Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. The Musick for the Afterpiece compos'd by Mr Arne. With a New Overture founded on some favourite Irish tunes. Nothing Under Full Prices will be taken during the Performance.--General Advertiser. [See Poem by S. G. To Mrs Sybilla, on her Acting the Goddess of Dullness and persuading her to attempt Melantha in Dryden's Marriage Alamode in Gentlemen's Magazine, Feb. 1745, p. 98. Authorship of afterpiece unknown; possible a revision of Theobald's The Happy Captive. See 16 April 1741 hay.

Event Comment: Having for a Series of Years received the greatest Obligations from the Nobility and Gentry of this Nation, I have always retained a deep Impression of their Goodness. As I perceived, that joining good Sense and Significant Words of Musick, was the best Method of recommending this to an English Audience; I have directed my Studies that way, and endeavour'd to shew, that the English Language, which is so expressive of the sublimest Sentiments, is the best adapted of any to the full and solemn Kind of Musick. I have the Mortification now to find, that my Labours to please are become ineffectual, when my Expences are considerably greater. To what Cause I must impute the Loss of the Publick Favour, I am ignorant, but the Loss itself I shall always lament. In the mean time, I am assur'd that a Nation, whose Characteristic is good Nature, would be affected with the Ruin of any Man, which was owing to his Endeavours to entertain them. I am likewise persuaded, that I shall have the forgiveness of those noble Persons, who have honour'd me with their Patronage, and their Subscription this Winter, if I beg them Permission to stop short, before my Losses are too great to support, if I proceed no farther in my Undertaking; and if I intreat them to withdraw three Fourths of their Subscription, one Fourth part only of my Proposal having been perform'd. I am, etc. G. F. Handel. Attendance will be given at Mr Handel's House in Brook's St., Hanover Square, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next, in order to pay back the Subscription money. [Two poems in honor of Handel in the 21 Jan. issue of the Daily Advertiser. A letter in the 25 Jan. issue indicates that the subscribers would not accept the proferred refund; Handel announced he would resume performances in view of this response.

Event Comment: TThe Rehearsal, desir'd for this day is oblig'd to be deferr'd till Saturday, on account of the hurt Mr Garrick receiv'd upon the stage on Tuesday last

Event Comment: As alter'd by Mr Dryden and Sir William Davenant, from Shakespear. Last night the Play of the Tempest, with all the Musick and Decorations belonging to it, was perform'd at the New Wells in Goodman's Fields.--Daily Advertiser, 15 Feb

Event Comment: Tragedy never acted. By James Thomson. Characters New Dress'd. But as it is rather more fashionable to run mad about Mr Thomsons's play, I will change my theme and talk to you of Tancred. I want much to know how you like it, at this distance I would lay any wager you do not like it so well as your sister does, who certainly cannot be your sister and not have been to see it long ago. Everybody agrees that no play was ever so much improved in acting, at least since the Booths and Bettertons. That first scene expecially, where Siffredi discovers to Tancred who he is, pleased me almost beyond anything I ever saw, indeed even before I saw it, that scene was my favourite. But what do you think of the story, and what of the style?-A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, I, 60 (dated strangely 2 March). [On 26 April, the Daily Post published a letter by Bellario on Tancred and Sigismunda, discussing the kind of support it received]: A very remarkable new Lord of the Treasury was proud of appearing its Foster Father, and attended at the public rehearsals; the first night of the performance this celebrated person and his friends in the Box with him (all very lately most flaming Patriots) were seen clapping their hands at the following remarkable speech: First of You All...To Quit Mistakes. [The letter also discussed political aspects of the play, then the poetry of the lines. The author heard that three hundred lines were cut out after the first performance, and was of opinion that double that amount would have been beneficial.

