Event Comment: Benefit for Hull, Mrs Litchfield & Waddy. 1st piece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Hull. Larpent MS 1215; not published]: Altered from [The Bashful Lover, by] Massinger. [In it the playbill assigns Hortensio to Pope, but he was ill, and in his "stead Johnston read the part of Hortensio" (European Magazine, June 1798, p. 396). Prologue by John Taylor Poems (I, 60).] Morning Herald, 29 May: Tickets to be had of Hull, Duke's Court, Dean's-yard, Westminster; of Mrs Litchfield, James-street, Covent-Garden; of Waddy, No. 214, opposite Southampton-street, High Holborn. Receipts: #261 2s. 6d. (53.9.6; 4.16.6; tickets: 202.16.6; of which Hull took #72 7s.; Mrs Litchfield #60 17s., Waddy #69 12s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer, Russell & Dowton. 1st piece [1st time; B 1, by Edward Henry Iliff. The title-page has "by Edmund Spenser, Ynger." On his copy, now in Huntington Library, J. P. Kemble has written, "Iliffe [sic] is the real Name of the Authour"; he has made a similar notation on the playbill]: Founded on the 17th Number of The Spectator. 3rd piece [1st time; MF 1. Larpent MS 1219; not published. The characters are all taken from previous plays by John O'Keeffe, as follows: Sadboy (The Young Quaker); Signor Arionelli and Bowkitt (The Son-in-Law); Motley (The Dead Alive); Tully (The London Hermit); Lingo and Cowslip (The Agreeable Surprise); Ephraim Smooth (Wild Oats); Nipperkin (Sprigs of Laurel); Jemmy Jumps and Betty Blackberry (The Farmer); Mrs Casey (Fontainbleau)]: Written by Mr O'Keeffe. Times, 4 June: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 2, Queen's-row, Pimlico; of Russell, No. 19, Martlet-court, Bow-street; of Dowton, No. 5, Strand-lane, Surry-street, Strand. Receipts: #413 11s. 6d. (76.17.6; 37.7.0; 1.0.0 tickets: 298.7.0) (charge: #215 10s. 5d.)

Event Comment: [Huddart, whose 1st appearance on the stage was at the Crow Street Theatre Dublin, on 14 May 1798, is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1798, p. 258.] "In the gentle and tender scenes [Huddart] was impressive...but in the impassioned parts he was often too boisterous, and from his too eager exertion, he exhausted himself, in a great measure, before the conclusion of the piece" (Morning Herald, 16 Oct.). [Mrs Pope, as Miss Campion, had 1st appeared as Desdemona at the same theatre, 11 Mar. 1790. Mrs Wybrow was from the Royal Circus. She had appeared at cg on 6 June 1798.] Afterp iece [1st time; BALL. PI, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 1228. Text (i.e. synopsis of the ballet, and the songs) in his Circusiana (Lackington, Allen & Co., 1890), Vol. 1; it lists the cast for the Royal Circus]: Taken chiefly from the favourtie Piece of the latter Title [1st acted at the Royal Circus, 9 Apr. 1798], with Alterations and Additions by the original Author. The Music by Sanderson, and Scenery by Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Blackmore, &c. Receipts: #294 15s. 6d. (290.8.6; 4.7.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. 1st piece [1st time; C 3, by Thomas John Dibdin. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (London Chronicle, 18 Mar.)]. Morning Chronicle, 12 Apr. 1799: This Day is published Five Thousand a Year (price not listed). Ibid, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, Bow-street. Receipts: #542 0s. 6d. (383.9.0; 2.19.0; tickets: 155.12.6)

Event Comment: [Prologue to Douglas by John Home.] Tickets to be had of Frimbley at the Old Crown. Pit 2s. Doors to open at 6:00; to begin at 7:00. Nights of playing: Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by John Till Allingham]. Morning Chronicle, 14 May: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, No. 10, Clifford's-inn. Ibid, 26 July 1799: This Day is published Fortune's Frolic (price not listed). Receipts: #394 13s. 6d. (79.15.0; 5.0.0; tickets: 309.18.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece:In I A Grand Masqueradev. Afterpiece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Thomas John Dibdin]: To conclude with a new Scenic Representation of Britannia Triumphantv. Interspersed With a Variety of favorite old Airs, popular Songs, Parodies, &c. The Overture and new Songs composed and the Music in general arranged by Moorehead. The Machinery invented and executed by Cresswell. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre, price Six-pence. Morning Chronicle, 16 Oct. 1799: This day is published The Naval Pillar (price not listed). The afterpiece had reference to the contemplated erection of a "Naval Pillar" on Portsdown Hill, near Portsmouth, in commemoration of the recent victbries of the English navy. A plain pillar is at the last introduced, with the names of the most celebrated admirals on a scroll, round which the sailors and their sweethearts dance with peculiar festivity. The pillar now flies open, and displays a most magnificent and appropriate spectacle--consisting of Britannia, personated by Mrs Chapman, under a rich canopy, with the figures of a sailor and a soldier for supporters, pointing to the letters G. R. over a brilliant sun, which turns on the center; shrouded in clouds above, and surrounded by angels, is a medallion of Lord Howe, and on columns on each side of the canopy are medallions of your great living naval commanders" (Monthly Visitor, Oct. 1799, p. 180). Receipts: #284 10s. 6d. (277.18.6; 6.12.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by John Brandon, Dick, Denman, Hall (carpenter), Hay, Williamson will be admitted. [Miss Lascelles is identified in Morning Post, 4 June.] Receipts: #409 16s. (39.2.6; 6.9.0; tickets: 364.4.6)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; P 2, by John Fawcett. Text 1st published by Duncombe and Moon, c. 1825]: With entire new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and most of the Musick composed by Dr Arnold. The Selections from eminent Masters, and the whole adapted by him to the Action of the Drama. The Scenery, comprehending a display of Views in the Island of Jamaicav, designed and painted [on playbill of 1 July: from Views taken on the Spot, and documents of undoubted authority] by S. Whitmore. The Machinery by Ronaldson, Sylvester, &c. The Dresses [on playbill of 1 July: made for the purpose by Persons acquainted with the spot where the Scene of Action lyes] by Gay, Mrs Egan, &c. A Prospectus of the Action with the Songs annexed, Price Six-pence, to be had at the Theatre [and reprinted in Dramatic Censor, III, 21-29]