Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; M. ENT 2, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (also attributed to Richard Tickell). Prologue by Richard Tickell (London Chronicle, 23 Oct.). Text 1st published probably by T. Lowndes, 1795]: To conclude with a perspective Representation of the Grand Camp at Cox-Heathv [near Maidstone, Kent, where a military encampment had been in existence for several months], from a View taken by DeLoutherbourg and executed under his direction. [This was included in all subsequent performances.] With a New Overture and other Music [by Thomas Linley Sen.]. New Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. Account-Book, 16 Oct.: Paid Supernumeraries & Soldiers for Camp #35 5s. 6d. Receipts: #266 0s. 6d. (258.16.0; 6.18.0; 0.6.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe. MS: Larpent 608; not published. CG playbill of 16 Nov. 1795 has a detailed synopsis of the action]: Intermixed with Songs and Dialogue. With new Music, Scenes, Dresses, Machinery, and Decorations. The new Music composed by Shield. The new Scenes designed by Richards, and executed by Richards, Hodgins, and assistants. To conclude with a Representation of the Lord Mayor's Show on the Water. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. "As to the Pantomime it wanted nothing on the first Night but Abbreviations . . . [which should be] omission of the Doctors, the two Women of the Town, and the whole of Edwin's Character" (Public Advertiser, 27 Nov.). Gentleman's Magazine, Jan. 1783, pp. 29-31, contains a detailed synopsis of the procession, and adds, "The personages of this procession were all dressed in the characters of the time in which they lived, and before each of them a label, a scroll, or a pageant was carried, bearing their name, or some allusion of the poets to their occupation. The figures in transparency were all painted as large as the life, and had a most grand and beautiful effect . . . The idea of the paintings was furnished by Mr Richards and Mr Smirk [sic], and all of them executed by the latter in a style of so much taste and excellence that it is a matter of some wonder to us, where an artist of Mr Smirk's abilities has been so long concealed . . . The glee introduced with so much applause is the composition of the late Dr Rogers (who lived in 1600); the other airs in the pantomime and procession arc by Handel, Lord Kelly, Abel, Stamitz and Shield, and have very great merit. The expense of preparing this splendid spectacle must have been very great, and the cost of continuing its representation cannot be inconsiderable, since more than 200 supernumeraries are employed to walk in the procession." Receipts: #215 3s. (206/3; 9/0)

Event Comment: Journal of van Constantijn Huygens, 26 Aug. 1689 (translation): I was, in the afternoon, with my wife and Tien, at Bartholomew Fair, which was held in Smithfield, There were many people, most of them to laugh at the Pope, and all the actors and actresses were seated at the galleries built for them and dressed in extraordinary clothes of high value. There were also some big wheels, twenty foot or more in diameter, where little ships had been hung on, which turned around with the wheel, always hanging, where many people, children and others were seated. There was a great pressure of people, and everywhere sucking pigs were for sale (Journal van Constantijn Hygens, Publications of the Dutch Historical Society, New Series, XXIII [Utrecht, 1876], 172-73)

Event Comment: Benefit the Author of Afterpiece. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. On this day, Quin and Bowen fought a duel. Bowen died on 20 April of his wounds. According to the Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 26 April: The two falling out about which of them was the honestest man, and a Wager being laid, thereon it was given in favour of [Quin], whereupon [Bowen] went to the Pope's Head Tavern in Cornhill and sending thither for Quin, oblig'd him to fight

Event Comment: Receipts. #170 5s. 6d. Probable attendance: boxes, 306 paid and 2 orders; staoe, 46 paid; balcony, 4 paid; pit, 263 paid and 2 orders; slips, 59 paid and 5 orders; first gallery, 417 paid; second gallery, 180 paid. Daily Journal, 12 Feb.: The Beggar's Opera is continued acting...with the greatest Applause, and to an Audience as numerous as ever. And we are informed, That most of the Boxes are taken to the 25th Night. [See also Gay to the Earl of Oxford, 12 Feb., in Correspondence of Pope, II, 473.

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Receipts: money #162 8s.; tickets #13 10s. Probable attendance: boxes, 204 by money and 54 by tickets; stage, 43 by money; balcony, 2 by money; pit, 269 by money; slips, 58 by money; first gallery, 424 by money; second gallery, 180 by money. [For the fortunes of the play, see Gay to Swift, 15 Feb. in Correspondence of Pope, II, 473-74.

Event Comment: For the fortunes of The Beggar's Opera, see Gay to Swift, 20 March, in Correspondence of Pope, II, 478-79

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By Aaron Hill.] With new Habits, Scenes, and other Decorations, proper to the Play. Admission: 5s., 3s., 2s., 1s. [See Pope, Correspondence, III, 253-54.

