Event Comment: This day Publish'd Price 1s. Samson an Oratorio, as it is performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. Altered and adapted to the stage from the Samson Agonistes of Milton. @171 tickets at 10s. 6d. #89 15s. 6d.@232 tickets at 5s. #58@320 tickets at 3s. 6d. #56@723 present.@Receipts: #203 15s. 6d.@ Paid renters #10. Paid Younger a Bill for writing parts #2 12s. 11d. (Account Book). Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Gambarini. At the Great Concert Room, Dean St., Soho Tickets: Pit, half a guinea. Gallery 5s. Composed by Geminiani, who being lately returned to England, has lent the aforementioned composition in favour of this Benefit. Also a new Ode The Argument Britannia rising from the waves like the morning sun, pointing out her young Monarch, and predicts? the glory and felicity of his reign. The music composed by Sga Gambarini

Event Comment: Author's night. Full Prices. A company of young fellows were apprehended at a public house in the Strand where they were assembled to perform the tragedy of Othello. On examination three of the principal performers were committed to Bridewell (Gentleman's Magazine, 1761, p. 601)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Mr Packer being hoarse, Mr Aickin played Young Belmont (Hopkins Diary)

Event Comment: CCymon deferred on account of Mrs Arne's hoarseness. Neville MS Diary: Saw the Provok'd Wife, Young Brute inimitably played by Garrick...The heat was very great. The tendency of the Provok'd Wife is very immoral, as it presents an intention to commit adultery in too agreeable a light. Receipts: #247 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: NNeville MS Diary: At 6 took my place in ye Pit. I expected ye Taylors would have been damned; but with certain alterations and additions it went off better than it did last night. It is a sort of burlesque tragedy. If there is any wit in it, it is very low and unlike that in Mr Foote's other pieces. The Prologue, spoken by him, is more diverting than any part of ye play. Some Masters and leading Journeymen are taken off. [Cast listed.] The Citizen was vilely performed, except Old Philpot by Weston. Palmer is not equal to ye young one. They went off without concluding it. We had ye Builders Prologue before ye farce, by ye same means we had it last night. Foote wished for ye Builder, as ye person who supplied his place did his part vilely

Event Comment: Paid Mr Younger a Bill for Writing parts #3 8s. (Account Book). Receipts: #200 13s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Both pieces by command of Their Majesties. Present: Their Majesties, Prince of Wales, Prince Frederick and Lady Louisa. Gave Yeoman of the Guards #2 2s. Paid Younger for licensing The Good Natured Man #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #228 10s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Younger for the License of Lionel and Clarissa #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #225 2s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Published Animadversions on Mr Colman's True State etc., with some remarks on his little serious piece, The Oxonian in Town (20 pp.). [Criticizes the play as having a bad influence on the young, with its characters of whores, bawds and pickpockets. Did our author flatter himself that he could wipe out these rooted impressions with a cold moral sentence uttered by the mouth of a woman of pleasure, and perhaps never reaching the ears of one half of the audience from the variety of noises which accompany the finishing speech of every play?" Concludes: "The reputation of our Universities is a national concern of the highest and most sacred importance....I blush when I see academical characters brought upon the stage, but I burn when I see them lampooned."] House Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Tragedy [by John Hoole] never perform'd. Paid Younger for a license for Cyrus & the New Occasional Prologue, #3 3s. (Account Book). [Account of the plot of the mainpiece, but without observational comment appeared in Lloyd's Evening Post, 2-5 Dec.] Receipts: #229 4s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Younger a Bill for writing Parts #6 14s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #75 18s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [Harlequin Skeleton] now advertised under its original title, but the New Scene with additions continued (playbill). Paid Younger for a license for ye 2 Sisters #2 2s. (Account Book). [See 18 Feb.] Receipts: #244 11s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bensley. The Tragedy Altered by Dr Hawkesworth. Part of Pit will be Laid into the Boxes. [Winston MS 10, from O. Smith from the Town & Country Magazine, suggests Oroonoko--Fleetwood, son of the late manager, and brother to the gentleman who appeared about Nine years ago at dl.] Charges #66 19s. Balance to Bensley #51 15s. 6d. plus #113 15s. from tickets (Box 416; Pit 59; Gallery 9). Paid Younger for writing parts #6 3s. 4d. Receipts: #118 4s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Paid Younger for a License for the Brothers #22s. (Account Book). Receipts: #127 11s