Event Comment: Whereas it was first intended to lay the pit and boxes together, for the better accommodation of the ladies, who are desirous of having their places kept, the boxes will be enclosed as usual. -General Advertiser. The songs added to the farcical opera call'd the What D'Ye Call It to be performed tomorrow night at cg, were wrote some years ago by a Gentleman since deceased, whose pieces of the Lyric kind have been often admir'd by people of Taste; there is a pleasing variety in them, and they are thought to be well adapted to the several characters in which they are introduced. The Music, which is entirely new, and compos'd by Mr Lampe, is allow'd by all who have heard it, to be an agreeable mixture of humour, spirit, and harmony. -Daily Advertiser. General Advertiser, 4 April: Yesterday was a rehearsal of The What D'Ye Call It

Event Comment: Will be perform'd several new exercises of Rope Dancing and Tumbling, by M. Duge, Vangable and others, divided into two Parts. Boxes [as 26 Dec. 1744]. Between the two Parts of the Exercises will be given gratis the Tempest as alter'd by Mr Dryden and Sir William Davenant from Shakespear. 7 p.m

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear. Places for the boxes to be taken of Mr Page at the stage door of the theatre. To begin exactly at six o'clock

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by Mr Fielding. [The twenty-five performances of this piece this season capitalized upon the anti-French sentiment, anti-Popish sentiment manifest in the daily press.

Event Comment: The Late Wells, the bottom of Lemon St., Goodman's Fields. A Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Musick. Divided into two Parts. The Concert to conclude with the Chorus of Long Live the King. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit or First Gallery 1s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. Between the two Parts of the Concert will be exhibited Gratis, and not acted these 50 years, an Historical Play...written by the celebrated Mr Lee. And founded on Facts which happened in France, in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. Shewing the unparalleled Dissimulations, Imprecations, and Perjuries of Charles the 9th of France, the Queen Mother, and Cardinal Lorrain, to draw the Hugonot Party into their snares, by which means the Death of the Queen Navarre was effected by Poison, and most of the Protestant Princes of the Blood destroyed. Chastillon, the famous Admiral of France, with his Wife, Children, Commanders, and Followers, all put to Death, with the King's Consent, bx the cruel and Revengeful Duke of Guise, and his Adherents. After which the Massacre becoming general over the Kingdom, near near 100,000 Protestants were destroyed in the most barbarous and inhuman manner. The Concert will begin every Evening Positively at Six of the Clock, and the Whole be concluded by Half an Hour after Nine, the Wdlls being appointed (after the Entertainment is over) for the Main Guard of the Militia of the Tower Hamlets

Event Comment: Never acted there before. Written by the late Mr Addison, author of Cato

Event Comment: Profits subscribed to the Veteran Scheme at Guildhall. Mrs Cibber to Garrick, 11 Dec.: Though Mr Rich had no performance at his house...Drury Lane Playhouse was not above half full till the latter account. Then it was a good house but not near so great as we had all last winter to the Orphan. He had built up the stage, but as nobody came there he shut in a flat scene to hide it, and the next day he played the Tender Husband to fifteen pounds.-Boaden, Private Correspondence of Garrick, I, 46

Event Comment: Never perform'd there before. Written by the late Mr Addison

Event Comment: Written by George Duke of Buckingham. Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years [see 29 March 1742]. With all the Music, Songs, Dances, Scenes, Machines, Habits, and other Decorations proper to the play. Also the Additional reinforcement of Mr Bayes's new Rais'd Troops

Event Comment: As written by Shakespeare, never acted there before

Event Comment: Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no person to be admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd that day at the office at cg theatre, at half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at half an hour after Four o'clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at half an hour after Six. The Subscribers who favoured Mr Handel last season with their subscription, are desired to send to the office at cg on the day of the performance, where two tickets shall be deliver'd to each Gratis, in order to make good the Number of Performances subscrib'd to last season. [Recitative and chorus. Words taken from Milton and Spenser (Edition of 1746). Rehearsed at Handel's lodgings on 7 Feb. Burney and DeFesch in orchestra. (Deutsch, Handel, pp. 629-30.) Librettist not known, possibly Thomas Morell.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: At the particular desire of Several Ladies of Quality. Tickets deliver'd out for the Silent Woman will be taken this night. Tickets at Mr MacEvoy's, at the Hart and Feather in Bedford Court

Event Comment: Died, after a lingering illness, Mr Robert Turbutt, belonging to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, and Master of the Swan Tavern in Smithfield, a facetious and agreeable companion, greatly and justly esteem'd by all that knew him for his Sincerity where he profess'd a friendship.--General Advertiser, 27 Feb

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Hobson at the Stage Door of the Theatre. By Reason of the many inconveniences that have arose by Gentlemen's being admitted behind the scenes, 'tis hoped it won't be taken amiss, that no money will be taken there