Event Comment: [T$Their Majesties and most of the Royal Family present.

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Distinction and eminent Merchants of the City of London. Daily Post, 22 July: Last Tuesday...George Barnwell was performe'd...with great Applause, to a crowded Audience, there being present most of the eminent Merchants of the City of London; they appear'd greatly pleased with the Play and Performance

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: Benefit the Author. By Her Majesty's Command. Preface to edition of 1734: The Third Night it went off in the same Manner, to the most numerous and splendid Audience that could be seen

Event Comment: A Serenata. Being an Essay of several different Sorts of Harmony.[Music by Handel. Done into English by George Oldmixon.] Daily Advertiser, 14 March: Last Night Mr Handell's new Serenata, in Honour of the Princess Royal's Nuptials with the Prince of Orange, was perform'd before their Majesties, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Prince of Orange, and all the Royal Family, and was received with the greatest Applause; the Piece containing the most exquisite Harmony ever furnish'd from the Stage, and the Disposition of the Performers being contriv'd in a very grand and magnificent Manner. [The marriage of the Prince of Orange and Royal Princess occurred on Thursday, 14 March.]

Event Comment: Mrs Pendarves, 27 April: Yesterday morning [26] at the rehearsal of a most delightful opera at Mr Handel's called Sosarme. Delany, Autobiography, I, 463

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: At the particular Desire of several Eminent Merchants and Citizens. Afterpiece: Written by Mr Carey. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 9 Oct.: Yesterday, between One and Two o'Clock, died of a Haemorrage . . . Mr Charles Hulett, belonging to [GF], whose natural Qualifications to the Stage, had he the Application of many of less Merit, would have render'd him one of the most considerable Performers now alive

Event Comment: A prompt copy with most of this cast is in the Folger Shakespeare Library

Event Comment: DDaily Post, 1 Nov.: On Saturday Night they [the individuals who disturbed the performance on 28 Oct.] attended again in the Upper G allery, where having declar'd they came to disturb the Performance, they pursued their former Methods, with the same Success, to the End of the Play; when upon Mr Giffard's informing the Audience who they were, they were unanimously of Opinion to have them turn'd out...,The Manager mention'd before cannot be suspected to authorize such Behaviour....But what makes it most unlikely, is, that he sat in the Pit on Thursday, and was seen by every Body to applaud the Play

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. Daily Advertiser, 30 Jan.: In the...London Evening Post of last Saturday, there is a Remark, that the first Comedy and first Farce perform'd under the Act for Licensing Plays, were both damn'd by the Town on Account of the said Act.--Believe it not:--To do the Devil Justice, they were both damn'd because they Both were Most Damnable Things, and on no other Account whatsoever. Yours, Tomo Chachi

Event Comment: Benefit Handel. Pit and Boxes half a guinea. Gallery 5s. London Evening Post, 30 March: Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales were present; there was the greatest and most polite Audience ever seen there, and it's thought Mr Handel cou'd not get less that Night than 15001. Egmont, Diary, II, 474: In the evening I went to Hendel's Oratorio, where I counted near 1,300 persons besides the gallery and upper gallery. I suppose he got this night 1,000 1. [For further details, see Deutsch, Handel, p. 455.

Event Comment: TTony Aston from Bath. At the George Tavern at Charing-Cross...exhibits his most Learned, Serious, Comical and Whimcal Extra-Rhapsodical Declamation. 7 p.m. 1s

Event Comment: As 27 Nov. 1738. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespear. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 48: In the Year 1738, having, as he [Colley Cibber] said, Health and Strength enough to be as useful as ever, he came to Terms with Mr Fleetwood for his performing Richard, Fondlewife, Sir John Brute, &c. All his Comedy Parts he was right in, but in Richard he found his Mistake; his usual Strength and Spirit failed him most unhappily. I went behind the Scenes in the third Act, and asking him how he fared? He whispered me in the Ear, "That he wou'd give fifty Guineas to be then sitting in his easy Chair by his own Fireside.

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman [who states that he is in danger of losing vision in one eye. Tickets at Chapman's House, the Corner of Bow Street cg.] London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 27 March: Last Week died, after a most tedious and expensive Illness, at Chelsea, Mrs Laguerre, formerly a celebrated Dancer on the Stage. Daily Post, 29 March: During the Rehearsal [on 27 March], of a new Tragedy, written by Mr Thompson, call'd Edward and Eleonora, (which was to have been acted on this Day) he receiv'd, to his great Surprise, a Message from the Lord Chamberlain, absolutely forbidding the acting of the said Play. No Objection having been made to the Whole or any Part of it, we must conclude it was consider'd as immoral or seditious

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Daily Advertiser, 25 Jan.: On Wednesday night last a Disturbance happen'd at Drury-Lane Playhouse, occasion'd by one of the principal Dancers not being there to dance at the end of the Entertainment, and after most of the People in the Pit and Galleries were gone, several Gentlemen in the Boxes pull'd up the Seats and Flooring of the same, tore down the Hangings, broke down the Partitions, all the Glasses and Sconces, the King's Arm over the middle front Box was pull'd down and broke to Pieces; they also destroy'd the Harpsichord, Bass Viol, and other Instruments in the Orchestra; the Curtain they cut to pieces with their Swords, forc'd their way into the lesser Green-Room, where they broke the Glasses, &c. and after destroying every thing they could well get asunder, to the amount of about three or four hundred Pounds Damage, left the House in a very ruinous Condition. [See also London Magazine, IX (1740), 47-48, 100.

Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. For the Benefit of the Brave and Unfortunate Capt John Peddie, of the Prince of Orange, who, after defending his Ship, and saving her by the most Gallant Behaviour, against a Spanish Privateer, had the Misfortune to lose her, and all he had on Board, in the late Storm. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Addison. Pit and Boxes 5s. Galleries 2s. and 1s. Receipts: money #52 1s.; tickets #295 (Account Book); #350 (Rylands MS.)

Event Comment: Descriptive passage as at cg 13 Oct. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 20 Oct.: Last Night was perform'd, gratis, the Tragedy of Richard the Third, at the late Theatre in Goodman's Fields, when the Character of Richard was perform'd by a Gentleman who never appear'd before, whose Reception was the most extraordinary and great that was ever known upon such an Occasion; and we hear he obliges the Town this Evening with the same Performance

Event Comment: Masque: By Particular Desire. The Gentlemen's Magazine for Jan. 1742 (p. 28) in an article On Two Italian Dancers comments rather fully on the Fausans' performance in Le Boufon; or the Idiot: My expectation was rais'd to the height but at their entrance on the stage, they alarm'd me by the inexpressive Agility and descriptive Action, Look and Motion, which were all performed With such mimic Variety, that I defy the most severe Cynic to say that they wou'd not at least raise in him an agreeable surprise, to see all the attitudes, Oddities and mock Gesticulations of the two Idiots, who may be suppos'd to be in Love with one another. It is not any distortion of Body or unnatural transposition of the limbs which they exhibit to the view, but the extravagant Idiotry which the passions of Love, Disdain, Joy, Resentment, would on a real occasion actuate on the personages they represent: Nor do they so manage their Dance that it is ungraceful: they take opportunities to show by actions and movements, that in their comic Humour they have an elegancy. This performance therefore, on Reflection, appear'd to me, instead of an unnatural extravaganza to be founded on the nicest Observations of Human Nature, and prove Signor and Signora to be persons of good judgment, as well as agility. Receipts: #80

Event Comment: TThe London Magazine (Feb. 1742) reprinted an article from the Universal Spectator of this date on an Indian's observations on the manners of the English, which included a general account of a night at the theatre, in which the scene shifting and the music seemed most impressive to the writer

Event Comment: Benefit LaLauze. By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Tickets to be had and places to be taken of Page at the Stage Door. None to be admitted without printed tickets, which will also be deliver'd at the Office, and at LaLauze's lodgings, at the Widow Gwinn's, a Silk Dyer in Drury Lane, near the Castle Tavern. Servants will be allowed to keep places on the stage, which (for the better accommodation of the ladies) will be enclos'd and formed into an amphitheatre. N.B. As I had the Misfortune to break the great tendon of my leg, when dancing on the stage at the above theatre in January last, I think it highly incumbent on me to acquaint the public in general and my good friends in particular, that I am in a fair (but not speedy) way of recovery; and as Mr Rich has kindly granted me a benefit sooner than usual, towards supporting me in my unlucky situation, I take this opportunity to interest the good-natured town to dispense with my personal application, and favour me with their company as usual, which will add to the many obligations I have already received, and shall be ever acknowledged with a sincere sense of gratitude, by their most humble and obedient servant, LaLauze

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Macklin and Mrs Bennet. Tickets deliver'd out by Leigh, Carter and Miss Story will be taken. Tickets and places to be had of Bradshaw &c., and of Mrs Macklin at No. 12 in Wild Court, Wild St. Afterpiece: The Most Grave, Whimisical, Serious, Operatical Tragedy of Half and Act. Receipts: #150

Event Comment: A New Opera [a pasticcio, Metastasio text altered by Rolli, form Pergolesi's Olimpiade, 1735 (Loewenberg, Annals of Opera, I, 183)]. Music by Pergolesi, Scarlatti, Lampugnani. L. Leo, F. Leo [libretto in L. C.]. Two of the principal Performers being greatly indispos'd, the Dancers are oblig'd to be deferr'd. Thomas Gray to John Chute, 24 May: Our fifth Opera was the Olimpiade, in which they retain'd most of Pergolesi's Songs & yet 'tis gone already, as if it had been a poor thing of Galuppi's. Two nights did I enjoy it all alone, snugg in a Nook in the Gallery, but found no one in those regions had ever heard of Pergolesi, nay, I heard several affirm it was a Composition of Pescetti's.-Gray, Correspondence, I, 203

Event Comment: Ever studious for Public Amusement, I...strayed last Week, to a place near the Haymarket in Westminster, and Temple Bar in Middlesex, call'd James's St., where at the New Theatre, a Play called the Miser, with an Entertainment called the Old Man Bit, or Harlequin Skeleton, I saw rehears'd. J. W. Gray's Inn 12 Oct.-Theatrical Clippings, Folger Library. Benefit Julian Late of Goodman's Fields Theatre. At the New Theatre in James St., near Haymarket...a Concert. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6 p.m. Note, Mr Julian taken this Opportunity to acquaint his Friends, that these Performances will be done with the utmost Regularity and Decoration, most of the Performers having belong'd to the Theatres. [This customary notice about the concert, time and prices will not be included unless changed.

Event Comment: On Friday Night last as Mr Lowe, belonging to Drury Lane Playhouse was going down Snow Hill, he was stopt by two fellows, one of whom, without speaking a word, gave him a most violent blow on the Temple, with a great stick, which stunned him so that he fell back against a shop Window, and remained insensible for some time; as soon as he recover'd he felt in his pockets and found they had robb'd him only of 11 shillings in silver, being (as he supposes) disturb'd by some people passing by, for they had not taken his watch, nor a Guinea and a half which he had also in his pockets