Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Part of pit laid into boxes. Send servants at 4 o'clock. Tickets delivered for Cyrus (for this night) will be taken. [The Epilogue is Larpent MS 408. N.B. The Treasurer's Account Book for this year differs from those of the preceding five in not recording the income from tickets delivered out for benefit nights. See Comment, 23 Sept. 1775. The box receipts for benefit performances during this season, therefore, are not an accurate reflection of the popularity of a play.] Paid Mr Stainer for Music #2 4s. 9d. Receipts: #147 19s. 6d. Charges: #68 10s. Profits to Mrs Yates: #79 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Proper Decorations. Dance by Desire. Paid Mr Donell for a Brown velvet coat & Breeches and a blue velvet flower'd waistcoat #4 4s.; to Mr Hughes for a blue velvet suit embroider'd, a Gray cloth coat lac'd with gold, a scarlet velvet waistcoat, an uncut velvet suit & cold straps #55; Paid Blandford (Tallow Chandler) #17 18s. 11d.; Paid Mr Havers five eights share Rent 100 nights #7 5s. 10d.; Paid Mrs Stanhope's 2 shares ditto #28 6s. 8d.; Norton 3 chorus 15s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #200 (Cross); #170 8s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Receipts: #23 0s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 21 paid and 16 orders; pit, 50 paid and 25 orders; slips, 10 paid and 3 orders; first gallery, 94 paid and 17 orders; second gallery, 44 paid and 1 order

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear. Receipts: #18 3s. Probable attendance: boxes, 13 paid and 8 orders; pit, 35 paid and 21 orders; slips, 10 paid and 11 orders; first gallery, 86 paid and 56 orders; second gallery, 60 paid and 2 orders

Event Comment: Receipts: #40 11s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 74 paid and 25 orders; pit, 62 paid and 28 orders; slips, 10 paid and 6 orders; first gallery, 89 paid and 13 orders; second gallery, 32 paid

Event Comment: Receipts: #40 7s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 39 paid and 8 orders; pit, 117 paid and 39 orders; slips, 10 paid and 7 orders; first gallery, 106 paid and 31 orders; second gallery, 107 paid and 3 orders

Event Comment: Receipts: #124 1s. Probable attendance: boxes and pit, 294 paid and 30 orders; stage, 1 paid; slips, 10 paid; first gallery, 304 paid and 7 orders; second gallery, 140 paid and 1 order

Event Comment: Receipts: #78 17s. Probable attendance: boxes, 178 paid and 69 orders; stage, 3 paid; slips, 10 paid and 8 orders; first gallery, 200 paid and 6 orders; second gallery, 113 paid and 1 order

Event Comment: Receipts: #32 6s. Probable attendance: boxes, 33 paid and 9 orders; Pit, 104 paid and 13 orders; slips, 10 paid and 2 orders; first gallery, 92 paid and 5 orders; second gallery, 59 paid

Event Comment: Receipts: #75 6s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 121 paid and 7 orders; pit, 144 paid and 14 orders; slips, 10 paid and 1uorder; first gallery, 146 paid and 6 orders; second gallery, 75 paid and 1 order

Event Comment: Receipts: #51 10s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 28 paid and 5 orders; pit, 154 paid and 7 orders; slips, 10 paid and 2 orders; first gallery, 143 paid and 8 orders; second gallery, 70 paid and 2 orders

Event Comment: Receipts: #24 14s. Probable attendance: boxes, 21 paid and 16 orders; pit, 68 paid and 44 orders; slips, 10 paid and 2 orders; first gallery, 91 paid and 27 orders; second gallery, 70 paid

Event Comment: Receipts: #30 0s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 27 paid and 7 orders; pit, 88 paid and 20 orders; slips, 10 paid and 4 orders; first gallery, 56 paid and 12 orders; second gallery, 60 paid and 2 orders

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Paid salary list #305 15s. 6d.; Mrs Hobson a bill 14s. 9d.; Paid Mr Mattocks as per order #1 1s.; Paid Mr Cartony for 12 yds. silver lace #9 12s.; Bought 12 lbs. Lampwicke #1 (Treasurer's Book). Next Monday will be reviv'd a Comedy (not acted these 30 years) call'd Friendship in Fashion, written by Otway. Receipts: #160 (Cross); #162 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Daily Advertiser: To Mr W-d, Sir, After the many defeats you have already suffer'd in the Mimical War between us, to which Ireland as well as England have been laughing witnesses; I was greatly surpris'd to hear that you again intended to provoke my future vengeance, by dressing at me in the character of Malagene, which you are to perform in the reviv'd play Friendship in Fashion. Whatever you may think, Mr W-d, these public exhibitions of particular persons by no means become the dignity of the stage, & though a disorder in my Finances may occasionally have urged me to some Pleasant attacks in this way, yet give me leave to say, I never was abandoned enough to think 'em justifiable...Your intended attack on me...as the character you are to represent is...indeed not that of the most nice Morality; who knows but that...some may cry, "Tis he from head to Foot." As you are sensible this would be doing me great Injustice, & in my present circumstances might be particularly injurious to me, I expect you will alter the Design

