Event Comment: MMr Foote play'd
Buck &
Miss Macklin Lucinda, --went off tol: ye Girl was lik'd-she sung in ye Character
Aly Croky--fine, --& danc'd a Minuet--well (
Cross). [Foote was engaged as an actor for a certain number of nights and made
his 1st appearance on t
his evening-he spoke a
Prologue written by
Garrick which was encored every night
Genest, IV, 380).
The Prologue was printed in
the Public Advertiser on 29 Oct. suggesting
the many sources of laughter on stage as
they appealed to various parts of
the House, pointing fun at Foote, and closing with
his mock, humble statement: @"Many my passions are, tho' one my view@
They all concenter--in
the pleasing you.'@ It also contained information about a specialty performer on
the Cello,
Monsieur Cervetti, and
his reception by
the upper galleries: @"...In like extremes your laughing humour shows@Have ye not roar'd from Pit to upper Rows@And all
the jest was, What? a Fiddler's nose..."@
The person here meant is M Cervetti, who has been a standing joke with
the upper gallery for a long time past, on account of
the length of
his nose: but as I am inform'd, that no feature of
his Mind is out of proportion, unless it be that
his good qualities are extraordinary, I take t
his opportunity to mention that it is cruel to render him uneasy in
the Business, in which he is eminent, and by which he must gain
his livlihood." See identical comment in
Gray's Inn Journal, 27 Oct. A puff for Miss Macklin appeared in Gray's Inn Journal, 20 Oct.] Receipts: #190 [Cross)