Event Comment: Receipts: #146 2s. Paid Meares #5 16s. 6d.; Monck #1 10s.; Hargreaves (smith) #13 6s. 11d.; Kemp, six nights for lamps, #9 12s. At the Bedford tonight & slept [slipt?] in at Covent Garden Mr Bettenson was at the Bedford, we were talking about the Count, a poor man that comes there slept in after the play at Drury Lane Gallery (Hailey, "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 69)

Event Comment: MMr Hartry is oblig'd to postpone his Comic Lecture...being engaged in making many alterations therein. The serious part will be consideredly shortened, some other pieces expunged, and many scenes of humour added, which he hopes will be entertaining. He is extremely troubled that anything in his Lecture on Tuesday should have given offence to any one person present, and is no less concerned that those Ladies and Gentlemen who were desirous to hear him perform (that part which appeared exceptionable to others) were disappointed. He is sorry there was any disaffection either way. He is not conscious of having attempted anything with an intention to offend, or that has not already been allowed of inclusion though more unpardonable. The foibles and peculations of private characters have been brought on the stage by others, those only of public men by him. He hopes it will not appear vain or arrogant to say that after such unequaled peals of applause which he met with for some time while uninterrupted, it would be paying an ill compliment to so crowded and brilliant an audience not to flatter himself will possessing some degree of merit: And if he afterwards failed in any or every particular it was altogether owing (notwithstanding the seeming spirit he assumed) to the confusion he was in at the Party Affair which followed. It was his first appearance in public, and in such a situation it is no wonder he was robb'd of his comic powers; but he hopes when his Lecture is alter'd there will be found in it nothing which can give offense, or deprive him of that generous indulgence to a young performer which characterizes a British audience. [No further performance of the Lecture seems to have been given.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author. [At the half-price riots (25 Jan.) Moody had stopped a man from setting fire to the house. When called upon to apologize for interfering with a gentleman and for taking the manager's part he thought to restore good humor by assuming the tone of a low-bred Irishman, saying he was sorry he had displeased them by saving their lives and putting out the fire. The reply inflamed the rioters more (Genest, V, p. 15). On 5 Feb. Moody inserted the following apology in the Public Advertiser: Mr Moody begs leave to inform the Public that the impropriety of his behavoir at the theatre was intirely owing to the confusion of mind he was then under; which unhappily for him was misconstrued into disrespect; tho' nothing could at that, or that, or at any other time, be farther from his thoughts. He therefore earnestly hopes and entreats that he may be permitted to appear before them again; as he hereby most humbly asks their pardon for whatever he inadvertently said or did to incur their displeasure."

Event Comment: In 4th Act, when Olivia draws her Sword, Mr Obrien ran up to the Centry P S & frighten'd the poor Man, that he fell flat upon the Stage,--which greatly diverted the Audience (Hopkins). In the fourth Act Mr O'Brien run up to the Centry, when Olivia draws her sword, and frightened the poor soldier that he fell down flat upon his back to the great mirth of the Audience (Hopkins Diary--MacMillan). Receipts: #81 7s. 6d. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: by Particular Desire. N.B. Mr Yates refus'd to play Kastril. (Mr King play'd it.) Mr Weston play'd Abel Drugger, was well receiv'd & indeed he play'd much better than could Expect from him. his figure was much in his favour (Hopkins). Mr Weston Drugger. great applause (Cross Diary). Mr Yates would not play his part [Kastril].-Abel Drugger by Mr Weston,-who went thro' it much beyond what any one could expect,-and, considering so great a man as Mr Garrick was his predecessor, twas wonderful. Upon the whole, I think he played it very decently. His figure is much in his favour.-He received great applause (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). Receipts: #85 14s. 6d. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: EEvery Man in His Humour deferr'd on account of Indisposition of Dunstall (playbill). T. Lownds paid #23 10s. for a one-eighth share of the copyright for Bickerstaff's Maid of the Mill (BM Add. MS 38730 fol. 104b) in anticipation of its stage success. [It was first performed at cg 31 Jan. 1765.

Event Comment: Both pieces By Particular Desire. Afterpiece: Never performed there. Last night was deposited in the Vault of St Paul's Covent Garden the remains of James Bencraft, that truly honest, amiable, and benevolent man, whose perpetual pleasantry and delectable vein of humour cannot more aptly be described than in the words of Hamlet-"That fellow of infinite jest &c., Alas poor Jemmy" (+Winston MS 9 from The Gazetteer)

Event Comment: [The title alone had a certain startling appeal. The General Advertiser reminded its readers twenty years before (11 Nov. 1748) "Clandestine marriages are illegal and punishable by the Statute of the 7th and 8th of King William, Chap. 35 under which Law the Parson shall forfeit One Hundred Pounds; and every man married without Banns or Licence shall forfeit ten Pounds, to be recovered with costs, by any Person that shall inform."

