Event Comment: Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, Chartly, 21 Jan. 1695@6: I must agree with you that Wit and Sense seem this winter to have suffered an eclipse, and the dramatic writers more especially have showed how little they consulted either. I do assure you, I have not of late met with more of both than in your ingenious diverting letter to me, so that I am satisfied Wit is not retired out of town, but has only forsaken the stage. We that live in these northern parts are forced to range over fields and woods to find subjects of diversion, for in the frozen season of the year, there is nothing that is more so in the country than conversation. In my last ramble, either my own innate fancy, or the aversion I had to see such plays wrote in English as would hardly bear the reading, made me imagine I met with one of the Muses that had left the town, and by her discourse seemed to be Patroness of Dramatic Poetry. You know, Sir, to meet with a Nymph in the desert was no rarity in some countries heretofore, but yet I vow and swear between us, I asked her the occasion of her leaving the town, to which she made this sudden answer: @Neglected Wit is silent at a time@When puns, or bombast, stuff each doggrill rhyme.@In comic strain when they'd describe a fool,@The author proves the only ridicule.@In tragic verse while others fain would boast,@Landing some thousand Romans on the coast,@In what they would express themselves are lost,@Make Romans cowards, and make English great,@And make Bonduca valiant, to be beat.@Would Congreve or would Blackmoor now engage,@They might with manly thoughts reform the stage:@ ... As for Mr Southern's play, I have not yet seen it, so that I cannot at present give you my thoughts on it (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 359-60)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. John Coke (see below), writing on 16 March 1696@7, referred to a "new farce" appearing at this theatre on this day, but no "new farce" is known at this period; on the other hand, an edition of Mountfort's farce published in 1697 indicates a revival in this season and is a likely possibility for this date. John Coke to Thomas Coke, 16 March 1696@7: Saturday a new farce was acted at the new house, which did not take. The Mourning Bride was acted till Saturday, and was full to the last (HMC, 12th Report, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 368). Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, 13 March 1696@7: I am, dear Sir, indebted to you in sending me so ingenious an account of Mr Congreve's tragedy, which I hear on all sides far exceeded what the world expected from him in that part of dramatic poetry (ibid)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By Christopher Bullock.] A Farce of one Act, taken out of a Play written by Mr Shirley, call'd, A Mad World, my Masters. Receipts: #40 9s

Event Comment: BBarry play'd at C. Garden some little Noise, on Account of his being ye occasion of ye late Riot, & demanding more Money than usual-but his speech declaring his Innocence; King Lear went on in quiet (Cross). It is hoped that the Ladies and Gentlemen who took places for the Fatal Marriage this evening will excuse its not being acted 'till tomorrow, as it is impossible for Mrs Cibber to perform the character of Isabella without proper respit. The Old Comedy alter'd from Shirley [The Gamesters] will be reviv'd next week (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pritchard. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. This day publish'd, Price 1s. Brief Remarks on the Original and Present State of the Drama. To which is added Hecate's Prophecy, being a characteristic Dialogue between future Mangers and their Dependents. [William Shirley? A most virulent attack on Garrick's management as well as Rich's Quotes from the Herald No. XX, a denunciatory article on the managers, deplores the pamphleteering attempt to praise Garrick, asks "Shall he shine the God of our Idolatry, merely for excluding every other emulous and aspiring candidate?"] Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Brereton, Beeston, Longley & Colley. Tickets delivered by Robson, Stephenson, Robinson, Varley, Small wood, Partridge, Shirley, Shuter, Pilbrow, Turtle, W. Ansell, Hall will be admitted this Evening. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. [This was Whitsun Eve, on which night the theatre was customarily closed.] Receipts: #242 17s. (29/17/6; 3/9/6; tickets: 209/10/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Mainpiece: Altered from Shirley. Never acted here. With proper Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. [Epilogue by Edward Topham (European Magazine, May 1786, p. 368).] Afterpiece: In 2 Acts; written by Addison. Public Advertiser, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, No. 99, High Holborn. Receipts: #281 17s. 6d. (153/14/6; 4/4/0; tickets: 123/19/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Lucyle Hook, James Brydges Drops in at the Theatre, Huntington Library Bulletin, VIII (1945), 309, speculates that James Brydges' attendance at lif this day may have been prompted by his seeing this new play, as he stayed longer than he often did at a theatrical performance. The comedy was certainly acted before 12 March 1699@1700. James Brydges, Diary: I went to ye play in Lincolns inn fields, where I met Sr G. Coply, who set me down after it was ended (Huntington MS St 26). Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 45: The Way of the World, a Comdey wrote by Mr Congreve, twas curiously Acted; Madam Bracegirdle performance her Part so exactly and just, gain'd the Applause of Court and City; but being too Keen a Satyr, had not the Success the Company Expected