Event Comment: Benefit for Devisse. Tickets to be had of Devisse at the Distiller's, the corner of the little Piazza, Covent Garden, and at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd for the 28th of March will be taken. Being positively the last time of performing the mainpiece this season. Receipts: #80 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Widow Reinhold and her four small children in great distress. Tickets at Mrs Reinhold's at his house, the Green Door in Little Chapel St., and of Hobson at the stage ooor. Being posivitively the last time of performing this season. A Gift Day for ye Wid: Reinhold & 4 Small Children (Cross). Receipts: #101 (Cross)

Event Comment: No alterations were made in the farce, but cutting out a little, & it was play'd with great Applause, & given out again with great Clapping. Benefit for Mr Worsdale (Cross). Tickets to be had at the Bedford Coffee House. Part of Pit laid into boxes. We hear that Miss Bellamy, belonging to Drury Lane Theatre, was taken ill on Sunday last, and continues very much indispos'd. Receipts: #230 (Cross)

Event Comment: A little hissing at ye farce (Cross). Mainpiece: Acted but once this season. Publish'd, Miscellaneous Observations on Hamlet, &c. 1s. [Contains a thoroughly Neo-Classical Preface and twenty-seven notes on passages in the play. Concerning the Gravedigger's Scene: This incoherent absurdity will forever remain an indelible blot in the character of our poet; and warn us no more to expect perfection in the work of a mortal, than sincerity in the breast of a female.] Receipts: #110 (Cross)

Event Comment: A little hissing during the farce, & at the End ye Audience call'd, no more &c.--& insisted upon another farce being given out wch Mr Blakes did--farewell Taste (Cross). The Book of the Entertainment will be sold in the theatre, and at R. Francklin's in Russel Street, Covent Garden (playbill). [The publication of Taste was dedicated to Francis Delaval, and includes in prefatory remarks Foote's distinction between Comedy and Farce: As the follies and absurdities of men are the sole objects of Comedy, so the powers of Imagination (Plot and Incident expected) are in this kind of writing greatly restrainded. No unnatural assemblages, no creatures of the fancy can procure the protection of the Comic Muse; men and things must appear as they are. To Farce greater liberties are permitted. I look upon Farce to hold the same rank in drama that Burlesque does in other poetry. It is employed either in debasing lofty subjects, or in raising humble ones.'] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of his Majesty. [The Assembly at the Temple of Taste in the Five Bell's tavern (see 20 Feb.) received a puff this day: 'On Thursday Night there was a brilliant appearance of Ladies and Gentlemen, at the opening of the Temple of Taste, who express'd much Satisfaction at the entertainment they met with, which was not only instructive, but extremely polite and pleasing; if any Complaint was made, it was that (nothwithstanding is lasted full three hours) instead of being tir'd with the Performance, as at many Publick exhibitions, they seem'd to think they had too little of it; As we are always glad to embrace any Opportunity of shewing our zeal for the Service of the Publick, we can but applaud an Undertaking than which nothing appears more rational and better calculated for the general good" (General Advertiser).

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. Last time of performing Mainpiece this season. Tickets to be had of Mrs Ward, next door to the Chapel in Little Wild-Street, near Drury Lane; and at the Stage Door of the Theatre, where places for the boxes may be taken. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Lee. Afterpiece: Never acted there, altered from Fielding. Full prices. No building on Stage.Tickets at Mr Reynolds Crane Co., Little Russell St. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sowdon. No building on the stage on account of the Coronation. [With] The Death of the Duke of Buckinghamv; the Tryal and Divorce of Queen Catherinev; The Death of Cardinal Wolseyv; the Christening of Princess Elizabethv; and many other historical passages. Tickets to be had of Sowdon, next door to the Black Lyon, in Little Russel-St., Covent Garden; at Will's Coffee House in Cornhill; at Mr Thomas Sowdon's in Blackman St., Southwark, and at the stage door. Mainpiece: Not acted in 6 years [see 1 Jan. 1746]. Receipts: #230 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs James and Miss Minors. No building on stage. Tickets of Mrs James at her lodgings at Mr Saunder's Carpenter, in Little Wild St., Lincoln's Inn Fields; Miss Minors' at Mr Nicholl, a Baker in Catherine St., and at stage door. An Information was given to Henry Fielding, Esq; that a Set of Barber's apprentices, journeymen staymakers, maid-servants, &c. had taken a large Room at the Black Horse in the Strand, to act the tragedy of The Orphan; the Price of Admittance One Shilling. About eight o'clock the said Justice issued his warrant, directed to Mr Welch, High Constable, who apprehended the said actors, and brought them before the said Justice, who, out of compassion to their youth, only bound them over to their good behavior. They were all conducted through the streets in their Tragedy Dresses, to the no small Diversion of the Populace. (General Advertiser). Receipts: #138 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cross, Prompter, Mrs Cross, and Son. N.B. Mr Cross takes the liberty to inform the Ladies and Get&ntlemen who intend to honour him with their company, that his constant Attendance upon the Business of the theatre, will hinder him from applying to them in person, and therefore hopes to receive their commands at his house in Crown Court, Little Russel-Street, Covent Garden, or at the Stage Door of the theatre, where Tickets and Places are to be had for his benefit. Receipts: #156 (Cross)

