Event Comment: Receipts: #146 2s. Paid Meares #5 16s. 6d.; Monck #1 10s.; Hargreaves (smith) #13 6s. 11d.; Kemp, six nights for lamps, #9 12s. At the Bedford tonight & slept [slipt?] in at Covent Garden Mr Bettenson was at the Bedford, we were talking about the Count, a poor man that comes there slept in after the play at Drury Lane Gallery (Hailey, "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 69)

Event Comment: Was at Drury Lane to see The Desart Island & the Way to Keep Him two new pieces wrote by Mr Murphy, the latter pleas'd me but the first quite the reverse (Hailey, "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 70)

Event Comment: PPublic Advertiser: In the afternoon died Mr Richard Cross, Prompter to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, whose Abilities in his Station were equal to any in the Theatre, and whose Integrity would have done credit to any Profession

Event Comment: Never Acted before. A Tragedy [By John Home]. I went to my Office and then slept [?] in at Drury Lane w here I see Mr and Miss Hayes, Lady Lindores who I see into a coach, I slept in at Covent Garden Gallery before the play, but see nobody I knew so I would not stay, otherwise I would have went out as I had set my mind on the Beggar's Opera for once more, but waived it all & went to my Office (Hailey Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 72)

Event Comment: Did I tell you that the Archbishop tried to hinder the Minor from being played at Drury Lane? For once the Duke of Devonshire was firm, and would only let him correct some passages, & even of those the Duke has restored some. One that the Prelate effaced was 'You snub-nosed son of a bitch.' Foote says he will take out a license to preach Sam Cant against Tom Cant. (Walpole to Montagu, 24 Nov.). [See also Duke of Devonshire's statement to Garrick concerning the alteration of some lines, Private Correspondence, ed. Boaden, I, 120. See Gentlemen's Magazine, p. 502: Extracts from Christian and Critical remarks on a droll or interlude, call'd the Minor, said to be acted by authority; and Mr Foote's answer. Ten columns of alternate attack and justification.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Colleges of Philadelphia and New York. Mainpiece a Sacred Ode written by Dr Brown set to select Airs, Duets and Choruses from Mr Handel, and other Eminent Composers, with the addition of several new songs. Pit and Boxes to be put together. No Persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd at the Office of the theatre at 1!2 a Guinea each; and also at the following Coffee House, viz: the Smyrna, Pall Mall; the Mount, Grosvenor St; George's, Temple Bar; the Rainbow, Cornhill, the New York, Sweetings's Alley; and the Pennsylvania, Birchin Lane. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallerp 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at half past Four, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at 1!2 after Six (playbill). This philanthropic enterprise, of which the theatrical benefit was but a part, seems not to have born much fruit for the respective Colleges. See Letter to the Governors of the Colleges of New York, respecting the Collection that was made in the Kingdom in 1762 and 1763, for the Colleges of Philadelphia and New York, to which are added Explanatory notes and appendix. By Sir James Jay, M. D. (London, 1771). The funds collected seem largely to have been used up in a law suit. The Governor of the College of New York, Rev. Dr Johnson, asked Jay to collect funds, which he did. Alderman Trecothick wrote Dr Johnson that the funds were not safe in Jay's hands. The Governors insulted Jay, and when they found they were wrong refused to apologize. They entered a bill against him in Chancery to gain the funds. It dragged out for four years. When the power of Attorney had been given to Trecothick, he claimed that a sum of #1437 15s. 6d. was unaccounted for by Jay, and was supposed to be in Jay's hands. Jay explained the Governors had not reckoned on reimbursement for his time and expenses for two years.

