Event Comment: Benefit for J. Bannister and Griffiths. Paid subscription to St Martin's Charity School 1 year, #2 2s.; Rec'd of Mr Heath 1 yrs rent to Xmas last #10 (Treasurer's Book). Tickets deliver'd for The Double Gallant and by Mr Harwood will be taken. Receipts: #112 5s. 6d. Charges: #64 11s. Profits to J. Bannister & Griffith: #47 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Introductory Interlude played By Particular Desire. Hamlet Mr Smith B[ad] (Hopkins Diary). [Kemble's note "Mr Smith Hamlet-very dull and heavy" (Hopkins MS Notes).] Paid Madlle Hidou on Acct #63. Receipts: #135 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Tragedy never performed there. Mrs Yates first appearance this stage in 8 years. This Play is from the Orestes of Voltaire Mrs Yates who has been at Covent Garden these 8 years is now return'd & chose to make her first appearance in the part of Electra. Mr Garrick wrote an Excellent Prologue & Epilogue for the Occasion both of which were greatly receiv'd With great Applause. The Play is very dull & heavy & Mrs Yates wanted Spirit greatly in the part of Electra had but little Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid salary list 5 days at #91 8s. 10d. #457 4s. 2d.; Mr French on acct #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [From Westminster Magazine, Oct. (of the mainpiece): From its want of business, it is a very heavy, tedious performance. Most of the scenes are mere declamations; and a certain air of coldness and apathy, which is the peculiar characteristic of French drama, runs thro the whole, which must ever render it unpleasing as well as uninteresting to an English Audience." Gave a severe comment on the Prologue with its theme "home is home be it ever so homely." Preferred the Epilogue. The perspective scenery of Argosv, the Palace of Aegisthusv, and the Tomb of Agamemnonv, designed by Loutherbourg, and painted by Messrs French and Roy, were warm and spirited, and the dresses elegant and characteristic."] Receipts: #243 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Powney (stationer) #15 16s. 5d.; Scott (copper laceman) #78; Cropley (linen draper) #33 18s. 6d.; J. Johnston's Music Bill #13 5s. 6d.; Hatsell (mercer) #123 12s.; Barrow & Co. (oil) #93 13s.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #17 3s.; Tabor & Pipe 7 nights (6th inst. incl.) #3 13s. 6d.; Spermacetti candle Bill (pd to Mr Johnston) #186 16s. 6d.; Bill for Portugal Dishes #8 8s. Receipts: #253 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. Mainpiece: A Tragedy altered from Thomson [by Thomas Hull] never perform'd. Part of Pit laid into the Boxes. Servants who are to keep places are desired to be at the stage door by 4 o'clock, and those Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken seats in the Pit are requested to come early to prevent confusion in getting to their places. Epilogue by Sheridan. [This play had been refused a license on 26 March 1739, While Walpole was still Prime Minister, probably because of such speeches as: @Is there a cure on Humankind so fell@So pestilent, to Prince and People,@As the base servile vermin of a court;@Corrupt, Corrupting ministers and favourites?@How oft have such eat up the widow's morsel,@The Peasant's toil, the Merchant's far-sought gain,@And wantoned to the ruin of a nation!-Larpent MS, op. p. 65.@ Also the play equalizes Christianity and Mohammedanism before God, and gives a slight edge to the latter (Act IV, scene ii), suggesting the part politics play in Christian churches. An account of the alterations made for the present performance is given in the Westminster Magazine for March. The review concludes: The Play was got up altogether well, and reputedly acted, and is in its present state what the Ladies call "a very pretty tragedy."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Palmer. The Entertainment, a New Poetical Interlude (never perform'd there) Alter'd from Prior's Nut Brown Maid, by Mr Bates, With a New Air and Chorus. Music by Dr Arne. Receipts: #203 12s. Charges: #68 2s. 6d. Profits to Palmer: #13 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Prelude and Mainpiece By Command of their Majesties. Jane Shore is oblig'd to be deferr'd on Account of Mrs Yates's being incapable of performing. [MacMillan's note from Kemble "Mr Smith Kitely -dull enough" does not appear in the Folger, Hopkins Diary.] King and Queen Present. Rec'd from Mr Reddish on Acct #50. Paid Printer's Bill #14 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [This weekly payment throughout the season averaged #9 6s., for a total payment of #353 8s. No further itemization of it will be made.] Receipts: #284 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid half a years rent to Duke of Bedford to Mich. Last #164 2s. 10d.; Ditto to Mr Wegg to ditto #57; Mrs Scott (laceman) #99 7s.; Mrs Chitty for coals #92 10s.; Mrs Sutton for women's cloathes #12; Tabor and Pipe 7 nights #3 13s. 6d.; Two additional flutes #3. Receipts: #272 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). At the Play Mr Garrick acted and the house was so full you could not have thrust your little finger in, not withstanding the plague sweeps us away by dozens (Cumberland's Letters; Hampden, Journal)

