Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Luttrell dated his copy of the separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue 5 April 1684 (J. W. Dodds, Thomas Southerne, p. 48). Very probably the play first appeared during the week of 31 March-5 April, immediately following Easter. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 191-94. This may have been the last new role William Smith undertook for some years; see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, 1, 78-79, for the incident which prompted Smith's leaving the stage for awhile. One song, I never saw a face till now, with music by Captain Pack, is in The Theater of Music, the First Book, 1685; and another, O why did e'er my thoughts aspire, the music by R. King, is in the same collection. A third song, See how fair Corinna lies, the music by Captain Pack, is in A Collection of Twenty-Four Songs, 1685

Event Comment: The United Company. This play was in rehearsal before the death of Charles II-see 6 Feb. 1684@5-and was staged shortly after the playhouse reopened. Luttrell's date of acquisition of the separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue is 9 May 1685 (in possession of Pickering and Chatto, Ltd., 1938), and the play may have been first given on that date or during the week preceding Saturday 9 May 1685. For Cibber's account of Mountfort as Sir Courtly, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 129. The separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 228-30. A separately-printed Three New Songs in Sir Courtley Nice (1685) contains three songs, with the music by Samuel Ackroyde and an unknown composer. In addition, two songs, As I grazed unaware and O be kind my dear be kind, both composed by R. King, are in The Theater of Music, Second Book, 1685. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 40-41): The first new Comedy after King James came to the Crown, was Sir Courtly Nice, wrote by Mr Crown:...The Comedy being justly Acted, and the Characters in't new, Crown'd it with a general Applause: Sir Courtly was so nicely Perform'd, that not any succeeding, but Mr Cyber has Equall'd him. Note, Mr Griffin so Excell'd in Surly, Sir Edward Belfond, The Plain Dealer, none succeeding in the 2 former have Equall'd him, except his Predecessor Mr Hart in the latter. The Lover's Session; In Imitation of Sir John Suckling's Session of Poets (in Poems on Affairs of State, II [1703], 162): @Montrath was in Foppery conceiv'd another@Of Whitehall true Breed, Sir Nices Twin Brother:@None could tell, so alike all their Follies did seem,@Whether he acted Mumford, or Mumford him.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Preface states:...the many inconveniences this hasty Peice has been expos'd to, as the Season of the being [sic] so near Christmas. [The Preface also refers to several scenes omitted in the action and expresses gratitude to Mountfort who wrote one scene of the fifth act.] This play was entered in the Term Catalogues, Feb. 1690@1

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not certain, but reference to it in the Gentleman's Journal, May 1693 (issued in June 1693), suggests that it appeared in May: We have had since my last a new Comedy called, The Female Vertuosos, something in it was borrowed from Moliere's Femmes Savantes, and as it hath Wit and Humour, it cannot but please in the perusal, as in the representation (p. 168). One song, Love thou art best of human joys, to words by Anne, Countess of Winchelsea, was set by Henry Purcell

Event Comment: An unidentified letter, 22 March 1693@4. There is hardly anything now to make it acceptable to you, but an account of our winter diversions, and chiefly of the new plays which have been the entertainment of the town. The first that was acted was Mr Congreve's, called The Double Dealer [see October 1693]. It has fared with that play, as it generally does with beauties officiously cried up: the mighty expectation which was raised of it made it sink, even beneath its own merit. The character of The Double Dealer is artfully writt, but the action being but single, and confined within the rules of true comedy, it could not please the generality of our audience, who relish nothing but variety, and think any thing dull and heavy which does not border upon farce.--The criticks were severe upon this play, which gave the author occasion to lash 'em in his Epistle Dedicatory, in so defying or hectoring a style, that it was counted rude even by his best friends; so that 'tis generally thought he has done his business, and lost himself: a thing he owes to Mr Dryden's treacherous friendship, who being jealous of the applause he had gott by his Old Batchelour, deluded him into a foolish imitation of his own way of writing angry prefaces. The 2d play is Mr Dryden's, called Love Triumphant, or Nature will prevail [see 15 January 1694]. It is a tragi-comedy, but in my opinion one of the worst he ever writt, if not the very worst: the comical part descends beneath the style and shew of a Bartholomew-fair droll. It was damn'd by the universal cry of the town, nemine contradicente, but the conceited poet. He says in his prologue, that this is the last the town must expect from him; he had done himself a kindness had he taken his leave before. The 3d is Mr Southern's call'd The Fatal Marriage, or the Innocent Adultery [see February 1693@4]. It is not only the best that author ever writt, but is generally admired for one of the greatest ornaments of the stage, and the most entertaining play has appeared upon it these 7 years. The plot is taken from Mrs Behn's novel, called the Unhappy Vow-Breaker. I never saw Mrs Barry act with so much passion as she does in it; I could not forbear being moved even to tears to see her act. Never was poet better rewarded or incouraged by the town; for besides an extraordinary full house, which brought him about 140 #. 50 noblemen, among whom my Lord Winchelsea, was one, give him guineas apiece, and the printer 36 #. for his copy. This kind usage will encourage desponding minor poets, and vex huffing Dryden and Congreve to madness. [For the fourth play, see 21 March 1693@4; Edmond Malone, Plays and Poems of William Shakespeare (London, 1821), III, 162-64.