Event Comment: Paid Younger for writing parts #8 14s. 4d. (Account Book). Receipts: #169 14s

Event Comment: marly Benefit for Hook. Price 3s. Vocals in Concert by Mas. Cheney, Two Young Ladies who never appeared in public, and Mrs Barthelemon

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. Tickets and places to be taken of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door of the Theatre at Half a Guinea. Pit 5s. First Gallery 3s. 6d. Second Gallery 2s. Doors to be opened at Five o'clock. To begin at Half past Six. Theatrical Review (London, 1772), appendix, pp. 207-8: The Oratorios performed at this House were conducted by Messrs. Stanley and Smith, for their own emolument; the Managers of the theatre having had no Share of the profit arising from these performances, nor any advantage, except a premium for the use of the house. Mr Stanley's musical abilities are well known. Mr Smith, was, if we are not mistaken, a pupil of the celebrated Mr Handel's; and, we believe, that Gentleman left Mr Smith the greatest part of his music, if not his whole library; so that Mr Smith may with great propriety claim the right of succeeding Mr Handel in the exhibition and conduct of his Oratorios, which he has undertaken (in conjunction with Mr Stanley) every since Mr Handel's death. Their band was composed of some of the most capital performers in this kingdom, and was led by Mr Ximenes. The vocal performers (exclusive of Chorus singers) were Mr Norris, well known to all lovers of Music, for his taste and delicacy of execution. Mr Parry (a Bass voice) from the Cathedral Church of Salisbury. This gentleman, though very young, has an extensive compass, and a great power of voice, and acquits himself with considerable reputation. Mrs Weichsel and Mrs Scott, of whom it would be superfluous and unnecessary to say anything, since their abilities are generally known. And lastly Signora Grassi, a performer of great merit. Theatrical Review, 6 March: This is Mr Dryden's celebrated Ode on St Cecelia's Day, and not an Oratorio, but performed as such...It contains many beauties and such as are worthy of Mr Handel's genius...Being much shorter than the usual length of oratorios, Mr Handel's celebrated Coronation Anthems were added in order to make the evening's entertainment of a proper length. Also a Solo on the Violincello by Mr Janson...lately arrived from Paris, said to have been a pupil of Mr Duport's but, though his taste and excution is very astonishing, we cannot give him the preference of his master. [See 13 April 1773.Charge seems to have been #28 per night plus expenses for oil, candles &c.

Event Comment: Paid John Doe and John Claridge 12s. 6d. each for performing 5 nights in the Ass [in Mother Shipton] to the 2nd inst. Paid John Smith 12s. 6d. for performing in the Hog in the same. Paid Younger for writing parts as per bill #7 4s. 10d. (Account Book). [N.B. The three Johns receiv'd 2s. 6d. each for making up in the ass and hog each night Mother Shipton was played for the rest of the season. No further notation will be transcribed of this payment.] Receipts: #152 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [Maria Macklin in a MS letter to her father this date (See dl 1 Feb. 73) complains that Elfrida alone drew houses at cg this season, and that even that play failed to fill the galleries; that Colman was difficult to see; that Younger carried on all the business of the theatre, everyone kowtowing to him: "Savigny has been discharged from the theatre; Ross has been laid up all the winter with the Gout, and has lately played Lear to a thin house. The Town is big with expectation of Foote's Puppet Show."] Receipts: #166 6s