Event Comment: Lacedemonian Mercury, 11 March 1691@2: Query 2. Whether the Town's receiving and coveting Love for Money, The Marriage-Hater Match'd, when at the same time The Plain Dealer and Sir Foplin Flutter rest untouch'd and unsoughtfor, be not Evidence of a very great declension in Common Sense?

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill--see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308-the regular company at Drury Lane resumed acting (after the summer vacation) on 11 Oct. 1696 and acted 200 times to 7 July 1697, after which the young actors played 58 days to 7 Oct. 1697

Event Comment: John Dryden to his sons, 3 Sept. 1697: After my return to Town, I intend to alter a play of Sir Robert Howards, written long since, & lately put by him into my hands: tis calld The Conquest of China by the Tartars. It will cost me six weeks study, with the probable benefit of an hunderd pounds. In the meane time I am writeing a Song for St Cecilia's feast, who you know is the Patroness of Musique. This is troublesome, & no way beneficiall: but I coud not deny the Stewards of the feast, who came in a body to me, to desire that kindness (Letters of John Dryden, p. 93)

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill--see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308--Rich's Company acted 161 days from 6 Oct. 1697 to 19 May 1698, 41 days from that date to 10 July 1698, and the young actors played 24 days from 10 July 1698 to 10 Oct. 1698

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill (see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308) Rich's Company acted 209 times from 9 Oct. 1698 to 9 July 1699, after which the young actors performed 27 times from 9 July 1699 to 10 Oct. 1699

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: About 5 my Coz: Roberts & I went to ye Playhouse in Covent Garden, but not liking ye play, wee went to that in Lincolns inn fields, & staid till 'twas done. I saw Ld Normanby, Ld Willouby, Sir Rich. Samford &c. here (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I set Mr Bullock down at ye Playhouse, & came home (Huntington MS St 26). John Dryden wrote to Mrs Steward on 23 Feb. [1699@1700, but possibly 1698@99, as the letter concerns theatrical affairs of the autumn and winter of 1698-99]: The Poem of The Confederates [see The Island Princess, November 1698] some think to be Mr Walsh: the copies are both lik'd. And there are really two factions of ladyes, for the two play-houses. If you do not understand the names of some persons mention'd I can help you to the knowledge of them. You know, Sir Tho. Skipwith is master of the play-house in Drury-Lane; and my Lord Scarsdale is the patron of Betterton's house, being in love with somebody there [presumably Anne Bracegirdle] (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 133)

Event Comment: According to Sir Edward Smith's bill (see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308) Rich's company acted 218 times between 6 Oct. 1699 and 26 July 1700, and the young actors played 15 times from 26 July 1700 to 12 Oct. 1700

Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to the Earl of Manchester, 25 Dec. 1699: Miss Evans the dancer at the New Playhouse is dead too; a feaver Slew her in eight and forty hours. She's much lamented by the Towne as well as the House, who can't well bare her loss; Matters running very low with 'em this Winter; if Congreve's Play [The Way of the World] don't help 'em they are undone. 'Tis a Comedy and will be play'd about Six weeks hence, nobody has seen it yet. Liveridge is in Ireland, he Owes so much money he dare not come over, so for want of him we han't had one Opera play'd this Winter; tho' Purcell has set one New One and Fingar another. We have got the Woman from the Chesire Cheese upon the Stage, who has the best Voyce for't by much that has been there at any time. We have the Emperors Crooaed Eunuch here, Francisco. They give him a hundred and twenty Guineas for five times. He has sung Once and was well likt. Dogget was here last Week, they gave him thirty pound to act Six times, which he did and fill'd the house every time (The Complete Works of Sir John Vanbrugh [Bloomsbury: Nonesuch Press, 1928], IV, 4)

Event Comment: Villiers Bathurst to Arthur Charlett, 28 Jan. 1699@1700: The Wits of all qualities have lately entertained themselves with a reviv 6: went to ye play. I staid there a quarter of an hour (Huntington MS St 26). The Wits of all qualities have lately entertained themselves with a revived humour of Sir John Falstaff in Henry the Fourth, which has drawn all the town, more than any new play that has bin produced of late; which shews that Shakespeare's wit will always last: and the criticks allow that Mr Betterton has hitt the humour of Falstaff better than any that have aimed at it before (G. Thorn-Drury, More Seventeenth Century Allusions to Shakespeare, [London, 1924], p. 48)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. James Brydges, Diary: About 6: he [Brydges' brother Henry] set me down at y- Playhouse in Lincolns inn fields, where I met Me Coke, Mr Hammond, & Sir Godfrey Coply: about 8: I came home (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Sir William Davenant; but Originally by the famous French Dramatick Poet Monsieur Moliere. [Genest, II, 352, surmises that the company probably acted Acts I, II, and V of The Playhouse to be Let.] Afterpiece: A Burlesque Farce

Event Comment: Philip Perceval to Sir John Perceval, 1 Feb.: The opera of Camilla has been one of the chief diversions of the town this long time, and business is forgot. Next week we expect a new one, and soon after another. One goes by Mr Addison's name; I think they call it Fair Rosamond, the other is Mr Clayton's undertaking. Great things are expected of them both. (Egmont MS, II, 215.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Rogers. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Tickets for Sir Fopling Flutter taken at this play

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. As it was altered from Shakespear by Sir Will. D'avenant, and the late Mr Dryden, Poets Laureat. With new Scenes, Machines, and all the Original Decorations proper to the Play