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #3 4s. 6d.; Paid salary list #441 4s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #171 18s. (Treasurer's Book). Pay List 24 Jan. 1767 at #73 10s. 8d. per diem, #441 4s. per week (Winston MS 9), at close of season 1766-67. @Men Daily Weekly@James Lacy #2 15s. 6d. #16 13s.@David Garrick #2 15s. 6d. #16 13s.@#2 18s. 4d. #17 10s.@Yates & Wife #3 6s. 8d. #20@Holland #2 #12@Powell #2 #12@Palmer & Wife #2 #12@King & Wife #2 #12@Dance & Wife #1 1s. 8d. #6 10s.@Hopkins & Wife 18s. 4d. #5 10s.@Havard 16s. 8d. #5@Dodd 16s. 8d. #5@Baddeley & Wife 13s. 4d. #4@Bransby 11s. 8d. #3 10s.@Burton 10s #3@Moody 10s. #3@Rooker 10s. #3@Packer 8s. 4d. #2 10s.@Parsons 8s. 4d. #2 10s.@Aickin 8s. 4d. #2 10s.@Hurst 6s. 8d. #2@Ackman 6s. 8d. #2@Hartry 6s. 8d. #2@Weston 6s. 8d. #2@Clough 5s. #1 10s.@Raftor 5s. #1 10s.@J. Johnston 5s. #1 10s.@J. Palmer 5s. #1 10s.@Castle 4s. 2d. #1 5s.@Strange 4s. 2d. #1 5s.@Fox 4s. 2d. #1 5s.@Marr 3s. 4d. #1@Mas. Burton 3s. 4d. #1@Philips 3s. 4d. #1@Keen 3s. 4d. #1@Watkins 2s. 6d. 15s.@Mortimer 2s. 12s.@West 2s. 12s.@ Women Daily Weekly@Pritchard #2 6s. 8d. #14@Clive #1 15s. #10 10s.@Abington 16s. 8d. #5@Pope 16s. 8d. #5@Barry 10s. #3@Reynolds 8s. 4d. #2 10s.@Bennett 8s. 4d. #2 10s.@Bradshaw 6s. 8d. #2@Lee 6s. 8d. #2@Plym 6s. 8d. #2@Cross 5s. #1 10s.@Simpson 4s. 2d. #1 5s.@Smith@Speres@Miss Simson@Mills@Pearce@Mathews 3s. 4d. each #1@ Singers@Arne #1 10s. #9@Vernon #1 #6@Vincent 16s. 8d. #5@Scott 13s. 4d. #4@Champness 13s. 4d. #4@Dorman 5s. #1 10s.@Fawcett 5s. #1 10s.@Kear 3s. 4d. #1@The Band #7 14s. 8d. 46s. 8d.@ Dancers@Guidetti 17s. 6d. #5 5s.@Grimaldi & Wife 16s. 8d. #5@Giorgi & Wife 16s. 8d. #5@Duquesney 10s. #3@Tassoni 6s. 8d. #2@Granier@Mathews@Roullet@Luchi@Tetley 5s. each #1 10s.@Walker 4s. 2d. #1 5s.@Hurst@Pope@Mas. Lelly@Eagan@Heath 3s. 4d. each #1@Heyward@Reinhold@Wallis@Brawn 2s. 6d. each 15s.@Office Keepers 2 at #1@3 at 15s.@1 at 12s.@Box Keepers 15 Doorkeepers (Palmer included) 9s.@Men Dressers 1 at 12s.@11 at 9s.@Women Dressers 16 at 9s.@Treasurer: Victor 8s. 4d. #2 10s.@Sub. Treas.: 5s. #1@Wardrobe: Heath & Wife 6s. 8d. #2@Wardrobe: Slaughter 5s. #1 10s.@Wardrobe: Johnston 3s. 4d. #1@Properties: Berkely Jr 3s. 4d. #1@Properties: D Jr 1s. 9d. 10s. 16d.@Numberer: Fosbrook 2s. 6d. 15s.@Housekeepers: Johnson 8s. 10d. #2 13s.@Hulett 2s. 6d. 15s.@Sceneman 1s. 8d. 6s. 4d.@Soldiers 14s. #4 4s.@Sweepers 11s. 6d. #3 9s.@Barber 4s. #1 4s.@Constable 2s. 12s.@Candlewoman 2s. 12s.@Pensioner: Waldgrave 1s. 9d. 10s. 6d.@Sinking Fund 1s. 15d. 10s. 10d.@Salary Fund 1s. 15d. 10s. 10d.

