Event Comment: Benefit the Office-Keeper. Tickets deliver'd out by Vaughan will be taken

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear [customary note for all performances of this play this season. It will not be recorded further. Places to be taken at the Stage Door of the Theatre, indicates the building of a new tickets office for occupancy this season by Hobson, who replaces Bradshaw as Box Book-Keeper]

Event Comment: To begin exactly at Six o'clock. Play Written by Shakespear. The Principal Characters new dress.d, and the Theatre New Decorated. None will be admitted into the Boxes but by Printed tickets, which will be deliver'd at the Office in the Lobby at 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. N.B. For the Better Regulation of the stage, it is desired that no persons will take it ill, that they cannot be admitted behind the scenes. [The notice about time and prices remains constant throughout the season and will not again be noted here. The notice about refusal of admission behind the scenes appears on each bill till the benefits begin. It will not be repeated here.

Event Comment: A New Oratorio. Tickets will be deliver'd to subscribers (on paying their Subscription money), this day, and every day following at Mr Handel's in Brook Street, near Hanover Square. Attendance will be given from 9 o'clock in the Morning till Three in the Afternoon. Pit and Boxes to be put together and no persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd that day at the Office in Covent Garden Theatre, at Half a Guinea each, First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. N.B. Each subscriber is to pay Six Guineas upon taking out his subscription ticket, which entitles him to three Box tickets every night of Mr Handel's first six performances in Lent; and if Mr. Handel should have any more performances after his first six nights, each subscriber may continue on the same conditions. The Gallery will be open'd at Four O'Clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Six o'clock. [These notices concerning price, subscription, and time of performance recur regularly, but will not be recorded further here.

Event Comment: By Desire of the Knights of the Antient and Most Noble Order of the Golden Fleece. Benefit the Office-Keeper. [See letter in today's Daily Advertiser, for support of Cibber's Careless Husband: were its Author dead would be universally esteem'd one of the most polite Comedies in the World.

Event Comment: Performance After the manner of an Oratorio Set by Mr Handel. Tickets will be deliver'd to subscribers on paying their subscription money, this day and every day following at Mr Handel's House in Brook Street, near Hanover Square, where attendance will be given from nine o'clock in the Morning till three in the afternoon. Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no person to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd at the Office in the theatre at Half a Guinea each, First Gallery 5s.; Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. [Customary notice which will not be repeated.] Gallery opened at Four o'clock, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Six. Mrs Delany to Mrs Dewes: There is a four-part song that is delightfully pretty...there was no disturbance at the playhouse. -Delany, Autobiography, II, 262. [Libretto by Congreve.

Event Comment: Author's Night. The Author labouring under a severe and dangerous illness, hopes his friends will excuse his personal Application, and send for tickets to Mr Watts, at the Printing Office in Wild Court; or to Hobson at the Stage door of the theatre at Drury Lane Mahomet translated from the French of Voltaire; but I have no great opinion of the subject, or the original author as a poet; and my diffidence is rather improved by the testimony of those who have seen it.-Letters of William Shenstone, p. 89

Event Comment: Benefit Mines (Gallery-Office Keeper); Lawrence, Cooper and Mason (Box-Keepers); Tickets deliver'd out by Verhuyc, Emmet, and Palmer will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Increase of a Fund establish'd for the support of Decayed Musicians, or their families. Pit and boxes to be admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this day, at the Office, at half a guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. The Galleries will be open'd at Four o'clock, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at exactly Six o'clock. Tickets deliver'd out to the subscribers of this Charity will admit one person into any part of the House

Event Comment: Benefit Leviez, Desse, and Powell (Deputy Treasurer). [The latter was probably John Powell, who later ingratiated himself with Lord Holland, became an accountant in the office of Paymaster General of His Majesties Forces and in 1783 was accused with Mr Bembridge of concealing a large sum in Accounts chargeable to Lord Holland, 1757-65. He committed suicide 26 May 1783, under the stress of the investigation, and the verdict of death as a result of Lunacy was issued. See account in Gentlemen's Magazine (1783) pp. 454, 539, 613. He is there described as having been a Teller in Drury Lane Theatre, a person who acts as a check upon the door keepers of the playhouse, by counting the number of people in the house, which he does from a small box, conveniently situated for that purpose.

