Event Comment: Receipts: #150 (Cross); #154 11s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Receipts: #80 (Cross); #89 9s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Receipts: #120 (Cross); #137 19s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Receipts: #100 (Cross); #115 18s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. Receipts: #120 (Cross); #1O5 5s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. [A full column, front-page letter to the Author of the General Advertiser from one purporting to live many miles from London, but whose curiosity about the New Tragedy Irene brought him to see it, details his experience in the theatre the night of Tues. 14 Feb. Seems to be an illconcealed "puff." The writer listens to three critics in the pit decry the performance, then after seeing it himself concludes: "It was receiv'd with universal approbation...Upon the whole I dare affirm that the Judgment of Posterity will concur with me in distinguishing Irene as the best tragedy which this age has produced, for Sublimity of thought, Harmony of numbers, strength of expression, a scrupulous observation of Dramatic Rules, the sudden Turn of events, the tender and generous distress, the unexpected catastrophe, and the extensive and important moral." He inquires why the play has not been so favorably received as others, and concludes it is too finely and artistically conceived to please the masses. He closes by complimenting the Ladies of Great Britain for he "scarce ever saw so shining an assembly in the Boxes. Their early approbation of a Tragedy in which not only the words but the ideas are entirely chaste; a tragedy filled with noble sentiment and poetic beauty is at once a proof of their delicacy and penetration."] Receipts. #100 (Cross); #101 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author Tickets to be had as 9 and 14 Feb. [The Gentleman's Magazine this month gave a nine-column article to the Plan and Specimens of Irene a Tragedy by Mr Samuel Johnsin acted at Drury Lane from 6-20 February inclusive." In it plot was first retold, then excerpts from speeches were given which illustrated the beautiful expression of the moral values contained in the play: "To instance every moral which is inculcated in this performance, would be to transcribe the whole; but, however difficult I shall select a few." No comments are made upon the stage presentation, all is presented upon the basis of examination of the text. William Shenstone thought not much of it as a play. See Letter to Lady Luxborough 22 March.] Receipts: #110 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: This day is publish'd, at 6d. A Criticism on Mahomet and Irene in a Letter to the Author. Printed and sold by W. Reeve. Receipts: #130 (Cross); #126 14s. (Powel)

Event Comment: This day is publish'd written by Henry Fielding, Esq. the 4th edn. of An Old Man taught Wisdom; or the Virgin Unmask'd, a Farce, as it is now acting at Drury Lane. With the Music prefix'd to each song. Printed for I. Watts. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #171 12s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #143 5s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years.[See 2 April 1745]. Pit and Boxes laid together, where servants will be allowed to keep Places, and on the stage; which for the better Accommodation of the Ladies will be inclos'd and form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock. Tickets of Mrs Cibber at New Street, Spring Garden, and of Hobson. Receipts: #275 (Cross); house charges, #60. This must be subtracted as before (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Part of Pit laid into the Boxes [as on 7 March]. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Clive in Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields, and of Hobson at the stage door. [According to the Larpent MS, No. 77 additions were made to the afterpiece of some fifty lines to bring Lettice back into the picture, and enable her to resolve the plot, and to sing The Life of a Beau as a take-off.] Receipts: #206 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. Afterpiece: By Desire. Tickets and places to be had of Yates next Door to Mr Walsh's Music Shop in Catherine St. in the Strand. Receipts: #230 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Green. Being the last time of performing the mainpiece this season. Tickets of Mrs Green in Broad Court, Bow St., Covent Garden. There is now in Rehearsal a new Tragedy called Merope. Receipts: #140 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sowdon. Tickets to be had of Sowdon at Mr Haymer's in James St., Covent Garden, of Hobson at the Stage Door; at Will's Coffee House, Cornhill, and of Mr Thomas Sowdon, in Blackman St., Southwark. Receipts: #160 (Cross); no house charges. N.B.: A present was made to him of the charge of the House, because he had acted this season and receiv'd no salary (Powel)

Event Comment: N.B. As the Auctioneer [Foote] gives Tea tomorrow at Covent Garden Mr Woodward (by particular desire) on Saturday next will present him with a dish of his own chocolate, with an addition of one Mew at his cats. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #168 18s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: By Aaron Hill. Receiv'd with great applause (Cross). Receipts: #123 18s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Receipts: #130 (Cross); #126 14s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Friday Next at Five O'Clock in the Afternoon will be publish'd Merope; or, The Princely Shepherd, a Tragedy as it is now acting at Drury Lane, with Universal Applause. Printed for A. Millar in the Strand. Receipts: #140 (Cross); #110 9s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Receipts: #140 (Cross); #107 17s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Receipts: #160 (Cross); #124 5s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Receipts: #170 (Cross); #137 9s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pritchard. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire, and the last time of performing it. Tickets and places to be had of Pritchard at his House in Duke's, late Earl's Court, Bow Street, Covent Garden, and of Hobson at the stage Door. Ladies are Desired to send their Servants by three o'clock. Receipts: #200 (Cross); charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Winstone, King, and Palmer. Tickets and places of Hobson at the stage Door. Receipts: #130 (Cross); charges, #63 (Powel)