Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Afterpiece: A Comedy in 2 acts written by Foote, with Prologue and Epilogue by him. Miss Macklin did Calista and a part in the farce,-all went well (Cross). A Comedy in answer to the French Farce A Frenchman in London, with a Dialogue Prologue, spoken by Macklin & his wife. Epilogue spoken by Miss Macklin. All by Foote. Part of Pit laid into the boxes, with an amphitheatre on stage, all at 5s. Full Prices (Winston MS 8). The Englishman at Paris has been better recev'd that I expected. Garrick, &c., &c....say kinder things of it than modesty will permit me to repeat. Upon the whole it was damnably acted, Macklin miserably imperfect in the words and in the character (a stain to Comedy). You might have seen what I meant,--an English Buck, by the power of dulness instantaneously transformed into an Irish chairman. Miss Roach, accompany'd by some frippery French woman occupy'd, to the no small scandal of the whole house, the Prince's box, whilst the duchess of Bedford &c., &c. were oblig'd to take up with seats upon the stage. The piece will be printed the 25th instant, which I will enclose to you (Samuel Foote to Mr Delaval, MS in Folger Shakespeare Library, written either 24 March, or, perhaps more likely, 24 April, since Foote states later in the letter he is leaving for foreign parts the first of May)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Elizabeth Inchbald. Author of Prologue unknown]: With new Dresses, Scenery, &c. Morning Herald, 4 Apr. 1797: This Day is published Wives as they Were, and Maids as they Are (2s). "The Manager of Covent Garden Theatre gives Mrs Inchbald #500 for her new Comedy" (True Briton, 13 Mar.). Receipts: #302 13s. 6d. (295.9.0; 7.4.6)

Event Comment: [Macklin dismissed after this night. See the account in The Genuine Arguments of the Council, with the Opinion of the Court of the King's Bench, &c., By a Citizen of the World, (London, 1774). Extracts in E. R. Page, George Colman, the Elder (New York, 1935). See notes for 23 and 30 Oct. and the subsequent action in note for 20 Nov. He did not return until 18 May 1775. This night was aparently, except for #4 5s. which was not recorded on the books of the theatre until 18 June well after the season closed. Macklin's suit in court against the rioters was judged 24 Feb. 1775. A column and a half account of the trial appeared in the Public Advertiser, Saturday 13 May 1775, giving the testimony of the witnesses accused of starting the riot, the lawyers, and the judge. The accused were Leigh, Miles, James, Aldus, and Clarke. The first four were convicted of a conspiracy and a riot, the last of a riot only. During the Course of the Business Lord Mansfield took Occasion to observe, that the Right of Hissing, and Applauding in a theatre was an unalterable Right, but there was a wide Distinction between expressing the natural Sensations of the Mind as they arose on what was seen and heard, and executing a pre-concerted Desagn, not only to hiss an Actor when he was playing a Part in which he was universally allowed to be excellent, but also to drive him from the theatre, and effect his utter ruin." See also William W. Appleton, Charles Macklin, An Actors Life (Cambridge, Mass., 1960), Chapter X.