Event Comment: [From The London Evening Post: Married: Michael Arne, music composer and son of Dr Arne, to Miss Wright, a celebrated singer of Drury Lane Theatre."] Paid Mr Evans on Wardrobe acct #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #133 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: For the author. No Prologue or Epilogue. Paid Reynolds (oyl) bill #48 11s.; Powney (stationers) #8 17s. 5d.; Inns of Court their Christmas box #3 1s. 6d.; Mr Bibb (sword cutler) 3 bills #13 1s.; Vaughan (Haberdasher) #21 7s.; Mrs Amy Vaughan #1 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [This day at Noon will be publish'd. Price 2s. The Kellyad, or a critical examen into the merits of Thespis. By Louis Stamma. Who steals my purse..." Also publish'd this day The Anti-Thespis; or, a vindication of the principal performers belonging to Drury Lane Theater, from the false criticisms, illiberal abuse, and gross misrepresentations of the Author of Thespis. Players are the abstracts and brief chronicles of the times..."] Receipts: #73 10s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Arne. Afterpiece: By Desire. House Charges #68 16s. 6d. [Profits to Mrs Arne #150 18s. 6d.] Tickets deliver'd for The Beggar's Opera will be admitted. Dido oblig'd to be defer'd a few days. Paid 1 year's Watch for St Martin's #10 2s.; Reynolds Oil bill #46 4s.; Carpue (silk dyer) #7 9s. 6d.; Jennings (glover) #13 12s.; Vernon on note #21; Chorus 1 night #2 5s. 6d.; Hautboy 5s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. [Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #219 14s. (Treasurer's Book). At 4 dined at the Chop House in St Clements. At 5 went to Drury Lane to see the Tempest for the benefit of Mrs Arne the prettiest performer at the house...She has a sweet little voice...A grand Dance of Fantastic Spirits in different shapes. At the end of the play a Double Hornpipe by Mr Walker and Miss Tatley. We had the entertainment of Daphne and Amintor with dancing by Sg and Sga George, Sg Tessoni, Miss King, &c. Having a seat in the third row of the Pit, was much pleased as all the principal characters were well played and the scenery is very fine. Had I been later in going, I should not have got in (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Poitier. Afterpiece: Alter'd from Addison. The Music entirely new set by Mr Arnold. [Original three acts reduced to two.] To be performed for this night only. Charges #75 14s. [Profit to Mrs Thompson #59 7s. 6d. plus #48 9s. from tickets (Box 135; Pit 98) (Account Book). As indicated by the name Mrs Thompson in the Account Book, Miss Poitier was already married by this time, although she does not appear in the Bills under the name Mrs Thompson until 16 Sept. 1767. She was first married to Vernon, the singer at Drury Lane.] Receipts: #135 1s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. House charges #76 10s. [Profit to King #55 14s.] Paid Master Burney 15 nights #3 2s. 6d. Printer's bill #9 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #132 4s. (Treasurer's Book). At 5 went to the Pit at Drury Lane to see the Clandestine Marriage...I could see this play, as it is now performed, every night, but J. Palmer was not so good in Brush as the other Mr Palmer whose character it is. Plym did not please tonight. The scene between the lawyers was omitted. We had the Irish Lilt by Mrs King, Giorgi, &c., and a comic scene by her and M Dugermay, with Linco's Travels...Mrs King is certainly a very fine dancer and has the best legs I ever saw. Past eleven ere we got out. A little girl of 7 or 8 years old danced very prettily (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Grimaldi (ballet master) and Moody. House charges #64 17s. [Profits to Moody and Grimaldi #5 9s. plus tickets.] Farce not acted in 3 years. [See 12 April 1764.] At 9 got to Drury Lane, could not get in at ye left side of ye Pit or first Gallery. After waiting till the play was over at the other door of ye Pit, got in and saw the Vintage, by Mrs King and Sg Grimaldi (whose benefit and Mr Moody's it was). He dances much better than the fellow who usually dances that dance. My intention in going was to see the F, of the Register Office, not acted these 3 years. [All characters done well] such characters are ye effects of our ill-cemented union (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #70 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Doors to open at half past Four. Play to begin at half past Six. Send servants to hold places by Four o'clock. [Mrs Vincent's deficit of 1st instant received #20 3s. 6d.] Paid scavenger's rate for St Martin's due Lady Day #5 1s. Paid printer's bill #9 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #262 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Went to Drury Lane, but could not get in. Stayed from half past 4, sometime at one Pit door, sometime at the other, till past 6, and got in at the right hand side just as the play began, and was dreadfully squeezed, but rewarded by seeing Garrick play Hamlet. The expression in his features, his eyes particularly, surpasses anything I ever saw. He is a little man, but handsome and full of that fire which marks the stronger, and of the softness natural to the tender passions. It is impossible to see his greatest excellencies from ye Gallery. Baddeley and Dodd are pretty well in Polonius and Ostrick. Mrs Baddeley and Yates do Ophelia and ye Grave Digger very well. Mrs Pritchard is great, as usual in ye Queen. Gravedigger's man-Castle. Horatio-$Mr Packer. Several parts of ye play, as it is in $Shakespeare, are omitted rather improperly...The Prince Brunswick, his wife and Louisa were present (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: MMrs Jeffries made her first appearance on this stage in Belinda.--not perfect.--was pretty well received.--is a little smart figure (Hopkins MS Notes). At 15 minutes past 4, took my place in the Pit at Drury Lane to see the Provok'd Wife. Mr Garrick is inimitable as Sir John Brute, Palmer does Heartfree, and Mrs Abington Lady Fanciful (with a song not printed in the play) very well. Constant by Cautherly, whose figure and manner I do not like, Vernon in Col. Bully sings a song (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Music [to afterpiece] by Barthelemon. I often go to both theatres, have seen Garrick and Mrs Yates, who are the first in this theatrical sphere. The former has hitherto [i.e., this season] appeared only in comedy, --his manner, his humour, and his judgment are not to be equall'd. The adoration he meets with from the English is equal to his merit. His every motion they attend to, and every turn of his eye seems to transport them. Mrs Yates [at Covent Garden] has much tragic merit. Her low voice is very tuneful, her feeling great, her action peculiarly graceful and her figure uncommonly fine. She has more power than Mrs Dancer (at Drury Lane] and more variety than Mrs Fitz-Henry, tho' less strength and compass. On the whole she is superior to the former and inferior to the latter. Barry and Mrs Dancer are engag'd here (MS Letter from Henry Grattan to Cornet Broome giving his first impressions of living in London, 27 Oct. 1767, in Folger Library). Neville MS Diary: Went into the Pit to see As You Like It a second time. Reddish did Orlando for the 1st time. He is a pretty good player. End Act I, Hearts of Oak. The Entertainment was the new Farce called a Peep Behind the Curtain. Glib by King who is the author. The piece is not unentertaining, whatever other merit it may have. The Prologue and an Address to the Town by way of Epilogue, are spoken by Mr King, the music by Barthelemon

