Event Comment: A new Opera. Written by the late Mr Gay. With New Habits and Scenes. Receipts: #207 11s. 6d. Daily Courant, 12 Feb.: Mr Pultney and Mr Pope were in the Pit....They were in the House before any body else was admitted. Sir William Windham was also present at this Performance; but notwithstanding the Countenance given to it, there was so much Obscenity and Scurrility in it, that it raised a general Abhorrence in the Audience. [See also The Bee, 17 Feb., for a puff concerning this performance and the play in general.

Event Comment: Wrote by Mr Pope. Mr Barbauld's First Subscription Oratioro,...and set to Musick by Mr Charles Barbault, in Two Parts. One ticket for all three oratorios--one Guinea; for one performance half a guinea; gallery 3s. 7 p.m

Event Comment: Eleventh and Last time of performing Mainpiece this season. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Othello and The Irish Widow, to have been performed this evening for Mr Barry's Benefit, oblig'd to be deferr'd till further notice (playbill). Mr Barry being Ill his Benefit which was to have been this Night is oblig'd to be deferr'd (Hopkins Diary). [So, according to Hopkins, the profits went to the house.] Receipts: #171 19s. 6d. To the Public Advertiser: Sir, I spent an agreeable evening lately with a Country Friend at the Primitive Puppet Show, and was not displeased at the ridicule pointed at the dull, spiritless stuff, which composes modern Sentimental Comedy. I was entertained too with the manner in which some of the Actors were taken off; But I cannot think mimicry worthy to furnish an Evening Entertainment for a Polite British Audience, or suited to the happy ridicule and pointed wit of Aristophanes. The old Roman comedy, as it was called, was designed for nobler purposes: it was directed to improve the head and mend the heart. The keen manly satire of that Comedy was pointed at Upstart, Braggart, Vice, and to expose the dangerous unfeeling craft of innocent Villainy, or to use the words of Mr Pope--Brand the bold front of shameless, guilty man. Such was, and such ought to be, the salutary Direction of Wit, and Satire by exhibiting characters in their genuine colours, when the mask, which disguises and conceals them from the eyes of the Weak the Credulous, and the Ignorant, is drawn off. The words of Horace are--Detrabere et pellam, mitidus qua quisque per ora Cederet, introrsum turpis. Yours, Dramaticus. Poetry for the Public Advertiser. Epigram on the New Tragedy Alonzo. @No wonder that each female voice@Resounds Alonzo's praise;@A sure foundation of Applause,@The crafty Author lays.@ @Against the Virtue of his Wife@A Husband, if he's wise@According to the Gallant HOME,@Should not believe his eyes.

Event Comment: Never Perform'd in Publick before. As it was compos'd originally for the most noble James Duke of Chandos, the Words by Mr Pope, and the Musick by Mr Handel. 7 p.m. 5s