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe. Altered by the author the following season as The Wicklow Mountains. Dross not listed in Airs, but it is the only other character in Larpent MS 1117]: With new Scenery, Music, and Dresses. The Music partly compiled, and the Overture, new Music, and the Accompanyments to the National Airs, composed by Shield.The Union Pipes and the Harp to be played by Topham and Weippert. The Scenes painted by Richards, Hodgins, Phillips, Hollogan, Blackmore and assistants. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #215 (210.18; 4.2)

Event Comment: London Journal, 21 April: The Scholars of Mr Weston...performed the Play of Tamerlane...before the Lords of the Admiralty, with great Applause

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown] . Account-Book, 25 Sept. 1794: Paid Cumberland for The Jew #300. Morning Chronicle, 4 Oct. 1794: This Day is published THE JEW (1s. 6d.). Powell: The Quaker rehearsed at 10; The Jew at 11. Receipts: #401 17s. (344/3; 45/19; 11/15)

Event Comment: Receipts: #34 14s. Probable attendance: boxes and pit, 59 paid and 32 orders; stage, 1 paid; slips, 10 paid and 7 orders; first gallery, 108 apid and 7 orders; second gallery, 61 paid

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but Dryden, writing on 14 Dec. 1699, indicates that this play had had its first performance by that date. The Dedication is dated 10 Jan. 1699@1700, and the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 20-23 Jan. 1699@1700. Preface, Edition of 1700: Another difficulty this Play labour'd under, was its being acted at a time when the whole Town was so much, and so justly diverted by the Trip to the Jubilee. When the play was revised and reprinted in 1714, the new edition--The Victim; or Achilles and Iphigenia in Aulis--indicates that The Invocation to Diana in the last act was set by Gottfreid Finger, the first verse being sung by Freeman, the second verse by Mrs Erwin, and the third verse by W. Pate. Advertisement, Edition of 1714: The following Tragedy...having been translated into English [from Racine], with considerable Additions, by Mr Boyer, and pass'd the Correction and Approbation of the late famous Mr Dryden, and several other Persons distinguish'd as well by their Wit and Learning, as by their Taste and Discernment, was acted with general Applause, towards the End of the Year 1699, and Beginning of 1700. The Reasons why this Excellent Play stopt, on a sudden, in a full Career, are, in some Measure, accounted for in Mr Boyer's Preface: To which he might have added, That the Dutchess of Marlborough, who at that Time bore an irresistable Sway, bespoke the Comedy then in Vogue [The Constant Couple], during the Ruin of Iphigenia in Aulis; And that this Tragedy receiv'd no small Prejudice, from the Person that acted Eriphyle [Mrs Wilkins], who sunk under the Weight of so great a Part. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), pp. 24-25: Sullen: Then comes the second Iphigenia in all her Charms, and like a superious Mistress was resolv'd to eclipse her Rival: No cast was spar'd by the Masters, nor toil by the Actors; the Town was bespoke in its favour, and all the Friends of this new Fletcher and Beaumont were ingaged to clap it. She appear'd, but what pity 'twas (as the Prefacer says) that a Play which had such a glorious run shou'd in four Days disappear, never to rise again. Oh! says Mr D@@, mine was acted six Days; and I'll hold you a hundred Pound--just what I got by't--How's that?, says Boyer--I say, Sir, that I'll hold you, or any Man, a hundred Pound, 'twill be acted again ten times this Winter. With that B@@ fell a laughing, and replies, Sir, says he, I'll stake my French Dictionary against your Criticisms on Blackmore, and that I think is odds enough--I say,"I'll hold you that Bet, that you did not get fifty Shillings by't, and that the House lost a hundred Pound. This had like to ha' made sad work; but all was well, for neither of 'em have been acted since, for they both sleep in everlasting Tranquillity. [See also pp. 23-25 for other remarks about the two Iphigenia plays.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but it followed The Gordian Knot Unty'd, which is mentioned in the Prologue. Edward III was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 2629, 19-22 Jan. 1690@1, and entered in the Term Catalogues, February 1690@1. The authorship is uncertain. The title page bears no author's name, but the Dedication is signed by Will. Mountfort. In addition, on 10 Oct. 1691 Mountfort received a grant of #10 when Edward III was played before the Queen (L. C. 5@150, p. 306, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 357). On tne other hand, the Gentleman's Journal, October 1692, stated that it was written by the author of Henry the Second, which has been attributed to John Bancroft. See Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 388-89, for a summation of the evidence on this problem. Alfred Harbage, Elizabethan-Restoration Palimpsest, Modern Language Review, XXXV (1940), 319, thinks that this is a revision of Robert Davenport's The Politic Queen

Event Comment: Receipts: #151 18s. Paid Mr Dallon on acct of salary omitted 15th inst. #1 10s. and salary for 22 inst. #1 10s.; Paid Mr Whitefield (assistant in the wardrobe) 3 months salary due 24th inst. #7 10s.; J. Rich on acct #21; Paid Stephen Gom at Uxbridge in full #38 5s