Event Comment: Queen Mab is reviv'd with Alterations and Additions particularly Grand New Scene with a Representation of a Regatta very well executed but is too much like The Naval Review (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Hopkins differs slightly. He also adds from the Public Advertiser, 13 Nov., The last grand scene is a Representation of the whole Regatta sailing by Ranelagh. That and the Red House were invented and drawn by Mr deLoutherberg, and painted by Messrs French, deRoy, Greenwood, and others."] Rec'd stopages #11 12s. 6d. Paid Salary list #626 16s. 6d. Receipts: #152 12s. (Treasurer's Book). [Fuller descriptions of the Regatta scene appeared in the Westminster Magazine for Nov.: The Scene affords a picturesque view of the Thames on the Surry Side to Ranelagh Gardens representing the procession of barges etc., of the different squadrons, previous to their landing the company. The effect produced by this united scenery and machinery was very pleasing; every barge appeared to be rowed to the time of the band of music which is supposed to be upon the water, and evepy man and oar keeps a regular stroke: the sky, flat behind, was finely designed and executed for the general relief, and disposition of the men and boats near shore, in the foreground, was beautiful and did the painter great credit. The whole concluded with a Tar 's song in character, by Mr Bannister, and a dance by sailors and their doxies.'

Event Comment: Paid Mr Thos. Smith per order Mr D. G. #31 10s.; Barrow andCo for oil #52. Receipts: #149 5s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. The Comedy of Old City Manners oblig'd to be deferr'd. On 31 Dec. (Sunday) died Th. Weston of Drury Lane Theatre (Winston MS 11). [See Memoirs of Thomas Weston that Celebrated Comedian (London, 1776, 59 pp). This year appeared A Serious Disuasion from Frequenting the Playhouse, by Jacob Orton (22 pp. pub. in Shrewsbury). His text is taken from Bulstrode's charge to the Grand Jury of Middlesex, 21 April 1718. "One Playhouse ruin'd more souls than fifty churches are able to save."] Paid Mr Grist on acct per Mr D. G. #20; Three extra trumpets 6 nights #6 15s. Supernumeraries for the Jubilee continued to cost 14s. 10d. during its run. Receipts: #219 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Signor Martini danc'd for first time tolerable (Hopkins Diary). Paid Mr Park 1 boy 18 nights #6 15s.; Pryor (turner) #3 6d.; Mr Blanchard (tallow chandler) #43 17s. 2d. Receipts: #156 3s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. When Face ask'd Drugger if he had any Interest with the Players--Mr G. Answer'd I believe I had once but don't know if I have now or not--It It had a good Effect--his having Just Sold his Share of the Patent (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] On Wed. Night Jan. 18, 1776, Mr Garrick concluded his treaty for the sale of his share of the patent and property of Drury Lane Theatre to 4 gentlemen for #35,000 (Winston MS 11). Receipts: #256 9s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The New Comedy of The Runaway oblig'd to be deferr'd till Tuesday, on account of Mrs Hopkins' sudden illness. Paid Mr Machin, Chorus, 24 nights, #6; Tallow Chandler's Bill #49 6s. 8d.; additional flutes #1; Mr Landall for sashes #6 14s. Receipts: #195 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: A few hisses at the End of the Farce (Hopkins Diary). [Public Advertiser: A correspondent, who was at Drury Lane Theatre Thursday evening, remarks that the Ridicule of the Head-Dresses in Mr Garrick's last Epilogue, and in his performance of Sir John Brute, has had its proper Effect; for the Ladies have lowered their Main Top-Gallant Sails from nine inches to twelve; so that they are not present above three quarters of a yard higher than they ought to be.] Paid salary list 4 days #416 4s. 4d.; Tallow chandler #35 9s. 9d.; Mr Parsons on note by order #25; Settre and Co., Mercers #9 6s. 10d. Receipts: #252 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)