Event Comment: Mainpiece:In I A Grand Masqueradev. Afterpiece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Thomas John Dibdin]: To conclude with a new Scenic Representation of Britannia Triumphantv. Interspersed With a Variety of favorite old Airs, popular Songs, Parodies, &c. The Overture and new Songs composed and the Music in general arranged by Moorehead. The Machinery invented and executed by Cresswell. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre, price Six-pence. Morning Chronicle, 16 Oct. 1799: This day is published The Naval Pillar (price not listed). The afterpiece had reference to the contemplated erection of a "Naval Pillar" on Portsdown Hill, near Portsmouth, in commemoration of the recent victbries of the English navy. A plain pillar is at the last introduced, with the names of the most celebrated admirals on a scroll, round which the sailors and their sweethearts dance with peculiar festivity. The pillar now flies open, and displays a most magnificent and appropriate spectacle--consisting of Britannia, personated by Mrs Chapman, under a rich canopy, with the figures of a sailor and a soldier for supporters, pointing to the letters G. R. over a brilliant sun, which turns on the center; shrouded in clouds above, and surrounded by angels, is a medallion of Lord Howe, and on columns on each side of the canopy are medallions of your great living naval commanders" (Monthly Visitor, Oct. 1799, p. 180). Receipts: #284 10s. 6d. (277.18.6; 6.12.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [by Aaron Hill.] Never performed before

Event Comment: [Probably by Aaron Hill. Apparently not published.] Never Acted before. Written by the Author of the Walking Statue

Event Comment: [By Aaron Hill.] Never Acted before. All the Cloaths, Scenes, and Decorations to the Play being entirely New. Receipts: #78 1s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit a Gentleman in Misfortunes. Written by Aaron Hill, Esq. All the Characters being entirely new Dress'd. N.B. The putting off the Play so long was occasion'd by the Indisposition of one of the principal Performers, and the Tickets deliver'd out for 4th, the 11th, and the 17th Instant will be taken this Day

Event Comment: First Piece; [Author unknown. Apparently not published.] A New Farce of Two Acts. Second Piece: Written by Aaron Hill, Esq. Third Piece: The Words by Mr Motteux, and set to Musick by Mr Eccles

Event Comment: [By Aaron Hill.] On Shakespear's Foundation. With several Sets of Scenes entirely new and properWto the Play. [In an advance notice in Daily Journal, 6 Nov., the scenes are reported to be designed by Signior Angelo, an Italian.

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By Aaron Hill.] With new Habits, Scenes, and other Decorations, proper to the Play. Admission: 5s., 3s., 2s., 1s. [See Pope, Correspondence, III, 253-54.

Event Comment: The Tragedy of Zara, Made English [by Aaron Hill]. Applauded Thirty-Six Nights running at Paris. The Characters, by a Sett of Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, who never acted before. None will be admitted but by Tickets into the Room that Night, which (by Reason of the Smallness of the Place) will be all commodiously made into Boxes, for the easy Reception of those many Great Personages, who have read and perus'd this Play with Approbation, and desir'd a long Time to see it acted; and charitably agreed to favour and encourage this Design, for the Benefit of [Mr William Bond, the Proprietor], who brings it on at a great Expence (tho' all that act in it, are so good to appear Gratis for him) who has lain ill of the Gout, and Rheumatism, upwards of Four Years. [This bill, in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser, differs considerably in phraseology, though not in basic fact, from that in the Daily Advertiser.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Taken from the French of Mons Voltaire [By Aaron Hill]. The Characters New Dress'd

Event Comment: By the Company of Comedians from Goodman's Fields. Taken from the French of Mons Voltaire. [By Aaron Hill.] Admission: 4s., 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., 1s. 7 P.M

Event Comment: The Farce dislik'd (Cross). Receipts: #160 (Cross); #169 18s. 6d. (Winston MS 8). [See review of the reception and circumstances of publication in Gentleman's Magazine (p. 37), which presents Hill in no good light. See also review of A Letter to the Honourable Author of the Rout (idem.) with its charges against Garrick.

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; INT 1 by Francis Godolphin Waldron): Altered from THE FATAL EXTRAVAGANCE of [Joseph] Mitchell and Aaron Hill. "I went on Monday evening with Mrs Darner to the Little Haymarket, to see The Children in the Wood, having heard so much of my favourite, young Bannister, in that new piece; which, by the way, is well arranged, and near being fine. He more than answered my expectation, and all I had heard of him. It was one of the most admirable performances I ever saw: his transports of despair and joy are incomparable, and his various countenances would be adequate to the pencil of Salvator Rosa. He made me shed as many tears as I suppose the original old ballad did when I was six years old. Bannister's merit was the more striking, as, before The Children in the Wood, he had been playing the sailor in No Song No Supper, with equal nature" (Walpole [4 Dec. 1793], XV, 266-67)

Event Comment: Benefit Hill. Written by the late Mr Congreve. Receipts: money #17 19s. 6d.; tickets #120 5s

Event Comment: LLondon Daily Post and General Advertiser, 6 Feb., contains a letter: To Mr John Hill, on his Answer to Mr Rich's Defence

Event Comment: Benefit for a Citizen in Distress. Benefit for Mr Buss. Cash #47 1s. 6d. plus tickets #46 19s. Total income #94 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Tickets to be had at Pinchbeck's Toy Shop, in the Haymarket; the Mitre, Union St., Westminster; The Rummer, Charing Cross, the Gentleman and Porter, Fleet St.; Mr Dickenson, Printseller, Fleet St., Doctor's Commons Coffee House; the Dog Tavern, Garlick Hill; the Three Tuns Aldgate; and of Hobson at the stage door. Tomorrow, the Merchant of Venice, for the Benefit of a Young Gentlewoman under misfortunes, by the bankruptcy of her Guardian (General Advertiser). Receipts: #93 (Cross); charges, #80 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [The Young Gentlewoman possibly Miss Pond. See 19 Dec., but she was listed as for her second appearance on stage. Possibly Miss Philips. See 5 Feb. 1756.

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Baker. [Ralph's Ramble (Larpent MS 254) seems patterned on the Farmer's Return from London. Ralph returns to the Mill and gives impressions, not all complimentary, of his trip to London. A Monologue in Couplets with a song.