Event Comment: [Longley is identified in European Magazine, Dec. 1797, p. 410, but Monthly Visitor, Jan. 1798, p. 64, says that he was Clarke, "from the Shakesperian Theatre at Tottenham Court Road." Afterpiece in place of The Shipwreck, advertised on playbill of 24 Nov.] "[Longley] is not inferior to some Falstaffs we have seen upon the London stage, and he possesses all the traditionary shrugs, winks and bye-play usual in the representation of the part" (True Briton, 27 Nov.). Receipts: #140 18s. (101.15; 38.3; 1.0)

Event Comment: "[King's] utterance possessed an articulate velocity and smartness never heard but from him; and a collected confidence in himself that extorted an applause paid to the situation, or the sentiment, rather than the man" (Boaden, Siddons, II, 105). [Address written by Richard Cumberland (Betsy Sheridan, Journal, 1960, p. 25).] Receipts: #255 13s. 6d. (228/1/0; 27/11/0; 0/1/6)

Event Comment: Sent a note to Mr Barry to know if he could play in the Siege of Damascus on Tuesday. He sent word he could not determine till tomorrow. Sunday Morning (the 4th) sent a note for Mr Barry's determination & to know if Zenobia might be advertis'd for Saturday. His answer was he would let me know when he was able to play (Hopkins MS Memorandum Book)

Event Comment: Letter from John Potter, Proprietor of the New Theatre in the Haymarket, to the author of the General Advertiser: As the resentment of the Town for the disappointment of the performance advertised to be exhibited at my theatre on Monday last, shall fall entirely upon me, I hope I may be allowed to acquaint the public with the nature of my case. [Suggests he should not be to blame for misbehavior of any person who hired his house, that he had some apprehensions in this case, but that the Bottle Conjurer paid the rent in advance and agreed to have a House officer in the box office to return the money if the audience was displeased.] All the caution above mentioned was taken, and the money locked up in the office, guarded by persons of reputation, who would have returned it, and publicly on the stage told them, that if the person did not appear, their money should be return'd. But instead of complying with that offer, my House was pulled down, the Office broken open, the money taken out, and the servants oblig'd to fly to save their lives. I hope therefore this may be deem'd a sufficient justification in my behalf, and all that could be reasonably expected from me; and that those gentlemen who are conscious of having injured me, will be so generous as to make me a reasonable Satisfaction, considering the damage I have suffer'd, which in a moderate computation will amount to upwards of four thousand pounds. This day is Publish'd, at 1s. Lethe, a Dramatic Satire, by David Garrick as it is perform'd at Drury Lane. By Paul Vaillant, facing Southampton Street in the Strand. [A letter from Samuel Foote to the Author of the General Advertiser clears himself from any imputation of confederacy in the Bottle Conjuror fraud. See also my Introduction, note 103.] Receipts: #100 (Cross); #119 2s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: With the Ceremonial of her Coronation in the same Manner as it was Perform'd in the Play of King Henry the Eighth

Event Comment: Mr Lacy a Proprietor of this Theatre made his first appearance upon the Stage in the part of Alexander. He is very Tall, & Thin, a good Voice but His Fright took away from it's power--he was rec'ed with Applause. Mr Garrick wrote a New Occasional Prologue to introduce him, which was Spoken by Mr King & rec'ed with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid 4 days list at #91 8s. 10d. per diem #365 15s. 4d.; Mr J. French on Acct #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [The Westminster Magazine commented on Willoughby Lacy's performance (Oct. 1774): "His performance was far from answering the expectations we had been taught to form from a friend and pupil of our English Roscius. Indeed Mr Lacy is a very young man: therefore we ought not to draw the line of our expectation. His figure is at present lank, awkward, and unengaging; his voice distinctly powerful, but inharmonious; his action outre, vulgar and forced: his attitudes unnatural, affected and disgustful; and his delivery a continued rant, without proper change, a pleasing variety, or a just discrimination of the necessary difference of tone demanded by the different passions. These...capital defects...are not unsurmountable...The play was prefaced by a new Prologue, evidently the production of Mr Garrick. It had some humor and was well received. The purport of it was to beg favor for the hero of the evening, whom it compared to a young swimmer, who had tried to float in two shallow streams, and was now about to venture himself in the great deep. This image is certainly an apt one, though, it is no great compliment to the audiences of Norwich and Birmingham."] Receipts: #248 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Woodward. [Receipts: #81 3s. 6d., plus #59 9s. from tickets. Charges #63.] Paid Servandoni #10 10s. Paid Price a bill for carpenter's work at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre last week #2 19s. 9d. Tickets to be had of Woodward at his lodgings in King St. (near the Churchyard Gate) Covent Garden; at the Bedford Coffee House; at the Salutation Tavern in Nicholas Lane; and of Page at the stage door. Tomorrow The Distress'd Mother and Miss in her Teens, the part of Fribble by Garrick.--General Advertiser. Daily Advertiser: By Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. [On 13 April Woodward published a letter of thanks to the former schoolfellow who sent him this speech, promised to present it, and assured him that no copy would be made. See Theatrical Clippings, Folger Library.

