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: Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no person to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd that day, at the Office at Covent Garden Theatre at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. The Galleries to be open'd at Half an Hour after Four o'clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half an Hour after Six (General Advertiser). New Oratorio by Handel (Account Books, Egerton 2268). We hear that Mr Garrick, who has been lately very ill, is now out of danger (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being the most tragical tragedy that ever was tragedized by a company of tragedians. At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality (General Advertiser). [The following unsigned statement of the financial condition of the theatre on 11 April is in the Harvard Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of Drury Lane, folio MS Thr. 12. This itemizes the outstanding liabilities to the amount of #8,808 14s. including #1,275 of arrears in actors' salaries]: I told Mr- the intended purchaser that the whole would not amount to #12,000. He said if it was more it should rest on me, for that was the utmost shilling he would give. But upon strict enquiry I find it will amount to #12,808 14s. This difference is not altogether owing to an error in calculation, but has been likewise heightened by a falling off of business, nor is it possible to ascertain the debt of a theatre for a day, it is of so fluctuating a nature. Q: whether this loss ought to light upon me, who have endeavored to get a purchaser & increased the value of the Estate to the utmost of my power? Errors excepted. [James Lacy or John Powel are the most likely authors of this statement. Whatever the authority, it is clear that settlement had not yet been made for transfer of ownership. For Powel, see G. W. Stone, Jr., The Authorship of Tit for Tat," Theatre Notebook, X (1955), 22-28.

Event Comment: Benefit Cross (Prompter) and Mrs Cross. Mainpiece not acted for 40 years [see 22 Dec. 1710]. Written by the author of The Yeoman of Kent [Thomas Baker]. Tickets deliver'd by Mr Burton will be taken. Tickets to be had of Cross at his lodgings over against the Rose Tavern in Russell St., Covent Garden