Event Comment: There being a great Demand for the Welch Opera, we are obliged to advertise the Town, that it being now made into a whole Night's Entertainment, intituled, The Grub-Street Opera, now in Rehearsal, it cannot possibly be performed any longer with this Play

Event Comment: At Yeates' Booth at the Welch Fair. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m

Event Comment: At Yeates' Booth, Welch Fair

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs James and Miss Minors. No building on stage. Tickets of Mrs James at her lodgings at Mr Saunder's Carpenter, in Little Wild St., Lincoln's Inn Fields; Miss Minors' at Mr Nicholl, a Baker in Catherine St., and at stage door. An Information was given to Henry Fielding, Esq; that a Set of Barber's apprentices, journeymen staymakers, maid-servants, &c. had taken a large Room at the Black Horse in the Strand, to act the tragedy of The Orphan; the Price of Admittance One Shilling. About eight o'clock the said Justice issued his warrant, directed to Mr Welch, High Constable, who apprehended the said actors, and brought them before the said Justice, who, out of compassion to their youth, only bound them over to their good behavior. They were all conducted through the streets in their Tragedy Dresses, to the no small Diversion of the Populace. (General Advertiser). Receipts: #138 (Cross)

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.)

Event Comment: This night the Riot was very Great, the Gentlemen came with Sticks, & tho' the play went on quiet 'till the last Act, we had there a great Stop, notwithstanding we ended it, & then the rout went on, ye Boxes drove many out of the Pit, & broken heads were plenty on both Sides; the dance began,--was Stop'd--& so again & again--while this was doing numbers were assembl'd in the Passages of the pit, broke down & were getting into the Cellar, but were repuls'd by our Scene men &c.--heavy blows on both sides--Justice Fielding--& Welch came with Constables & a Guard; but without effect, tho' the Justices stood upon ye Stage--I thought ye proclamation must have been read--after ye battle in the Passages numbers went & broke Garrick's Windows in Southhampton Street, --part of ye Guard went to protect it-Garrick was oblig'd to give up the Dancers-& ye Audience disperc'd (Cross). This day publish'd at 1s. The Country Coquet; or, Miss in her Breeches, a Ballad Opera, as it may be acted at Drury Lane. @Men, some to business, some to pleasure take@But every woman is at heart a Rake.@ Pope By a Young Lady. Printed for and sold for J. Major, in Three-Tun Court, leading from the Ship in Ivy Lane into Newgate Market. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Some people had assembled in the Passages to what intent we knew not, Justice Welch & Fielding came in case of a Riot but all was quiet (Cross). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Twenty-Third Day. Daily Advertiser, 18 Aug.: Last Saturday John Sterne was committed to Newgate by Justice Welch, for the Murder of Mr Matthews, an eminent Surgeon in Brook St., Holborn. [Sterne had been an usher in Mathews' Academy, was discharged, but Matthews let Sterne live in Matthews' house for a long time, then expelled him and put his belongings on the stairs. On Friday 15 Aug. Sterne got two pistols and came back to Owen's Coffee House. Here] he waited three Hours for Mr Matthews, who was gone with a Friend to the little Theatre in the Haymarket and afterwards into Company at the Pewter Platter, a publick house in Cross St. [There Sterne shot Matthews.

