Event Comment: MMrs Jeffries made her first appearance on this stage in Belinda.--not perfect.--was pretty well received.--is a little smart figure (Hopkins MS Notes). At 15 minutes past 4, took my place in the Pit at Drury Lane to see the Provok'd Wife. Mr Garrick is inimitable as Sir John Brute, Palmer does Heartfree, and Mrs Abington Lady Fanciful (with a song not printed in the play) very well. Constant by Cautherly, whose figure and manner I do not like, Vernon in Col. Bully sings a song (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: First time in 2 years. [See 17 Jan. 1766.] Harlequin's Invasion revived with alterations, particularly a Patagonian Man and Woman, executed by Mr Johnston, are very fine Figures, and gave great satisfaction to the Audience (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: [T+The Theatrical Monitor, No. V (21 Nov.) includes a letter from Bathyllus: As Dancing has ever been receiv'd by the greatest of dramatic writers, with encomiums suitable to its distinguished merit; you will be pleased through the channel of your justly spirited paper, to express the satisfaction I met with from Mr Aldridge in the Merry Sailor: his stature, strength, agility, and swiftness, are beyond anything I ever saw on Covent Garden theatre: he stands tip-toe on the pinnacle of perfection, and gives us an idea of Homer's pyrrhick dance delineated on the shield of Achilles"] Receipts: #74 17s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: At 5 went into the Pit...Mrs Yates is the Callista Mr Rowe drew; Powell did Scioto well, nor is Bensley a bad Horatio. A new Comic Dance by LaRiviere and Miss Vallois in wooden shoes, with Harlequin Skeleton to which is now added a new scene (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #123 15s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these two years. [See 26 Dec. 1764.] Music for the afterpiece by Mr Barthelemon

Event Comment: Farce not acted in 5 years. [See 28 Sept. 1762.] Brownsmith's Dramatic Time-Piece publish'd at 1s. The 3rd Theatrical Monitor appeared. Went into the Pit to see Garrick do Kitely again. Before the Curtain drew up finished reading the play with alterations by Mr Garrick...We had a foolish farce called the Double Disappointment (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Paid from treasurer's funds #16 12s. for a Lottery Tickett No. 5,603. Paid for playing the Organ 9 nights in the Oxonian in Town #2 5s. (Account Book). [Colman seems to have been dissatisfied with Mrs Lessingham's performance, for the Harvard Extra Illustrated Vol. of Genest (opposite p. 185) contains a MS note dated Tuesday Morning: "Mrs Bulkley's compliments to Mr Hull, as she is ready in the part of Mrs Sullen he need not call any rehearsal on her account." Presumably this note was written to the prompter the following Tuesday (24 Nov.). The next performance this season of the Stratagem did not occur, however, until 22 April 1768, at which time Mrs Bulkley played Mrs Sullen, for the 1st time.] Receipts: #155 15s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted there. Mr Colman's Night. Paid for Licensing the True Born Irishman #2 2s. (Account Book). [See The Irish Fine Lady 28 Nov.]. Receipts: #230 6s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [T+Theatrical Monitor, No VI appeared this day with a blast, in the form of an occasional Epilogue, at the morals, language and plan of the Oxonian in Town. This was the first performance of Macklin's afterpiece in London. It had been played in Dublin. "Its curious idiom, half-brogue, and half Cockney, puzzled the audience, as did its highly topical Irish allusions. With his usual candor, Macklin observed: 'I believe the audience are right. (The play was withdrawn after this single performance.) There's a geography in humor as well as in morals, which I had not previously considered--'" Cooke, Macklin, p. 270. According to Kirkman, in his curtain speech Macklin "courageously admitted: 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very sensible tha there are several passages in this play which deserve to be probated and I assure you that they shall never offend your ears again!' As soon as Mr Macklin had finished this address, the audience testified their approbation of his determination, by loud and reiterated plaudits" (Kirkman, Memoirs of the Life of Macklin, II, 3). See Also Charles Macklin: An Actor's Life by William W. Appleton (Cambridge, Mass., 1960), p. 141.

