Event Comment: Benefit John Clegg, a Youth of Nine Years of Age, lately arriv'd from Ireland. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Pit and Boxes half a guinea. Gallery 5s. At 7 p.m

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not certain, but tradition states that Dryden died on the third day (1 May 1700); if this report is correct, the first performance occurred on 29 April 1700. In A Collection of New Songs...Compos'd by Mr Daniel Purcel, Perform'd in the Revis'd Comedy call'd the Pilgrim (1700) is a song, Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace, with Janus sung by Freeman, Momus by Pate, Diana by Mrs Erwin. Gottfried Finger apparently composed the passage sung by Venus, Calms appear when storms are past. William Egerton, Faithful Memoirs of...Mrs Anne Oldfield (1731): The Pilgrim was indeed reviv'd for the Benefit of Mr Dryden, Ann. 1700, but he dying on third Night of its Representation, his Son attended the Run of it, and the Advantages accrued to his Family. Cibber, Apology, I, 269-70: This Epilogue, and the Prologue the same Play [The Pilgrim], written by Dryden, I spoke myself, which not being usually done by the same Person, I have a mind, while I think of it, to let you know on what Occasion they both fell to my Share....Sir John Vanbrugh, who had given some light touches of his Pen to the Pilgrim to assist the Benefit Day of Dryden, had the Disposal of the Parts, and I being then as an Actor in some Favour with him, he read the Play first with me alone, and was pleased to offer me my Choice of what I might like best for myself in it. But as the chief Characters were not (according to my Taste) the most shining, it was no great Self-denial in me that I desir'd he would first take care of those who were more difficult to be pleased; I therefore only chose for myself two short incidental Parts, that of the stuttering Cook and the mad Englishman....Sir John, upon my being contented with so little a Share in the Entertainment, gave me the Epilogue to make up my Mess; which being written so much above the Strain of common Authors, I confess I was not a little pleased with. And Dryden, upon his hearing me repeat it to him, made a farther Compliment of trusting me with the Prologue. Cibber, Apology, I, 305-6: In theYear 1699, Mrs Oldfield was first taken into the House, where she remain'd about a Twelve-month almost a Mute and unheeded, 'till Sir John Vanbrugh, who first recommended her, gave her the Part of Alinda in the Pilgrim revis'd. This gentle Character happily became that want of Confidence which is inseparable from young Beginners, who, without it, seldom arrive to any Excellence: Notwithstanding, I own I was then so far deceiv'd in my Opinion of her, that I thought she had little more than her Person that appear'd necessary to the forming a good Actress; for she set out with so extraordinary a Diffidence, that it kept her too despondingly down to a formal, plain (not to say) flat manner of speaking. Nor could the silver Tone of her Voice 'till after some time incline my Ear to any Hope in he favour. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 27: [After Drury Lane and Lincoln's Inn Fields had revived Shakespeare and Johnson] Nay then, says the whole party at D. Lane, faith we'll e'en put the Pilgrim upon him--ay faith, so we will, says Dryden, and if youll let my Son have the Profits of the Third Night, I'll give you a Secular Mask: Done, says the House, and so the Bargain was struck

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is uncertain, and the play has been sometimes assigned to December 1695. There are indications, however, that the play first appeared at a later time, but certainly not later than 14 March 1695@6, the date attached to the Dedication. The Epilogue has some allusions which suggest mid-February, for it refers to the "Fasting time" of Lent and to "Dancing at Drapers-Hall last Masquerade" (a masquerade ball was held there on 4 Feb. 1695@6). Dedication, Edition of 1696: This Play was given to my Care by a Friend: I promis'd him not to neglect it in the Difficulties it was to pass through. It has had hitherto but an unpleasant Journey; and I knew no better way to make Amends, than by taking up its Rest with you [Sir John Smith]; where I am assured its Reception will be the best a truly Noble and Generous Soul can give. I beg not your Protection, Sir, from those wide-mouth'd Curs, the Criticks: But since they have had their Ends in running it down, 'tis under the Shelter of your Name I desire a poor maim'd Thing, that did its best to shew them Sport, may lye secure from farther Danger....H. Horden. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Damn'd

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 25-27 Aug. 1696, suggests that it was first acted not later than July 1696 and possibly in June 1696. In the edition of 1696 are two dialogues, set by Clarke, the words by Haynes, and sung by Bowen and Mrs Cross. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Cornish Comedy: No matter whose, 'twas Damn'd

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first production is uncertain, but John Harold Wilson (Six Restoration Play-Dates, pp. 221-22) assigns it to mid-June primarily because of the Prologue intended to be spoken by Haines and the order, dated 18 June 1677, for the arrest of Haines for speaking an obscene Epilogue (error for Prologue?); in addition, the next play at Drury Lane, The Rival Kings, refers to Haines and "last time," establishing the sequence of performance of these two plays. For the arrest of Haines, see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 328n. Wits Led by the Nose was licensed for printing on 16 Aug. 1677

Event Comment: The date of the premiere is not known, but Robert Hooke, attended play on 27 Aug. 1675 which might well refer not to Psyche but to Duffett's travesty of it. In addition, John Harold Wilson has argued that the reference in the Prologue to "The new-come Elephant" probably concerns the elephant imported by Lord George Berkeley and sold by 12 Aug. 1675 (see The Diary of Robert Hooke, p. 174). The cast also contains a number of "young actors" who might well have had an opportunity to act in a play in the summer vacation

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not precisely known, but by 9 May 1693 it had been acted four times (see Dryden's letter, below); on the other hand, the Gentleman's Journal, February 1692@3 (issued in March) had stated that D'Urfey's new farce would not appear until after Easter. Hence, it may well have been the first new play after Passion Week. A dialogue, Behold, the man with that gigantick might, the music by Henry Purcell and sung by Mr Reading and Mrs Ayliff, is in Orpheus Britannicus, 1690. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), viii-x. A dialogue, By these pigsnes eyes that stars do seem, the music by John Eccles and sung by Dogget and Mrs Bracegirdle, is in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. Another, Stubborn church division, folly, and ambition, to a Ground of Mr Solomon Eccles, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1694. And Maiden fresh as a rose, the verse by D'Urfey and sung by Pack, but not printed in the play, is in The Merry Musician, I (1716), 56-57. This last song may have been for a later revival. Gentleman's Journal, April 1693 (issued in May 1693): Since my last we have had a Comedy by Mr Durfey; 'tis called the Richmond Heiress or a Woman once in the right (p. 130). Dryden to Walsh, 9 May 1693: Durfey has brought another farce upon the Stage: but his luck has left him: it was sufferd but foure dayes; and then kickd off for ever. Yet his Second Act, was wonderfully diverting; where the scene was in Bedlam: & Mrs Bracegirdle and Solon [Dogget] were both mad: the Singing was wonderfully good, And the two whom I nam'd, sung better than Redding and Mrs Ayloff, whose trade it was: at least our partiality carryed it for them. The rest was woeful stuff, & concluded with Catcalls; for which the two noble Dukes of Richmond and St@Albans were chief managers (The Letters of John Dryden, pp. 52-53)