Event Comment: "It was with extreme regret that we perceived the ravages of time in the person of [Mrs Crawford, who had not acted in London since 12 Apr. 1785], tho' we were much consoled in observing that his influence is not equally apparent in her abilities...The blaze is gone, but there is a richness in the setting lustre...Kemble is evidently [Johnston's] model, and he followed him so closely, as even to the crossing of the legs in dying; so that where he was best, his efforts seemed to be the effect of imitation" (True Briton, 24 Oct.). "Mrs Crawford has had her day; but the sun of her genius has long sunk beneath the horizon...Many parts of her performance, we were sorry to observe, evinced the most evident decline of powers, and her tremulous accents, the debility of which was rendered the more striking from the want of several teeth, proclaimed that her days of play and action were nearly brought to a close...She was received with reiterated plaudits throughout...Nature has been very bountiful in supplying [Johnston] with a voice of much compass and melody, but he does not appear to have paid much attention to the cultivation of her favours. His transitions are often abrupt, and sometimes discordant; and the management of his tones is of so strange a nature that it appears more like two distinct voices than a judicious modulation of his natural accents" (Morning Herald, 24 Oct.). Receipts: #260 9s. (253.4.6; 7.4.6)

Event Comment: "Miss Poole did not appear at the Oratorio last Wednesday...She has been very dangerously ill" (Morning Herald, 30 Mar.). Her substitute is not named

Event Comment: By Desire of his Excellency the Turkish Ambassador [see 9 May]. Benefit for Mrs Mountain. 1st piece: In Act II a Grand Procession representing the ceremonies attending the Sacrifice of an Indian Woman on the Funeral Pile of her deceased Husband. 2nd piece [1st time; CO 2, by Henry Heartwell]: The Overture and Music composed by Attwood. Monologue: The whole of the apparatus painted and designed by Cresswell. Morning Herald, 8 Oct. 1798: This Day is published Reformed in Time (1s.). Ibid, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mountain, No. 28, Maiden-lane, Covent-garden. Receipts: #370 18s. (90.17; 4.3; tickets: 275.18)

Event Comment: The Tragedy of Zara, Made English [by Aaron Hill]. Applauded Thirty-Six Nights running at Paris. The Characters, by a Sett of Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, who never acted before. None will be admitted but by Tickets into the Room that Night, which (by Reason of the Smallness of the Place) will be all commodiously made into Boxes, for the easy Reception of those many Great Personages, who have read and perus'd this Play with Approbation, and desir'd a long Time to see it acted; and charitably agreed to favour and encourage this Design, for the Benefit of [Mr William Bond, the Proprietor], who brings it on at a great Expence (tho' all that act in it, are so good to appear Gratis for him) who has lain ill of the Gout, and Rheumatism, upwards of Four Years. [This bill, in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser, differs considerably in phraseology, though not in basic fact, from that in the Daily Advertiser.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Being a True Story in Common Life, and the Incidents extremely affecting. Written by the Author of George Barnwell [George Lillo]. N.B. This is much the coolest House in Town. At Common Prices, viz. Boxes 5s. Pit 2s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6d. [For a puff, see Daily Advertiser, 25 May.] Daily Advertiser, 28 May: Last Night . . . Guilt its own Punishment . . . was acted . . . with the greatest Applause that has been shewn to any Tragedy for many Years. The Scenes of Distress were so artfully work'd up, and so well perform'd, that there scarce remain'd a dry Eye among the Spectators at the Representation; and during the Scene preceding the Catastrophe, an attentive Silence possess'd the whole House, more expressive of an universal Approbation than the loudest Applauses

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Daily Advertiser, 4 Oct.: Yesterday Morning Mr James Todd, who represented the Miller's Man on Friday Night...and fell in one of the flying Machines from the very top of the Stage by the breaking of the Wires, by which accident his Skull was fractur'd, died in a miserable manner. Susan Warwick, who represented the Miller's Wife, lies at the point of Death at the Infirmary at Hyde-Park Corner: The two other Persons who fell in the same Machine are like to recover, [In London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 2 Oct.: All these unhappy People were Servants belonging to the Theatre, and only Representatives in the different Characters of Mr Lun, Mr Nivelon, Mr Salway, and Mrs Moreau.

Event Comment: A New Opera. [Text by Xeno. Music by Broschi.] Lucy Wentworth, 8 Jan.: My mama has been so good to give me leave to goe to the Opera to night with Lady Anne. 'Tis to be a new one call'd Merophe, but the foolish Buffo's are to be left out which I am very glad of, but am sorry they are to have five hundred pound a piece for acting that silly stuf two nights if one may believe Mr Hamilton.The Opera is to be heard but once for he says 'tis the worst that ever was composed.-Wentworth Papers, p. 528. phay The Defeat of Apollo. Rehearsed. DDaily Advertiser, 11 Jan.: The Prologue to The Defeat of Apollo, which, in Compliment to some Gentlemen, was spoke last Saturday at the Rehearsal, encourages the Town to hope for what is new and entertaining. [For additional puffs, see Daily Advertiser, 11 and 12 Jan.

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Holliday. By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales

Event Comment: Towards the Raising a Fund for the Erecting a Monument to the Memory of Shakespear. Written by Shakespear. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 11 April: On which Occasion 'twas expected there would have been a greater Audience than there appear'd to be. But the Lord Burlington was pleased, out of his Regard to the Memory of so great a Man, to give Ten Guineas for himself. [The Prologue, written by Theobald and spoken by Ryan, is in London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 12 April.

Event Comment: See Daily Advertiser, 19 April, for a letter on Handel. Deutsch, Handel, pp. 481-83, reprints it but states that it appeared in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser

Event Comment: Benefit Haughton. [The London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 3 May, is missing; this bill is from London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 30 April.

Event Comment: At the Great Theatrical Booth, Bowling Green. By Permission. Benefit Laguerre and Boaman. By a Company from the Theatres-Royal, for their Diversion, a Concert...gratis, etc. Boxes 3s. 6d. First Gallery 1s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6 p.m. Daily Advertiser lists Miss Hippisley for Miss Prue in mainpiece and for Kitty in afterpiece, and Mrs Yates for Melissa. In the London Daily Post and General Advertiser bill Mrs Dunstall doubles two roles

Event Comment: Benefit Winstone, Taswell, Miss Budgell, Miss Cole. Tickets deliver'd for Sir Courtly Nice will be taken. Yeaterday Morning died, after a short illness, Mr Norton, Author of the new Tragedy call'd Mahomet, Perform'd at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane.-General Advertiser. On Friday died the Rev. Mr Miller of Roehampton, author of the Tragedy of Mahomet (which was acted last Friday, for the third time at Drury Lane Theatre), the Humours of Oxford, and other Dramatic performances.-Daily Advertiser, 30 April