Event Comment: Gift for ye Sufferers by ye fire in Cornhill (Cross). [A column and a half "Letter to the Author" appeared in the General Advertiser this day, laying historical background for Ford's Lover's Melancholy]. The history of the stage before the Restoration is like a Foreign Land, in which no Englishman had ever travelled; we know there were such things as Playhouses, and one Shakespear a great writer, but the historical traces of them are so imperfect, that the manner in which they existed is less known to us, than that of Eschylus or the theatres of Greece. For this reason, 'tis hoped that the following Gleaning of Theatrical History will readily obtain a place in your paper. 'Tis taken from a Pamphlet written in the reign of Charles I, with this quaint title, "Old Ben's Light Heart made heavy by young John's Melancholly Lover"; and as it contains some historical anecdotes and altercations concerning Ben Johnson, Ford, Shakespear, and the Lover's Melancholy it is imagined that a few extracts from it at this juncture, will not be unentertaining to the Public. [The substance of the remainder retails Jonson's critical cantankerousness and his wounded pride at the failure of the New Inn, quoting some epigrams made at Jonson's expense on his allegation that Ford was a plagiary. This second "puff" for the play, presumably also written by Macklin, formed the basis for a Steevens-Malone controversy late in the century, centering on the existence or nonexistence of the pamphlet referred to by Macklin as "Old Ben's Light Heart made Heavy, &c." A summary account of the evidence appears in the Dramatic Works of John Ford, by Henry Weber (Edinburgh, 1811) I, Intro. XVI, XXXI.] Receipts: #210 (Cross); #208 1s. (Powel)

Event Comment: By desire. [N.B. John Potter's letter of 18 Jan. is repeated in the General Advertiser for this day. Also further statements by Potter and Foote concerning the use of Mr Lewis's name (Potter's attorney).] Receipts: #120 (Cross); #103 4s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: [In afterpiece the playbill retains Powel as Mr Pickle, but "Last night, after the performance of Lover's Vows, an apology was made by Murray for Powel who, notwithstanding he performed in the play in apparent good health and spirits, was of a sudden taken so ill that his life is despaired of by his physicians. His part in The Spoiled Child was in consequence...undertaken by Dibdin Jun., which he performed with much humour and discrimination" (Morning Herald, 20 Oct.). Powel died the following morning.] Receipts: #367 4s. (360.7; 6.17)

Event Comment: The 172nd and last performance of the season (Cross). This was the end of the season, having played 171 nights. Rec'd by the forfeits of the Band of Musick, which used formerly to be given the treasurer, #22 9s. 2d. Rec'd ditto from the actors, #15 1s. 2d. So that they did receive, as appears by their own books, the first season of Mr G-k's commencing manager, the sum of #21,044 15s. 2d., which I shall carry forward to the receipts of the next season (Powel). [N.B.: Powel's analysis of expenses and profits is based on a two-year income and concludes in June 1749. Cross's visual estimate of the value of each night amounts to #25,741. If one subtracts, however, the difference between the estimate on benefit nights and the actual house charges received, a sum of #4,796, Cross's estimate of total income from box receipts amounts to #20,945.] Receipts: #170 (Cross); #163 13s. 6d. (Powel)