Event Comment: Lent (Cross). We hear the managers of Drury Lane intend to give a Benefit to a granddaughter of Milton; the Masque of Comus will be perform'd that night, with an Occasional Prologue by Mr Garrick (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Author. Tickets at the Stage Door. This Day is Published at 1s. 6d. The Roman Father, a Tragedy, as it is now acting at Drury Lane. Written by Mr W. Whitehead. Printed for R. Dodsley in Pall Mall, and sold by M. Cooper in Paternoster Row (General Advertiser). Paid Cross a bill #1 8s. 7d. Norton 4 chorus #1. Paid for a brown coat with gold holes, a scarlet waistcoat with gold lace, scarlet shag breeches for Mr Sowdon #8 (Treasurer's Book). [Probably Sowdon's costume in the part of Tullius Hcstilius.] Receipts: #190 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: To the Author of the General Advertiser. Sir: Having read an advertisement of a performance call'd Concerto Spirituale, for the Benefit of Mr Geminiani, on Friday 6 April next, I could not avoid making a few remarks to the public on the occasion, which, if you will favour with a place in your Paper it may perhaps be of service to his undertaking, and will greatly oblige, Sir your humble Serv't, J. B. When Mr Geminiani came first over here, the great excellence of the Violin was unknown in this kingdom, and the great improvement our countrymen have made on that instrument is entirely owing to him. The valuable works he has produc'd in the instrumental way, are greater indications of his merit, as an author, than any I can offer in his behalf; this is the only Benefit he ever made, therefore I persuade myself that the Public (who are justly famous for their Generosity on such laudable occasions) will give him the encouragement his Merit deserves

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets at Pope's Peruke Maker Russell St. Rec'd Cash #93 3s., plus #92 11s. from tickets. Total #185 14s.; Paid Salary List #203 7s.; Norton 5 chorus #1 5s. (Treasurer's Book). To the Public, Gentlemen and Ladies, I am very sorry that a long, sharp, and severe fit of Illness prevents me the satisfaction of making my personal application to my friends as usual, against my Benefit; but finding myself every day rather worse than better, I hope you will be so kind as to take this notice, that the Stratagem, will be performed on Saturday the 21st of April; the part of Archer by Mr Garrick, for the benefit of Mr and Mrs Mills; with a Farce and all other usual Entertainments. From your most oblig'd Servant, William Mills. Mr Mills hopes his friends who intend to honour him with their company, will be so kind as to send to him for Places, Tickets, &c., or call upon him at Mr Gardner's Printing Office in Russel St., Covent Garden; or at Hobson's at the stage door (General Advertiser). Receipts: #180 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Elmy. Ladies are desired to send Servants to keep Places at 3 o'clock. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Elmy at the corner of Tavistock St., in Southampton St., and of Hobson at the stage door. Cash receipts #63 6s., plus #74 6s. from tickets. Total #137 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Mr Delane dy'd Sun: ye 1st of Ap. (Cross). The Masque of Comus, design'd to be perform'd at Drury Lane Wednesday next, the 4th of Apl, for the Benefit of Mrs Foster, Granddaughter of Milton, and his only surviving descendant, is, by particular desire of several persons of Quality, on account of Handel's Oratorio deferr'd till Thursday the 5th instant (General Advertiser). Receipts. #150 (Cross); charges #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: nother long letter to the author of the General Advertiser pleading attendance at the benefit performance of Comus]: Whoever then would be thought capable of Pleasure in reading the works of our Incomparable Milton, and not so destitute of Gratitude as to refuse to lay out a Trifle in a rational and elegant entertainment for the Benefit of his living remains, for the exercise of their own Virtue, the Increase of their Reputation, and the pleasing consciousness of doing good, should appear at Drury Lane theatre tomorrow April 5, when Comus will be performed for the Benefit of Mrs Elizabeth Foster, Granddaughter to the Author, and the only surviving branch of the family. N.B. There will be a new Prologue on the Occasion written by the Author of Irene, and spoken by Mr Garrick; and by particular Desire there will be added to the Masque, a dramatic Satyr call'd Lethe in which Mr Garrick will perform. Tickets to be had of Dodsley, Bookseller, Pall Mall; Messrs Payne and Boquet, Booksellers, Paternoster Row; Batson's Coffee House, near the Royal Exchange, and of Hobson at the Stage Door

