Event Comment: Benefit for
Jones. A
Serenata. Books of which may be had at
the theatre. To begin at twelve o'clock promptly (
General Advertiser). To
the Publick: Walking in
St James's Park the o
ther day, I followed two young Gentlemen along
the Mall, and overheard one of
them say to
the o
ther, "shall we go and offer sacrifice to
the Manes of
Milton?" To which
the o
ther reply'd "with all my heart." I must own I had some curiosity to know in what t
his ceremony would consist, and determined to observe
them. I accordingly followed
them at some distance, into
Dodsley the Bookseler's in
Pall Mall; where to my great satisfaction I found that t
his most acceptable sacrifice was only an offering of Charity to
the Granddaughter of Milton; who on account of her age, her poverty, and her relation to that great Man, is to have a Benefit at
Drury Lane Theatre on Wednesday next. I willingly joined in
their devotions, and rejoice with
the Publick on
their having an opportunity of shewing
their gratitude and Veneration to a man whose Genius reflects a lustre on
the British Literature, and whose sentiments have added strength to
the British liberties; to an
author whose works have been
the delight of our Fa
thers, and will be
the Admiration of our sons: latest posterity; to an Englishman who is not only
the Glory of our Country, but
the Honour to Human Nature. T
his fair Opportunity of paying a respect to
his Memory (
the last of
the kind that can be offered to us, as
Mrs Foster is
the only surviving branch of
his family) must certainly be embraced with Eagerness and pleasure; all who have any pretence to an Elegant Taste, all lovers of Liberty, and every friend of
the Muses, will surely crowd to
the house on t
his distinguish'd night, and give at once an instance of
the politeness of
their manners, and
the goodness of
their hearts, I am, &c. A Lover of Milton (
General Advertiser)