Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness. [The Prince, attended by Lord Charles Cavendish and Colonel Townshend, and Princess Caroline, attended by the Countess of Suffolk, present.

Event Comment: Benefit R. Williams. Mainpiece: Not Acted these Twenty Years. On this day the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen of the City presented a petition to the King seeking the suppression of the theatre in Goodman's Fields. Thomas Odell, Master of the Theatre, also appeared before His Majesty and sought royal leave to continue acting.--See Grub St. Journal, 7 May, for a summary of the events, but see also Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer and London Journal, 2 May

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [by Charles Johnson.] With New Habits. [See Preface for an account of the noisy reception of the play, and Lord Hervey and his Friends, p. 61, for Hervey's amusing account of the first night.

Event Comment: [T$Their Majesties, Prince, Duke, Princesses, and Duke of Lorrain present. See Lord Hervey and His Friends, p. 103.

Event Comment: [T$Their Majesties and the Royal Family present. See also Lord Hervey and his Friends, pp. 114-15.

Event Comment: [T$Their Majesties, Prince, Prince William, Princess Royal, the young Princesses, and Duke of Lorrain present. See also Lord Hervey and his Friends, p. 115.

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness. [Prince of Wales, Lord Malpas, Marquis of Caernarvan present.

Event Comment: For an amusing account of the performance, see Lord Hervey and his Friends, p. 69. Hervey's letter is dated 4 April 1731 by the editor, but 4 January 1732 must almost certainly be the correct date

Event Comment: For a comment on the season's operas, see See and Seem Blind...In a Letter from Lord B-to A-H-Esq. (London, 1732), part of which is reproduced in Deutsch, Handel, pp. 300-301

Event Comment: A New Opera. [Text by Pietro Metastasio. Done into English by Humphreys. Music presumably by Leonardo Leo.] Pit and Boxes at half a guinea. [Their Majesties, Prince, and three eldest Princesses present.] See also Lord Hervey and his Friends, pp. 145-46. Daily Advertiser, 6 Nov.: There were present a very numerous Audience; and Signora Celeste Gismondi, who lately arriv'd here, perform'd a principal Part in it with universal Applause. We hear that this Opera was not compos'd by Mr Handell, but by some very eminent Master in Italy

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 22 Nov.: A Latin Play of Terence's, call'd Eunuchus; the Theatre was newly built by the said Mr Galliardy, and is large enough to contain 150 Spectators; the Scenes were all new, and the House neat and well lighted; the Performers were young Lords, and Sons of Gentlemen of Distinction, whose Propriety of Speech and Justness of Action, exceeded all that had ever been done of the kind; the Dresses were exceeding rich, and after the Eastern Fashion; the Decorations handsome, and every thing performed...to the intire Satisfaction and Applause of the Audience

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Porter. By Their Majesties' Command. Pit and Front Boxes put together at 5s. [For an account of this performance, see Lord Hervey and his Friends, pp. 156-57. Mrs Theophilus Cibber died on this day.

Event Comment: Written by the late Mr Gay. Receipts: #163 12s. [See Lord Hervey and his Friends, pp. 162-63.

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. A New Oratorio in English. Composed by Mr Handel. And to be perform'd by a great Number of the best Voices and Instruments. The House to be fitted up and illuminated in a new and particular manner. Tickets One Guinea. Gallery Half a Guinea. [Text by Samuel Humphreys. Their Majesties, Prince, and three eldest Princesses present.] Daily Advertiser, 20 March: An Entertainment, perhaps, the most magnificent that has ever been exhibited on an English Theatre....The Composition of the Musick is by no means inferior to the most finish'd of that Gentleman's Works; but the Disposition of the Performers was in a Taste beyond what has been attempted. There was a very great Number of Instruments by the best Hands, and such as would properly accompany three Organs. The Pit and Orchestre were cover'd as at an Assembly, and the whole House Illuminated in a new and most beautiful manner. [See also Lady A. Irwin to Lord Carlisle, in Deutsch, Handel, pp. 309-10.

