Event Comment: Masque: By Particular Desire. The Gentlemen's Magazine for Jan. 1742 (p. 28) in an article On Two Italian Dancers comments rather fully on the Fausans' performance in Le Boufon; or the Idiot: My expectation was rais'd to the height but at their entrance on the stage, they alarm'd me by the inexpressive Agility and descriptive Action, Look and Motion, which were all performed With such mimic Variety, that I defy the most severe Cynic to say that they wou'd not at least raise in him an agreeable surprise, to see all the attitudes, Oddities and mock Gesticulations of the two Idiots, who may be suppos'd to be in Love with one another. It is not any distortion of Body or unnatural transposition of the limbs which they exhibit to the view, but the extravagant Idiotry which the passions of Love, Disdain, Joy, Resentment, would on a real occasion actuate on the personages they represent: Nor do they so manage their Dance that it is ungraceful: they take opportunities to show by actions and movements, that in their comic Humour they have an elegancy. This performance therefore, on Reflection, appear'd to me, instead of an unnatural extravaganza to be founded on the nicest Observations of Human Nature, and prove Signor and Signora to be persons of good judgment, as well as agility. Receipts: #80

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. [See Mlle Auguste's letter to the Public in London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 7 Dec., accusing Fleetwood of putting her name in the bills after she had renounced his employment, and had gone over to Rich. For her actual 1st appearance see cg 7 Dec.] Receipts: #90

Event Comment: Benefit a Gentleman that has wrote for the stage

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales

Event Comment: RRev. T. Newton to David Garrick, 18 Jan.: I was almost angry with you, to see your name last week in the bills for Costar Pearmain. I am not fond of your acting such parts as Fondlewife, or even Clodio, nor should be of the Lying Valet, if it was not of your own writing. You who are equal to the greatest parts, strangely demean yourself in acting any thing that is low and little; and not only I, but really all who admire you and Wish you well, that is all who know you, are grieved and wonder at it. If I was an actor surely I would rather wish to be a Raphael than a Hogarth; or if I was a poet, I would choose infinitely rather to be a Milton than Hudibras.--Boaden, Private Correspondence of Garrick, I, 5-6. [Morning Herald 28 June 1787 suggests that Yates was Winifred apShenkin.