Event Comment: HHamlet, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Wit's Last Stake by Thomas King, as it is performed at Drury Lane, published at 1s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Comedy by Mrs E. Griffith, acted for first time. New Scenes, Dresses, Decorations, etc. Neville MS Diary: While I stood at the Pit door of Drury Lane Playhouse, took occasion to say that now they (meaning the present venal House of Commons) had expelled Mr Wilkes they would proceed to do everything that is bad. For which one present (I suppose a friend of the Court) said they would proceed to send me to Newgate if it should come to their ears

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author. Neville MS Diary: went with Mr and Mrs Willoughby to the 2 shilling gallery at Drury Lane to see the new comedy. The School for Rakes, which I do not like. Many of our new pieces are full of absurd compliments to--

Event Comment: The Afterpiece a New Pantomime [by Henry Woodward, satirizing Garrick's Jubilee] with New Music by Fisher. New Scenes painted by Messrs Dahl and Richards. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. [Full Prices notice throughout the run of the pantomime this season. Town and Country Magazine (from Theatre No XIII) comments: "In the Pageant scene several of the characters that walk at Drury Lane are highly ridiculed, particularly Mark Antony and Cleopatra, who dance off with their black retinue to the playing of casquets." The scene closes with the descent of the statue of the late Mr Rich under the name of Lun, and the Harlequins all pay him honour.] Receipts: #250 6s

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Tickets to be had and Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door of the Theatre, at Half a Guinea. Pit 5s. First Gallery 3s. 6d. Second Gallery 2s. The doors to be opened at 5 o'clock. To begin at Half past six. [Stanley and Smith carried their Royal Prerogative over to Drury Lane this season.