Event Comment: Benefit Plummer [Box-Keeper]; Curryer Pit Office-Keeper]; Baker [Pit Door-Keeper]

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: HHorace Walpole to Montagu, 3 Nov.: I shall be with you at the end of the week, but just now I am under the maidenhead-palpitation of an author; my Epilogue will, I believe, be spoke tomorrow night, and I flatter myself I shall have no faults to answer for but what are in it, for I have kept secret whose it is. It is now gone to be licensed, but as the Lord Chamberlain is mentioned, though rather to his honour it is possible it may be refused, as they are apt to think at the Office, that the Duke of Grafton can't be mentioned but in ridicule.--Horace Walpole's Correspondence with George Montagu, I, 48. Receipts: #119 1s

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 Covent Garden Theatre at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. The Galleries to be open'd at Half an Hour after Four o'clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half an Hour after Six (General Advertiser). New Oratorio by Handel (Account Books, Egerton 2268). We hear that Mr Garrick, who has been lately very ill, is now out of danger (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: By Command of Prince and Princess of Wales. A Free Benefit for Quin. Receipts: #88 13s., plus #136 15s. from tickets. [Garrick had written Quin he was too ill to play in the mainpiece but would act in his farce. Notice of 23 March about Amphitheatre repeated.] Tickets deliver'd out for 9 March will be taken. To prevent mistakes none will be admitted into the Boxes but by tickets deliver'd by Quin, and at the Office in the Box Lobby.--General Advertiser. If any Gentlemen or Ladies shall be displeased with the alteration in the Performance of the Play [i.e., Garrick's absence] the money shall be return'd.--Theatrical Clippings, Folger Library

Event Comment: Benefit for Raftor, Dickenson [Gallery Office Keeper], and Mrs Dickenson [Burton's Box Keeper]

Event Comment: Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no Persons to be admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd this Day, at the said Office at Half a Guinea apiece. Gallery 5s. By His Majesty's Command no Persons whatever to be admitted behind the Scenes. The Gallery will be open at 4 p.m. Pit and Boxes at 5 p.m. To begin at 6 p.m. [This notice regularly repeated.

Event Comment: Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no Person to be admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd this Day, at the Office in Covent Garden Theatre, at Half a Guinea each. First Galley, 5s. Upper Gallery, 3s. 6d. The Galleries, to be open'd at Four, Pit and Boxes at Five. To Begin at Half an Hour after Six. [Customary notice for oratorios. It will not be repeated further.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Fund established for the Support of Decay'd Musicians or their Families. Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no Persons to be admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this Day at the Office in the Hay-Market, at Half a Guinea each. Gallery 5s. Gallery opened at Four o'clock, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin exactly at Six. N.B.: Tickets delivered to Subscribers to this Charity will admit one Person to any part of the House

Event Comment: Benefit for Ray, Leigh, and Dickenson a Door Keeper (Cross). [The General Advertiser lists Dickenson as Gallery Office Keeper.] Receipts: #219 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel); cash, #37 18s. 6d.; tickets, #181 6s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Benefit for Gray, Atkinson, & 4 Doorkeepers (Cross). Benefit for Gray, Jones (Box Office Keeper), Berrisford (Box Keeper), Atkinson (Pit Doorkeeper), and Goodwin. Receipts; #220 (Cross); charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dunbar (Box Keeper), Warner and Foley (Box Lobby Keepers), Pritchard (Upper Gallery Office Keeper), Saunders (Stage Doorkeeper). Receipts: #180 (Cross); charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: For the entertainment of two young Africans. On Friday 10 February will be perform'd a New Oratorio, call'd Susanna, with a Concerto. 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 in Covent Garden Theatre, at half a guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries opened at half past four. Pit and Boxes at Five. To Begin at Half an Hour after Six. [This advertisement repeated in the General Advertiser daily to 10 Feb. 1749.

Event Comment: Benefit and Increase of a Fund established for the Support of Decayed Musicians or their Families. Pit and Boxes to be put together and no Persons to be admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd this Day at the said Office at Half a Guinea each, Gallery 5s. To begin at 6 p.m

Event Comment: [Pages covering this date missing from Treasurer's Book.] Tomorrow at 12 o'clock will be publish'd Don Saverio: A Musical Drama, as it is performed at Drury Lane. The Music composed by Mr Arne. Printed for John Watts, and sold by him at the Printing Office in Wild Court, near Lincoln's Inn Fields (General Advertiser). Receipts: #180 (Cross)