Event Comment: Benefit for Theatrical Fund, instituted by Persons of this theatre. Mainpiece: Acted there but once. Such of the Nobility, Gentry, etc. who are pleased to favour this undertaking are desire to send for places, Pit or Box tickets, to Mr Sarjant at the stage-door. [Neville attended at half-past four and read the principal parts of the play, as altered by Colman. Noted that Sga Manesiere did The Sicilian Peasant in boy's clothes.] @Receipts #164 19s.@Charges to House #63@Chorus Singers #1 15s.@Candles #1 5s.@Kettle Drum 5s.@Bag Pipes 5s.@#66 10s.@Dr to the Fund #98 9s.-Account Book@

Event Comment: Paid to Mr Hull the Balance of the Theatrical Fund, the 9th Instant...#98 9s. (Account Book). Receipts: #225 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Never Perform'd. Founded on Beaumont and Fletcher. Music by Thomas Linley. A Comic Opera the Music entirely new. [By Thomas Hull altered from The Royal Merchant; or the Beggar's Bush (Biographia Dramatica). See 19 Dec. 1767 for further note on Music.] Paid Mr Horne for 4 Tambourines #1 10s. (Account Book). Went into the Pit to see the opera founded on Beaumont and Fletcher, performed for the first time....The music may be good, but the piece is trifling and childish, barren of incident and character except that of Clause played by Bensley and the frightened peasant. The performers are in the Flemish dresses of the times, and do the piece much justice. At the beginning of the 2nd act some fellows in the 2s. Gallery began a disturbance, but were turn'd out and carried before Sir John Fielding, where they confessed that they were hired to disturb this performance by a publican, but refused to say whom....Stood in the well (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #225 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Westminster New Lying in Hospital, near Westminster Bridge. N.B. Those Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken tickets, are desired to secure places immediately, of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door. [The Theatrical Monitor, No IX, asked this day for a public declaration of receipts and salary expenditures for the 1766-67 season from Garrick and Lacy. Not receiving it the war breaking out in January came to absorb his interest, and the estimate never appeared.] Receipts: #261 4s. 6d. (Winston MS 10)

Event Comment: The Fifth Performance of the Mainpiece. The Music by Mr Linley of Bath. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid James Abbott for Flowers etc. for the Garland Dance #5 11d. and paid Mrs Winter for flowers etc. for the same #2 13s. 4d. (Account Book). [See 14 Dec.] Receipts: #211 2s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [N$Neville stood in the Pit this evening]: Iachimo by Smith, but I like Holland better in that character; Cloten by Yates, tho' not equal in it to King...Afterpiece concluded by an original dance by Mr Arnauld and Mrs Thomson (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #193 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Full Prices. Hopkins MS Memorandum Book: By the Manager's order I ask'd Mr Joseph? Reed what he had a benefit for the next night. His answer was The Managers give it him for his withdrawing Dido and on account of The Register Office and to clear them from all demands he had upon them whatever

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Published Animadversions on Mr Colman's True State etc., with some remarks on his little serious piece, The Oxonian in Town (20 pp.). [Criticizes the play as having a bad influence on the young, with its characters of whores, bawds and pickpockets. Did our author flatter himself that he could wipe out these rooted impressions with a cold moral sentence uttered by the mouth of a woman of pleasure, and perhaps never reaching the ears of one half of the audience from the variety of noises which accompany the finishing speech of every play?" Concludes: "The reputation of our Universities is a national concern of the highest and most sacred importance....I blush when I see academical characters brought upon the stage, but I burn when I see them lampooned."] House Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. With two New Scenes in the Afterpiece painted by Richards and Dahl. Mr Woodward, at the particular request of several persons of Quality has changed from the Fair Quaker to The Busy Body. Tickets deliver'd for Fair Quaker will be admitted. House charges with candles and extras #65 15s. Balance to Woodward #102 7s. plus #58 5s. for 233 Box tickets (Account Book). [Public Advertiser, 12 Dec. 1767: "Speedily will be published the Battle of the Wigs, an additional canto to Dr Garth's poem The Dispensary. Occasioned by the Disputes between the Fellows and licentiates of the College of Physicians in London. By B. T. and M. B."] Receipts: #168 2s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs DuBellamy. Charges #64 00s. Deficit to the DuBellamys #26 10s., covered by #60 6s. from tickets (Box 93; Pit 205; Gallery 63). Receipts: #37 18s. (Account Book)