Event Comment: [TThe Silent Woman a little Hiss'd (Cross). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward said--I have been getting you (to Bayes) a fine parcel of Monsters, & they have knock'd me down & taken 'em from me--(thinking of the late Dispute) a little hissing &c. but it went off--Great Applause all thro'. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Written by Dr Young-the Profits of ye Author for a Charity-Went off wth Great Applause, only a little Laughin, at Simson (Dymas) for his Dress, or manner, I cant tell (Cross). Mainpiece: Never Acted Before. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Dr New Dress'd & in a New Manner with a Prologue by ye old Dr to introduce the New by the Author of the Hilliad. The Prologue was forbid by the Licencer, & struck out of the bills, but by Mistake was left in ye News; a great noise for it, Woodward said; as he had face to study, he had not time to do it--more Noise--I went on--& told 'em the Prologue was forbid--Noise still--Woodward went on & said it was forbid by L@or@d Chamberlain--it cool'd a little but when he came on dress'd like Dr Hill, it began again, & so ye farce ended (Cross). Benefit for Mr Woodward. Part of Pit laid into Boxes, and Stage commodiously built in form of an Amphitheatre. Boxes and Stage 5s. Ladies send servants by 3. Tickets to be had of Woodward in Great Piazza, Covent Garden; and at Stage Door. This day publish'd The Chaplet at 6d. a Musical entertainment as performed at Drury Lane. Receipts: #330 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Blakes and Mrs James. Mainpiece: Acted but once these three years. Tickets to be had of Blakes at his House in Duke's Court, near Broad Court, Bow St. Covent Garden; of Mrs James in Little Wild St., Lincoln's Inn Fields; and at stage door. Receipts: #270 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for my Self & Wife, Miss Thomas had Tickets (Cross). Last time for mainpiece this season. Tickets of Cross at his house in Crown Court, Little Russel St., Covent Garden. Receipts: #195(Cross)

