Event Comment: The Portledge Papers, 19 June 1697: On Thursday last in the neighbourhood of Somerset house in the evening was a great entertaynment of Musick and singing in so much as that part of the Strand was so crouded with coaches and sedans that I having occasion to goe that way could hardly Pass and I heard it reported that it was designed for the Prince of Wales birthday but the Lord Feversham hearing of it put it off till Thursday (ed. S. J. Kerr and I. C. Duncan, London, 1928, p. 261)

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: James Brydges, Diary: I went to Tom's Coffee house, where I met Mr Marshall, he told me of Capt. Hill being kill'd by Ld Mohun, from hence I went to Wills, where I met Dr Davenant, I staid here almost half an hour, & coming home by ye way stopt & just lookt in at ye Playhouse being about seven a clock (Huntington MS St 26)

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: Lady Marow to Arthur Kay, 12 March 1699@1700: The Way of the World, Congreve's new play doth not answer expectation, there being no plot in it but many witty things to ridicule the Chocolate House, and the fantastical part of the world (HMC, 15th Report, Appendix, Dartmouth MSS., Part I, p. 145). John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 12 March: Congreves New Play has had but moderate success; though it deserves much better (Letters of John Dryden, p. 134)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. That this day was the premiere is implied by the Post Boy, 6-9 July 1700: This Day at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane, will be presented a New Comedy, never Acted before, called Courtship Alamode. Preface, Edition of 1700: This Play was so long expected e're it came into the World, that I'm oblig'd in Justice to my self, to excuse its appearance at at time when there were scarce Witnesses in Town of its Birth. It was enter'd in the other House [lif], where Mr Betterton did me all the Justice I cou'd indeed reasonably hope for. But that Example he gave, was not it seems to be follow'd by the whole Company, since 'tis known that Mr Bowman (I mention his Name to keep the reflection from other sharers) kept the first Character of my Play six weeks, and then cou'd hardly read six lines on't. How far that Way of management makes of late for the Interest and Honour of that House, is easie to be judg'd. Some who valu'd their reputations more, were indeed rarely or never absent. To these I gave my thanks; but finding that six or seven people cou'd not perform what was design'd for fifteen, I was oblig'd to remove it after so many sham Rehearsals, and in two days it got footing upon the other Stage [dl]. Where twas immediately cast to the best Advantage, and Plaid in less than twenty days. [In the Dedication Penkethman states that he saw the play into print after its being received well by the town.] A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1700), pp. 104-5: Ramble: Courtship Alamode, the Author, one Crawford, a Caledonian. Sullen: I remember it, and its Adventures; it was enter'd into the New-House, at the Recommendation of a certain Scotch Lord, and sojourning there six Months to no purpose, it travell'd afterwards to the Old-House, where it was with much ado Acted. Ramble: And Damn'd-there I was in with you

Event Comment: London Post, 13-16 Dec.: There being a French Scaramouch Dance betwixt the second and third Acts, a certain Person went in a Frolick, Incognito, up into the upper Gallery, and so pelted the Dancers with Oranges, that they were forced to quit the Stage, and the Play-house was all in an Uproar; but some of the Auditory perceiving who threw them, cryed out, fling him down into the Pit, which so startled him, that he was forced to make the best of his way down Stairs; however, a Constable having been sent for in the mean time, he was secured. Preface to Ximena (1719): The Fop's Fortune lagg'd on the Fourth Day and only held up its Head by the Heels of the French Tumblers

Event Comment: Benefit Carnaby and Birkhead. The Stage Coach by Way of Prologue (at the Desire of several Persons of Quality)

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Lady Hervey to John Hervey, 26 April: Yesterday I dined with Lady Dalkeith, and she and Lady Katt: supd with me after the Opera, which was as full as ever I saw it at a subscription, but that was by way of party, in order to get it empty on Saturday (Hervey, I, 301)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Cross. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. [The Way of the World intended, but deferred by Indisposition of a Person who was to play a principal Part.] Receipts: #98 16s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit Husband. With all the Original Musick, Scenes, Machines, Habits and Dances proper to the Play. N.B. That Night (only) the Front of the Gallery will be adorn'd with the Original Pictures of several of our most celebrated Poetsv, particularly those who have been most excellent in the Dramatick Way, as Shakespear, Ben. Johnson, Fletcher, Dryden, &c. together with that of our English Orpheus, the late Mr Henry Purcell. Receipts: money #52 9s.; tickets #43 16s. See also The Censor, No. 73 (9 April) and No. 75 (13 April)

