Event Comment: Benefit for Bencraft and Mrs Lampe. Afterpiece: Perform'd but once these ten years [see 8 May 1755], a Burlesque Opera being a Sequel to the Dragon of Wantly, Music composed by the late Mr Lampe

Event Comment: MMrs Cibber is recover'd & plays tonight-Mr Garrick taken ill, Holland did Chamont (Cross). [Probably Havard of Davies did Polydore, as both were familiar with the part.] Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Foote for ye farce (Cross). Mainpiece:Not acted these 12 years. [See 20 Nov. 1745.] Austin did Bertran r(first time) (Indiff) (Cross). Tickets to be had of Foote at the Whalebone Warehouse in James St., Covent Garden, and of Varney at the stage door. Part of pit laid into boxes. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dyer. No Building on the Stage. Tickets of Dyer at Mr Eastgate's, Hosier, in Great Russel St., Covent Garden, and of Crudge at the Stage Door

Event Comment: Benefit for Clarke. Tickets to be had of Clarke at Mr Settree's Cap Warehouse, Catherine St. and of Crudge at the Stage Door

Event Comment: Benefit for Morgan, the Oldest Actor in England. Last time of the company's performing this season. Tickets to be had at the Bedford Coffee House and of Mr Crudge at the Stage Door. [This charitable performance included a composite group from Drury Lane and Covent Garden.

Event Comment: Receipts: #58 4s. Paid for sundries for Mr Ross, viz.: a hat at #1 1s. and a pair of shoes at 14 shillings for Essex; a pair of black shoes at 14 shillings and a pair of black shammy shoes at 10s. 6d. for Hamlet (Account Book). [See Hamlet in Shammy Shoes, by John Yoklavitch, Shakespear Quarterly, III (1952), pp. 209-18.

Event Comment: Written by Mr Hume. Author of Douglas. Went off wth. great Applause (Cross). A New Tragedy. The Music composed by Dr Boyce. As this is the 1st night of representation, and much depends upon keeping the scenes clear, 'tis hoped no gentleman will be offended that he cannot be admitted upon the stage or into the orchestra. [See Theatrical Review, 1757 and Beginning of 1758 for contemporary comment on source, and at act-by-act progress of play. Judicial but appreciative. Finds some rant and bombast, as well as inconsistency, in Lysander 's characterization: "If...not...known that the author of Agis is the same to whom we are indebted for Douglas, one would not have suspected those two tragedies to have sprung from the same pen...Agis inspires us with admonition; Douglas speaks forcibly to our softer feelings. In Douglas he has shown himself perfect master of nature and the human heart: in Agis of contrivance in point of plot and incidents. What a masterpiece may not we expect from such talents when united in one tragedy!"] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. Mainpiece: not acted these 4 years. No building on stage. Receipts: #60 12s. 6d. plus tickets #222 5s. (boxes 458; pit 605; gallery 170). Charges #63. Mr Robt. Lewis came in for 1 share (Account Book). [Smith advertised, and it appeared his house at his benefit was too full & [there was] confusion in getting to places (Winston MS 8). See Smith's note in Public Advertiser, 16 March.

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrington and Mrs Lampe. No building on stage. Receipts: by income from tickets: Barrington #90 16s. (boxes 142; pit 286; gallery 12); Mrs Lampe, #53 2s. (boxes 52; pit 180; gallery 131) (Account Book). [The original title of afterpiece, a burlesque opera by Henry Carey, was Margery; or, A Worse Plague than the Dragon a sequel to the Dragon of Wantley. The music was advertised as by the late Mr Lampe.

Event Comment: Benefit for Charles Sarjant, late of Uxbridge, under Misfortunes. Afterpiece not acted this season. Ladies send servants by half after three. Mr Sarjant hopes his friends will favor him with their company tonight, and excuse his not having paid his respects to them in person, having been unhappily confined by the gout

Event Comment: Farce not so much hiss'd (Cross). This month published A Defence of Mr Garrick in Answer to the Letter Writer [See 13 Oct.], 37 pp. [Closes with the paragraph: "Nor need I take notice of your accusation against the manager for his neglect in the Decorations of the Scenery, since it is notorious to everyone who has eyes, that the scenes at Drury Lane are as well adapted to the Representations, and as well executed, as any Covent Garden can boast of (though you are pleased to assert the contrary) Pantomimical Decorations not excepted."] Receipts:#100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Memorandum: Mrs Baker, actress, died this day at Coventry on her Journey from Liverpool to London. Paid Mr J. Rich on Account #10. [This is Account or ledger Number 1 (Account Book).] Receipts: #71 11s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Boxes, 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for Boxes of Mr Johnson at the stage door. No persons may be admitted behind scenes or into orchestra. No money to be returned after curtain is drawn up. [Usual note not to be further recorded.] Theatre newly painted and decorated (Winston MS 9)