Event Comment: Afterpiece. A Grand New Dance, with Scenes, Music and Habits entirely new. No money to be return'd after the curtain is drawn up. Receipts: #100 (Cross); #133 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Blandford (Tallow Chandler) #12 11s. 2d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #60 (Cross); #78 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: SSignor Campioni first danc'd here--well (Cross). Afterpiece: With Scenes, Music, Cloths and Decorations entirely new. Paid Rigg (a Smith) #2 10s.; Mr Oram (Scene Painter) on acct #30 by order Mr Lacy (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Paid to Sun Fire Office Insurance #15; Paid for a poker and shovel 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [This policy was doubltless similar to No 109085 dated 29 July 1747 issued to James Lacy and David Garrick Esq. Patentees of His Majesties Company of Comedians of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, for #4,000: "On the Goods and Furniture, Wardrobe Apparel, Machines and Scenes, not valued as pictures, in the House, Dressing Rooms, Wardrobe, and Scene Rooms, of the said Theatre Royal, adjoining togethe r and situate in Drury Lane aforesaid and not elsewhere, not exceeding #4,000...Note: Except such Loss and Damage as may happen by any Fire occasioned by means of any representation in any Play or Farce or in any Rehearsal of the same." (From copy of original policy, by courtesy J. A. Miller, Esq. General Manager, Sun Insurance Office Ltd., sent me in ltr. dated 5 July 1951.)] Receipts: #110 (Cross). #104 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: With proper scenes, Machines, &c. [This is the Dryden-Davenant version.] Paid G. Garrick balance of his bill #6 13s.; Christmas Box to ye Beadle 3s. 6d.; Mr Norton 5 chorus #1 5s.; Xmas Jury #1 1s.; Mr Madden for an Embroidered Coat and a velvet suit of Cloaths #12 (Treasurer's Book). [This month was published A Dissertation on Comedy (by John Hippisley, Jr) in which the Rise and Progress of that Species of the Drama is particularly considered and deduced from the earliest to the present age. By a Student of Oxford. Printed for T. Lowndes (Gentleman's Magazine, Register of Books). The "Student of Oxford" seems to have been a Garrick apologist in the extreme: "But whatever reason there may have been formerly for this complaint [the immorality of the stage] since Mr Garrick's management the Stage is become the school of manners and morality: Ribaldry and Profaneness are no longer tolerated, Sense and Nature exert their influence; Pantomime daily declines, Dancers are but little encouraged; the Burletta performs to empty benches, and the British can now vie with the Athenian Drama when in its severest state of purity" (p. 15). Also, from the same source, Reflections on that Species of Dramatic Writing which it improperly call'd Serious Comedy: from the French of M Maillet du Boulley.] Receipts: #120 (Cross); #126 3s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for a Citizen in Distress. Benefit for Mr Buss. Cash #47 1s. 6d. plus tickets #46 19s. Total income #94 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Tickets to be had at Pinchbeck's Toy Shop, in the Haymarket; the Mitre, Union St., Westminster; The Rummer, Charing Cross, the Gentleman and Porter, Fleet St.; Mr Dickenson, Printseller, Fleet St., Doctor's Commons Coffee House; the Dog Tavern, Garlick Hill; the Three Tuns Aldgate; and of Hobson at the stage door. Tomorrow, the Merchant of Venice, for the Benefit of a Young Gentlewoman under misfortunes, by the bankruptcy of her Guardian (General Advertiser). Receipts: #93 (Cross); charges, #80 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. Benefit for Mlle Auretti. King an Princess Emilia [attended] (Cross). Tickets and places to be had of Mlle Auretti at the second house on the left hand, the Corner Panton St., in Leicester Fields, and of Hobson at the stage door. [Pit and boxes laid together and Amphitheatre on stage, as on 10 March.] Paid salary list #203 7s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #280 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Tickets of Woodward at the corner of the Piazza in James St., Covent Garden, and of Hobson at the stage door. Servants will be allowed to keep Places on the Stage. Receipts: #170 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. Tickets of Yates next door to Mr Walsh's Music Shop, Catherine St., Strand and at stage door. Rec'd Cash #51 8s. 6d., plus #79 16s. from tickets. Total #131 4s. 6d. Paid Leviez by order Lacy #6 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #140 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Winstone and King. Tickets at Stage Door. Rec'd Cash #62 18s. 6d., plus #71 17s. from tickets. Total #134 15s. 6d. Paid King's Tax (Land) Windsor's House #10; Paid Mrs Swift for a suit of women's cloaths #12 14s. 6d.; Paid Knight (Lampman) month bill #7 8s. 6d.; Mrs Hobson a bill 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #150 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: OOccasional Prologue call'd for. Mr Griffith (Son of Griffith an Actor in Ireland) play'd Barnwell: Toll: [erable] (Cross). This day at Noon will be publish'd and sold by the proprietor and the print shops, two portraits of those celebrated Comedians, Mr Woodward and Mrs Clive, in the characters of the Fine Gentleman and Lady in Lethe (as they are to perform them tonight, at Drury Lane) curiously engraved (in Miniature) from Original drawings of the same size. By J. Brooks, Engraver of Silver and Copper plate. N.B. The above prints may be had together or separate (General Advertiser).Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Garrick's New Occasional Prologue publish'd this day in the papers, ending with "Sacred to Shakespeare was this spot designed,@ To pierce the Heart and humanize the mind. But if an empty house...&c." Receipts: #15O (Cross)

Event Comment: Last Tuesday Signior Pasquali, Master of the Band of Music at the Theatre Royal, Mr Cibber and some other prominent players arriv'd from England to act the ensuing season [in Dublin]. Mrs Bland arriv'd [in Dublin] last Sunday from England and will appear tomorrow night in the character of Miranda in the Busy Body. Receipts: #180

Event Comment: Receipts: #40 (Cross). [The Epilogue Occasioned by the Two Occasional Prologues published in the General Advertiser. Fifty-one lines ending: @"No more shall either rack his brains to teaze ye@But let the Contest be who most shall please ye." [In the form of a story, mocking Garrick and Berry]: "Once on a time two boys were throwing dirt@A gentle youth was one, and one was somewhat pert.@Each to his Master with his tale retreated,@Who gravely heard their different parts repeated,@How Tom was rude, and Jack poor lad ill treated."

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Reviv'd not acted in 10 years. Afterpiece: Written by Mr Dryden. The Music composed by Dr Boyce. Proper Dances, Chorusses, &c....The Word of the Masque will be deliver'd gratis at the doors (General Advertiser). Play not much lik'd and ye Masque greatly dislik'd (Cross). Receipts: #120 (Cross)