Event Comment: A List of the Company Performers etc.@Actors Messrs Ross #1 6s. 6d.@Sparks #250 #1 8s.@Dyer #180 #1@Smith #1 8s.@Shuter #1 6s. 8d.@Ridout #180 #1@Clarke 16s. 8d.@Collins 13s. 4d.@Dunstall 13s. 4d.@Bencraft #100 12s.@Barrington #100 12s.@Gibson 10s.@Marten 6s. 8d.@Costollo 6s. 8d.@Anderson 6s. 8d.@Hull 6s. 8d.@Wignell 5s.@Bennet 5s.@Redman 4s. 2d.@Holtom 5s.@Buck 4s. 2d.@Perry 4s. 2d.@Stoppelaer 3s. 4d.@R. Smith 3s. 4d.@Giffard 3s. 4d.@Creswick 3s. 4d.@Gibbs 3s. 4d.@Weller 3s. 4d.@C. Smith 2s. 6d.@Blakey 2s. 6d.@Davis 5s.@Actresses Misses Ms Macklin #300 #1 13s. 4d.@Ms Ward #1 6s. 8d.@Ms Hamilton #1 10s.@Ms Elmy 13s. 4d.@Ms Vincent 13s. 4d.@Ms Green 11s.@Ms Pitt 10s.@Ms Dyer #70 7s. 8d.@Ms Barrington 6s. 8d.@Ms Baker 6s. 8d.@Ms Morrison 5s.@Ms Ferguson 5s@Ms Stephens 5s.@Ms Helm 4s. 2d.@Ms Mullart 3s. 4d.@Ms Sledge 3s. 4d.@Ms Copen 3s. 4d.@Ms Burden 3s. 4d.@Ms Davis 3s. 4d.@Ms Cokayne 3s. 4d.@Ms Allen 2s. 6d.@#9 19s. 4d. Actors #15 10s. 10d.@#25 10s. 2d.@Singers Men Messrs Beard #210 #1 3s. 4d.@Mattocks 10s.@Baker 6s. 8d.@Legg 5s.@#2 5s.@Singers Women Mrs Ms Lampe 13s. 4d.@Ms Brent 13s. 4d.@Ms Young 10s.@Ms Abegg 5s.@#2 1s. 8d.@Men Singers #2 5s.@#4 6s. 8d.@. Dancers Men Messrs Poitier Sr #80 8s. 10d.@Maranesi #150 16s. Sd.@Poitier Jr #150 16s. 8d.@LaLauze #100 12s.@Miles 10s.@Granier 10s.@Desse 6s. 8d.@Rochford #50 5s.@Dumay 5s.@Gosly 5s.@Baltazer 5s.@Dufour 5s.@Lassy #35 3s. 8d.@#5 9s. 6d.@Dancers Women Mrs Capdeville #150 16s. 8d.@Ms Maranesi #120 13s. 4d.@Ms Vernon 10s.@Ms Granier 6s. 8d.@Ms Jansolien 6s. 8d.@Ms Mariane #50 5s.@Ms Welch #35 3s. 8d.@Ms Craford #35 3s. 8d.@Ms White 3s. 4d.@Ms Dause 3s. 4d.@Ms Vallois 2s. 6d.@#4 4s. 10d. Men Dancers #5 9s. 6d.@#9 14s. 4d.@Mrs P. R. 10s.@Ms S. B. 6s. 8d.@Ms Bambridge 1s. 8d.@10s. 4d.@Prompters etc. Mr Stede 10s.@Young 5s.@Robertson 1s. 6d.@16s. 6d.@Painters Messrs Lambert #100 12s.@Dall #100 12s.@Austin 2s.@#1 6s.@ Servants numberers Stables 5s.@Housekeeper Sarjant #40 4s. 6d.@Wardrobe Whitefield #30 3s. 4d.@Officekeeper Ballard 3s. 4d.@Pearson 2s. 6d.@Box office Carne 2s. 6d.@Davis 2s. 6d.@Assistants Baker 2s. 6d.@Etherington 2s.@Lobby Door Goode 2s.@Ruby 2s.@Evans 2s.@Condell 2s.@Box Keepers Ansell 2s.@Letsam 2s.@Vaughan 2s.@Green 2s.@Potter 2s.@Pit Office Henning 2s.@Wilford 1s. 8d.@Toten 1s. 8d.@Pit Door Keepers Ross 1s. 8d.@Clingo 1s. 8d.@Ass. Office Clarke 1s. 8d.@1 Gal. Office Slater 2s.@Doorkeeper Rawlinson 1s. 8d.@2 Gal. Office Derby 2s.@Doorkeeper Seymour 2s.@Constable Barnes 2s.@Featherman Scott 1s. 8d.@Porter Besford 2s.@#3 9s. 10d.@Women Dressers #1 2s. 8d.@Charwomen 12s. 10d.@#5 5s. 4d.@Women Dressers Mrs Goold Wardrobe Keeper 3s. 4d.@Asst. Do Ms Wignell 2s. 6d.@Do Ms Paddick 1s. 8d.@Ms C. White 1s. 6d.@Ms Hales 1s. 6d.@Ms Martin 1s. 6d.@Ms Potts 1s. 6d.@Ms Wallis 1". 6d.@Ms Broad 1s. 6d.@Ms Gwynn 1s. 6d.@Ms Whitfield 1s. 6d.@Ms Buck 1s. 6d.@#1 2s. 8d.@Charwomen Mrs Brooks 1s. 2d.@Ms Hanmore 1s.@Ms Warwick 1s.@Ms Byrn 1s.@Ms Niblett 1s.@Ms Hollingsworth 1s.@Ms Barron 1s.@Ms Rumsey 1s.@8s. 2d.@Lampman Smith, Jo. 1s. 8d.@Sweeper Cawder, Jo. 1s. 6d.@Candleman Carter 1s. 6d.@12s. 10d.@Performers Sallerys #25 10s. 2d.@Singers Do #4 6s. 8d.@Dancers Do #9 14s. 4d. 18s. 4d.@Prompters Do 16s. 6d.@Painters Do #1 6s.@Servants Do #5 5s. 4d.@#47 17s. 4d.@Nightly Charges as per estimate #36 1s.@#83 18s. 4d.@--British Museum Egerton MS 2271.

