Event Comment: Epilogue Of Thanks by Leveridge. Benefit Leveridge. Tune-A Cobler there was. /I The Many great favours I often have known/With greteful acknowledgment proudly I own,/Which prompts me to beg in this musical way,/The Grant of three hours at my Benefit play/Derry Down, &c/II Against which good time give me leave to express/My earnest desire in this humble address/That your wanted indulgence again may promote/Dick Leveridge's play with your Int'rest and Vote./Derry Down, &c/ Tickets to be had at Mr Leveridge's Lodgings in Hanover St, the third door on the Right Hand from Long-Acre, and of Page, at the stage door

Event Comment: Tickets deliver'd out by Mr Davis will be taken. [Bransby doubled in Oxford and Tyrrel. The General Advertiser quoted a long Epilogue on the Birthday of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland Written by the Farmer (who had taken over the role of Swift's Drapier) and spoken by Garrick in Dublin. It also quoted the following long puff for Ray's Benefit to come]: Sir, As long acquaintance best entitles us to friendly good natured offices, and as no more proper time can be found to confer them than when the person is in the Decline of life, give me leave to recommend (thro' your means) Mr Ray of Drury Lane Theatre, the oldest actor now belonging to that House, to the Favour of the Town, at his ensuing Benefit next Saturday. A person who once agreeably entertained the Public, should always feel the warmth of their Indulgence, tho' the Infirmities of Old age may have render'd him less pleasing than formerly. This Application is therefore meant to those friends of his, whom Distance of time, and change of Situation may have made it impossible any other way to acquaint them, that The Merchant of Venice is to be acted for his Benefit on Saturday next; therefore 'tis hoped they will be so kind as to send for his Tickets to Mr Hobson, in the Playhouse Passage, or to Mr Ray's lodgings, the second Door in Queen's Court, Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields, and the Favour will ever be greatly acknowledged by him

Event Comment: At the Old Theatre. Advertisement for the Publick Good: Whereas a pack of Strolling Players, who by the Laws now in force are liable to be punished by His Majesty's Justices/of/the/Peace as vagrants and vagabonds, lately infested the villages of Clapham, Stackwell and Borough of Southwark and other places in the County of Surrey and have made several riots and have contracted several debts with His Majesty's liege subjects and have given out printed handbills and Tickets for several of their benefits, particularly that the play called the Recruiting Officer and the Entertainment called Flora, or Hob in the Well would be performed on Monday Night Last at Yeates Old Theatre in the Bowling Green in Southwark and Several Gentlemen and Ladies were prevailed on and paid for majy tickets and went in coaches expecting to see and hear the proposed entertainments but the said strollers neither performed nor returned the money advanced for such tickets though demanded, this Advertisement is therefore hembly recommended to the serious consideration of the justices of the peace for the said county of Surrey and also to give a friendly caution to unwary people not to be imposed upon by such persons in the future.--Daily Advertiser, 8 Nov. [See 27 Nov. at hay] On Tuesday last the Court Leets for the Town and Borough of Southwark...Likewise directed the Constables to use their utmost Endeavours toward suppressing the Acting of Plays...and avoiding all unlawful Games and Plays....By the Statue, no Plays to be acted but in Westminster, or Place of his Majesty's Residence, on forfeit of #50.--London Courant, 6 Nov

Event Comment: CCatherine Talbot to Elizabeth Carter, 18 April: These oratorios of Handel's are certainly (next to the hooting of owls) the most solemly striking music one can hear....In this last oratorio he has literally introduced guns, and they have a good effect.--Deutsch, Handel, p. 640, who identifies the guns as kettle-drums. But Winton Dean, Handel's Dramatic Oratorios, p. 471, identifies them as the outsize drums from the Tower of London. See Sheridan's The Critic on off-stage gun shots: This hint I took from Handel. Recced of Mr Handell for rent of his 10 Oratorio's #210.--Account Books, Egerton 2268. [Actually there were twelve nights of oratorios.

Event Comment: Mainpiece by Desire. Benefit Cashell. [Receipts: #34 1s., plus #103 2s. from tickets. Charges #60.] Paid Marshall, Timber Merchant, a Bill for Goods deliver'd for Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre #23 4s. (Account Books, Egerton 2268). Benefit Lalauze, who is oblig'd to change the play advertised for his Benefit on account of the Indisposition of a principal performer. The Tickets deliver'd out for Don Sebastian will be taken for this play (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: This Day at Noon, exactly at Twelve o'Clock...Mr Foote begs the favour of his Friends to come and drink a Dish of Chocolate with him; and 'tis hoped there will be a great deal of good company, and some joyous Spirits; he will endeavour to make the Morning as Diverting as possible. (Tickets for the Entertainment to be had at George's Coffee House, Temple Bar, without which no Person will be admitted.--Daily Advertiser, 24 April only.) Any Gentlemen or Lady, with or without Tickets, will be admitted. Sir Dilberry Diddle will be there and Lady Betty Frisk has absolutely promised. [Repeated 27 April.

Event Comment: Benefit Simpson, Gray (Constable), Plummer (Box Keeper) (General Advertiser). Gray begs the Favour of those Gentlemen and Ladies that intend to honou him with their Company, to be at the Theatre by Four o'clock, that he may be able to accommodate them with good Places. [Theatrical Clippings, Folger Library.

Event Comment: CCross: Benefit for ye Author. Mr Garrick order'd ye foundling to be given out for Sat: & as you like it for Mon: But ye Pit rose, & insisted ye Foundling shou'd be given out again for Monday, wch was done, tho; ye Lords who oppos'd it were in ye House. [Horace Walpole's account of the affair Foundling to Sir Horace Mann, in a letter of 11 March 1748 (ed. Cunningham, II, 106) runs as follows: "There has been a new comedy call'd The Foundling; far from good, but it took. Lord Hobart and some young men made a party to damn it, merely for the love of damnation. The Templars espoused the play, and went aamed with syringes charg'd with stinking oil, and with sticking plaisters for Bubby's fair hair; but it did not come to action. Garrick was impertinent, and the pretty men gave over their plot the moment they grew to be in the right."] Receipts: #170 (Cross); house charges #63 (Powel); cash #168 10s. 6d.; tickets #18 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: [The following letter appeared in the General Advertiser]: To Mr Ryan, Sir: As the Author whom you have judiciously, I think, call'd in to your Assistance on your Benefit Night is little known; his Name not having appeared upon the Stage in our Days; and from whence some may be apt to think it scarce worth while to produce him now;--it was thought advisable by many of your Friends, of which Number I profess myself, to draw up the following Account of him and his Dramatic Works, that such as are Strangers to him may have some further Inducement to favour you with their Company. Mr Thomas Randolph lived in the Reign of King Charles I, was Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge; but died young. He was a Man of pregnant Wit, gay Humour and of excellent Learning; which gain'd him the Esteem of the Polite Part of the Town, and particularly recommended him to the Favour of Ben Johnson, who adopted him one of his Sons, and held him in equal Esteem with the ingenious Mr Cartwright, another of the Laureat's adopted Sons:--The Plays he wrote were: [he lists 5 plays, commenting from Cokayne and Rich of Christ's Church College, Oxon, and West on the ethical quality of the last one, The Muses' Looking Glass]. In short, Sir, I doubt not but his old nervous Wit will still please, and join'd with the New Masque you have added, excite Curiousity enough to answer your Design; since by your Steadiness it was absoluteley necessary you should hava Novelty, as well as Interest, to procure half so good a House, as we all wish you, and especially, Your Humble Servant, I. M. [See 14 March afterpiece.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Luke? Sparks. Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door, and of Sparks at Courteen's Coffee-House in Bow St., Covent Garden. Dramatic Censor, I, 34-35: The whole part of the King, except his soliloquy, is truly wretched for an actor: and, to say truth, I never saw one who did not make a very insipid figure in it, the late Mr Sparks excepted; he was great in the formentioned soliloquy, respectable in every passage of the least regard, and so peculiarly happy in falling, when stabled, from the throne, that we may truly say, a good end apologized for a very bad character. Receipts: #150 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel); cash, #80 7s. 6d.; tickets, #91 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: To the Author of the General Advertiser: Sir: I beg leave by means of your paper, to acquaint the friends of Tom Harbin, that he intends shortly to have a Benefit at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden: Having in consequebce of the advice of many of them, apply'd himself to Mr Rich, on that account who very generously and readily said he would contribute anything in his power to serve him; and as one night of the week might be better than another, (as his Interest lay) he gave him his choice, whereupon he chose Wednesday, as being a night of most leisure amongst people eminent in trade, on whom the city depends. He persuades himself that those who have laughed with him, will not laugh at him for requesting a favour (which his circumstances could never be supposed to put him above accepting) from persons of affluent fortunes, which the generality of his friends are; and who Experienc'd good nature, he doubts not, will serve him on this occasion. In a few days Publick notice will be given of the time, the Play, &c. I am &c. Jack Friendly, Grigsby's Coffee House, Nov. 7, 1748. [See General Advertiser, 8 Nov. See also 14 Dec.

