Event Comment: In a letter to the Daily Post. 4 June, the Patentees of Drury Lane-Mary Wilks, John Ellys, Hester Booth, and John Highmore-stated the cast of the Patentees. The gist of their statement is: (1) They operate under a Patent commencing 1 Sept. 1732 which, by Deaths and Legal Assignments, is the property of the four, with Highmore possessing one half, at an expence of #6,000 and upwards. (2) Several of the Players have threatened to desert the service of the Patentees and have contracted with some of the Trustees (the Sharers) to secure possession of the Theatre. (3) Drury Lane is let upon lease from the Duke of Bedford, granted to Thomas Kynaston and Francis Stanhope, Trustees for the Sharers (commonly called Renters) of Drury Lane at the rent of #50 annually upon a Fine of 1,000 guineas paid for the renewal of the lease. (4) The Players, under the Patentees, have acted at Drury Lane for twenty-one years without any interruption form the Trustees upon the sole contract that the Patentees pay the Trustees #3 12s. each acting night, besides the Liberty of seeing Plays. (5) At the beginning of this Season the manager's office received a letter from a few of the Renters demanding an Advance of Rent. Highmore, being new, was concerned, and asked the managers to take care of the matter; and thereafter the signers (the Patentees) had heard of no further discontent among the Renters. (6) To defend themselves against stories of hardship or complaint by the actors, the Patentees point out that the following weekly salaries had been paid: Colley Cibber #12 12s.; Theophilus Cibber #5; Mills Sr, #1 daily for 200 days certain, and a benefit, clear of all charges; Mills Jr #3; Johnson #5; Miller #5; Harper #4; Griffin #4; Shepard #3; Hallam, for himself and his father, the latter of little or no service, #3; Mrs Heron #5; Mrs Butler #3. For these charges and others, the Patentees stand a daily expence of #49 when the theatre is open. (7) Further, the Patentees paid Cibber Jr his wife's whole salary without her being able to act the greater part of the winter, #9 weekly for the two; Mills Jr, in the same circumstances with his wife, #5 10s. weekly for the two; Miller a salary (amounting to #40) for eight weeks before he acted, and a gratuity of ten guineas; Griffin a present of ten guineas; Harper a present, amount not specified; Mrs Heron an increase form 40s. to #5 weekly, although she refused afterward to play several parts assigned her and acted but seldom

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Show. By John Tatham. The author mentions as his assistants: Andrew Dakers and William Lightfoot, painters; Thomas Whiting, joyner; and Richard Clear, carver

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known. The January issue of the Gentleman's Journal, wnich did not appear until some time in February, stated: Mr Congreve...hath written a Comedy, which will be acted in a little time, and is to be call'd, The Old Batchelor (p. 28). The Gentleman's Journal, February 1692@3 (issued in March 1693): The success of Mr Congreve's Old Batchelor has been so extraordinary, that I can tell you nothing new of that Comedy; you have doubtless read it before this, since it has been already printed thrice. And indeed the Wit which is diffus'd through it, makes it lose but few of those Charms in the Perusal, which yield such pleasure in the Representation. Mr Congreve will in some time give us another play; you may judge by this how acceptable it will be (p. 61). In addition, a reference in the Epilogue indicates that it was produced during Lent, ano since the third edition was advertized in the London Gazette, No. 2856, 23-27 March 1693, early March seems the most likely date for the premiere. According to The Female Wits (ca. 1696), The Old Batchelor was acted fourteen days successively. John Barnard of Yale University states that Narcissus Luttrell's copy of The Old Batchelor in the Newberry Library bears the notation: "10d Mar. 16 1692@3." BM Add. Mss. 4221 (341) Memoirs Relating to Mr Congreve Written by Mr Thomas Southern (in Macdonald, Bibliography of Dryden, p. 54n): When he began his Play the Old Batchelor haveing little Acquaintance with the traders in that way, his Cozens recommended him to a friend of theirs, who was very usefull to him in the whole course of his play, he engag'd Mr Dryden in its favour, who upon reading it sayd he never saw such a first play in his life, but the Author not being acquainted with the stage or the town, it woud be pity to have it miscarry for want of a little Assistance: the stuff was rich indeed, it wanted only the fashionable cutt of the town. To help that Mr Dryden, Mr Arthur Manwayring, and Mr Southern red it with great care, and Mr Dryden putt it in the order it was playd, Mr Southerne obtained of Mr Thos. Davenant who then governd the Playhouse, that Mr Congreve should have the privilege of the Playhouse half a year before his play was playd, wh. I never knew allowd any one before. The music for the play was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), iii-v

Event Comment: Benefit Thomas and John Baston. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit Thomas and John Baston. At 6 p.m. Tickets 2s. 6d. [The discontinuance of The Spectator on 6 Dec. caused an interruption in the advertisement of plays until 10 Dec.

