Event Comment: CCross: Benefit for ye Author. Mr Garrick order'd ye foundling to be given out for Sat: & as you like it for Mon: But ye Pit rose, & insisted ye Foundling shou'd be given out again for Monday, wch was done, tho; ye Lords who oppos'd it were in ye House. [Horace Walpole's account of the affair Foundling to Sir Horace Mann, in a letter of 11 March 1748 (ed. Cunningham, II, 106) runs as follows: "There has been a new comedy call'd The Foundling; far from good, but it took. Lord Hobart and some young men made a party to damn it, merely for the love of damnation. The Templars espoused the play, and went aamed with syringes charg'd with stinking oil, and with sticking plaisters for Bubby's fair hair; but it did not come to action. Garrick was impertinent, and the pretty men gave over their plot the moment they grew to be in the right."] Receipts: #170 (Cross); house charges #63 (Powel); cash #168 10s. 6d.; tickets #18 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Luke? Sparks. Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door, and of Sparks at Courteen's Coffee-House in Bow St., Covent Garden. Dramatic Censor, I, 34-35: The whole part of the King, except his soliloquy, is truly wretched for an actor: and, to say truth, I never saw one who did not make a very insipid figure in it, the late Mr Sparks excepted; he was great in the formentioned soliloquy, respectable in every passage of the least regard, and so peculiarly happy in falling, when stabled, from the throne, that we may truly say, a good end apologized for a very bad character. Receipts: #150 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel); cash, #80 7s. 6d.; tickets, #91 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Mills and Mrs Mills. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. By Desire 3 rows of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Servants will be allow'd to keep places on the stage. Mr and Mrs Mills take but one benefit this year that they may not be troublesome to their friends. Receipts: #210 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #49 8s.; tickets, #153 10s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: [See Occasional Prologue spoken at cg by Mr Barry (28 Sept. 1750): @When vice and folly overruns the state,@Weak politicians lay the blame on fate...@If Shakespeare's Passion, or if Johnson's art@Can fire your fancy, or can warm your heart,@That task be ours;--but if you damn, their scenes@And heroes must give way to Harlequins.@We too can have recourse to Mime and Dance@Nay there I think we have the better chance;@And should the town grow weary of the Mute@Why--we'll produce--a Child upon the flute@ This infant piper referred to again satirically in a Guide to the Stage, 2nd ed., 1751, p. 7.] Rec'd of Mr Warner for arrears at his Benefit 16 May last, #5 14s. As this belong'd to last season's Account, I shall make an allowance, and accordingly subtract it from the sum total (Powel). Receipts: #70 (Cross); #92 12s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sowdon. Tickets to be had of Sowdon at Mr Haymer's in James St., Covent Garden, of Hobson at the Stage Door; at Will's Coffee House, Cornhill, and of Mr Thomas Sowdon, in Blackman St., Southwark. Receipts: #160 (Cross); no house charges. N.B.: A present was made to him of the charge of the House, because he had acted this season and receiv'd no salary (Powel)