Event Comment: To begin exactly at 6:00 o'clock. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be had of Mr Varney at the Stage door. [Repeated throughout the season.] Ye Naturalizing Bill having made some Noise against the Jews, some people call'd out for ye Merchant of Venice, & a Letter was thrown upon ye Stage desiring that play instead of the Opera, but we took no Notice of it, some little hissing but it dy'd away (Cross). [Sometime in the calendar year 1753, Lacy and Garrick drew up a mortgage on the Drury Lane property for #10,000, to be amortized to James Clutterbuck over a period of twenty-one years at the rate of #4 per acting night, and permission to grant free seats in any part of the theatre (except the stage, scenes and orchestra) to forty persons. These latter to be named and seats assigned ten days prior to the opening of any season. This thirteen-page document, which describes accurately the bounds of the 13,134 square feet of land on which the ten buildings comprising Drury Lane Theatre stood, contains protective clauses for Clutterbuck, to the effect that Garrick and Lacy will exhibit nowhere else in London without the #4 nightly payment and for Garrick and Lacy, to the effect that arrears in payment could be collected solely from Drury Lane property, and not from the individual incomes of the mortgagees. It was not signed, so apprently was not executed. (See Havard, Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of Drury Lane, No 2, fMS, Thr 12.)] Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Cowper did Sylvia, for her first appearance here (she came from Bath, Richmond &c.)-Toll. Afterpiece as originally perform'd (Cross) [i.e., without the burlesque scenes of The Fair (see 6 Nov. 1752).] This piece [Harlequin Ranger] was now acted as originally written. It is surprising that Mr Garrick should be the first to introduce Pantomime Entertainments (this season) especially as his own universal talents are seconded by a good company of performers. We suppose he does it to gratify the taste of the town; but such Smithfield exhibitions should certainly be banish'd from all regular theatres; and as Mr Woodward is an excellent comedian, it would be more eligible in him if he chuses to wear the motley dress any more to appear in the character of a speaking Harlequin, after the manner of the Italian Comedy; and indeed it is not a little surprising that nothing of this kind has yet been admitted upon our stage (Gentleman's Magazine, Oct., p. 493, from Grays' Inn Journal, 13 Oct. 1753.). Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: [L+Letter to Miss Nossiter on Her First Appearance, pub. at 1s. praises her "natural acting" and analyses the character of Juliet as a most appropriate one for beginners: "In the First act she hath scarce anything to say; which affords her some breathing time to recover the confusion, into which her first appearance, before so awful an assembly must naturally throw her." Criticizes a supposed rival for planting herself full against her, as if with an intent by the superior force of her effrontery to stare away the little degree of Courage" Miss Nossiter had left. Her youth and freshness required no paint, so her color came and went as the passion required it, no small addition to the impression of natural acting. She is never inattentive on stage. She feels what others say as much as what she speaks herself. The Author gives practically a speech by speech account of her part, describing her gesture, action, and modulation of voice minutely. Concludes by pointing the reader's attention to Otway's contribution to the Garrick version which was played then at both houses. Praises Barry for instructing Miss Nossiter and bringing her to the stage. Hopes Garrick will refrain from attacking her in his papers, The Craftsman and Gray's Inn Journal, because she will one day become such an ornament to the stage, that I shall be proud to own myself the first who publicly displayed her merit.' Hers is the greatest real first attempt made by man or Woman on the stage, within these 40 years." See also 1 Nov.

Event Comment: fterpiece] hiss'd a little (Cross). Receipts: #160 [Cross)

Event Comment: FFoote play'd Ben , Miss Macklin Miss Prue , Mrs Clive Mrs Frail . Foote cou'd not sing ye Song in Ben, so said two or three times, I can't do it & upon a little Hissing, said, Gentlemen I have no talents for singing-ye whole play Hum (Cross). [Opposed to Cross's summary of the effect of the performance appeared in Gray's Inn Journal the Murphy account (19 Jan.): The excellent Comedy of Love for Love has been revived here this week, the humorous and diverting Part of Ben, the sailor, was performed with great pleasantry by Mr Foote, who showed by his manner and his looks, that he had entered into the secret of the character, tho' twas visible at the same time, that his powers were greatly suppressed by his solicitude for his first appearance in a new character. It may be said of Miss Macklin, tho perhaps better qualified for spirited genteel comedy, that she acquitted herself with great applause in a part in which Mrs Clive has displayed so many inimitable strokes of humour."] Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs James and Miss Haughton. Tickets of Miss Haughton at a Grocer's, the corner of Broad Court, Bow St., Covent Garden, and of Mrs James at Mr Dale's Watch-maker in Little Wild St., and at the Stage Door. Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Widow Vince (Cross). Tickets at Temple-Exchange Coffee House; Fleet St.; Mr Hanson's, Poulterer, Corner Fleet Market; the Cock at Temple Bar, and at Stage Door (playbill). This night Mr Foote open'd an Oratory against Macklin at ye little Haymarket House--great crowd-great Applause (Cross). Receipts: #190 (Cross)

Event Comment: In a Few Days will be publish'd at 1s. (as it is perform'd at Drury Lane) The Winter's Tale: A Dramatic Pastoral in three acts, from Shakespeare. With proper Music, Songs,Dances, and Decoration. Printed for J. and R. Tonson. This Day publish'd The Winter's Tale, a Play alter'd form Shakespeare, by C. Marsh: @Think'st thou, the Swan of Avon spreads her Wings,@Her brooding wings, for thee alone, to plume@And nestle there, O Garrick? Thou deserv'st@Indeed much cherishing; thy Melody@Charms every ear. But sure it ill beseems@One Cygnet thus to stretch its little pinions,@Ambitiously intent, to fill that nest,@Whose roomy limits well may shelter numbers.@ Printed for C. Marsh, at Cicero's Head, in Round Court in the Strand. Receipts: #160 (Cross)