Event Comment: Never Perform'd in Publick before. As it was compos'd originally for the most noble James Duke of Chandos, the Words by Mr Pope, and the Musick by Mr Handel. 7 p.m. 5s

Event Comment: A new Opera. Written by the late Mr Gay. With New Habits and Scenes. Receipts: #207 11s. 6d. Daily Courant, 12 Feb.: Mr Pultney and Mr Pope were in the Pit....They were in the House before any body else was admitted. Sir William Windham was also present at this Performance; but notwithstanding the Countenance given to it, there was so much Obscenity and Scurrility in it, that it raised a general Abhorrence in the Audience. [See also The Bee, 17 Feb., for a puff concerning this performance and the play in general.

Event Comment: At the Desire of the Learned in the Law. At the Apollo, within the Pope's Head, commonly call'd the Devil's Tavern. 6 P.M. Price 11. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit Maculla, Bride, Lathbury, Pope, May, Tomlinson

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets to be had of Berry at Mr Pope's, Peruke Maker in Russel St., Covent Garden and of Hobson at the Stage Door. [From the Gentleman's Magazine Register of Books for this month: An Account of the Life of that Celebrated Tragedian, Mr Thomas Betterton, containing a distinct relation of his excellencies in his profession and character in private life, and interspersed with an account of the English theatre during his time. Printed for J. Robinson.] Receipts: #160 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sowdon. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. A Gent: play'd Puff in the farce--Bug (Cross). [Seems to have been a clear benefit, as Treasurer's Book lists no charges.] Cash #65 8s. 6d., plus tickets #95; Paid Reynolds for wax & [brickdust] 3s. 9d. Paid Mr Pope a Bill #7 14s. [wigmaker] (Treasurer's Book). Tickets of Sowdon at his lodgings, the Sign of the Sun, a Milliner's facing Exeter exchange in the strand, and of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets otherwise to be had at Will's Coffee House in Cornhill, and of Mr Thomas Sowdon in Blackman St., Southwark. We hear William Mills, Comedian, lies at the point of death, at his lodgings in Russell St., Covent Garden. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #160 3s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets at Pope's Peruke Maker Russell St. Rec'd Cash #93 3s., plus #92 11s. from tickets. Total #185 14s.; Paid Salary List #203 7s.; Norton 5 chorus #1 5s. (Treasurer's Book). To the Public, Gentlemen and Ladies, I am very sorry that a long, sharp, and severe fit of Illness prevents me the satisfaction of making my personal application to my friends as usual, against my Benefit; but finding myself every day rather worse than better, I hope you will be so kind as to take this notice, that the Stratagem, will be performed on Saturday the 21st of April; the part of Archer by Mr Garrick, for the benefit of Mr and Mrs Mills; with a Farce and all other usual Entertainments. From your most oblig'd Servant, William Mills. Mr Mills hopes his friends who intend to honour him with their company, will be so kind as to send to him for Places, Tickets, &c., or call upon him at Mr Gardner's Printing Office in Russel St., Covent Garden; or at Hobson's at the stage door (General Advertiser). Receipts: #180 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Berry. Tickets at Popes Perke maker Russell St., and at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd out for 26 March will be taken. At Punch's Theatre in James St., near the Haymarket, this, and every Evening this week, the Town will be entertained with Yeates's inimitable dexterity of Hand; likewise by Mr Punch's Company of performers will be exhibited the play of Jane Shore. To conclude with a New Grand Machine, representing the Temple of the Sunv, at Mexico, in North America, which has given universal satisfaction to the Nobility and Gentry (General Advertiser). Receipts: #212 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ray, W. Vaughan, G. Burton & ye Sub-Treasurer (Cross). Tickets of Ray, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, St Clement's Church; at the Black Swan Tavern, in Bartholomew Lane; the Old King's Head Tavern, Facing Somerset House; For Vaughan, at the One Ton Coffee House, St. James' Market; for Burton, at Pope's next the Stage Door, Russel St.; and of Hobson at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd for the Lady's Last Stake, or the Wife's Resentment will be taken. Receipts: #214 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Berry. Tickets at Mr Pope's Peruke maker, Russel St., Covent Garden. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: This day at noon will be published at 6d. A Letter to Mr Henry Woodward, Comedian, occasioned by his letter to the Inspector. by Simon Partridge, the facetious Cobbler of Pall Mall, and son to the late Mr Partridge, famous for his dispute with Isaac Bickerstaff. "Barbarian to attack, a chymist, Critick, Journalist, and Quack" (Anon). Printed for H. Jeffrey in Pope's Head Alley, Cornhill. [Another mock defense of Hill, casting opprobrium on him in the manner of the eightenth-century bully boys of the bathroom. A second edition of Sampson Edwards' Letter to Woodward appeared this day. See Comment, 9 Dec.] Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Last time of performing till the Holidays. This Day publish'd at 6d. Dr Bobadil's Monody: Occasioned by an unhappy Accident he met with at Ranelagh last summer, with a preface and notes Variorum by Quinbus Flestrin [Ch. Smart?]. What lane but knows@Our purgings, Pumpings, Blanketings and Blows?" Pope. Sold by W. Owen, at Temple Bar, and the pamphlet shops. [Another document in the Woodward-Hill feud.] Receipts: #150 (Cross)