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Paid Mr Pope for a wig for Lear, ditto for Grandchamps #1 19s. (Treasurer's Book). [This wigmaker was Miss Pope's father, according to a MS note in the Treasurer's Book make presumably by W. H. Oxberry, 1848. Pope, the wig-maker, also rented space from dl annually, for his shop.] Receipts: #120 (Cross); #112 8s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Ayliffe (a Turner) #1 14s. 6d.; Mr Lane (a Tailor) his bill #88 12s.; Xmas Box to Prince's Chairmen #2 2s.; and to Inns or Court [Porters] #3 4s.; Fryar (a Hosier) #6 12s.; Burgess [Bricklayer] his bill #50; Smart (Laceman) #11 1s.; a Coffin for Ophelia 15s. 6d.; Mr Shawford's son for dancing in the Tempest 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #100 (Cross); #102 6s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [Pages covering this date missing from Treasurer's Book.] Tomorrow at 12 o'clock will be publish'd Don Saverio: A Musical Drama, as it is performed at Drury Lane. The Music composed by Mr Arne. Printed for John Watts, and sold by him at the Printing Office in Wild Court, near Lincoln's Inn Fields (General Advertiser). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Paid to Mr Franklin [the printer?] #8 2s.; To Mr Norton 5 chorus 9s. (Treasurer's Book). Those Gentlemen who borrow'd gold laced hats to go to Drury Lane in order to damn the new play are desir'd to return them to the owners, or their names will be publish'd at full length (Winston MS 7, from No 5 of The Midwife). This month was publish'd Corneille's Horace and the Roman Father Compared (Gentleman's Magazine, Register of Books). Receipts: #190 (Cross); #175 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Norris. Tickets of Miss Norris at Mr Jackson's Habit warehouse Tavistock St., and of Hobson at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd out for 30 March will be taken. [Advance publicity for Havard's Benefit, Inspector No 29: I have said in a former paper, that those who have not seen Alfred, have yet to see Mr Garrick in a character in which he excells everything that has been attempted in one of the noblest Roads of Tragedy. I shall add to it on this occaison, that those who have not yet seen Alfred will have a pleasure from it greater than they can receive from the best dramatic performance they are already acquainted with' (London Advertiser and Literary Gazette).] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lee. Tickets to be had at Mr Prince's, Linnen Draper, the Golden Artichoke, in Great Queen St., near Lincoln's Inn Fields; of Mr Calcroft at the Ship in Ivy Lane, Newgate St., and at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd for the 22nd will be taken. No building on stage. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for James, Winstone and Burton, Tickets of James, at Mr Dale's Watchmaker in Little Wild St.; or Winstone at the Queen's Head, in Duke's Court, near Bow St., Covent Garden; and of Burton at the Lock and Key, in Brownlow St. near Long-Acre, and at the Stage Door. As Mr Burton is confin'd with a violent cold, he hopes his friends will excuse his not having waited on them and be so kind as to send for tickets to his lodgings as above. Receipts: #190 (Cross)

Event Comment: mong the Addresses of the Lords and Commons to the Sovereign which appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine (Nov. 1751, pp. 513-14) one recommended that provision be made for suppressing audacious crimes of robbery and violence. A contributor called Mr Urban's attention to a "method of reformation earnestly recommended more than 40 years ago by an eminent Divine" (Dean Swift). In this treatise occured the following paragraph: "The Reformation of the Stage is entirely in the power of the Court; and in the consequence it hath upon the minds of younger people, doth very well deserve the strictest care. Surely a pension would not be ill employed on some men of wit, learning and virtue, who might have power to strike out every offensive and unbecoming passage from plays already written, as well as those that may be offered to the stage for the future, by which, and other wise regulations, the theatre might become a very innocent and useful diversion instead of being a scandal and reproach to our religion and country."] Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for a Tradesman under Confinement. [This benefit had first been advertised on Monday 11 Nov. Tickets were to be had at seven Coffee Houses, at Mr Watkins' Optician, at Charing Cross, Mrs Crokett's, Harberdasher at the Seven Stars, Ludgate St., and at the stage door. On the day of the benefit one Philantropos contributed a letter in support of it which was printed in the first column of the General Advertiser. The Tradesman was a bookseller who was "the immediate instrument of ushering into the world some of the most valuable books that have been publish'd for these 30 years." But he had paid more attention to the advancement of letters than "to the lucrative views that attend the trade in general," so, in the eyes of Philantropos deserved the support of the town at this benefit.] The death of Mr Cooke mentioned in the Papers is a mistake, he being in a fair way of recovery (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Mossop. Tickets to be had of Mr Mossop, at his Lodgings in Southampton Street, Covent Garden; and at the stage door of the theatre. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Dexter. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. Tickets to be had of Dexter at his lodgings at Mr Gibson's in James Street, Covent Garden; at the Grecian Coffee House, in Deveraux Court; and at the Stage Door of the Theatre where Places may be taken. Receipts. #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Winstone and Burton. No building on the stage. Tickets from Winstone at Mr Race's, Peruke Maker, Bridges St., from Mr Burton at Brownlow Sq., Long Acre. Receipts: #89 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Full prices. [See 10 March 1750.] Mr Maddox ye Ballance Master perform'd [on the rope] in it. Great Expectations not answer'd (Cross). [See ridicule of this afterpiece at dl 6 Nov. and the summary account of the disturbance it produced, as recorded in the Gentleman's Magazine (Nov. 1752, p. 535): The Town had been allured to Covent Garden by a wire dancer and some strange animals, which the manager brought together from Sadler's Wells and the Fair. Mr Garrick ridiculed this perversion of theatrical entertainment, by exhibiting a mock entertainment of the same kind. At this the town was offened, and a party went one evening determind to damn it; a person of some distinction [Fitzpatrick] who was very busy in this laudable attempt threw an apple at Woodward and hit him. Woodward resented the blow by some words, which, by the gentleman's account, implied a challenge, but by Woodward's no such thing. Woodward's account is confirm'd by the affidavits of many; that of the gentleman only by his own, though the box in which he sat was full. The Inspector espoused the cause of the Gentleman; and the Covent Garden Journalist of the comedian.'