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets to be had of Berry at Mr Pope's, Peruke Maker in Russel St., Covent Garden and of Hobson at the Stage Door. [From the Gentleman's Magazine Register of Books for this month: An Account of the Life of that Celebrated Tragedian, Mr Thomas Betterton, containing a distinct relation of his excellencies in his profession and character in private life, and interspersed with an account of the English theatre during his time. Printed for J. Robinson.] Receipts: #160 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sowdon. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. A Gent: play'd Puff in the farce--Bug (Cross). [Seems to have been a clear benefit, as Treasurer's Book lists no charges.] Cash #65 8s. 6d., plus tickets #95; Paid Reynolds for wax & [brickdust] 3s. 9d. Paid Mr Pope a Bill #7 14s. [wigmaker] (Treasurer's Book). Tickets of Sowdon at his lodgings, the Sign of the Sun, a Milliner's facing Exeter exchange in the strand, and of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets otherwise to be had at Will's Coffee House in Cornhill, and of Mr Thomas Sowdon in Blackman St., Southwark. We hear William Mills, Comedian, lies at the point of death, at his lodgings in Russell St., Covent Garden. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #160 3s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Berry. Tickets at Mr Pope's Peruke maker, Russel St., Covent Garden. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: This day publish'd at 3s. Printed on Five sheets of superfine paper, Five Principal Scenes in Romeo and Juliet, designed, drawn, and engraved by Mr Ant. Walker. Printed and sold by John Tinney, at the Golden Lion in Fleet St. The drawing and Engraving of the three following Plays of Shakespeare are in great forwardness, and the scenes of each play will be sold at a time: 1 Henry IV, 2 Henry IV, Merry Wives. These plates will serve for Mr Pope's edition of Shakespeare in quarto, Sir Thomas Hanmer's edn. 6 Vol. quarto, or for any of the Folio editions. And may be framed and glazed for furniture. There will be a few sets neatly coloured for Gentlemen and Ladies who chuse them so (Public Advertiser). [A set of these prints is available in the Folger Shakespeare Library. The Five Principal Scenes were: The scene in Capulet's Housev where Romeo kisses Juliet 's hand; the Balcony Scenev ; the scene in which Friar Lawrence hurries the young couple off to be married; the Apothecary scenev ; and the death scenev . If, as may be, these scenes were taken from--as they were certainly stimulated by--the Barry-Nossiter production, they may present a good likness of Maria Isabella Nossiter, who so captivated London that season. If, also, they were taken from the theatre production, they give evidence that Barry used a balcony, not only a window.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Berry. Tickets of Berry at Mr Pope's, Peruke Maker, in Russel St., Covent Garden, and at Stage Door. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets of Berry at Mr Pope's Peruke Maker in Russel St., Covent Garden; of Mr Hyde, Engraver, in Cutter Lane, Cheapside; and at the Stage Door. Receipts: #147 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Berry. Tickets of Berry at Mr Pope's Peruke Maker, Russel St., Covent Garden, and of Varney at the Stage Door, where, Places may be taken. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry, who having been confined for some time past by a severe Illness, humbly hopes those Gentlemen and Ladies, who intend to favor him at his Benefit, will send for Tickets to his Lodgings at Mr Pope's, a Peruke Maker in Russel St., Covent Garden; the Star Tavern, in Coleman St.; or to Mr Varney at the Stage door where Places for the Boxes may be taken. Receipts: #130 (Cross); #104 8s. 6d. (Winston MS8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 22 Jan. 1784. Epilogue by John Wolcot (European Magazine, May 1786, p. 369)]. Afterpiece: With Additional Songs, &c., as 28 Apr. Morning Herald, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Pope at his house, Half-Moon Street, Piccadilly. "There is a mellow richness in [Pope's] voice superior to any other performer on the stage" (Candid Strictures, p. 47). Receipts: #255 16s. 6d. (156/13/0; 2/14/6; tickets: 96/9/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. At the particular Desire of his Excellency the Ambassador [see 7 May] from the Sublime Porte:. 3rd piece: At End of Act I of the DIVERTISEMENT. Written by Edward Jerningham, Esq., with Alterations and Additions, interspersed with Music, after the manner of Rousseau's PYGMALION. Morning Chronicle, 19 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Pope, Half-Moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #231 17s. (138/14; 3/3; tickets: 90/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pope. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [2nd piece 1st acted at cg, 3 May 1793, as To Arms; or, The British Recruit.] Morning Chronicle, 26 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Pope at her house, Half-moon-street, Piccadilly. Account-Book, 21 Apr.: Paid Mrs Pope for Dresses as per Bill #32 19s. 6d. Receipts: #293 18s. (138.5; 9.7; tickets: 146.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. 1st piece: Not acted these 10 years. [3rd piece in place of The Irish Mimick, advertised on playbill of 3 May.] True Briton, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Pope at his house, No. 5, Moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #398 12s. 6d. (237.14.6; 10.15.6; tickets: 150.2.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Afterpiece: Alter'd from Sir John VanBrugh. Not acted in 5 years. [See 24 March 1768.] Miss Jarratt hiss'd in Harriet (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #162 2s. Charges: #65 2s. Profits to Miss Pope #97 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Mainpiece: Not acted these 8 years. Public Advertiser, 21 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Pope, at Pope's, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #265 5s. (94.8; 17.7; 0.8; tickets: 153.2) (charge: #69 1s. 6d.)