Event Comment: For the Benefit and Increase of a Fund established for the support of Decay's Musicians, or their Families. Pit and Boxes put together at Half a Guinea. Tickets delivered to the subscribers of this Charity will admit one Person to any Part of the House (General Advertiser, 31 March, advance notice)

Event Comment: Benefit for Geminiani. A Grand Entertainment of Sacred Music called...To conclude with the Magnificat compsoed by Conti. Mr Geminiani will conduct the Orchestra and perform a Concerto and Solo of his own Composition. Pit and Boxes 10s. 6d. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. To begin at half after six. Mr Geminiani has altered his day from Friday 6 April Mr Handel having agreed to have no Oratorio on Wednesday 11 April. So Tickets for 6 Apr. will be taken (General Advertiser). [Cross incorrectly dates this on Tuesday 10 April.] Receipts: #230 (Cross); charges, #21 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Being the last [oratorio] this year (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bridges and Blakes. Rec'd Cash #47 3s., plus #100 4s. from tickets. Total #147 7s. (Treasurer's Book). Yesterday Morning died of a Dropsy, Mr William Mills, belonging to the Theatre-Royal in Drury Lane; a person formerly well esteem'd in his profession, and if his infirmities in the latter part of his life render'd him less useful to the stage, yet he amply made amends for it, in the deserv'd character of an Honest man, and an indulgent Husband. -The Stratagem will be play'd on Sat. next, for the benefit of Mrs Mills (General Advertiser). Receipts: #160 (Cross); charges #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mills. By particular desire. Paid salary list #3000 6d.; Rec'd cash #54 19s., plus #102 7s. from tickets. Total #157 6s. [Treasurer's Book). Gentlemen and Ladies: Having the Misfortune to lose my husband, I am incapable at present, of making my Personal application; but hope those Friends who intend to honour me with their company, will be so kind as to send for tickets, Places, &c. to Gardyner's Printing office in Little Russel St., Covent Garden, or to Mr Hobson at the stage door, I beg your favour, and am, Your humble serv't, Eliz. Mills (General Advertiser). Receipts: #160 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Dunbar, Jones, Atkinson, Pritchard, Bride (General Advertiser). Benefit for Dunbarr & Boxkeepers (Cross). Tickets deliver'd for Love's Last Shift will be taken. On Friday next the Roman Father will be acted at Drury Lane, being the last time of the company's performing this season

Event Comment: Being the last time of performing this season (General Advertiser). Put up for ye last time of perform [Cross). Receipts: #170 [Cross)