Event Comment: Powell: Jack of Newbury (music) rehearsed at 10; Welch Heiress read at 12. [With this entry Powell's notes come to an end.] Receipts: #413 10s. (353.0.6; 56.8.0; 4.1.6)

Event Comment: The Publick are respectfully informed that at the Desire of the Author, The Welch Heiress [advertised on playbill of 18 Apr.] is withdrawn. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30, and for the rest of the Season. Receipts: #298 17s. 6d. (215.4.0; 78.5.0; 5.8.6)

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: 1st time; composed by Barre; the Music by Bossi. "Mme Hilligsberg, who possesses the first rank among the dancers of London, is a woman of distinguished merit: she succeeds with peculiar happiness in sportive and jocose expressions, and she is bewitchingly graceful as a Welch or Scotch country girl. Her figure is very handsome; but her arms are somewhat long and thin. The third dancer is Mme Laborie; she possesses an agreeable figure, much animation and native gracefulness. She might become a first-rate dancer [if] she did not trust too much to her natural talents, and bestowed more attention on the art" (Goede, 265). "Les Deux Jumelles, ou la Meprise, pouvoient tres bien faire le sujet d'unjoli divertissement; mais pour un grand ballet, il a fallu y appeller le secours des dieux, & faire descendre ce que nous appelons une gloire de nuages qui se developpent assez mal: c'est la faute du machiniste ou du charpentier. D'ailleurs, cette gloire ne sert a rien, puisque l'Amour vient dans un assez mauvais cabriolet, pousse par des hommes qu'on voit un peu trop distinctement, & s'en retourne de meme a reculons. Nous avons vu souvent le char de l'Amour aller en avant; mais il est rare qu'on le voie reculer, & cette meme gloire eprouve autant de difficulte pour remonter qu'elle en avout eue pour descendre, laissant le spectateur tres convaincu de son inutilite" (Anthony LeTexier, L'Ami des Meres, 1799, I, 192-93). The subscribers are most respectfully intreated to be careful to whom they give their Tickets, as many improper persons have lately presented themselves for admission into the Theatre with those Tickets; and the subscribers are requested to observe that, in future, persons of this description will be conducted directly to the identical Boxes to which such Tickets belong, instead of being admitted into any other part of the Theatre. And the public are intreated to understand that neither Ladies in Undress Hats or Bonnets, nor Gentlemen in Boots will be admitted into the Pit of the Opera