Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to the
Earl of Manchester, 25 Dec. 1699:
Miss Evans the dancer at the New Playhouse is dead too; a feaver Slew her in eight and forty hours. She's much lamented by the Towne as well as the House, who can't well bare her loss; Matters running very low with 'em this Winter; if
Congreve's Play [
The Way of the World] don't help 'em they are undone. 'Tis a Comedy and will be play'd about Six weeks hence, nobody has seen it yet.
Liveridge is in
Ireland, he Owes so much money he dare not come over, so for want of him we han't had one Opera play'd this Winter; tho'
Purcell has set one New One and
Fingar another. We have got the Woman from the
Chesire Cheese upon the Stage, who has the best Voyce for't by much that has been there at any time. We have the Emperors Crooaed Eunuch here,
Francisco. They give him a hundred and twenty Guineas for five times. He has sung Once and was well likt. Dogget was here last Week, they gave him thirty pound to act Six times, which he did and fill'd the house every time (
The Complete Works of Sir John Vanbrugh [
Bloomsbury:
Nonesuch Press, 1928], IV, 4)