Event Comment: With proper scenes, Machines, &c. [This is the Dryden-Davenant version.] Paid G. Garrick balance of his bill #6 13s.; Christmas Box to ye Beadle 3s. 6d.; Mr Norton 5 chorus #1 5s.; Xmas Jury #1 1s.; Mr Madden for an Embroidered Coat and a velvet suit of Cloaths #12 (Treasurer's Book). [This month was published A Dissertation on Comedy (by John Hippisley, Jr) in which the Rise and Progress of that Species of the Drama is particularly considered and deduced from the earliest to the present age. By a Student of Oxford. Printed for T. Lowndes (Gentleman's Magazine, Register of Books). The "Student of Oxford" seems to have been a Garrick apologist in the extreme: "But whatever reason there may have been formerly for this complaint [the immorality of the stage] since Mr Garrick's management the Stage is become the school of manners and morality: Ribaldry and Profaneness are no longer tolerated, Sense and Nature exert their influence; Pantomime daily declines, Dancers are but little encouraged; the Burletta performs to empty benches, and the British can now vie with the Athenian Drama when in its severest state of purity" (p. 15). Also, from the same source, Reflections on that Species of Dramatic Writing which it improperly call'd Serious Comedy: from the French of M Maillet du Boulley.] Receipts: #120 (Cross); #126 3s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Last night the Play of the Tempest, as alter'd from Shakespear by Dryden, was performed at Drury Lane, when the Music, Dances, and whole performance met with uncommon applause. By particular desire again tonight (General Advertiser). Paid Blandford (Tallow Chandler) #18 17s. 3d.; Gave Xmas Box to King's Footmen #2 2s.; to his Chairmen #2 2s.; and to Smith's man 2s. 6d.; Norton 5 chorus #1 5s. (Treasurer's Book). The Play of Hamlet is oblig'd to be deferr'd till tomorrow. Receipts: #100 (Cross); #99 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [Treasurer's Book lists Devil to Pay as afterpiece. Cross lists The Lying Valet.] Paid to Lewis going to Dr Boyce as per order #2 6s.; Paid to Garrick as per order #197 6s.; Paid to the King's Letter as per Mr Edwards #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). [The General Advertiser lists Devil to Pay as the afterpiece, by particular desire.] Receipts: #160 (Cross); #124 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Play never acted. 'Tis hoped no gentleman will take it ill that he cannot possibly be admitted behind scenes this night (General Advertiser). This play was wrote by Mr Whitehead Tutor to my Lord Jersey,--it was receiv'd with Extravagant applause--& it was Agreed Mr-(Cross). Paid Mr Ackman for writing voice parts in Don Severio #1 1s.; Salary list #305 6d. Norton 6 chorus #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [Of some interest is the fact that a ship plying between London and Dublin was named the Roman Father, perhaps in response to the popularity of this play. See note of its safe arrival in Crookhaven in General Advertiser 25 Oct. 1750.] Receipts: #190 (Cross); #191 7s. 6d. [Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years [see 2 May 1744]. Tickets and places of Mrs Pritchard, at her house next the chapel in Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields, and of Hobson at the Stage Door. Five rows of Pit will be rail'd into the Boxes. [Stage as of 10 March.] Paid Blandford (Tallow Chandler) #18 17s. 3d.; Paid Blakes for 2 wiggs #3 3s.; Paid Mrs Pritchard for a ticket as per agreement #10 10s.; Norton 1 chorus 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #220 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Havard and Mrs Havard. Tickets to be had at Havard's House in Broad Court, Bow St., at the Bedford, and at the Stage Door. Rec'd Cash #72 2s. 6d., plus #79 5s. from tickets. Total #151 7s. 6d. Bought 6 lbs. lampwick 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts. #160 (Cross); charges, #63 (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: Benefit for Mrs Horton. Charges #60. Deficit to Mrs Horton #35 15s. 6d., covered by #43 5s. from tickets. Paid Mr Jossett for 3 pair of shoes for the stage 18s. Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years. Receipts: #24 4s. 6d

