Event Comment: "Salomon led the band for the first time these two years, in place of Viotti, who has been sent out of the country, under the authority of the Alien Bill. He left town yesterday" (Times, 5 Mar.)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. [This was Smith's last appearance on the stage, from which he had officially retired on 9 June 1788.] Broadside in Kemble playbills announcing this benefit: Mr King most respectfully informs the Public that his Night is fixed for Friday the 18th of May, when will be presented The School for Scandal. Mr King has the pleasure to add that Mr Smith, who was so long and so worthily applauded by the Public, and was the original performer of Charles Surface in the above, distinguished Comedy, at the particular request of Mr King, backed by a strong assurance from many admirers and encouragers of the Drama that it will not only add to Mr King's emolument but highly gratify the Town, has kindly consented to return to the Theatre for one night, and resume his favourite Character. "We had been told that Smith pourtrayed the Manners of a finished gentleman with more delicacy and characteristic propriety than any actor of his day; but this did not appear to us to be his particular excellence; he stands too wide to be graceful, and his deportment gains no advantage from a perpetual application of his hand to the lower part of the waist. These habits are far from elegant. His Charles, however, is a favourable specimen of that sort of acting which commonly falls under the denomination of the old school: light, airy, and natural; which excites applause without any anxious endeavour to produce it; which suffers the points to tell of themselves, and does not place them as so many traps to ensnare the injudicious part of the audience" (Monthly Mirror, May 1798, p. 299). "He was received with the most heart-felt gratulations by an audience who did not expect any apology for such acting, though he saw fit to deliver one at the conclusion of the play" (Monthly Visitor, May 1798, p. 72). Times, 4 May: Tickets to be had of King at his house, New Store-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #674 6s. (388.0.6; 55.17.6; 2.0.0); tickets: 228.8.0) (charge: #212 5s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrymore and Sedgwick. Times, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Barrymore, Judd Place West, Sommer's Town; of Sedgwick, No. 18, Clement's Inn. Receipts: #518 17s. (88.2.0; 67.11.0; 1.19.6; tickets: 361.4.6) (charge: #213 12s. 3d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Twaits, Ives, Hallam, Brown & Mrs Brooks. Pit 2s. Gallery 1s. Back Seats 6d. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00. The above Performers, with the utmost Deference and Respect, inform the Ladies and Gentlemen of Greenwich, they have selected those Entertainments which they flatter themselves will meet their Approbation; being compelled to answer their Engagements in another Town, they jointly solicit their Patronage on this occasion, the honour of which will ever be remembered with the most lively effusions of gratitude

Event Comment: Lover's Vows. In Consequence of the Approbation which the above Play has received from the Town, various Translations, or pretended Translations of the work from which it was taken, have been offered for publication to some eminent Booksellers, who honourably declining such purchase, have given Information to the Manager of the attempted Imposition. The Public are therefore respectfully acquainted that the Play, as now performing at this Theatre, was rewritten from a literal Translation, sold to the Proprietor by an Agent of the German Author, and has been adapted to the English Stage by considerable Alterations in Plot & Incidents. The Piece will not be published till the 20th Night of its representation, when it will be submitted to the Reader, with the Name of Mrs Inchbald prefixed to the Publication. Receipts: #432 18s. 6d. (426.4.6; 6.14.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 2, by George Colman, ynger]: With new Musick, Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Musick entirely new, composed by Kelly with an overture by Dussek]. The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood? Jun, with the assistance of Chalmers and Banks. The Machinery, Decorations and Dresses designed and under the direction of Johnston, and executed by him, Underwood and Gay. The Female Dresses designed and executed by Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "We have to congratulate the town on the acquisition of three admirable dramatic writers, in the persons of Johnston, Greenwood, and Miss Rein, who have here exhibited a specimen of the Sublime and Beautiful which it will be difficult, indedd, to surpass" (Monthly Mirror, Jan. 1799, p. 47). [This piece is "an exhibition of music and dialogue, pantomime and dancing, painting and machinery, antique dresses and armour, thunder and lightning, fire and water, illumination, processions, banquets, battles, sieges, explosions, and everything that can surprize, enchant or terrify the spectators" (Morning Chronicle, 21 Jan.). Morning Chronicle, 16 Feb. 1799: This Day is published Feudal Times (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #483 15s. 6d. (381.10.6; 100.6.6; 1.18.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrymore and Wathen. 3rd piece: By permission of the Proprietor of the Theatre Royal, Hay-Market. Morning Chronicle, 8 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Barrymore, No. 20, Judd-place, Somers Town; of Wathen, No. 2, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #640 5s. 6d. (181.1.0; 53.7.0; 0.3.0; odd money: 14.17.0; tickets: 390.17.6) (charge: #212 6s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrymore. [Afterpiece in place of Fortune's Frolick, advertised on playbill of 19 Aug.] Morning Chronicle, 19 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Barrymore, No. 20, Judd-place, Somers Town