Event Comment: Benefit for Fishar, Ballet Master and Sga Manesiere. Entertainments by Children for that night only. Charges #64 5s. [Profit to each #21 11s. 9d. plus income from tickets: Fishar #38 14s. (Box 57; Pit 107; Gallery 84); Sga Manesiere, #29 13s. (Box 60; Pit 55; Gallery 64).] Paid Barratt (wax chandler) #201 5s.; Paid Buxtons and Co., (oyl men) #135 16s. (Account Book). Receipts: #107 8s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: I can discover no excellence in a man [Zamporini] singing like a woman (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mortimer, Tomlinson, West, Lings. House charges #84. [Deficit to actors #60 4s.] Received Mr Evans and Miss Roger's deficiency #28 18s. 6d. Paid Ann Collett for a gold brocaided silk #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #23 16s. (Treasurer's Book). Went into ye Pit...Vernon is an excellent MacHeath. I don't like Yates as Peachum so well as Shuter, and Parsons is not so good a Filch as Holborn. Bransby ye Lockit and Mrs Abington Lucy pretty well...Polly-$Mrs Vincent, who is now too old for ye character, and I think wants feeling...One Tomlinson, who had a 4th of the Benefit, spoke an Epilogue in the character of a Beggar, but by one party hissing and a greater clapping, could not hear it.--At Covent Garden a Hurdy-Gurdy man and girl play in the whore's scene, and as the Highwaymen march out, one returns and kisses MacHeath, and Shuter says some things Yates did not, but perhaps they are additions of his own (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: NNeville MS Diary: At 6 went to Marybone Gardens, a place of the kind of Ranelagh-but not so elegant nor frequented by such good company--indeed much indifferent company resort to both. A transparent picture of a Patagonian man, woman and child was exhibited for the first time; went and returned on foot. Marybone fields are much pleasanter than the gardens. Got home about 11

Event Comment: Mainpiece: First time in 2 years. [See 17 Jan. 1766.] Harlequin's Invasion revived with alterations, particularly a Patagonian Man and Woman, executed by Mr Johnston, are very fine Figures, and gave great satisfaction to the Audience (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: At 5 went into the Pit at Covent Garden to see Mrs Yates do Lady Townly. Yates is an excellent Sir Francis, but Powell does not shine in Lord Townly....The Entertainment was the new comedy in two acts called the Oxonian in Town, with a prologue by Woodward in the character of a student....It being suspected that a number of sharpers whose characters and practices are laid open in this piece, would attempt to damn it tonight (the 3rd of its being Performed) under pretence of its casting odium on the Irish, bills were dispersed in the House during the play vindicating it from any such intention. Woodward was allowed to speak the prologue, but as soon as the curtain drew up catcalls began. When the performers retired, Powell spoke several times, but was not heard. I was told that the author (Mr Colman) desires to know whom he has offended. The Pros were a very great majority, and at last after a contest of better than 1!2 an hour, the victory was over and the piece was performed. I think it contains many good sentiments, and excellent instruction to young men and is not unworthy of Mr Colman. If vice must not be exposed to hatred and contempt, the usefulness of our theatres is at an end. Only I think the Covent Garden pleasures are represented in too favourable a light. When all was over Powell came on the stage and thanked the audience for their generous protection (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #212 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Both pieces by command of Their Majesties. Present: Their Majesties, Prince of Wales, Prince Frederick and Lady Louisa. Gave Yeoman of the Guards #2 2s. Paid Younger for licensing The Good Natured Man #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #228 10s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Tomorrow, Never Perform'd before, a COMEDY call'd The Good Natured Man. Receipts: #199 11s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cautherly. Farce from Mrs Centlivre's The Man's Bewitched. Never acted there

Event Comment: The New Comedy of the Man and Wife is oblig'd to be deferr'd for a few days. Receipts: #106 19s

Event Comment: Paid Messrs Richards and Dall for their expenses to Stratford #14 14s. (Account Book). [Apparently for gathering material for painting appropriate scenes for Harlequin's Jubilee (see 27 Jan. 1770) or for Man & Wife, 7 Oct.] Receipts: #91 8s. 6d