Event Comment: For a Public Benefaction. [Perhaps for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign parts, to which Young gave #1,000 on 14 March, according to the Public Advertiser.] Tickets for the Benefaction to be had of Mr Dodsley, in Pall Mall; Mr Miller in the Strand and at the Stage Door. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: [The Public Advertiser published a long New Historical Epilogue, intended by the Author as a proper sequel to the Tragedy of the Brothers. It speaks of the authentic history in the play, and of the effective moral lesson, closing: @As public woes a Prince's crimes pursue,@So public blessings are his Virtues' due.@Shout Britons, shout!--auspicious Fortune Bless!@And cry, Long live--OUR title to success!@ This was followed by a Letter from Mr Booth in the Shades to Dr Young, on his Tragedy call'd the Brothers (an elaborate puff). In it Booth forgives Young for withdrawing the play from rehearsal thirty years earlier, and thus precluding his playing the part of Demetrius: "And I the more readily pardon you, as you have not disgraced me by giving the part to any of my successors, till this Garrick appeared, whose reputation, I can assure you, is by no means confined to your world, and who, I am told, hath more than supply'd my place, hath rendered the loss even of Betterton himself very supportable." He then lets Young in on a secret that there will be a performance of his play in the shades by all the old actors as soon as Curll can steal a copy of it for them.] We are assured that on Thursday the 22nd instant will be publish'd a Comedy in 2 acts, call'd The Rehearsal; or, Bayes in Petticoats, witten by Mrs Clive, and to be performed that evening, after the Mourning Bride, for her Benefit at Drury Lane. Mr Yates's Benefit will be on Thursday the 5th of April, when the tragedy of the Gamester will be played, being the twelfth day. A new farce will be added to it, the preparing of which has oblig'd Yates to defer his Benefit till the above day. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: 'TTis said Miss Bellamy, who engag'd lately with Mr Rich is off again. Mr Colthorp who kept her, swears to kick Rich &c. Great noise about it in ye Bedford Coffee House (Cross)

Event Comment: The contending Parties [i.e., Murphy and MacNamara Morgan] Met again on Fryday at the Bedford, in order to accomodate Matters, but words arising, because Mr Murphy did not ack[nowledge] pardon and cried enough, as Mr Morgan said, some blows past & swords out-but no mischief. Morgan denies the letter (Cross)

Event Comment: Wrote by one Mr Crisp. A Gentlewoman, who never appear'd upon ye Stage before did Marcia (Mrs Graham) & had deservidly great applause, the whole play went off, with General Approbation. Mr Carey had his fiddle broke by an apple playing the first Music--the Prologue & Epilogue much lik'd--both wrote by Garrick (Cross). Gentlewoman-Mrs Graham, afterwards Mrs Yates (Winston MS 8). Tuner Letter the 2nd pub. at 6d.--29 pages

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. The Farce of The Knights intended and advertis'd to be acted is oblig'd to be laid aside on account of Mr Phillip's dangerous indisposition, who was to have perform'd the character of Sir Gregory Gazette. Tickets of Yates at Mr Walsh's Music shop in Catherine St. in the Strand, and at the stage door (playbill, 29 March). Receipts: #260 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Berry. Tickets of Berry at Mr Pope's, Peruke Maker, in Russel St., Covent Garden, and at Stage Door. Receipts: #130 (Cross)