Event Comment: Paid Mr Chapman for horsekeeping [for Jubilee] #12 6s. (Treasurer's Book). [Published this month A Letter to David Garrick, Esq. on his conduct as Principal Manager and Actor at Drury Lane. Printed for S. Bladon. Accuses Garrick of controlling the press, save for two papers, and thus getting more favourbale treatment than his position and actions deserve. "You are a mere actor. You affect to feel where you do not, and imitate tones, looks and gestures, while your heart is at ease. This should heighten our opinion of you as an artist, whatever we might think of you as a man. I believe you are not generally judged of in this manner. It is not difficult to impose on the world." The author (David Williams?) deprecates Garrick's supposed handling of the actors of his company, and desires to see more Shakespeare. Suggests Garricks' acting perfection lies in the extreme, in exaggerated gesture, and sudden bursts of passion." Suggests he is getting old and should try his hand at Shylock.] Receipts: #271 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: G[arrick] This Night was advertis'd for Mr Barry's Benefit but he being ill his Benefit was deferr'd (Hopkins Diary). Garrick is removed from Southampton St. to Adelphi Terrace (Winston MS 10). This day is publish'd Theatrical Biography; or, Memoirs of the principal performers of the three Theatres Royal. Drury Lane: Garrick, Barry, Reddish, Aickin, King, Moody, Dodd, Love, Vernon, Parsons, Baddeley, Mrs Barry, Mrs Abington, Miss Younger, Miss Hayward, Mrs Baddeley, Miss Pope, Mrs Egerton, Mrs W. Barry and Mrs Jefferson. Covent Garden: Ross, Smith, Savigny, Woodward, Yates, Shuter, Bensley, Dyer, Mattocks, Clark, Mrs Yates, Mrs Mattocks, Miss Macklin, Mrs Bulkley, Mrs Green, and Mrs Thompson. Haymarket: Foote, Weston, Aikin, Didier, Davies, Mrs Gardner, Mrs Jewell, and Mrs Didier. Together with critical and impartial remarks on their respective professional merits. Printed for S. Bladon. Receipts: #265 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Patrick (tinman) #51 19s. (Account Book). As the tragedy of Elfrida, written (after the Greek manner) by that most excellent poet Mr Mason, has met with such singular applause at Covent Garden Theatre, I cannot help lamenting that our English Roscius has never had a play of Sophocles (translated into English blank verse) represented at Drury Lane. The plays in general, are the finest ever written; and the Oedipus Tyrannus is, in my opinion, the properest to be represented at present, both for the grandeur of the chorusses and the magnificence of the scenery. I mention this because I think this new species of drama would be better received, by an English audience, than all the Golden Pippins, or Nonpareils, that have lately appeared on the stage. (signed) Cantab (Gentleman's Magazine , XLIII, 74). Receipts: #183 16s

Event Comment: Sunday 30 Jan-Saturday last died James Love, Comedian, Master of Edinburg Theatre, late of Drury Lane. Was educated at Westminster School and went from there to Cambridge (Winston MS 10). Rec'd stopages #19 19s. 6d.; Paid salary list #529 2s.; Mr King's extra salary #3. Receipts: #183 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Kennedy. Afterpiece: Never performed in this theatre. [No mention of permission.] Mr Kennedy intended having this performance before the Benefits commenced at Drury Lane and Covent Garden Theatres, but having been detained at Bristol, could not pay his respects to his friends sooner