Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. [From the Westminster Magazine for March: "On Friday the third instant the Entertainments peculiar to this season commenced. Messrs Bach and Abel were first, and have been at each successive Oratorio since (one night excepted when the King and Queen favored Mr Stanley, with bringing the only good House he has hitherto had), honoured with the presence of their Majesties, who have been accused, we think justly, of partiality to these foreigners, in overlooking Mr Stanley's past services and great personal merits. Justice, however, requires us to observe, that both in point of vocal and instrumental performers, the former have displayed a striking superiority over the latter. The singers at Messrs Bach and Abel's are, Parry, Corse, Mrs Weichsel, Miss Brown and Sga Corri. At Drury Lane, Norris, Reinhold, Mrs Mattocks, Mrs Barthelemon, and a young Lady from the Founding Hospital."

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [For Fanny Burney's pen and ink sketch of the royal box and her written description o it, as it appeared on this evening, see List of illustrations these volumes. Receipts: #261 14s. 6d. (260.14.0; 1.0.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The Music by Michael Arne. With a Grand Procession of the different Orders of the Knights of Chivalryv. [This was included in both subsequent performances.] Receipts: #161 18s. 6d. (121.12.0; 39.17.6; 0.9.0)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces The Camp, but in the Account-Book it is deleted, and Harlequin's Invasion substituted.] Receipts: #95 7s. 6d. (61.19.0; 31.10.6; 1.18.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. "The same person who, in the play, performed the school-fellow of the Nabob with a great deal of nature, and original humour, here acted the part of the school-master; his name is Edwin, and he is, without doubt, one of the best actors of all that I have seen ... [He], in all his comic characters, still preserves something so inexpressibly good tempered in his countenance, that notwithstanding all his burlesques, and even grotesque buffoonery, you cannot but be pleased with him . . . Nothing could equal the tone and countenance of self-satisfaction, with which he answered one who asked him whether he was a scholar? 'Why, I was a master of scholars.' A Mrs Webb represented a cheesmonger, and played the part of a woman of the lower class, so naturally, as I have no where else ever seen equalled. Her huge, fat, and lusty carcase, and the whole of her external appearance seemed quite to be cut out for it" (Carl Philipp Moritz, Travels in England in 1782, London, 1924, pp. 73-74)

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. Public Advertiser, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Edwin, No. 2, Piazza., Covent Garden. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. Miss Younge having refused performing the Part of Viola, Mrs Robinson has kindly undertaken that Character at a short Notice; and Mr Edwin humbly hopes she will be honoured by the Indulgence of the Public. Receipts: #304 0s. 6d. (211/3/6; tickets: 92/17/0) (charge: #105)