Event Comment: Benefit for Hopkins, prompter, and Mrs Hopkins. The Farmer's Return was advertised for Hopkins' Benefit, the Farmer-but changed (Winston MS 10). Paid $Mr Cape">Weston, but changed (Winston MS 10). Paid $Mr Cape's Apothecary's Bill #4 16s. 11d.; Chorus 2 nights (this incl.) #3 11s.; Mr Wallis on note #2 2s.; Extra Flutes & Guitars in Genii & Xmas Tale (9th inst. incl.) #1 15s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #166 4s. 6d. Charges: #66 11s. 6d. Profits to Mr and Mrs Hopkins: #99 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Barry being Ill Mr Palmer pay'd Bajazet-So-So (+Hopkins Diary). Barry suddenly taken ill, Palmer hopes for the indulgence of the public as he has undertaken Bajazet at short warning (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr Evans one year wardrobe acct, #10 10s.; Chorus 2 nights (this incl.) #4 16s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #175 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Garrick Bays 1st time these four years Very fine House (Hopkins Diary). Mrs King many years actress and dancer will leave the stage at her Benefit. Garrick [will] play for her (Winston MS 10). Paid Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #11 9s. 6d.; Mr Racket (taylor) #20 6d.; Mr Hatsell (mercer) #29 6d.; Mr Ireland (upholsterer) #34 7s.; Barrow & Co (oil merchants) #88 10s.; Printer's Bill #8 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #280 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid 3 day's salary list at #81 19s. 3d. per diem,-#245 17s. 9d.; Advanc'd Miss Mansell & Mr Dimon 5 guineas each, #10 10s.; Mr S. French, six days, #1 10s. J. Stevens on note, #3 3s.; Mt Byrne, Mt Bannister, Mt Lamercier, Miss Wilkinson, Miss Rolt, & Mrs Brathwaite salary short-paid, #6 4s.; Mr D. Garrick in full of last season #260 8s. 4d. (Treasruer's Book). Receipts: #199 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Sethona Publish'd. Note of Hand deferr'd Dodd ill (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr F. Aickin's joint note with Mr J. Aickin #4 10s.; Mr Everard (late Cape) a debt & Costs #3 18s.; Mr Highley on acct #200; Mr Hopkins, Licence for Note of Hand & Sethona, #4 4s.; Miss P. Hopkins 1 night 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #239 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Timon published at 1s. 6d. Tomorrow will be publish'd, Beautifully printed, The Theatres: A poetical Dissection by Sir Nicholas Nipclose, printed for John Bell. [See 17 Dec. and 1 Jan. 1772.] King's share of Bristol Theatre purchas'd by Dodd (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr Weston's Bill to Mr Best #4 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #136 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. [Winston MS 10 lists Merope & Pigmy Revels, but notes that the bills indicate Way to Keep him.] School for Fathers deferr'd. Mrs Wrighten hoarse. Epistle to David Garrick published by Lloyd 2s. (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr Dimon upon Acct #5 5s. Receipts: #171 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Latter end of next month the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, which has been much enlarg'd and Beautified will open with Subs[cription] Jubilee Masque (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr Hopkins, Prompter's Bill, #23 16s.; Mr Calthorpe's 1st payment #157 10s.; Printer's bill #9 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #237 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid 6 days salary at #82 16s. 5d. per diem--#496 18s. 6d.; Mrs Abington on cloaths account #2; Mr French on acct #2. Mr D. Garrick's Night. Charges #84 (Treasurer's Book). Profit to D. G. for sixth night of Inst of Garter #115 7s. 6d. Mainpiece: Not acted in 4 years. [See 2 Dec. 1767.] Garrick recovered from his illness (Winston MS 10). [Of the mainpiece: "How the managers could think of shoving Mr Cautherly into the part of Captain Plume, is, to us, a matter of surprize....The part requires elegance, vivacity and the easy deportment of an accomplish'd gentleman. We never remember to have seen this character more completely performed, than by Mr Smith at Covent Garden Theatre (who is everything that criticism can wish) nor much worse, than by Mr Cautherly, who does not possess one requisite for the character, and is the effeminate and insipid School-boy throughout the whole. To this we may add, that he was not perfect, and made a great mistake, by coming in where he should not which oblig'd him to retire again. This was an unpardonable fault, though it was the first time of his appearing in this character."