Event Comment: Never Acted here before. Revis'd and Alter'd by the Author. All the Characters New Drest. Receipts: #96 5s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 27 Jan. 1770.] Afterpiece: For this night only this season (playbill). Charges #64 5s. Profit to Miss Macklin #19 4s., plus #43 from 172 Box tickets. Paid Whitefield one fourth year's salary due Lady Day last #25. Paid Mr Barber for a suit of regimentals embroider'd with gold, #12 12s. Paid Lowe and Lucas (linnen drapers) #13 19s.; Paid Evans for Spermecita candles as per bill #12. Paid Barrett (wax chandler) #3 4s. (Account Book). [Miss Macklin considered this a poor benefit, and on 6 May 1772 wrote to her father about the troubles she met in getting it underway. Woodward would not play in the farce since it did not belong to the theatre and since he had not be asked before she put his name in the bills. Kniveton labored hard and did quite well as Sir Archy. Ann Pitt so ill she could not do Lady Wrangle, but Mrs Hull sat up two nights, learned the part and acted it creditably (Harvard, Memoirs of Charles Macklin, Vol. II, pt. 2, after p. 55).] Receipts: #83 9s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. Boxes #62 10s. 6d. Macklin's fifth above charges came to #25 2s. 11d. Paid for sundry clothes from Voelcher #30 10s. Paid Blackmore a Bill for Rich #29 10s. and a Bill for the Theatre from 19 April last: #84 (Account Book). [On 1 Feb. one H. F. of the Middle Temple wrote to Macklin suggesting two things to insure the success of the Married Libertine. The first was practical, "bring in a claque of friends to counteract the noise of the Scots Lords who are opposing it." The second was revisional: "The play is too long,--shorten it and give the house notice that you have so done. The scenes wherein Lady Belville is solemn, grave, complaining and moral may be much abbreviated; this will...take away that heavy, lazy and sleepy (however just) part which makes your friends languish and grow cold, and gives your enemies an opportunity to improve their rancor and malignity. This observation may be applied to every recital, narrative or description which is not absolutely necessary or descriptive,--I mean necessarily connected with the frame, contexture & execution of the drama, or something designed or painted with uncommon poetic fire and enthusiasm. Pray consider whether that serious, moral and sentimental part in the character of Angelica might not be curtailed, or entirely omitted. I would have your young captain fully employed in action without ever standing still to moralize or harangue, however sensibly and poignantly he may do it. After all this there will remain a rich and uninterrupted vein of true comic humour and lively representation in short, a well connected series and succession of business which I am convinced would keep the audience so attentive and so entirely possessed that there would be no room for languor or malice to produce any effect to your detriment." (Memoirs of Macklin [Harvard Theatre Collection, extra-illustrated edition, I, part 2, p. 414.] Receipts: #188 14s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Public Advertiser, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, James-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #273 16s. (charge: #64 10s.). [Of this amount #177 17s. was "Money," i.e. tickets sold at the door. The remainder, #95 19s., was "Tickets," disposed of by Macklin: 305 in the boxes, 104 in the pit, 41 in the gallery.

Event Comment: This was Mr Macklin's Night, as Author of the Farce (Cross). Amphitheatre on stage (Winston MS 8). A full house to Mr Macklin's Benefit & his new Farce of Love a la Mode (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 69). Receipts: #304 15s. (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Austin and Moody. Garrick had obtained a surreptitious copy of Macklin's farce, but Macklin might possibly allow it to be performed for a benefit (Genest, IV, 612). Sir Archy Mac-Sarcasm by Mr Austin after the manner of the Original-went off well-The Author threatens to sue Mr Garrick. Mr Macklin play'd it at cg with the Refusal a few nights ago to less than charges (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: [N$Neville was present in the pit, liked Macklin, Shuter, Miss Macklin, and Dyer well.] Receipts: #227 15s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. House charges and Candles #64 5s. Balance to Macklin #134 8s. plus #60 for disposing of 240 Box tickets (Account Book). Receipts: #198 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin. By Particular Desire. Both pieces "for the last time this season" (playbill). Charges #64 10s. Balance to Miss Macklin #91 10s. 6d. plus #54 3s. in tickets (Box 205; Gallery 29) (Account Book). Receipts: #156 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin [and her last appearance on the stage]. Public Advertiser, 3 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss Macklin, No. 59, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #191 16s. (151.6; tickets: 40.10) (charge: #64 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Daily Advertiser, 24 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, Tavistock-Row, Covent-Garden. [Mrs Bulkley's 1st appearance as Portia was at this theatre, 1 Jan. 1768.] Receipts: #212 8s. (132.1; tickets: 80.7) (charge: #64 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, Tavistock Row, Covent Garden. Receipts: #268 (193.15; tickets: 74.5) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Gazetteer, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Macklin, Tavistock-row, Covent-garden. Receipts: #194 11s. (116/4; tickets: 78/7) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Morning Chronicle, 24 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, Tavistock-Row, Covent Garden. Receipts: #309 9s. 6d. (216/19/6; 2/4/0; tickets: 90/6/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. [In afterpiece the playbill assigns Charlotte to Mrs Morton, but "On the illness of Mrs Morton Miss Ambrose, whom many must remember on the stage, was applied to--and undertook the part. Long disuse to it had made her timid [she had retired from the stage in May 1782], but she was well received by the public, and performed well" (World, 7 May). Mrs Morton is also listed as Betty Hint in mainpiece; her substitute in that part is not known.] World, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, No. 6, Tavistock-row, Covent Garden. Receipts: #335 1s. 6d. (173.19.6; 2.11.0; tickets: 156.11.0)