Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. This Morning at Ten will be publish'd at 6d. An Epistle from Mr The. Cibber to David Garrick, Esq; to which are prefix'd some occasional verses, Petitions, &c.: @Lowliness is young Ambition's ladder,@Whereto the Climber upwards turns his face;@But when he once attains the upmost Round,@He then unto the ladder turns his back,@Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees@By which he did ascend.@Shakespeare@"Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so we would have it; let them not say, we have swallow'd him up," Ps. XXXV. v.25. Printed for R. Griffiths. [A thirty-five-page apologia, and bitter attack upon Garrick for supposed complicity in prohibiting the license of the Haymarket to him.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Paid Charlotte Lane for making a dress for Zanga for Mr Clarke, the Robe interlin'd with linen & the underdress lin'd with blue tammy's linnen, 18s.; 7 1!2 yds linnen at 10d.-7s. 6d.; 5 yds tammy at 2s.-10s.; silk, lace, and sewing silk, &c., 4s. (MS list in Davies, Life of Garrick, II, 322). [Also from same source]: paid to same for lengthening a coat sleeves & mending same for Mr Ridout, 1s. 3d.; for making a cloath coat lac'd with silver for Mrs Vincent, 10s. 6d., sewing silk, twist, buckram & stays, 4s. 6d.; hair cloth, wadding & linnen pockets, 5s.; 4 1!2 yds tammy at 2s.-9s

Event Comment: Benefit for furnishing the new Wards in the Middlesex Hospital. Paid Charlotte Lane for altering a cloth coat, and green corded silk waistcoat lac'd with silver for Mr Wm. Smith, 5s. 6d.; shalloos back & bod lining to coat & stiffening, 3s. (MS list in Davies, Life of Garrick II, 332). [The Occasional Prologue, written by Mr Boyce was publish'd in the Public Advertiser 19 Dec. 1755]: @And, Britons, Godlike charity is yours...@'Tis yours to silence Misry's plaintive moan@And make the grief of others all your own...@Give balm to Nature's accidental woes,@And sooth th'impovrish'd matron's pregnant throes...@ [The Epilogue, written by C. Smart, and spoken by Shuter in the character of a Man-midwife, was published in the same paper: Shuter enters with a child]: @Whoe'er begot thee has no cause to blush:@Thou'rt a brave chopping boy (child cries) nay, hush, hush, hush.@.......................@Nay if you once begin to puke and cough@Go to the nurse. Within, here, take him off.@Well Heav'n be prais'd, it is a peopling age,@Thanks to the Bar, the Army, and the Stage...

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A new farce by Doctor Heffinal [sic] for his benefit. O Sad! (Cross). Tickets at Forrest Coffee House, The Bedford, and Randall's, and author's lodgings at Mew's Coffee House. To the Printer of the Public Advertiser, 24 April: Sir, Let this suffice for a general answer to all unfriendly whispers or paragraphs against the new farce to be performed tonight at Drury Lane -its author never previously Caballed, never published his sentiments of any stage performance till after the run -then neither the writer nor manager could be injured -its principal characters are Lady Protea, a coquet alarmed at the apprehension of dying amid; Lord Epigram Strainwit, a pert coxcomical witling; Dr Matho, a Virtuoso, Antiquarian, and in love; Dreadnought Broadside, a sea-officer and strenuous Antigallican. I am &c. Receipts: #90 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Driscoll, Prince, Wilford, Ross and Trott (Lobby doorkeeper). Tickets deliver'd out by Elliot, Browse, &c. will be taken

Event Comment: It having been reported that Sga Frasi has refused to sing for the Benefit of the Decayed Musicians, she thinks it her duty to take this public method of clearing herself of that charge by informing the Nobility, Gentry, &c., that being applied to for her assistance, she readily consented (as she has always done for these fourteen years past) but that a few days after a number of the Managers called upon her to let her know that Giardini had undertaken to conduct the performance, and that they would not want her assistance. For the truth of this she appeals to those Gentlemen who called upon her with that message (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for the increase of a fund established for the Support of Decayed Musicians or their Families. Pit and Boxes put together at half a Guinea. Gallery 5s. Tickets deliver'd to Subscribers to this Charity will admit one Person to any Part of the House. [Books of the Charity open for inspection. The governors laid out #472 19s. 4d. and "upwards," upon education of Musicians' orphans, physic, burials, &c. from June 1755 to June 1756.

Event Comment: Benefit for Leviez. No Building on the stage. Tickets of Leviez at the last House on the right hand in Beaufort Buildings, Strand, &c. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Rainton, Hawksby, Peacop &c. Tickets (Cross) Tickets delivered for The Fair Quaker will be taken, and those deliver'd by Mrs Bradshaw, Miss Farquhar, and Miss Smith (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #90 (Cross)

Event Comment: Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. The Scenes, Cloaths, Music, Paintings and all other Acommodations are entirely New. The passage will be illuminated, for the better accommodation of the gentry. To begin each day at twelve o'clock. The Booth is made theatrical and commodious for the reception of Gentlemen and Ladies, and a good band of music provided, consisting of Violins, Bassoons, Hautboys, &c. [This note repeated on each subsequent bill.] At the Great Theatrical Booth, George Inn Yard, West Smithfield

Event Comment: At Bence's Room, Swan Tavern, West Smithfield. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. The scenes, cloaths, paintings and all other decorations are entirely new. The Room is made very Theatrical and commodious for the better reception of Gentlemen and Ladies and a good band of music is provided, consisting of Violins, Bassoons, Hautboys, &c. To begin each day at Twelve o'clock. [This note repeated on subsequent bills.

Event Comment: At Warner's Booth, Bowling Green. By a Company of Comedians from the Theatres. To begin each day at twelve o'clock and end at ten p.m. during the time of Southwark Fair. The Booth is made very Theatrical and Commodious for the reception of Gentlemen and Ladies, and a good band of music provided consisting of violins, Bassoons, Hautboys, &c. Mainpiece: a diverting droll. [This note repeated on subsequent bills.

Event Comment: BBarry play'd at C. Garden some little Noise, on Account of his being ye occasion of ye late Riot, & demanding more Money than usual-but his speech declaring his Innocence; King Lear went on in quiet (Cross). It is hoped that the Ladies and Gentlemen who took places for the Fatal Marriage this evening will excuse its not being acted 'till tomorrow, as it is impossible for Mrs Cibber to perform the character of Isabella without proper respit. The Old Comedy alter'd from Shirley [The Gamesters] will be reviv'd next week (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Cibber having obtained Leave to act Plays, etc. at the Theatre in the Haymarket, humbly solicits Subscription, from his Patrons among the nobility, Gentry, etc. @Conditions. Each Subscriber will have@for Five Guineas 25 Box, or 40 Pit Tickets@for four Guineas 20 Box, or 32 Pit Tickets@for three Guineas 15 Box, or 24 Pit Tickets@for two Guineas 10 Box, or 16 Pit Tickets@for one Guinea 5 Box, or 8 Pit Tickets@for Half a Guinea 4 Pit Tickets or 6 Gallery@ Subscription Tickets will be taken any Night of the first Ten Performances. No Subscriptions will be received after Thursday 1 Jan. 1758, the first Day of Performance. The Play, Farce, and Entertainments will be timely mentioned in the Bills, Advertisements, &c

Event Comment: Receipts: #92 17s. Mem: Princess Caroline died this day in the afternoon, and the two theatres &c. were silenc'd to Friday the 6th of January following, seven nights. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Authority. Mainpiece: Written by the late C. Cibber, Esq; Poet Laureate. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Nothing under full price can be taken during the whole time of performance. No persons can be admitted behind the scenes. Doors to open at Five and Curtain rise half an hour after Six