Event Comment: Paid four days salary at #82 3s. 1d. per diem-#328 12s. 4d.; Mrs W. Barry's half Salary #1 3s. 4d.; Mr Inchbald on note #20; Messrs Griffith and Atkins to make up salary #1 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #214 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: AAsh Wednesday. Publish'd this day. Price only 1s. Letters which have passed between John Beard Esq Manager of Covent Garden Theatre, and John Shebbeare, M.D. Wherefore I thus entreat with due Submission, Between the Bard and me you'd make decision, The whole now on your Approbation waits. Prologue to the Perplexities, sung by Mr Beard. Printed for G. Kearsly N.B. This Pamphlet is entered at Stationers Hall, whoever pyrates any part of it will be prosecuted. [This pamphlet of 50 pages is given a four-column review in the Gentleman's Magazine for March (p. 124). The controversy was over a play which Shebbeare submitted to Beard and which the latter finally rejected after holding it two seasons. Beard's letters are quoted. The reviewer is severe upon Shebbeare: Upon the whole for anything that has hitherto appeared, the managers of both theatre have rather been to blame for receiving some pieces that they should have rejected, than for rejecting any they should have received. No piece has yet been printed, by the rejection of which the managers have betrayed their trust, or neglected their duty to the public. There may be such pieces in manuscript, but, if there are, the most effective way of avenging the author on the manager is to print them, for the voice of the public would instantly and effecturally do justice to the writter...by compelling the representation.' Shebbeare was Joseph Pittard?]

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A Comic Opera altered [by Colman] from Gay. The Music entirely new by Dr Arne. Now acted for the first time in 2 Acts. [The 1776 Edition in Bell's British Theatre lists: Achilles-Mattocks; Peripas-$Reinhold; Lycomedes-$DuBellamy; Diphilus-$Dyer; Ajax-$Dunstall; Ulysses-$Owenson; Diomedes-$Fox; Argytes-$Baker; Deidamia-$Mrs Mattocks; Artemona-$Miss Brown; Philoe-$Miss Valois; Thetis-$Miss Catley. [$Miss Pearce may have played Lesbia).] Paid Banks for the Head of a Figure used in The Fair #1 1s.; Paid Mr Gard for performing 5 nights in the Fair and 3 in the Sorcerer #1. Paid Joseph Besford for performing 5 nights in the Fair 12s. 6d. (Account Book). [Afterpiece unfavorably reviewed in the Westminster Magazine.] Receipts: #149 18s. 6d. (Account Book)