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Applebee's, 31 March: On Thursday 7-Night last at the Performance of...Love runs all Dangers...one of the Commedians took the Liberty to throw out some Reflections upon the Prime Minister and the Excise, which were not design'd by the Author; Lord Walpole being in the House, went behind the Scenes, and demanded of the Prompter, whether such Words were in the Play, and he answering they were not, his Lordship immediately corrected the Comedian with his own Hands very severely

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 28 March: Their Majesties, together with his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the Princesses were again...to see Deborah...at which was likewise present one of the most numerous Audiences of Nobility and Persons of Distinction that has been ever seen in any Theatre. Egmont, Diary, I, 345: It was very magnificent, near a hundred performers, among whom about twenty-five singers. [See also Lady A. Irwin to Lord Carlisle, in Deutsch, Handel, pp. 309-10.

Event Comment: DDaily Post, 29 May: We are assur'd that there will be no more Plays acted this Season at [dl], and we hear that there was Yesterday no Play acted...as had been advertiz'd for that Day; the Occasion we are inform'd was, that at Midnight on Saturday last several persons arm'd took Possession of the same, by Direction from some of the Patentees, and lock'd up and barricado'd all the Doors and Entrances thereunto, against the whole Company of his Majesty's Comedians, as also against Mr Cibber, Jun. notwithstanding he had paid to one of the Patentees several hundred Pounds for one third Part of the Patent, Cloaths, Scenes, &c. and all Rights and Privileges thereunto annexed, for a certain Term not yet expired. Mr Cibber, Jun. and the rest of the Company of Comedians, and this Morning to wait upon his Grace the Duke of Grafton, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houshold, with their humble Petition, and the Representation of their Cast, and to beg his Grace's Favour and Protection

Event Comment: Lady Bristol to Lord Bristol, 3 Nov.: I am just come home from a dull empty opera, tho' the second time; the first was full to hear the new man, who I can find out to be an extream good singer; the rest are all scrubbs except old Durastante, that sings as well as ever she did. Letter Books of John Hervey, III, 108

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Daily Advertiser, 20 Nov.: Yesterday Mr Harper was brought up to the Court of King's Bench . . . but the Right Hon. the Lord Hardwicke, Chief Justice, perceiving . . . that it might probably take up a long time to hear [the Counsels'] several Arguments, was pleas'd to put off the Affair till this Morning

Event Comment: Daily Journal, 21 May: We hear that the Mad Company at the Haymarket design to keep up that Character, by performing the Beggar's Opera in Roman Dresses, and exhibiting Hurlothrumbo, in which Mrs Charke attempts the Character of Lord Flame

Event Comment: Benefit Carlo Broschi Farinello. With several Alterations and Additions. Pit and Boxes, Places on the Stage, at Half a Guinea. N.B. Signor Farinello humbly hopes, that the Subscribers will not make use of their Tickets on this Occasion. The Stage will be in the same Manner as in the Assembly with a great Number of Benches. Mrs Pendarves to Mrs Granville, 15 March: Tonight is Farinelli's benefit; all the polite world will flock there, and go at four o'clock, for fear they should not be time enough. I don't love mobbing, and so I shall leave them to themselves. Daily Advertiser, 13 March: 'Tis expected that Signor Farinelli will have the greatest Appearance on Saturday that has been known. We hear that a Contrivance will be made to accommodate 2000 People. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has been pleas'd to give him 200 Guineas, the Spanish Ambassador 100, the Emperor's Ambassador 50, his Grace the Duke of Leeds 50, the Countess of Portmore 50, Lord Burlington 50, his Grace the Duke of Richmond 50, the Hon. Col. Paget 30, Lady Rich 20, and most of the other Nobility 50, 30 or 20 Guineas each; so that 'tis believ'd his Benefit will be worth to him upwards of 2000l

Event Comment: A New Opera. [By Metastasio. Music by Francis Veracini. For a full account of this opera and opera in general, see Ilchester, Lord Hervey and his Friends, pp. 238-39.] Daily Advertiser, 26 Nov.: Their Majesties, his Royal Highness, and the Princesses [attended] Adriano, compos'd by the famous Signior Veracini, who perform'd the first Fiddle

Event Comment: A New Comedy. [By Mrs E. Cooper. Apparently not printed. The characters named in the bill are: Lord Belamour, Sir Roger Wrangle, Sir Charles Cumberland, Froward, Wary, Young Wrangle, Peinter, Snare, Lady Cumberland, Felicia, Ready. See also a puff by Mrs Cooper in Daily Advertiser, 17 May.]