Event Comment: Paid one year's insurance to Xmas next #15 (Treasurer's Book). [Copies of the annual insurance policies were extant in the Sun Insurance Office, 63 Theadneedle St. London, E. C. 2, as of Dec. 1951.] Receipts: #134 8s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for the City of London Lying-In Hospital, Corner of the City Road in Old Street. Tickets deliver'd for the Clandestine Marriage, and the 22nd instant will be taken. Charges: #81 5s. Profit to Hospital #23 6s., plus #111 14s. from tickets (Box 293; Pit 171; Gallery 128). Paid Palmer (wax chandler) #144 8s. Receipts: #104 11s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. The tragedy of King Henry II cannot be performed, on account of the indisposition of Miss Miller. Paid Mr Nix the balance for London Lying In Hospital #23 6s.; Paid Garton balance for Theatrical Fund, #89 4s. 6d.; Paid Mr Helme the balance for the Discharge of persons imprison'd for small debts #4 5s. Receipts: #129 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Lusignan by Mr G. as Usual very fine (Hopkins Diary). [Judgment confirmed by statement in London Chronicle, 14 Oct.] The Comedy of As You Like It, obliged to be deferred. Paid a cotton bill #2 11s. 4d. Receipts: #219 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by R. B. Sheridan] never perform'd. New Scenes and Dresses. [Gentleman's Magazine for Jan. states: "Tuesday 17, Was performed for the first time at Covent Garden a comedy call'd The Rivals, said to be written by Mr Sheridan. Some objections being made both to language and character, the author has thought proper to withdraw his piece for correction, and it has since been played with applause." See 18 and 28 Jan. The Westminster Magazine, Jan., remarked: "This comedy was acted so imperfectly, either from the timidity of the actors on a first night's performance, or from an improper distribution of parts, that it was generally disapproved....The author promised some alterations, which implied that he would be glad the Town would suspend judgment till a farther hearing" See 28 Jan. John Hampden quotes from Lloyd's Evening Post, 18 Jan., the Morning Chronicle and Morning Post of the same date, and the London Chronicle of 19 Jan. articles damning the casting and the imperfectness of the actors, the impudence of Shuter in particular, and the fatigue of the audience.

Event Comment: Benefit for Clinch. Doors opened at half past 5. Play to begin at Half an Hour after 6. [Afterpiece written by Sheridan for Clinch, traditionally in gratitude for his saving The Rivals from damnation. (See Thomas Moore's Life of Sheridan [London, 1825], I, 148). The Westminster Magazine for May adds to cast: Irish Corporal-Fox; Soldiers-$Davies, $Wewitzer, Chaplin, and reviews the piece briefly: St Patrick's day is replete with broad humor, homely jests, and extravagant caricature. The language in general shewed the author a man of honour and observation; the situations were whimsical and produced that mirth which the audience in the Prologue were invited to partake of....The jests were occasionally too low and vulgar, and his scene too extravagantly absurd. The main drift of the Prologue was to tell the Audience that a fine Spring impeded the theatrical harvest; and that at this season the benefits of Nature were the greatest enemies to the Performer's Benefits."

Event Comment: Benefit for City of London Lying In Hospital, Old Street Road

Event Comment: The Provoked Husband and Rival Candidates was given out for Tuesday. On Sunday Morning Mrs Yates sent word she was ill and could not play--sent to Miss Younge, and she sent word that she was ill in bed--King sent word he had a sore Throat, and could not play--so that we could do no Play but the Committee and Rival Candidates. On Monday the Managers met, but nothing was settled. At twelve o'clock Mrs Baddeley sent word she had a sore Throat, and could not play in the Riv[al] Can[didates] (Hopkins Diary). The Hypocrite and The Christmas Tale are obliged to be deferred. "[Smith] has a good figure, is gentlemanlike, and decent in everything he undertakes. When we allow that, we have said all; he wants both feeling to be affected, and powers to convey his feelings, if he had them. In fine, in spite of all the partiality of his friends, or the ignorant prejudices of those who never judge but at second hand, his performance of Richard was little more than a strong union of judgement and industry, unaided by nature. He should woo genteel Comedy oftener; and not that coy sister of hers, who certainly holds Smith at the point of her lance" (London Magazine, Oct. 1776, p. 511). Receipts: #186 18s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for the City of London Lying-in Hospital. Mrs Greville-Indiana--$Miss Younge being ill (Hopkins Diary). Public Advertiser, 4 Dec.: Tickets to be had at the Hospital, in Oldstreet Road. Receipts: #253 9s. (70.14; 0.0; 0.0; tickets: 182.15) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: The Last Time [i.e. Season] of its ever being exhibited in London. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. Mainpiece: Never acted there. Interlude [1st time; INT 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 433; synopsis of plot in London Chronicle, 5 May]. Public Advertiser, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Wilson at his House in Tavistock-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #187 1s. (87.8; tickets: 99.13) (charge: #67 5s.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick. Epilogue by George Colman elder (London Chronicle, 9 May). Text 1st published (unauthorized), Dublin, 1780]: With New Scenes and Dresses. "No modern theatrical piece ever met with a fuller success, nor deserved it more... The performers deserve every sort of commendation for their spirited exertion in supporting the respective characters, especially Smith, King and the incomparable Mrs Abington" (Gazetteer, 9 May). "To my great astonishment there were more parts performed admirably in The School for Scandal than I almost ever saw in any play. Mrs Abington was equal to the first of her profession, Yates (the husband), Parsons, Miss Pope, and Palmer, all shone. It seemed a marvellous resurrection of the stage. Indeed, the play had as much merit as the actors. I have seen no comedy that comes near it since The Provoked Husband" (Walpole [13 July 1777], X, 82). Receipts: #224 10s. (215.12.0; 8.14.6; 0.3.6)

Event Comment: ['The scene of the tent...was judiciously managed with regard to the lighting it withinside the tent only' (London Chronicle, 9 Aug.)