Event Comment: The first of Twelve Grand Concerts. In Daily Courant, 9 Jan., proposals had been issued for setting up by subscription a monthly concert for the first Wednesday of each month. There were never to be fewer than three of the best singers and nineteen performers in all. Each subscriber was to pay to Trustees John Shipton and Thomas Ives one guinea for a year. The concerts were to begin when there were 350 subscribers. On this date 100 subscriptions had been received

Event Comment: Benefit a Gentleman who has wrote for the Stage. [Professor John B. Shipley of the University of Colorado has called to my attention a letter written by James Ralph to Thomas Birch, dated 14 February 1741, in which he states that this benefit is to be for Ralph. See B.M. Add. MSS. 4317, fol. 94.

Event Comment: A New Opera [a pasticcio, Metastasio text altered by Rolli, form Pergolesi's Olimpiade, 1735 (Loewenberg, Annals of Opera, I, 183)]. Music by Pergolesi, Scarlatti, Lampugnani. L. Leo, F. Leo [libretto in L. C.]. Two of the principal Performers being greatly indispos'd, the Dancers are oblig'd to be deferr'd. Thomas Gray to John Chute, 24 May: Our fifth Opera was the Olimpiade, in which they retain'd most of Pergolesi's Songs & yet 'tis gone already, as if it had been a poor thing of Galuppi's. Two nights did I enjoy it all alone, snugg in a Nook in the Gallery, but found no one in those regions had ever heard of Pergolesi, nay, I heard several affirm it was a Composition of Pescetti's.-Gray, Correspondence, I, 203

Event Comment: This day publish'd at 3s. Printed on Five sheets of superfine paper, Five Principal Scenes in Romeo and Juliet, designed, drawn, and engraved by Mr Ant. Walker. Printed and sold by John Tinney, at the Golden Lion in Fleet St. The drawing and Engraving of the three following Plays of Shakespeare are in great forwardness, and the scenes of each play will be sold at a time: 1 Henry IV, 2 Henry IV, Merry Wives. These plates will serve for Mr Pope's edition of Shakespeare in quarto, Sir Thomas Hanmer's edn. 6 Vol. quarto, or for any of the Folio editions. And may be framed and glazed for furniture. There will be a few sets neatly coloured for Gentlemen and Ladies who chuse them so (Public Advertiser). [A set of these prints is available in the Folger Shakespeare Library. The Five Principal Scenes were: The scene in Capulet's Housev where Romeo kisses Juliet 's hand; the Balcony Scenev ; the scene in which Friar Lawrence hurries the young couple off to be married; the Apothecary scenev ; and the death scenev . If, as may be, these scenes were taken from--as they were certainly stimulated by--the Barry-Nossiter production, they may present a good likness of Maria Isabella Nossiter, who so captivated London that season. If, also, they were taken from the theatre production, they give evidence that Barry used a balcony, not only a window.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Last Time of performing it. Receipts: #153 14s. 6d. Barry's 113 of surplus came to #24 11s. 6d. Paid George Lambert (scene painter) 3 months' salary #25. The following additional Renters came in this night at 1 share each: Thomas Fludyer, John Calcraft, Charles Lanoe, and Samuel Berkeley. Richard Vincent Sr bought in at 2 shares (Account Book)

Event Comment: Ode [1st time; composed by Thomas Linley Jun. (see 18 Mar. 1778), text by John Hoadly]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds, based partly on Monsieur Thomas, by John Fletcher. Prologue by Robert Merry. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: With new Scenery, Dresses, &c. Public Advertiser, 24 Apr. 1793: This Day is published Notoriety (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #228 8s. (224.0; 4.8)

Event Comment: The Proprietor of this Theatre having informed us that a report has been recently circulated, highly injurious to this Building; we, in consequence of his request, beg leave to asure the Public that such report is unfounded. John Johnson, Mary-le-bone; James Paine, Northend, Hammersmith; Thomas Hardwicke, Rathbone Place; Robert Brettingham, Berkley-Square. Architects

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Holcroft, based on DER DEUTSCHE HAUSVATER, by Otto Heinrich Freiherr von Gemmingen. Prologue by the author and John Thelwall (Boaden, Kemble, II, 114). Epilogue by the author (Knapp, p. 263)]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Morning Chronicle, 18 Feb. 1794: This Day is published LOVE'S FRAILTIES (2s.). Oulton, 1796, II, 154: It was the first play published at the advanced price of 2s. [i.e. hitherto (since, at least, 1776) the price of full-length plays had been 1s. 6d.]. Receipts: #308 17s. 6d. (296/8/6; 12/9/0)