several nights. He calls (p. 77) for creation of appropriate mood for the play by selection of proper music between the acts. Wants a softening of the prompter's bell. Concludes by damning contemporary audience manners, especially those of the stage loungers (pp. 79-81).] Receipts: #314 (Cross)

Event Comment: bout this time in the month was printed a 42-page pamphlet, Reasons why David Garrick should not appear on the Stage, in a Letter to John Rich. This is high praise of Garrick: 'I am so blinded either by prejudice of admiration that I can see nobody else" when Garrick plays.] Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece extended to 5 acts from 3 (Winston MS 9). See Murphy letter to Garrick 2 Aug., in Boaden, Private Correspondence, I, 119, re his attempt to get Garrick to accept this play.] Way to Keep Him enlarged from the piece of 3 acts into 5, by the author, received with universal applause. Prologue by Murphy, heavy (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Mr Garrick inexpressibly fine. Mrs Abington Beatrice, first time-very Great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid Sparks and Co. Lace Bill #10 15s. Mr King (glassman) for lustres his bill #75 2s. (Treasurer's Book). [From the Gazeteer and New Daily Advertiser, 7 Nov.: "The desertion of the theatres in consequence of the disease with which so many are afflicted, has been productive of one agreeable effect, that of bringing Mr Garrick forward in Benedict much earlier than was expected. It cannot be a matter of surprise that Roscius should have escaped the infection and his spirits and constitution seems proof against the attacks of age itself; after above 30 campaigns, his ardour and execution appear rather to increase. Benedict owes all its consequence to his attachment; there is a peculiar turn of humour in this soldier that none but Mr Garrick has ever been able to enter into the true spirit of. Last night he supported the character with undiminished excellence, and in the speech where he meditates and then resolves on marriage, he soared beyond himself. Beatrice is Shakespeare's Benedict in petticoats, and very happily has got into the hands of Mrs Abington" (Quoted in Hampden, Eighteenth Century Journal).] Receipts: #264 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Garrick. The Stage will be tubn'd into an Amphitheatre, where Servants will be allow'd to keep Places. Tickets 4s., 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., but be had at Tom's Coffee-House, Cornhill; and at Mrs Garrick's in Mansfield St., Goodman's Fields

Event Comment: Benefit Harper's Widow. Six rows of the pit railed into the boxes. Rylands MS.: Duke &c. [present]. Garrick Play'd. Daily Advertiser, 7 May, stated that Mrs Harper's benefit on Saturday last because of the warm weather brought scarcely the charges of the theatre. Therefore Garrick made a voluntary offer to perform for her.] Receipts: #240