Event Comment: Benefit John Clegg, a Youth of Nine Years of Age, lately arriv'd from Ireland. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Pit and Boxes half a guinea. Gallery 5s. At 7 p.m

Event Comment: Mr Salomon having insinuated that he alone is in possession of a correct Score of this celebrated Oratorio, I feel compelled, in justice to myself, to state that the Oratorio was published by subscription at Vienna, and that the printed Copy, from which I had the Parts transcribed, was delivered by Dr Haydn to a subscriber in Vienna, and brought from thence expressly for me, and on which is the Doctor's initials. The accuracy with which it was performed, and the enthusiasm with which it was received, are, I hope, convincing proofs that no other directions are necessary to "produce the effect required by the Author." I should not thus have obtruded myself, but I conceived it requisite to justify myself from the imputation of having attempted to impose a spurious production upon that public to whom I am under so many obligations. I am, with the greatest respect and gratitude, their most obedient servant, John Ashley. March 29. [On 29 Mar. the following card had appeared in most of the daily newspapers: Mr Salomon having received from Dr Haydn an early Copy of his New Oratorio called The Creation of the World, and having been favoured by him exclusively with particular directions on the style and manner in which it must be executed, in order to produce the effects required by the Author, begs to acquaint the Nobility and Gentry, that he means to perform it on Monday, the 21st of April next, at the King's Theatre. The performance took place on that date in the Ancient Music Room, i.e. the large concert-room situated inside the King's, on the east side, level with the first tier of the boxes. The reason for this change was, states the playbill, "the present Performances in the Opera House not allowing sufficient time to erect an Orchestra on the Stage." The principal singers were Mme Mara, Mme Dussek, Small, Page, Denman, Bartleman. Samuel Wesley presided at the organ and at the piano forte.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Voluntary Contribution now open at the Bank, for the Defence of our Country. Boxes 10s. 6d. Pit 5s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Tickets to be had and Places to be taken of Brandon, at the Stage-Door in Hart-street. Tickets also to be had at the Bar of Lloyd's Coffee-House. [Prologue by William Boscawen (Monthly Mirror, Mar. 1798, p. 178. Author of Address unknown.] "A subscription was set on foot behind the scenes," to which most of the performers contributed #10 apiece (Monthly Mirror, ibid). Account-Book, 12 May: Paid into the Bank of England in aid of the Voluntary Contribution #394 15s. Receipts: #518 8s. (280.9; 12.2; tickets: 225.17) [the difference of #123 13s. appears to have been the house charge]

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, June 1694 (apparently appearing in late June) indicated that both parts of Don Quixote had by then appeared, and the Songs to Part I were announced in the London Gazette, No. 2983, 11-14 June 1694, to be published on 16 June 1694. Very likely Part I appeared in May 1694. The publication of The Songs in the New Play of Don Quixote, Part the First lists the following pieces. Sing, sing, all ye muses, the first song in Act II, composed by Henry Purcell. Young Chrysostome had vertue, sense, the second song in Act II, was composed by John Eccles. The third song in Act II, Sleep, poor youth, was composedy John Eccles. When the world first knew creation, sung in Act III, was composed by Henry Purcell. Let the dreadful engines, sung for Cardenio in Act IV, was set by Henry Purcell. 'Twas early one morning, in Act IV, for Sancho, was set by John Eccles. With this, this sacred charming wand, in Act V for Montesmo, Mellissa and Urganda, was set by Henry Purcell

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; MD 5, by George Holman, based on Die Rauber, by Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller. Prologue by John Taylor (Poems, I, 65)]: With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. The Musick composed by Attwood, and selected from Dr Arnold, Callcott, and Mozart. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 4 Sept. 1799;: This day is published The Red Cross Knights (2s.). Ibid, 22 Aug.: It was remarked from its extreme length and the frequent fall of the drop scene that it was a play in ten acts instead of five--indeed this method of preparing for a new scene disjoints the business, and of course tends greatly to injure the effect

Event Comment: "The modest, tender Mrs Kemble deserves to be noticed for a faculty which she possesses, perhaps, more than any person upon the stage, more even than Mrs Siddons, who has it, however, in a very great degree. While she is upon the stage, she is always enacting, whether in speech or not; and never, for a moment, forgets the character, to look at her dress, or at the audience, or to discover any appearance of uneasiness at the consciousness of being looked at, when there is nothing to be said. The players call this bye-play; and it is a very important part of their art. We are perpetually reminding Bensley of his want of it, in speaking to the audience more than to the characters...[The playbill retains Aickin, but] Kemble read the part of the Governor for Aickin, and did not get through it very well" (Gazetteer, 29 Aug.)