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 3346, 2-6 Dec. 1697: The Song Composed by Mr Jeremiah Clark, and Sung on St Cecilia's day will be performed on Thursday next, at Mr Hickford's Dancing-School in Panton-street, or in James-street over against the Tennis Court, just by the blue Posts, there being a door out of each street to the Room; and for the benefit of the said Mr Clark and Mr Le Riche, late Stewards of the said Feast, the Musick begins at 8. [See 22 Nov. 1697.

Event Comment: Post Boy, No. 477, 24-26 May 1698: On Saturday next, being the [28th] of May, will be perform'd in York-Buildings, an Entertainment of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, Set by the late Mr Hen. Purcell, and perform'd by Mr Pate, and Mr Bowen, for Mr Leveridge his Benefit

Event Comment: Thomas Brown to George Moult, 12 Sept. 1699: But tho' Bartholomew-Fair is dead and buried for a twelvemonth, yet it is some consolation to us, that it revives in both the play-houses. Poetry is so little regarded there, and the audience is so taken up with show and sight, that an author will not much trouble himself about his thoughts and language, so he is but in fee with the dancing-masters, and has a few luscious songs to lard his dry composition. One would almost swear, that Smithfield had removed into Drury-lane and Lincolns-Inn-Fields, since they set so small a value on good sense, and so great a one on trifles that have no relation to the play. By the by, I am to tell you, that some of their late bills are so very monstrous, that neither we, nor our forefathers, ever knew anything like them: They are as long as the title-pages to some of Mr Prynn's works; nay, you may much sooner dispatch the Gazette, even when it is most crowded with advertisements. And as their bills are so prodigious, so are the entertainments they present us with: For, not to mention the Bohemian women, that first taught us how to dance and swim together; not the famous Mr Clinch of Barnet, with his kit and organ; nor the worthy gentlemen that condescended to dance a Cheshirerounds, at the instance of several persons of quality; nor t'other gentleman that sung like a turky-cock; nor, lastly, that prodigy of a man that mimick'd the harmony of the Essex lions; not to mention these and a hundred other notable curiosities, we have been so unmercifully over-run with an inundation of Monsieurs from Paris, that one would be almost tempted to wish that the war had still continued, if it were for no other reason but because it would have prevented the coming over of these light-heel'd gentlemen, who have been a greater plague to our theatres, than their privateers were to our merchantmen. Shortly, I suppose, we shall be entertain'd here with all sorts of sights and shows, as, jumping thro' a hoop; (for why should not that be as proper as Mr Sympson's vaulting upon the wooden-horses?) dancing upon the high ropes, leaping over eight men's heads, wrestling, boxing, cudgelling, fighting at back-sword, quarter-staff, bear-baiting, and all the other noble exercises that divert the good folk at Hockley; for when once such an infection as this has gain'd ground upon us, who can tell where it will stop? What a wretched pass is this wicked age come to, when Ben. Johnson and Shakespear won't relish without these bagatelles to recommend them, and nothing but farce and grimace will go down? For my part, I wonder they have not incorporated parson Burgess into their society; for after the auditors are stupify'd with a dull scene or so, he would make a shift to relieve them. In short, Mr Collier may save himself the trouble of writing against the theatre; for, if these lewd practices are not laid aside, and sense and wit don't come into play again, a man may easily foretell, without pretending to the gift of prophecy, that the stage will be shortliv'd, and the strong Kentish man will take possession of the two play-houses, as he has already done of that in Dorset-Garden (The Works of Thomas Brown, 4th ed. [London, 1715], I, 216-18)

Event Comment: Written by the late Mr Dryden. Set to Musick by Mr Handel. Pit and Boxes half a Guinea. Galleries 4s. and 2s. 6d. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 20 Feb.: Last Night his Royal Highness the Duke, and her Royal Highness the Princess Amelia were at. . . Mr Dryden's Ode, set to Musick by Mr Handel. Never was upon the like Occasion so numerous and splendid an Audience at any Theatre in London, there being at least 1300 Persons present; and it is judg'd that the Receipt of the House could not amount to less than 450l. It met with general Applause, tho attended with the Inconvenience of having the Performers placed at too great a distance from the Audience, which we hear will be rectified the next Time of Performance. [Egmont also present.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Daily Advertiser, 4 Oct.: Yesterday Morning Mr James Todd, who represented the Miller's Man on Friday Night...and fell in one of the flying Machines from the very top of the Stage by the breaking of the Wires, by which accident his Skull was fractur'd, died in a miserable manner. Susan Warwick, who represented the Miller's Wife, lies at the point of Death at the Infirmary at Hyde-Park Corner: The two other Persons who fell in the same Machine are like to recover, [In London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 2 Oct.: All these unhappy People were Servants belonging to the Theatre, and only Representatives in the different Characters of Mr Lun, Mr Nivelon, Mr Salway, and Mrs Moreau.

