Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Murray. Afterpiece: Not performed these 40 years [acted 22 Jan. 1781]. Written by the celebrated Mrs Eliza Haywood. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had at No. 38, Poland-street

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time at a public theatre; C 3, by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven, afterwards Margravine of Anspach, 1st acted privately at the Town-Hall, Newbury, 6 Apr. 1780. Text (G. Riley, 1781) assigns no parts. Prologue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Epilogue by Joseph Jekyll (see text)]: With new Dresses, &c. "The Prologue [the first 30 lines and the concluding couplet of which were used by Sheridan as the Prologue to Pizarro (see dl, 24 May 1799)] was so much admired that at the request of the Duchess of Devonshire and several other of the nobility it was respoken after the piece; but as King was absent from the theatre, it was delivered by Palmer" (Town and Country Magazine, May 1780, p. 23 ). "The chief singularity was that [Lady Craven] went to it herself the second night, in form; sat in the middle of the front row of the stage-box, much dressed, with a profusion of white bugles and plumes, to receive the public homage due to her sex and loveliness. The Duchess of Richmond, Lady Harcourt,...Mrs Damer, Lord Craven,...and I were with her. It was amazing to see so young a woman entirely possess herself-but there is such an integrity and frankness in her consciousness of her own beauty and talents, that she speaks of them with a naivete as if she had no property in them, but only wore them as gifts of the gods. Lord Craven on the contrary was quite agitated by his fondness for her and with impatience at the bad performance of the actors, which was wretched indeed, yet the address of the plot, which is the chief merit of the piece, and some lively pencilling carried it off very well, though Parsons murdered the Scotch lord, and Mrs Robinson (who is supposed to be the favourite of the Prince of Wales) thought on nothing but her own charms, or him. There is a very good though endless prologue written by Sheridan and spoken in perfection by King, which was encored (an entire novelty) the first night: and an epilogue that I liked still better and which was full as well delivered by Mrs Abington, written by Mr. Jekyl. The audience, though very civil, missed a fair opportunity of being gallant, for in one of those ----logues, I forget which, the noble authoress was mentioned, and they did not applaud as they ought to have done, especially when she condescended to avow her pretty child and was there looking so very pretty...Yet Lady Craven's tranquillity had nothing displeasing;...and it was tempered by her infinite good nature, which made her make excuses for the actors instead of being provoked at them" (Walpole [28 May 1780], XI, 178-80). Public Advertiser, 14 July 1781: This Day at Noon will be published The Miniature Picture (price not listed). Receipts: #144 9s. (94.9; 48.3; 1.17)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Robinson. Public Advertiser, 28 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Robinson, No. 19, Southampton-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #189 10s. (77.5; 21.19; 0.0; tickets: 90.6) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Robinson. Public Advertiser, 10 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Robinson, Great Piazza, the corner of Russel Street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #210 14s. (75.0.0: 21.2.6; 0.17.6; tickets: 113.14.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Robinson, at Hickford's Room, Brewer St. Benefit originally announced for Miss Robinson, to be given 29 Jan.; new date for concert chosen after her death. Tickets 5s

Event Comment: By Permission of the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Lefevre. Mainpiece: Acted but once these 60 years [on 15 Mar. 1779]. Tickets to be had of Mrs Lefevre, No. 25, Frith-street. tickets delivered by Mrs Robinson will be taken

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years [not acted since 26 Dec. 1776. Mrs Robinson, who was from the Portsmouth theatre, is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill]. Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Frances Brooke, based on Les Moissonneurs, by Charles Simon Favart]: The new Music and overture composed, and the Selected Airs compiled [from Paxton and Sacchini], by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 30 June 1784: Paid Shield for composing Rosina #100. Receipts: #158 18s. 6d. (154/5/6; 4/13/0)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. At the Desire of the Jerusalem Lodge. Benefit for Brother Harricks and Mrs Robinson. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:30. Tickets delivered by West will be admitted

Event Comment: Margaretta 1st time by Mrs Robinson not perfect. very B. & Disconcerted Mr G. very much (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Receipts: #239 17s. (Treasurer's Book)