--Theatrical Review, 2 Nov. Of the afterpiece: "We were not a little pleased to observe this evening, that Mr King, in the character of Sir Dingle, omitted the parody on the lines with which the third act of Otway's Orphan concludes. But we think the introducing a chine of roast beef, decorated with a flag, to be carried off in triumph by the rabble, accompanied, from the orchestra with music of the old song of that title is a pitiful addition to the performance, and intended only as a sacrifice to the caprice of the riotous inhabitants of the upper gallery. Had this Entertainment been exhibited at a French theatre it would have had some claim to merit. This seems to be a piece of stage policy, arising from a consciousness, that the whole performance is too contemptible to meet with countenance from any but the sons of riot, for which reason they are brib'd to support it, by this notable trick."--Theatrical Review, 2 Nov.] Receipts: #199 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Printer's Bill #9 6s.; Mr Wrighten on Note #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #274 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bransby and Burton ["Died Miss Weller, aged 19, pupil of Dr Arne, appeared at dl as Polly, and Carissa, in School for Fathers" (Winston MS 10, from Dr Burney's Newspapers)

Event Comment: This play is alter'd by Mr Cumberland was very well receiv'd Mr & Mrs Barry play'd very well Alcibiades was perform'd by Mr Crofts being his first appearance upon any Stage bad figure bad voice & Play'd bad (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Decorations &c. Mr Crofts-a stationer in the Temple (Winston MS 10). Theatrical Review, 4 Dec.: We think ourselves oblig'd to declare that this gentleman (Crofts), by no means answered the expectations we had formed, from the accounts we had heard of him.--His voice is not bad, though it is not much above the level of common conservation; --his deportment is aukward and void of grace to an extreme; and he labors under the disadvantage of having a face destitute of expression. His gestures are extremely ungraceful, and the whole of his execution is glaringly untutored, and misconceived. His persons is very ill formed, and therefore it makes greatly against him, especially as he is the representative of Alcibiades, who was the handsomest man in all Athens, and we never remember any one's attempting to set out as a capital performer with so few requisites for the support of such an undertaking as this gentleman appears to have. Paid Dr Nares & Mr Cooke's 8 boys in the Garter, 12 nights (30th ult. incl.) #36; Master Brown 7 nights (2nd inst. incl.) #2 12s 6d.; Licence for Timon, #2 2s. (Treasurer's Book). [Larpent MS 328 of Cumberland's Timon, is one of the earliest to include scenic descriptions: "A Hall in Timon's House. The Flat Scene represents stately Folding Doors. Scene two, the Back scene is hastily drawn back and discovers a magnificent Levee Room or Salon. &c."] Receipts: #243 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Lethe is reviv'd with Alterations & a New Character-very well receiv'd & great Applause-Mr Garrick play'd with great Spirit & was much Applauded (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan notes lack of Fribble parts in Larpent MS. Yet Theatrical Review, 11 Jan., describes briefly the alterations, suggesting, The character of the Fine Gentleman in the former Lethe had some strong allusions to the behaviour of Gentlemen behind the scenes at the playhouses, which custom being abolished of late years, the character had lost its importance, on which account it is altered to a Fribble, and consequently entirely new written." A methodist taylor, an Irishman, Mr & Mrs Carbine (originally Mr & Mrs Tatoo) are also new. See account also in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre NO. XXXIII).] Paid Salary list, #502 3s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct #2; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s.; Rec'd, Stopages. #11 13s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #245 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece changed to +Clandestine Marriage due to the sudden indisposition of Mrs Abington (Winston MS 10)

Event Comment: About Ten o'clock this Morning Orders came from the Lord Chamberlain to Shut up the House on Account of the Death of the Princess Dowager of Wales who died this Morn[in]g between 6 & 7 o'clock (Hopkins Diary). [Closed through Sat., Feb. 15. No record in Treasurer's Book save "The Princes Dowager of Wales died this Morning."] Theatres clos'd on 8 Feb. and reopen'd on 17th Feb. for Augusta Princess Dowager of Wales (Winston MS 10). Paid salary list, at #83 9s. 9d. per diem, #500 18s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's Cloaths acct, #2; Mr S. French, 1 1!2 days 7s. 6d.; Mr Weston's note to Mr Holman, #8 3s. (Treasurer's Book). [The cast scheduled for mainpiece was that of 4 Feb.; for afterpiece that of 30 Dec. 1771. The dance between was to have been Sailor's Revels of 8 Oct. 1771.

