Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets at Pope's Peruke Maker Russell St. Rec'd Cash #93 3s., plus #92 11s. from tickets. Total #185 14s.; Paid Salary List #203 7s.; Norton 5 chorus #1 5s. (Treasurer's Book). To the Public, Gentlemen and Ladies, I am very sorry that a long, sharp, and severe fit of Illness prevents me the satisfaction of making my personal application to my friends as usual, against my Benefit; but finding myself every day rather worse than better, I hope you will be so kind as to take this notice, that the Stratagem, will be performed on Saturday the 21st of April; the part of Archer by Mr Garrick, for the benefit of Mr and Mrs Mills; with a Farce and all other usual Entertainments. From your most oblig'd Servant, William Mills. Mr Mills hopes his friends who intend to honour him with their company, will be so kind as to send to him for Places, Tickets, &c., or call upon him at Mr Gardner's Printing Office in Russel St., Covent Garden; or at Hobson's at the stage door (General Advertiser). Receipts: #180 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Afterpiece a new Pastoral English Opera set to Music by Mr DeFesch. Tickets to be had at DeFesch's Lodgings, the Ironmonger's in St Martin's Court, Leicester-Fields; and of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets deliver'd out for As You Like It by Mr DeFesch will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Pit and Boxes laid together, and Stage, for better accommodation of the Ladies, will be form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Tickets to be had of Barry at the corner of Bow St., and of Hobson at the Stage Door. [This month was printd The Town, a Satire by Wm. Kenrick, with especial attack upon Garrick and Garrick's plays. In Miss in her Teens, he boasts the strange pretense, To satire Coxcombs, while he murders sense." Kenrick is one of the few who criticizes Garrick (p. 21) for playing a low character Abel Drugger, rather than a king. He yields indirect praise to Janeton Auretti by blaming the town for cheering her dance, while neglecting the players: @Yet if Janeton shakes her slender feet@How loud the thunder clatters through the Pit.@ Prologue intended to have been spoken on the Revival of The Distress'd Mother, for the Benefit of Mr Barry, but omitted through some misunderstanding. Written by Mr Rolt, printed in Gentleman's Magazine, March 1748, p. 134.] Receipts: #270 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #80 3s. 6d.; tickets, #118 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Delane. He did not publish a Bill 'till after Mr Barry's Day [see 10 March] (Cross). Tickets and places to be had of Delane, in Broad Court, the upper end of Bow St., Covent Garden, and of Hobson, at the stage Door. On Thursday next, by Particular Desire, the last new comedy call'd The Foundling. Receipts: #156 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #91 14s.; tickets, #62 15s. (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 Berry. Tickets to be had of Berry at Mr Pope's, Peruke Maker in Russel St., Covent Garden and of Hobson at the Stage Door. [From the Gentleman's Magazine Register of Books for this month: An Account of the Life of that Celebrated Tragedian, Mr Thomas Betterton, containing a distinct relation of his excellencies in his profession and character in private life, and interspersed with an account of the English theatre during his time. Printed for J. Robinson.] Receipts: #160 (Cross); house charges, #60 (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: 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: Benefit for Sowdon. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. A Gent: play'd Puff in the farce--Bug (Cross). [Seems to have been a clear benefit, as Treasurer's Book lists no charges.] Cash #65 8s. 6d., plus tickets #95; Paid Reynolds for wax & [brickdust] 3s. 9d. Paid Mr Pope a Bill #7 14s. [wigmaker] (Treasurer's Book). Tickets of Sowdon at his lodgings, the Sign of the Sun, a Milliner's facing Exeter exchange in the strand, and of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets otherwise to be had at Will's Coffee House in Cornhill, and of Mr Thomas Sowdon in Blackman St., Southwark. We hear William Mills, Comedian, lies at the point of death, at his lodgings in Russell St., Covent Garden. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #160 3s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: nother long letter to the author of the General Advertiser pleading attendance at the benefit performance of Comus]: Whoever then would be thought capable of Pleasure in reading the works of our Incomparable Milton, and not so destitute of Gratitude as to refuse to lay out a Trifle in a rational and elegant entertainment for the Benefit of his living remains, for the exercise of their own Virtue, the Increase of their Reputation, and the pleasing consciousness of doing good, should appear at Drury Lane theatre tomorrow April 5, when Comus will be performed for the Benefit of Mrs Elizabeth Foster, Granddaughter to the Author, and the only surviving branch of the family. N.B. There will be a new Prologue on the Occasion written by the Author of Irene, and spoken by Mr Garrick; and by particular Desire there will be added to the Masque, a dramatic Satyr call'd Lethe in which Mr Garrick will perform. Tickets to be had of Dodsley, Bookseller, Pall Mall; Messrs Payne and Boquet, Booksellers, Paternoster Row; Batson's Coffee House, near the Royal Exchange, and of Hobson at the Stage Door

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 Hobson, Vintner. Written by Mr Gay

Event Comment: Benefit Chiaretta Aquilanti. B the particular desire of several Ladies of Quality. [A poor Benefit (Winston MS.).] Tickets and places to be had of Hobson, &c; and at Mr Garnier's, a Jeweller, in Bow St

Event Comment: Benefit Shepard. Tickets of Hobson at the stage Door. Mr Shepard humbly hopes his friends will not be offended at the Alteration of the play, he being oblig'd to change it on account of the Indisposition of a Principal Performer. The Tickets deliver'd for Henry VIII will be taken this night (London Daily Post and General Advertiser). Shepard belonged for many years to the House. Fleetwood dismissed him. Let him have a benefit for the money accrued to him. Beard ill and did not act. (Winston MS. from Dyer MS.)