Event Comment: This day at noon will be published at 6d. A Letter to Mr Henry Woodward, Comedian, occasioned by his letter to the Inspector. by Simon Partridge, the facetious Cobbler of Pall Mall, and son to the late Mr Partridge, famous for his dispute with Isaac Bickerstaff. "Barbarian to attack, a chymist, Critick, Journalist, and Quack" (Anon). Printed for H. Jeffrey in Pope's Head Alley, Cornhill. [Another mock defense of Hill, casting opprobrium on him in the manner of the eightenth-century bully boys of the bathroom. A second edition of Sampson Edwards' Letter to Woodward appeared this day. See Comment, 9 Dec.] Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but a licensing date of 28 March 1678 suggests a first performance not later than February 1678. One song, One night while all the village slept, with music by Louis Grabu and words by Sir Car Scroop, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 17): Major Mohun...[in] Mithridates, &c. An Eminent Poet seeing him Act this last, vented suddenly this Saying: Oh Mohun, Mohun! Thou little Man of Mettle, if I should write a 100 Plays, I'd Write a Part for thy Mouth; in short, in all his Parts, he was most Accurate and Correct. [Downes, p. 12, gives an identical cast except for omissions.] Princess Anne apparently played Ziphares and Frances Apsley played Semandra in a production of this drama, probably at St James's Palace or at Sir Allen Apsley's house in St James's Square, between January 1677@8 and August 1679. See Benjamin Bathurst, Letters of Two Queens (London, 1924), p. 61

Event Comment: By Command of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales [who were present]. Mainpiece: Written by Beaumont and Fletcher. Afterpiece: Written by the Author of the Toy Shop. [For a letter on the disputes between the footmen and the gentlemen, see Grub St. Journal, 17 March.] [There is in the Bennett Collection, I, 93, in the Birmingham Library, an exceptionally curious advance notice for a performance to be given at Drury Lane soon after Easter of The Conscious Lovers and The Devil to Pay, with no cast for either play in the bill. The announcement appears to refer to the spring of 1737 and presumably appeared around the middle of March. It is intended for the benefit of a Widow under Misfortunes and the bill bears the heading: Gift and Pleasure. According to the announcement, the widow has been left Italian pictures, antiqees, jewels, and precious stones; and she intends, for the encouragement of her benefactors, to make a gift of all the objects, which will be placed in three hundred parcels. Tickets for the performance are advertised at five shillings, and no one is to be admitted without a ticket. The pit and boxes are to be put together at two tickets for each person, and the first and second galleries are placed together at one ticket for each spectator. The tickets are not to be left with the door-keepers as usual, but only shewn and kept. On the day following the benefit a raffle will be held, by Mr Foubert's Patent Mathematical Machine, at Hickford's Great Room in Brewers Street, Golden Square, and only holders of tickets will be admitted to the raffle, After this entry was set, an advertisement was found in the Daily Advertiser, 18 April 1738, announcing this performance for 13 May 1738. The Daily Advertiser on 5 May 1738, however, announced that the proposed performance had been cancelled.

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: As written by Shakespear. [Daily Post, 2 Feb., has a letter from a writer who promises to discuss theatrical affairs in the form of The Domestic Courier; this issue includes four short essays.

