Event Comment: The Rebellion, is so far from being a disadvantage to the play-houses that, I assure you, it brings them very good houses; and the masters receive so much profit from the Nonjuror, that I wish it does not give them a respect for the name the rest of their lives.-Mrs Cibber to Garrick, 24 Oct. in Boaden, Private Correspondence of Garrick, I, 37. She continues: There will be no operas this year, so if you, Mr Quin and I, agree to play without any salary, and pick up some of the best actors and actresses that are disengaged, at what salary you both think proper, I make no doubt we shall get a licence to play there for fifty, sixty, or any number of nights you agree upon. Mr Heidigger shall pay scenes, & pay those that receive wages; and deliver the overplus to some proper person to enlist men to serve in any of the regiments of Guards, at five pounds per man;--this is the service St. Martin's Parish puts the money to that they collect,--and I mention it, because it is thought the most serviceable to the Government, of any scheme yet proposed

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear. Play to begin at 6 o'clock. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Hobson at the Stage-Door of the Theatre. As the Admittance of Persons behind the Scenes has occasioned a general Complaint on Account of the frequent Interruptions in the Performance, tis hop'd Gentlemen won't be offended, that no Money will be taken there for the future. [This notice appears on succeeding bills for the season and will hence not be repeated. See note on public objection to nonadmittance behind scenes 22 Feb. 1748.] Receipts: #150 (Cross); #I26 12s. (Clay MS). Nichols Literary Anecdotes, II, 319-20: There is one part of theatrical conduct which ought unquestionably to be recorded to Mr Garrick's honour, since the cause of virtue and morality and the formation of public manners are very considerably dependent upon it, and that is the zeal with which he ever aimed to banish from the stage all those plays which carry with them an immoral tendency, and to prune from those which do not absolutely on the whole promote the interests of vice such scenes of licentiousness and libertinism as a redundency of wit and too great liveliness of imagination have induced some of our comic writers to indulge themselves in, and to which the sympathetic disposition of an age of gallantry and intrigue had given a sanction. The purity of the English stage was certainly much more fully establish'd during the administration of this theatrical minister than it had ever been during preceding managements; for, what the publick taste had itself to some measure begun, he, by keeping that taste within its proper channel, and feeding it with a pure and untainted stream, seems to have completed; and to have endeavoured as much as possible to adhere to the promise made in the prologue which was spoken at the first opening of that theatre under his direction, @Bade scenic virtue form the rising age@And truth diffuse her radiance from the stage.

Event Comment: Rehears'd...the Opera of Lucius Verus: This Drama Consists of Airs, borrow'd entirely from Mr Handel's favourite Operas; and so may (probably) be justly styled the most exquisite Composition of Harmony, ever offer'd to the Publick. Those Lovers of Musick among us, whose Ears have been charm'd with Farinello, Faustina, Senesino, Cuzzoni, and other great Performers will now have an Opportunity of Reviving their former delight, which, if not so transporting as then, may yet prove a very high Entertainment. Mr Handel is acknowledged (universally) so great a Master of the Lyre; that nothing urg'd in Favour of his Captial Performances can reasonably be consider'd as a Puff (General Advertiser, 13 Nov.)

Event Comment: We hear that the play Venice Preserv'd is in Rehearsal at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, and is to be perform'd on Friday next; and that the part of Pierre will be attempted by a Gentleman who never appear'd on any stage before (General Advertiser). [This month was published A Letter to a certain Patentee, in which the Conduct of Managers is impartially considered, and a few Periods bestowed on those darlings of the Publick, Mr G k, Mr F te, Mrs P d, &c." Addressed to Rich it is criticism of his personnel policies as manager, with side comments on his morals, and some on his performances: of his Orpheus and Eurydice, the author agrees that three flaming scenes of Hell, now left out, should have been omitted from the beginning. The Serpent, however, generally behaves himself so well, that "I have had more real pleasure in his appearance than if he had been a living one." Dislikes his replacing Ryan with Hallam, dislikes his abuse of Mrs Pritchard, criticizes his casting Hippisley as Polonius, since Polonius requires more than Hippisley can give, the latter being able to act only in the comic way.