Event Comment: LLondon Post: We hear that the French Players will (barring Accidents) open at the Little theatre in the Haymarket next Saturday. 'Tis added that the Italian Company of Comic Strolers will exhibit the Week after next; but as they have lost three of their ablest performers, the Connoisseurs are in great Pain about those who are to supply their Places. Possibly some Foreigners may think, that the worst Dramatic Offals are good enough for the vitiated Palates of the E-sh No-y and Gen-ry. 'Tis further expected, that the Company of Gallo-English Players, who made the Town laugh so heartily last Winter, are preparing to entertain them this. Why all these unnatural Fooleries?...and for what Y-ke are we preparing? [Schedule of Nights on which the Turkish Dancer Caratha rented the Haymarket in the fall of 1749: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 16, 22, 23, November; 3 December. See Winston MS Calendar of the Haymarket, Harvard Theatre Collection.

Event Comment: Paid to Sun Fire Office Insurance #15; Paid for a poker and shovel 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [This policy was doubltless similar to No 109085 dated 29 July 1747 issued to James Lacy and David Garrick Esq. Patentees of His Majesties Company of Comedians of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, for #4,000: "On the Goods and Furniture, Wardrobe Apparel, Machines and Scenes, not valued as pictures, in the House, Dressing Rooms, Wardrobe, and Scene Rooms, of the said Theatre Royal, adjoining togethe r and situate in Drury Lane aforesaid and not elsewhere, not exceeding #4,000...Note: Except such Loss and Damage as may happen by any Fire occasioned by means of any representation in any Play or Farce or in any Rehearsal of the same." (From copy of original policy, by courtesy J. A. Miller, Esq. General Manager, Sun Insurance Office Ltd., sent me in ltr. dated 5 July 1951.)] Receipts: #110 (Cross). #104 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: MMr Neale (a good Actor) Dy'd--buried at Brumpton (Cross). Gave a Xmas Box to Princess Amelia's servts #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #140 (Cross); #127 15s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [The Advertisement of 17 May for the Suspicious Husband repeated for the fourth time, now, however, specifying the Grand Scotch Dance and a concluding Country Dance to round off the evening's entertainment for the benefit of M Monet. Tickets at White's Chocolate House in St James's St., and at the stage door. Being positively the last time of the Company's performing this season. The announcement accompanied by the following statement]: Mr Monett, the innocent tho' unfortunate cause of disgusting the Public by his attempting to represent French Plays, most humbly implores their assistance, by the means of this Benefit Play, to extricate him out of his present most deplorable situation. Without such relief his Misfortunes must detain him a ruined Man in England; a severity which he is persuaded never was proposed as any part of the purpose of the most disoblig'd, or determined against his Undertaking. With this relief he hopes to be able to return to France, and promises never again to risque their favours. He most submissively hopes he shall not be the only the single instance that may seem to contradict the hitherto unimpeached Good Nature and Humanity, which is universally acknowledged the Characteristic of the English Nation (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for ye Author (no more Noise) (Cross). Tickets as of 5 Feb. Tickets deliver'd out for the third and sixth Nights will be taken. Receipts: #140 (Cross). Gentleman's Magazine, Feb. 1751, pp. 77-78, concerning Gil Blas: To animadvert upon a piece which is almost universally condemned is unneccessary, and to defend this is impossible. There is not one elegant expression or moral sentiment in the dialogue; nor indeed one character in the drama, from which either could be expected. It is however, to be wished that the Town, which opposed this play with so much zeal, would exclude from the theatre every other in which there is not more merit; for partiality and prejudice will be suspected in the treatment of new plays, while such pieces as the London Cuckolds, and the City Wives Confederacy, are suffered to waste time and debauch the morals of society....Upon the whole the Author appears to have intended rather entertainment than instruction, and to have disgusted the Pit by adapting his comedy to the taste of the Galleries....Perhaps the ill success of this comedy is chiefly the effect of the author's having so widely mistaken the character of Gil Blas whom he has degraded from a man of sense, discernment, true humor, and great knowledge of mankind...to an impertinent silly, conceited coxcomb, a mere Lying Valet, with all the affectation of a Fop, and all the insolence of a coward. [Thomas Gray wrote to Horace Walpole 3 March 1751, "Gil Blas is the Lying Valet in five acts. The fine lady has half-a-dozen good lines dispersed in it."