Event Comment: This Comedy was written by Mr Cumberland was very well receiv'd & great Applause but it will not be so Successful as the West Indian was (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes and Dresses for the Mainpiece. [See Theatrical Review, 20 Jan. See also account in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre No. XXXIII). Larpent MS 329 again includes scene description by the author: "Hall in Lord Abberville's Housev with a staircase seen through an arch in the Flat."] Receipts: #248 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Jameson. Hull is to succeed Colman in the management of Covent Garden (Winston MS 10). Colman sold his share of the patent to Harris in the spring of this year, this departure to take place in June (Page, George Colman, The Elder). Michel Dyer Died (Genest, V, 424). Miss Jameson's charges #77 13s. 6d. Profit to her #59 10s., plus #66 7s. from tickets. (Box 127; Pit 138; Gallery 139). Receipts: #137 3s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Twelfth Night was put up for this Night but Mrs Abington sent word She was hoarse & could not play, therfore it was chang'd to the Fair Quaker & great Bills put up about three (Hopkins Diary). [Twelfth Night was deferred until 10 Dec.] Paid Salary List #529 2s.; King's extra salary #3; Mr J. French on acct #10; Chorus 2 nights (this incl.) #4 1s.; Rec'd stopages #26 6s. 6d. Receipts: #104 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: March 3 [or 23] Garrick is remov'd from Southampton St. to the Adelphi (Winston MS 10). Paid Dr Nares and Mr Cooke's 8 Boys in the Garter (8 nights) #24; Mr Bibb (sword cutler) #2 9s.; Mr Dibdin's draft on the managers, #50 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #181 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Mr King paid #9000 for three fourths interest in Saddler's Wells (Winston MS 10). Paid a Tow bill 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [A monthly Purchase amounting to #4 10s. for the season, and not to mention hereafter.] Receipts: #252 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: On 21 Feb. Brereton broke his collar bone in fall from a horse at Bath (Winston MS 10). Paid five day's salary, #417 8s. 9d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct, #2; Mr S. French 12 days, #3 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #182 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. About this time papers say inside of Foote's theatre with Dressing Room Green Room &c. is entirely pulled down to enlarge the stage which is to be nearly twice the size it was. Woodward is to exhibit two new pantomimes next summer. (Winston MS 10). Paid Printer's Bill #9 6s. (Treasurer's Book). [Treasurer's Book also indicates that this night #30 4s. of Orders were given out.] Paid 2 Clarinets 6 nights (18th incl.) #9 9s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #173 2s. 6d. Ordinary charges #84. Extra for Invasion #10 10s. Profit for Author #78 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mrs Booth has lately erected a Monument to B. Booth, is now upwards of 90, was the famous Miss Santlowe so much admir'd as Actress and Dancer (Winston MS 10). Advanc'd Mr Barry (b:office keeper) #15; Ditto to Mr Watson (b:office keeper) #10 (Treasurer's Book). [Operating cash returned to treasury on 5 June 1773, but with a deficit of #6 5s. Barry seems not to have been hired thereafter, Archeveque taking his place the following season.] Receipts: #173 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 24 Oct. 1770.] Miss P. Hopkins made her first appearance in Celia-great applause (+Hopkins Diary). [The Young Lady who played Celia indentified by Winston MS 11 as Miss Pricilla Hopkins who became Mrs Brereton, then was married a second time to John Kemble. She had acted Celia 19 April 1773 in As You Like It. The Young Lady who played Tragedy was Miss Sharp, later married to W. Palmer (Winston MS 11).] Paid Mr Neale for a laced Hat #1 15s. Receipts: #155 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)