Event Comment: By Command of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Benefit for Mr Pritchard, Treasurer. Tickets at Stage Door. Rec'd cash #116 2s., plus #91 5s. from tickets. Total #207 17s. Paid window tax at Winsors 16s. 3d.; Paid 6 chorus #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #210 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Master Mattocks and Mlle L'Contri. Paid Salary List #296 10s. 6d.; Mrs Hobson a bill 3s. (Treasurer's Book). [The George Garrick Treasurer's Book breaks off at this point. It records for 165 nights, a total income of #17,296 9s. as against a total outlay of #12,055 14s. 5d. Cross, who jots down receipts in round figures, and is almost always high, indicates the income from the 164th to the 174th and last night to be #1,446, but since all except one night (11 May) were benefits, the theatre probably received only about #800 (At #63 per benefit). Total income for this season is estimated to be, therefore, #18,096 9s. It is difficult to estimate end of season expenditures. At least #789 10s. 6d. went out in the three final pay days of the season and probably another #500 went out in bills before the books were closed at Midsummer. From this it appears that the profits to the managers that year came to about #4,600.] This day is Publish'd The Actor at 3s. In One Volume (dedicated to the Managers of the British Theatre. A treatise on the art of playing, interspersed with theatrical anecdotes, critical remarks on plays and occasional observations on audiences Printed for R. Griffiths (General Advertiser). Receipts: #120 (Cross). [Income missing from Treasurer's Book.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years [see 15 Oct. 1743]. Garrick-Osmyn, Pritchd-Zara; Almeria-Bellamy ($Cross). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: [Cast taken from 1st edn. The bill merely lists actors and notes "With proper Music, Scenes, and Decorations. Never acted before." It mentions no Prologue or Epilogue.] This Masque was wrote about eleven years ago, by Mr Malet & Mr Thomson, & play'd in the Garden at Clifden before the P. of Wales &c.--Mr Malet has now alter'd it, & it was play'd with great Applause, only some of the Dances, being too long were dislik'd, & some of the Songs had ye same reception (Cross). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lee. Tickets to be had at Mr Prince's, Linnen Draper, the Golden Artichoke, in Great Queen St., near Lincoln's Inn Fields; of Mr Calcroft at the Ship in Ivy Lane, Newgate St., and at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd for the 22nd will be taken. No building on stage. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pritchard (Treasurer). Tickets and places to be had of Pritchard, at his house next the chapel in Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields, and of Hobson at the stage door. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. The Triumphal Entry of the King will be as usual. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. By Particular Desire. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Servants admitted to keep places on the Stage. Ladies are desired to send servants by 3 o'clock. Play to begin at 6. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Pritchard in Great Queen Street, and at the stage door of the theatre. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Afterpiece: A Dramatic piece of one act taken from the French. Never perform'd before. The characters in it to be newdress'd. Pit and boxes laid together and amphitheatre on stage. Tickets deliver'd for 3 March will be taken. [See, 20 March. The note in Have at you all; or, The Drury Lane Journal (19 March) seems to comment on this performance: Those heroic full-bottomed perukes, whose bushy expanse is spread over the whole back of the wearer, have lately been exploded on the stage, and a more natural, I mean a less enormous covering for the head substituted in its stead. Unfortunately Mr Barry this night chose to appear in one of the most curiously frizzled out and of the fullest tragical flow I ever saw: When in the last act it was our heroes turn to be kill'd, honest Ryan being eager to dispatch him, just as he was to plump down upon the carpet, entangled his hand in the vast profusion of Macbeth's hair; and by jerking back his sword after the concluding stab, away came poor periwig along with it, while our hero was left expos'd, in the last agonies of death-bare headed. Ryan in the meanwhile with some confuconfusion contemplated Full-Bottom, which he held dangling in his hand, but sadly tumbled out of curl; at length he good naturedly adjusted it on the bald pate of the tyrant, who was then enabled to make his dying speech with proper regularity and decorum."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive-She did Zara (Cross). Farce (not acted these 2 years) with Alterations and an Additional Scene. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. [None behind scenes.] Tickets of Mrs Clive in Henrietta St., Covent Garden, and at The Stage Door. Receipts: #250 (Cross)

Event Comment: Box and Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. Pit and Boxes will be put together and no persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be delivered this day at the Office in the Theatre. Galleries opened at half an hour after Four. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half past Six

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Passerini. [From charges and countercharges published in great length in the Public Advertiser, it appears that Sga Frasi had earlier arranged to produce Samson at the King's on this night for her benefit. Learning that the subscribers to the opera season could enter on their own tickets on this night she decided to change nights to avoid any losses, only to find that her singers were engaged at one theatre or another on other nights. Meanwhile, Signor Passerini got permission to have this night scheduled at King's for his wife's benefit, and Sga Frasi lost out all around. Passerini asserted that the charge for renting the Great Room, Dean St. Soho was 5 guineas for a night.