Event Comment: We hear that Mr Monette, who brought over the French Comedians having been four months under confinement in the King's Bench, on account of the Debts he had contracted in that Undertaking, has applied to the Managers of Drury Lane, for a Benefit Play, in hope that the Goodness and Generosity of the Public will contribute to his enlargement, and enable him to return to his own country (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Whereas Doctor John Francis Croza, late Master of the Company of Comedians at the Opera House in the Haymarket, escaped fro me on Tuesday Evening last: whoever will secure or cause him to be secured, so that I may re-take him, shall have a reward of thirty pounds immediately, paid by me Henry Gibbs, one of the Tipstaffs attending the court of Common Pleas, Southampton St., Covent Garden, Tea Merchant. N.B. The said John Francis Croza is a thin man, about Five feet five inches high, of a swarthy Complexion, with dark brown eyebrows, pitted with the small pox, stoops a little in the Shoulders, is about 50 Years of age, and takes a remarkable deal of Snuff, talks Italian and French, but speaks very little English (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: To Relief Mr Monett, from his distresses and enable him to return to his own country, By his Majesties Comedians at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, Tuesday May 22 will be presented a Comedy, call'd The Suspicious Husband...Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door of the Theatre (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: [The Advertisement of 17 May for the Suspicious Husband repeated for the fourth time, now, however, specifying the Grand Scotch Dance and a concluding Country Dance to round off the evening's entertainment for the benefit of M Monet. Tickets at White's Chocolate House in St James's St., and at the stage door. Being positively the last time of the Company's performing this season. The announcement accompanied by the following statement]: Mr Monett, the innocent tho' unfortunate cause of disgusting the Public by his attempting to represent French Plays, most humbly implores their assistance, by the means of this Benefit Play, to extricate him out of his present most deplorable situation. Without such relief his Misfortunes must detain him a ruined Man in England; a severity which he is persuaded never was proposed as any part of the purpose of the most disoblig'd, or determined against his Undertaking. With this relief he hopes to be able to return to France, and promises never again to risque their favours. He most submissively hopes he shall not be the only the single instance that may seem to contradict the hitherto unimpeached Good Nature and Humanity, which is universally acknowledged the Characteristic of the English Nation (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: OOccasional Prologue call'd for. Mr Griffith (Son of Griffith an Actor in Ireland) play'd Barnwell: Toll: [erable] (Cross). This day at Noon will be publish'd and sold by the proprietor and the print shops, two portraits of those celebrated Comedians, Mr Woodward and Mrs Clive, in the characters of the Fine Gentleman and Lady in Lethe (as they are to perform them tonight, at Drury Lane) curiously engraved (in Miniature) from Original drawings of the same size. By J. Brooks, Engraver of Silver and Copper plate. N.B. The above prints may be had together or separate (General Advertiser).Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: A one Volume Pocket edn. of The Actor at 3s. dedicated to the Managers of the British Theatres publish'd. A Treatise on the Art of Playing, interpersed with theatrical anecdotes, Critical Remarks of Plays, and Occasional observations on Audiences (General Advertiser). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: BBarry's Occasional Prologue printed in the General Advertiser.@ When Vice or Folly over-runs a State@Weak Politicians lay the blame on Fate.@When Rulers useful subjects cease to prize,@'And damn for arts that caus'd themselves to rise:'@When jealousies and fears possess the throne,@And kings allow no merit--but their own,@Can it be strange that men for flight prepare,@And strive to raise a Colony elsewhere?@This custom has prevail'd in every Age,@And has been sometime practis'd on the Stage.@ For--Entre Nous--these Managers of Merit,@Who fearless arm,--"and take the Field with Spirit,"@Have curb'd as Monarchs with their haughty Mien,@And Herod--have out Heroded--within (Pointing to the Green Room)@O! they can torture twenty-thousand ways:@Make bouncing Bajazet retreat from Bayes.@The Ladies too with every power to charm@Whose face and fire an anchorite might warm@Have felt the fury of the Tyrant's arm.@By selfish arts expell'd our ancient Seat,@In search of Candour--and in search of Meat,@We, from your favour, hope for this retreat.@If Shakespear's passion, or if Johnson's art@Can fire the Fancy, or can warm the heart,@That task be ours;--But if you damn their scenes@And heroes must give way to Harlequins,@We too, can have recourse to mime and dance,@Nay, there I think, we have the better chance,@And should the Town grow weary of the Mute,@Why--we'll produce a Child upon the flute.@But be the food as 'twill, 'tis you that treat!@Long have they feasted--permit us now to eat!

Event Comment: Receipts: #40 (Cross). [The Epilogue Occasioned by the Two Occasional Prologues published in the General Advertiser. Fifty-one lines ending: @"No more shall either rack his brains to teaze ye@But let the Contest be who most shall please ye." [In the form of a story, mocking Garrick and Berry]: "Once on a time two boys were throwing dirt@A gentle youth was one, and one was somewhat pert.@Each to his Master with his tale retreated,@Who gravely heard their different parts repeated,@How Tom was rude, and Jack poor lad ill treated."

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Reviv'd not acted in 10 years. Afterpiece: Written by Mr Dryden. The Music composed by Dr Boyce. Proper Dances, Chorusses, &c....The Word of the Masque will be deliver'd gratis at the doors (General Advertiser). Play not much lik'd and ye Masque greatly dislik'd (Cross). Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: New Dresses and Decorations for the Dances (General Advertiser). Dances-Mons Devisse (from Paris), Auretti; Dances lik'd (Cross). Receipts: #100 (Cross)