Event Comment: Not acted in 5 years. [See 4 Feb. 1758.] The Drummer was revived at this period at both theatres...to take advantage of the reigning weakness of the people, who went in crowds many days and nights to an Haunted House, by what was called the Cock-Lane Ghost-a delusion set on foot, and very ingeniously carried on by a girl of 12 years of age, daughter of a clerk of St Sepulchre's Church, who resided in Cock Lane near Smithfield. [The Ghost was supposed to be that of one Fanny, a gentleman's mistress buried in the church. By knockings and scratchings she supposedly haunted the girl intimating foul practices concerning her death.] It would be incredible to relate the numbers of persons of distinction that attended this delusion! many of whom treated it as a serious and most important affair...at last the girl's father and three or four others were tried in the King's Bench, found guilty' Pillioried and imprisoned. This most effectively laid the Ghost; and is the best and properest cure for every ghost that may arise hereafter. (Victor, History of the Theatres, III, 18 ff). [The theme exploited again by Garrick in The Farmer's Return from London, dl 20 March.

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Pit and Boxes to be put together. No persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be delivered this day at the Office in the Theatre at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at Half an Hour after Four o'clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half an Hour after Six

Event Comment: A Burletta, Benefit for Sg & Sga Paganini, [Who] being desirous of returning to Italy...take this Opportunity to express their most grateful Sense of the many Favours with which they have been honoured in this Kingdom; and being willing that the Necessitous should share in that Bounty which they owe more to the Generosity of the English Nation than to their own Merits, they have allotted a fourth part of the Profits which may arise from the above Burletta (free from all Expense whatever) towards the carrying on and extending the Utility of the Asylum or House of Refuge for Female Orphans...and another Part of the aforesaid Profits will be given towards relieving old Signor Cataneo, who, during forty Years was useful to the Operas, but is now in extreme Distress; and the Manager, who is at the Expence of this Benefit, has chearfully consented to the Disposition here mentioned. As it is intended to apply the whole Profits which may arise from letting out the Servants Gallery [at 2s. 6d. each person] for the Benefit of the Asylum, over and above what was before alloted to it, 'tis humbly hoped that the Nobility, Gentry, etc. will not take it amiss if their Servants are not admitted that Night, as has been the Practice at this Theatre on Occasions of Charity. Tickets will delivered out for this Benefit, this day at the Opera Office, and signed by Mr Crawford, and all Monies given for Tickets above their usual Price, is to be shared in the Charity abovementioned. Tickets delivered for 23 March will be taken

Event Comment: MMr Foote's Oratorical Lectures will be continued in the New Theatre in the Haymarket this day, between Twelve and One noon. [In six parts]: 1. Oratory in general, 2. Its utility demonstrated from its universality, 3. Distinct species of oratory, 4. The present practice peculiar to the English, 5. Necessity of an Academy, 6. The propriety of appointing the author perpetual professor. The whole to be illustrated in apt instances by a set of pupils long trained to the art, one of which is amazing proof of the force of Genius when properly cultivated (Public Advertiser). [These lectures were given 36 times and referred thereafter this season as The Orators.

Event Comment: To begin at one o'clock. Places for the boxes to be taken at the Theatre. The Fourth Day

Event Comment: The fifth Day

Event Comment: The sixth Day. To be continued Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays. [Note in Public Advertiser Thursday 13 May: "Mr Foote's lecture is postponed to the 15th in order to prepare the pupils for an exhibition in some particular branches of oratory not yet touched upon."

Event Comment: The Eighth Day

Event Comment: The ninth Day

Event Comment: The Tenth Day

Event Comment: The Eleventh Day

Event Comment: The Twelfth Day

Event Comment: The Thirteenth Day

Event Comment: The Fourteenth Day

Event Comment: The Fifteenth Day

Event Comment: The Sixteenth Day. The last morning lecture but two

Event Comment: The Seventeenth Day. The last lecture but one

Event Comment: The Eighteenth and last day

Event Comment: The Nineteenth Day. The morning lecture given once more

Event Comment: Twenty-First Day

Event Comment: Twenty-Second Day

Event Comment: The Twenty-Third Day

Event Comment: TheTwenty-Fourth Day

Event Comment: The Twenty-Fifth Day

Event Comment: The Twenty-Sixth Day