Event Comment: Benefit Hippisley. For the better Accommodation of the Ladies, the Stage will be enclosed into an Amphitheatre, and formed into Boxes. Receipts: money #68 3s.; seals #135 11s. (Account Book); #202 (Rylands MS.). [According to the Account Book, Hippisley was charged #20 for his benefit.

Event Comment: HHandel to Jennens: I have taken the Opera House in the Hay-marketh, engaged, as Singers, Signora Francesina, Miss Robinson, Beard, Reinhold, Mr Gates with his Boyes's and several of the best Chorus Singers from the Choirs, and I have some hopes that Mrs Cibber will sing for me. She sent word from Bath (where she is now) that she would perform for me next winter with great pleasure if it did not interfere with her playing, but I think I can obtain Mr Riches's permission (with whom she is engaged to play in Covent Garden House) since so obligingly he gave leave to Mr Beard and Mr Reinhold.--Deutsch Handel, pp. 591-92

Event Comment: WWilliam Hint in letter (Daily Gazetteer, 31 Oct.): Here again we find Mr Delane ill cast for the sake of casting Mr Sheridan?; Still worse, Need I say how much better this play would have been acted had Mr Delane? play'd Pierre, and Mr Garrick? Jaffier

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Arne. An Historical Musical Drama. The Musick composed by Command of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and never perform'd in England, but at his Royal Highnesses Palace at Cliefdon. The Poem was written by Mr Thompson and Mr. Mallet. The Musick by Mr Arne. To conclude with a Celebrated Ode in Honour of Great Britain in imitation of those formerly sung at Banquets of Kings and Heroes. Boxes 6s. Pit 4s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d. The above Day is fix'd on to avoid interfering with Mr Handel. Mrs Arne hopes humbly the Town will not be offened at this small advance of the Price, this performance being exhibited at an extraordinary expence, with regard to the number of Hands, Chorus singers, building the stage, and erecting an organ; besides all other incidentals as usual. Ladies desired to send servants by 4 o'clock. Tickets of Mrs Arne, next door to the Crown in Great Queen St, by Lincoln's Inn Fields, and places taken of Hobson at the stage Door, with whom Tickets are left

Event Comment: Benefit Macklin. Mainpiece written by the late Lord Lansdown. With the Original Songs, new set by Mr Arne, and to be sung by Mr Lowe and Mrs Clive. Never acted there before. Afterpiece wirtten by the late Mr Pope, Mr Gay, and Dr Arbuthnot. Servants will be allowed to keep places on the stage; and those ladies who have taken places are humbly desired to send for tickets to prevent mistakes. Tickets to be had of Macklin at his house in Bow St., and of Hobson at the stage door

Event Comment: Tickets deliver'd out by Mr Davis will be taken. [Bransby doubled in Oxford and Tyrrel. The General Advertiser quoted a long Epilogue on the Birthday of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland Written by the Farmer (who had taken over the role of Swift's Drapier) and spoken by Garrick in Dublin. It also quoted the following long puff for Ray's Benefit to come]: Sir, As long acquaintance best entitles us to friendly good natured offices, and as no more proper time can be found to confer them than when the person is in the Decline of life, give me leave to recommend (thro' your means) Mr Ray of Drury Lane Theatre, the oldest actor now belonging to that House, to the Favour of the Town, at his ensuing Benefit next Saturday. A person who once agreeably entertained the Public, should always feel the warmth of their Indulgence, tho' the Infirmities of Old age may have render'd him less pleasing than formerly. This Application is therefore meant to those friends of his, whom Distance of time, and change of Situation may have made it impossible any other way to acquaint them, that The Merchant of Venice is to be acted for his Benefit on Saturday next; therefore 'tis hoped they will be so kind as to send for his Tickets to Mr Hobson, in the Playhouse Passage, or to Mr Ray's lodgings, the second Door in Queen's Court, Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields, and the Favour will ever be greatly acknowledged by him

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By desire. Powel: Rec'd of Mr Wolfall [Woodfall?] for a ticket for the season to admit one into any part of the house, behind the scenes and to Benefit nights excepted--#15 15s. N.B.: These tickets us'd to be no more than ten guineas each before Mr Garrick's time, as for example Mr Ibbeston upon Ludgate hill, and Mr Tinker gave no more for theirs. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #166 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. [Stage accommodated as of 7 March.] Tickets of Woodward at Mr Dove's Surgeon in James St., Covent Garden. This was in one speech, a bam, in mimickry upon Mr Foote given by Mr Woodward for his Own Benefit (Cross). [This afterpiece was advertised well in advance and elicited from Foote the outburst in the General Advertiser of 10 March. On 21 March the General Advertiser wrote: "Last Saturday the Stratagem with Tit for Tat were performed at Drury Lane for the Benefit of Mr Woodward, when there was the greatest audience that ever was seen there. And the Dish of Chocolate was receiv'd with uncommon applause."] Receipts: #286 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel)