Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being
the most tragical tragedy that ever was tragedized by a company of tragedians. At
the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality (
General Advertiser). [
The following unsigned statement of
the financial condition of
the theatre on 11 April is in
the Harvard Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of
Drury Lane, folio MS Thr. 12. This itemizes
the outst
anding liabilities to
the amount of #8,808 14s. including #1,275 of arrears in actors' salaries]: I told Mr-
the intended purchaser that
the whole would not amount to #12,000. He said if it was more it should rest on me, for that was
the utmost shilling he would give. But upon strict enquiry I find it will amount to #12,808 14s. This difference is not altoge
ther owing to an error in calculation, but has been likewise heightened by a falling off of business, nor is it possible to ascertain
the debt of a
theatre for a day, it is of so fluctuating a nature. Q: whe
ther this loss ought to light upon me, who have endeavored to get a purchaser & increased
the value of
the Estate to
the utmost of my power? Errors excepted. [
James Lacy or
John Powel are
the most likely authors of this statement. Whatever
the authority, it is clear that settlement had not yet been made for transfer of ownership. For Powel, see
G. W. Stone, Jr.,
The Authorship of
Tit for Tat,"
Theatre Notebook, X (1955), 22-28.