Event Comment: To the author of the General Advertiser, from White's Coffee House, St James's, 1 Feb., SIR: On the 6th of December last I was seiz'd with a fever, which in 24 hours was so violent that I became extremely delerious, insomuch that I obstinately refused all manner of medicines. This continued till about December the 16th, when all my friends thought me near expiring, and the more because I was then in the 80th year of my age. At this time my relations gave me a dose of Dr James's Fever Powder in some Tamarinds, unknown to me, which, as it had no taste, I did not discover. This gave me one stool, and the next morning I was much better. From that Time my Relations gave me the same medicine, without my knowledge, in small beer, Tea, and every thing I took. This was attended with so good an Effect, that in three days the Fever, with all its symptoms, entirely left me, insomuch that I am now perfectly recover'd. This I esteem my duty to the Publick to communicate for the general advantage of Mankind, I am, Sir, your humble servant, Colley Cibber. This day is publish'd, By Authority, the Comic Tunes in the Entertainment of Queen Mab, as they are performed at Drury Lane, for the Violin, German Flute, or Harpsichord, Price 1s. 6d. Printed for J. Oswald at his music shop in St Martin's Churchyard, in the Strand

Event Comment: The Play of Othello, which was performed last night at Drury Lane theatre, by some gentlemen and ladies to the most numerous and polite Audience that could be assembled, went off throughout with great approbation and applause (General Advertiser). [See A Satirical Dialogue between a Sea Captain and his friend in Town: Humble submitted to the Gentlemen who deformed the Play of Othello on Th-rs-y M- the 7th....To which is added a Prologue and Epilogue much more suitable to the occasion than their own. (London [n.d.], BM 11,795, K 31, 8pp): @'Good manners oblig'd them sometimes to applaud@Tho' they little deserv'd it...'@ The author laments the fact that the expenditure (#1,500) was not put out to charitable purposes, rather than for such entertainment.] This day is publish'd at 1s. 6d., beautifully printed, Alfred, a Masque, acting at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, by Mr Mallet. Printed for A. Miller, opposite Catherine St in the Strand, where may be had Alfred, a Masque, represented before their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales at Cliefden, on the first of August 1740. Written by Mr Thomson and Mr Mallet

Event Comment: Never were the theatres more in Estimation than at present, nor was there ever a time at which so much pains appear to have been taken, in order to continue them upon a good footing. We owe our thanks to Mr Garrick for engaging in the expence of such a number of additional performers, but we owe him also our applause for the success with which they have played (Inspector No 203, in Daily Advertiser and London Gazette). Receipts: #110 (Cross)

Event Comment: This House had not been so good had not ye Part of Romeo , been read at ye other House by Mr Dyer--Mr Barry, being taken ill--when ye Apology was made Numbers came to us (Cross). Receipts: #90 (Cross)

