Event Comment: According to the
Flying Post, 18-20 Oct. 1698: On Tuesday October 18, 1698, the
Penny Lottery began at the Theatre Royal in
Dorset Garden with the first draw. [On 28 Sept. 1698
James Brydges,
Diary reported that he had gone into
dg to see the "engine"
for the lottery.] The
Post Boy, 18-20 Oct. 1698: There is now Acting at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden a Tragy-Comedy called
The Wheel of Fortune, or The Fools Expectation. And 'tis thought the Author will have a good Sixth Day. According to the
Post Boy, 20-22 Oct. 1698: On Monday next will be publish'd, a Comical and Satirical
Prologue and
Epilogue, intended to be spoken at the Acting of the new Invented Farce, call'd, the Wheel of
Fortune, or the Fools Expectation. [The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in
Wiley,
Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 305-10.] It seems probable that the lottery was dignified,
for satiric purposes, by being given the title of a play, with a satirical Prologue and Epilogue.
Post Man, 20-22 Oct. 1698: The Entertainment per
formed at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden, at drawing the Lottery, called the Wheel of
Fortune; being the Speeches addrest to the Spectators, as Prologues and Epilogues. During a Symphony of Musick the Curtain rises slowly, and discovers two wheels upon the Stage; then two Figures, representing
Fortunev and
Astraea the Goddess of Justicev, descend over each Wheel, in two rich Chariots gilt with Gold