Event Comment: Benefit a Gentleman who has wrote for the Stage. [Professor John B. Shipley of the University of Colorado has called to my attention a letter written by James Ralph to Thomas Birch, dated 14 February 1741, in which he states that this benefit is to be for Ralph. See B.M. Add. MSS. 4317, fol. 94.

Event Comment: By particular Desire. Benefit Ryan. Receipts: money #59 0s. 6d.; seals #100 6s. (Account Book); #150 (Rylands MS.) [Ryan received a Free Benefit. See also an Exchange of letters in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 9 and 10 March, concerning the alleged indecency of Blunt's undressing before the audience.

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. [For letter on pantomime, see British Journal, 18 March.

Event Comment: See Daily Advertiser, 4 Feb., for a letter from Colley Cibber to the Gentlemen of the Inns of Court. Daily Advertiser, 4 Feb.: Whereas it is agreed on between several Gentlemen, to erect a New Theatre for the exhibiting of Plays, Farces, Pantomime, &c. all such Persons as are willing to undertake the said Building, are desir'd to bring their Plans for the same by the 2d of May next ensuing, in order to be laid before the said Gentlemen, the Time and Place of which Meeting will be advertis'd in this Paper on the last of April. Proportions of the Ground: The North Side 120 Feet; the West, square with the North, 130 Feet; the South 110 Feet; and the East on a Bevil, joining the Parallel. Note, There must be a Passage left to go round the Building, and the Stages to be 30 Feet wide at the First Scene; the Distance between Wall and Wall 80 Feet; and the Scene-Rooms, Green and Dressing Rooms, to be on the outside of the last mention'd Measure. The Stage to be either North or South

Event Comment: Paid Mr Chapman for horsekeeping [for Jubilee] #12 6s. (Treasurer's Book). [Published this month A Letter to David Garrick, Esq. on his conduct as Principal Manager and Actor at Drury Lane. Printed for S. Bladon. Accuses Garrick of controlling the press, save for two papers, and thus getting more favourbale treatment than his position and actions deserve. "You are a mere actor. You affect to feel where you do not, and imitate tones, looks and gestures, while your heart is at ease. This should heighten our opinion of you as an artist, whatever we might think of you as a man. I believe you are not generally judged of in this manner. It is not difficult to impose on the world." The author (David Williams?) deprecates Garrick's supposed handling of the actors of his company, and desires to see more Shakespeare. Suggests Garricks' acting perfection lies in the extreme, in exaggerated gesture, and sudden bursts of passion." Suggests he is getting old and should try his hand at Shylock.] Receipts: #271 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Arne. An Historical Musical Drama. The Musick composed by Command of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and never perform'd in England, but at his Royal Highnesses Palace at Cliefdon. The Poem was written by Mr Thompson and Mr. Mallet. The Musick by Mr Arne. To conclude with a Celebrated Ode in Honour of Great Britain in imitation of those formerly sung at Banquets of Kings and Heroes. Boxes 6s. Pit 4s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d. The above Day is fix'd on to avoid interfering with Mr Handel. Mrs Arne hopes humbly the Town will not be offened at this small advance of the Price, this performance being exhibited at an extraordinary expence, with regard to the number of Hands, Chorus singers, building the stage, and erecting an organ; besides all other incidentals as usual. Ladies desired to send servants by 4 o'clock. Tickets of Mrs Arne, next door to the Crown in Great Queen St, by Lincoln's Inn Fields, and places taken of Hobson at the stage Door, with whom Tickets are left

Event Comment: Benefit Woodward. Mainpiece: An Historical Play, never acted there before [see 20 March 1738]. At the Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. As written by Shakespear. Containing the wars of Cymbeline with the Romansr, in the reign of Augustus Caesar; the various distresses and Adventures of Imogen the King's Daughter; the noble repulse the Romans met with, on their invading Britain; their defeat, and many other historical passages. Ladies are desired to send their servants early to prevent mistakes. To be Lett, and enter'd upon on Monday next, the 7th instant Commodious Places in the Front and Upper Boxes...for the excellent reviv'd play of Shakespear... For further Particulars enquire of Mr Woodward, at his house near the theatre [in advance bills]