Event Comment: [The theatres this night met competition from (I) an Assembly at the king's Theatre in the Haymarket, tickets 26s. each, to admit one Gentleman and two ladies. (2) another Assembly at the Five Bells Tavern, behind the New Church, in the Strand, where was opened the Temple of Taste, where will be exhibited a grand concert of Music. Also an attempt towards the Introduction of a new rational entertainment, consisting of an Occasional Prologue by a Gentleman; a panegyric on the Utility of Public Speaking, in which the Design is particularly illustrated; Propositions made from a Gentleman in the Chair, to be debated by the company, such as the Gay and Polite may be supposed to understand, and speak upon with success; to conclude with an Original Epilogue; the whole interspers'd with several grand concertos, Overtures, and Full pieces of Musick. This design, which has for its object the interest of Knowledge, Eloquence and Politeness, needs no Apology, and can be opposed by those, with whom to be at variance, is Virtue. No subject of so Sacred Nature as Religion, will be there canvass'd nor anything that can give Occasion to Indecency, or unmannerly reflection on any Undertaking or Party.-In this attempt all Men of Taste are interested, as they will have an opportunity not only of being pleased, but giving pleasure by considering every subject with candour, and reasoning upon it, with Eloquence and propriety. To this entertainment, the Ladies are likewise invited, who have an unexceptionable right to be present at all Attempts, calculated for the promotion of knowledge, and as their appearance will naturally secure polite behavior, so they may reap some advantage from the Circulation of ideas, which is such an Assembly must necessarily take place. The price of entrance-half a crown each. To begin precisely at seven. The room which is very commodious, will be elegantly illuminated. The SUBJECT for the first Night's Debate will be, "If the Custom of Portioning Daughters was entirely suppress'd, would it not be a good Expedient towards the promotion of Matrimony and the felicity of that state." It continued on four Wednesday nights. Then seems to have died.

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of his Majesty. [The Assembly at the Temple of Taste in the Five Bell's tavern (see 20 Feb.) received a puff this day: 'On Thursday Night there was a brilliant appearance of Ladies and Gentlemen, at the opening of the Temple of Taste, who express'd much Satisfaction at the entertainment they met with, which was not only instructive, but extremely polite and pleasing; if any Complaint was made, it was that (nothwithstanding is lasted full three hours) instead of being tir'd with the Performance, as at many Publick exhibitions, they seem'd to think they had too little of it; As we are always glad to embrace any Opportunity of shewing our zeal for the Service of the Publick, we can but applaud an Undertaking than which nothing appears more rational and better calculated for the general good" (General Advertiser).

Event Comment: t the Temple of Taste this evening the entertainment consisted of 1), an overture from Samson, 2), a Poetica address to the audience, 3), a concert on the harpsichord by a young Lady eight years old, 4), a Dissertation on Dress, 5), a Hautboy concerto, 6), an Essay toward a new-invented Astronomy, adapted to the Ladies, 7), a solo on the German Flute, and a general debate on the following propositions: Is Affectation more prevalent in Man than Woman?" 'Is not a good-natured illiterate man more beneficial to society than an illnatured philosopher" (General Advertiser).

Event Comment: On Tuesday last Information was laid before Justice Fielding by a Tradesman in Westminster, that one of his Apprentices had robbed him, in order to equip himself for acting a Play, and that the said Play was to be acted that Evening by several Apprentices, and other idle Persons, at the old Tennis-Court in James St. Upon this the Justice despatched Mr. Welch in the Evening with a Party of Soldiers to apprehend the Persons concerned in the Representation of the Play, which was the Tragedy of Venice Preserved. Jaffier, Pierre, Belvidera, and most of the principal Characters, were taken, and some of them, particularly Belvidera, were brought in their Theatrical attire before the Justice. The Men all appeared to be young Apprentices and the Woman a young Milliner; wherefore the Justice was unwilling to proceed against them as Rogues and Vagabonds, as they are made by the last Vagrant Act; in which case they must have been committed to Bridewell, which might have proved their Ruin; He treated them therefor as guilty of an unlawful assembly, and a common Nuisance; for which they were either bound for their good Behavior, or committed for want of Sureties, and soon after discharged. It was sworn before the Justice that Sunday had been the usual Day of rehearsing their Parts (General Advertiser, 17 Aug.)