Event Comment: Author's Night. The Author labouring under a severe and dangerous illness, hopes his friends will excuse his personal Application, and send for tickets to Mr Watts, at the Printing Office in Wild Court; or to Hobson at the Stage door of the theatre at Drury Lane Mahomet translated from the French of Voltaire; but I have no great opinion of the subject, or the original author as a poet; and my diffidence is rather improved by the testimony of those who have seen it.-Letters of William Shenstone, p. 89

Event Comment: Benefit Dunstall, Morland, Demembray (Machinist), Desse, Baudouin, and Mr Powell (Deputy Treasurer). Tickets to be had of Hobson

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Giffard. Mainpiece: At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality. Servants will be admitted to keep places on the stage; and the ladies are desired to send their servants by 3 o'clock. Mr Giffard having receiv'd directions for places at his benefit takes this opportunity of acquainting his friends he shall desist from troubling them on that occasion this season. Tickets to be had of Mrs Giffard at No. 11, in Craven Buildings, Drury Lane; and of Hobson at the Stage door

Event Comment: Benefit Arne. Tickets to be had of Arne next door to the Crown in Great Queen St., by Lincoln's Inn Fields; at St. James's Coffee House; at Nando's Coffee House, Temple Bar; and at Mr Simpson's Music Shop in Sweeting's Alley near the Royal Exchange, and places taken of Hobson at the Stage Door where tickets may also be had. -General Advertiser. Last night, at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane was perform'd King Pepin's Campaign, with great applause. The Music is said to be inimitable in its way. -Daily Advertiser, 17 April

Event Comment: Benefit Turbutt and Neale. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: not acted these 5 years. [See 29 March 1742.] Tickets and places to be had at the Swan in Smithfield; and of Hobson at the stage door. The severe Indisposition of Mr Garrick continuing, we hope our friends will accept of his part being perform'd to the Best Advantage the shortness of time will permit, which we imagine will be more agreable than changing the play

Event Comment: Benefit Mr Mills and Mrs Mills. Servants will be allowed to keep places upon the stage, which will be form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Benefit Mrs Giffard. Tragedy not acted for 7 years. The Ballad Opera, by Mendez, never performed before. Servants admitted to keep places. Tickets at Mr Giffard's (No 11) in Craven Buildings, Drury Lane; and places for the boxes of Hobson, at the stage door

Event Comment: On Friday next, for the Benefit of Sga Padouana, The Merchant of Venice. Tickets at her lodgings at Mr Anderson's, a Watchmaker in Little Wild St., and of Hobson at the stage door. Sga Padouana being utterly unacquainted with the English Language, and without any personal Friendships here to recommend and encourage her, as she has always endeavor'd to please the Town to the utmost of her Power, intirely depends on the known Candour, and Benevolence of this Nation, and humbly hopes for the Indulgence of the Publick on her Benefit night

Event Comment: Benefit Cibber Jun. Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets deliver'd out by Mr Moore, and tickets deliver'd out for the Distress'd Wife dated 16 March will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber (Cross). And the Stage (for the better Accommodation of the Ladies) will be form'd into Front and Side Boxes, where Servants will be allow'd to keep Places, as well as in the Boxes and the Pit. Ladies are desired to send Servants to keep Places by 3 o'clock. Tickets to be had of Mrs Cibber, at her house in Thrift St, Soho, and of Hobson, at the Stage Door of the Theatre, where Places may be taken. Tomorrow The Foundling (being the 13th Night). Receipts: #250 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #81 17s.; tickets, #187 5s. 6d. (Clay MS). This charge was also set down that the principle [sic] treasurer should not know to the contrary, because it was told him that Mrs Cibber paid for her benefit, and if he had imagin'd otherwise, he perhaps would have insisted upon the same terms for his wife (Mrs Pr-h-d). I must therefore subtract it with Mr G-k's Benefit, it standing in their Books exactly in the same manner as his (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of Pit laid into Boxes, and stage form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Tickets and Places to be had at Mrs Pritchard's in Duke's late Earl's Court, (Bow Street), at Mr Vaughan's at the Golden Fan, next the Royal Exchange, Cornhill; and of Hobson at the stage door. Receipts: #220 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #63 10s. 6d.; tickets, #118 17s. (Clay MS). By her agreement she has ten Guineas return'd her out of this charge, and therefore I shall subtract that out of the rest (Powel)