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 24 Jan.: Sir Walter Raleigh has been acted with Success; ...the Author, having, for his first Attempt in the Dramatick Way, shewn an uncommon Genius: The Diction seems to be extreamly just; the Sentiments noble; and, were it not for some Irregularities in working up the Catastrophe, it would be the best Tragedy that has appeared these many Years

Event Comment: [Text by N. F. Haym. Music by G. F. Handel.] By Command Pit and Boxes at half a guinea. Gallery 5s. At 6:30 p.m. When the Tickets are dispos'd of, No Persons will be admitted for Money. The Diary of Mary Countess Cowper, p. 154: At Night, Radamistus, a fine Opera of Handel's Making. The King there with his Ladies. The Prince in the Stage-box. Great Crowd. Mainwaring, Handel, pp. 98-99: If the persons who are now living, and who were present at that performance may be credited, the applause it received was almost as extravagant as his Agrippina had excited; the crowds and tumults of the house at Venice were hardly equal to those at London. In so splendid and fashionable an assembly of Ladies (to the excellence of their taste we must impute it) there was no shadow of form, or ceremony, scarce inoeed any appearance of order or regularity, politeness, or decency. Many, who had forc'd their way into the house with an impetuosity but ill-suited to their rank and sex, actually Fainted through the heat and closeness of it. Several Gentlemen were turned back, who had offered forty shillings for a seat in the gallery, after having despaired of getting any in the pit or boxes

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A new Burlesque Entertainment of Dancing. Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 30 March: The Managers of Drury-lane Theatre observing how successful Lincoln's-Inn-Fields has been in several Entertainments, in which the Character of a Harlequin has the principal Part, were resolv'd to cut them out, and therefore prepared...Blind Man's Bluff, to be perform'd by no less than eight Harlequins; for, in their Way of Reasoning, eight Harlequins must divert much better than one; the Thing was so ridiculous there was no Musick to be heard but Hissing. [For an essay on the improvement of the stage, see Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 16 March.

Event Comment: At about 11 a Clock at Mrs Lee's@great@Booth on the Green in Southwark, happen'd a very sad Accident: The Gallery over the Stage not being thoroughly secured, gave way, when between Twenty and Thirty People fell with it....It is high Time for Authority to interpose, to suppress those Nurseries of Lewdness, if so little Care is taken that those who resort to their Entertainments, must be in Jeopardy.--Parker's Penny Post, 13 Sept

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Congreve. Daily Post, 18 Sept,: Mrs Oldfield...who was dangerously ill, is in a fair Way of Recovery

Event Comment: Third piece: an entire New Act [introduced into Tom Thumb, By T. Cooke]. Daily Journal, 30 Nov.: Whereas it hath been advertised, that an entire New Act, called, The Battle of the Poets, is introduced into the Tragedy of Tom Thumb; This is to assure the Town, that I have never seen this additional Act, nor in any ways concerned therein. Henry Fielding

Event Comment: Composed by Mr Handel. With all the Grand Chorus's, Scenes, Machines, and other Decorations, being the first Time it ever was performed in a Theatrical Way. Pit and Boxes at 5s. Gallery 2s. 6d. 7 p.m

Event Comment: [Prince of Wales and Princess Amelia present.] Lord Hervey to Henry Fox, 2 Nov.: No place is full but the Opera; and Farinelli is so universally liked, that the crowds there are immense. By way of public spectacles this winter, there are no less than two Italian Operas, one French play house, and three English ones. Heidegger has computed the expense of these shows, and proves in black & white that the undertakers must receive seventy-six thousand odd hundred pounds to bear their charges, before they begin to become gainers. Ilchester, Lord Hervey and his Friends, p. 211

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 12 Dec: Whereas, on Saturday last, the Audience . . . was greatly incens'd at their Disappointment in Mr Poitier and Madem Roland's not Dancing, as their Names were in the Bills for the Day; and Mr Quin, seeing no way to appease the Resentment then shewn, but by relating the real Messages sent from the Theatre, to know the Reasons why they did not come to perform, and the Answers return'd: And whereas there were two Advertisements in the Daily Post of Tuesday last, insinuating that Mr Quin had with Malice falsely accus'd the said Mr Poitier and Madem Roland, I therefore think it (in Justice to Mr Quin) incumbent on me to assure the Publick, that Mr Quin has conducted himself in this Point towards the Abovemention'd with the strictest regard to Truth and Justice; and as Mr Quin has acted in this Affair in my Behalf, I think myself oblig'd to return him Thanks for so doing. Charles Fletewood