Event Comment: CCross: (Pam: publish'd). Play dislik'd. Hiss'd much. [The pamphlet referred to was "Mr Garrick's Conduct as Manager of TRDL considered in a Letter Addressed to him," by E. F. 18 Oct.: As a manager, Sir, it is your business not only to prepare the Evening's Entertainment, but to prepare it in the best manner you are able; and the manager who does otherwise uses his customers ill." The burden of the author's complaints was: (1) the theatre has been operating for a month yet Garrick has appeared in only one character; (2) that he should buy himself off with speaking a prologue only, then sell that to the public at 6d. shows vanity, avarice, and lack of managerial responsibility; (3) that plays such as Albumazar (simple and poorly cast) and Scornful Lady, (with irreligious and atheistical parts) should not have been passed off on the public, whose expectations were raised high at the thought of Garrick's management. Macklin even had to apologize to the audience as he played the part of Sir Roger in the latter play. E. F. closed by urging: "Get up the best of our English Tragedies and Comedies; encourage the rising Wits and be under no apprehesion of the want of success." If you use common sense in casting your actors, as your former managers did (with all their other faults) in casting you, you will not yourself have to play every night. Above all remember your responsibility to the public.] Receipts: #100 (Cross); #127 4s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: MMiss Pritchard did the Lady-Oh! for Mrs Pritchard's Benefit. She advertised Jane Shore, but Mrs Cibber being ill it was changed (Cross). Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Tickets delivered for Jane Shore will be taken. Mainpiece: From Shakespear. Afterpiece: Never acted there. Receipts: #280 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by William Kenrick, based on The Country Lasses, by Charles Johnson]: With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. The Overture and the rest of the Music composed by Hook. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 2 Dec. 1778: This Day at Noon is published The Lady of the Manor (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: In an edition of Covent Garden Drollery, M. Summers, p. 67, prints an Epilogue, Spoken by the Lady Mary Mordant, before the King and Queen, at court, to the faithfull Shepherdess; Summers includes a letter (p. 121) from Gerrard to Lord Strafford, 9 Jan. 1662@3, concerning a performance of The Faithfull Shepherdess at Court. In another edition of the Covent Garden Drollery (London, 1928), G. Thorn-Drury argues that the performance belongs to Twelfth Night, 1633@4 (pp. 146-47)

Event Comment: Boswell (Restoration Court Stage, pp. 180-81) believes that a performance occurred on this day, as well as on 16 Feb. 1674@5, Shrove Tuesday, the date often specified in advance statements. For previous notices, see 2 Feb. 1674@5, 15 and 22 Dec. 1674. Edition of 1675:....followed at innumerable Rehearsals, and all the Representations by throngs of Persons of the greatest Quality...at the 20th or 30th, for near so often it had been Rehearsed and Acted....And the Composer of all the Musick both Vocal and Instrumental Mr Staggins. Langbaine. (English Dramatick Poets, p. 92): a Masque at court, frequently presented there by Persons of great Quality, with the Prologue, and the Songs between the Acts: printed in quarto Lond. 1675....This Masque was writ at the Command of her present Majesty: and was rehearsed near Thirty times, all the Representations being follow'd by throngs of Persons of the greatest Quality, and very often grac'd with their Majesties and Royal Highnesses Presence. John Evelyn (The Life of Mrs Godolphin): [Mrs Blagge] had on her that day near twenty thousand pounds value of Jewells, which were more sett off with her native beauty and luster then any they contributed of their own to hers; in a word, she seemed to me a Saint in Glory, abstracting her from the Stage. For I must tell you, that amidst all this pomp and serious impertinence, whilst the rest were acting, and that her part was sometymes to goe off, as the scenes required, into the tireing roome, where severall Ladyes her companions were railing with the Gallants trifleingly enough till they were called to reenter, she, under pretence of conning her next part, was retired into a Corner, reading a booke of devotion, without att all concerning herself or mingling with the young Company; as if she had no farther part to act, who was the principall person of the Comedy...[With] what a surprizeing and admirable aire she trode the Stage, and performed her Part, because she could doe nothing of this sort, or any thing else she undertooke, indifferently....Thus ended the Play, butt soe did not her affliction, for a disaster happened which extreamly concern'd her, and that was the loss of a Diamond of considerable vallue, which had been lent her by the Countess of Suffolke; the Stage was immediately swept, and dilligent search made to find it, butt without success, soe as probably it had been taken from her, as she was oft inviron'd with that infinite crowd which tis impossible to avoid upon such occasion. Butt the lost was soon repair'd, for his Royall Highness understanding the trouble she was in, generousely sent her the wherewithall to make my Lady Suffolke a present of soe good a Jewell. For the rest of that days triumph I have a particular account still by me of the rich Apparell she had on her, amounting, besides the Pearles and Pretious Stones, to above three hundred pounds (ed. Samuel Lord Bishop of Oxford [London, 1847], pp. 97-100). See also 15 Dec. 1674

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3177, 20-23 April 1696, suggests that it was first performed not later than March 1696. Preface, Edition of 1696: This Comedy by the little success it met with in the Acting, has not at all deceived my Expectations....Give me leave to thank the Well-natur'd Town for Damning me so suddenly; They would not suffer me to linger in suspence, nor allow me any degrees of Mortification; neither my Sex, Dress, Musick and Dancing, cou'd allow it a three Days Reprieve. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 17: Ramble: I never heard of that. Sullen: Oh this is a Lady's

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and one in the Box at Spanish Wives. 8s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Prologue suggests that it was given shortly before Bartholomew and Southwark Fairs (Drolls shortly will amuse ye at the Fair), even though the play was not advertised until mid-October (Post Boy, 15-17 Oct. 1696). One song, Alas! when charming Sylvia's gone, is in the Edition and was also published separately,with the indication that Daniel Purcell set it. In the Edition, a song, Fairest nymph that ever bless'd our Shore, is sung in Act II Betwixt Mr Leveridge a Spaniard, and Mrs Cross an English Lady. Tne composer is not named. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: and 'tis a most damnable Farce

Event Comment: [By Mary Pix. Date of premiere unknown. Published 3 April.

Event Comment: [By Mary Pix. Date of premiere unknown. Published 15 April.