Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales (playbill). Prince of Wales and 6 more (Cross). Receipts: #210 (Cross). [Kemble's note in MacMillan suggests that Holland was ill so Garrick gave Moody 5 guineas to play Thyreus, actually his first appearance at dl.

Event Comment: N.B. Next Monday being Her Royal Highness The Princess Dowager of Wales's birthday, the Comic Opera Il Mercato will be deferred until Tuesday

Event Comment: [Afterpiece: With alterations and additions. News arrived of the death in Monaco of His Royal Highness Edward Augustus, Duke of York, next brother to His Majesty. Hopkins MS Notes: About eleven o'clock orders came from the Lord Chamberlain that the House must be stopt performing on account of the death of the Duke of York. --Fresh bills were printed and posted about the House that there would be no play that night. Neville MS Diary: Procured No. 5289 of the General Evening Post which contains my letter concerning the St. James' Company of Comedians. Glad to hear that the Lothario of that Company, the Infamous York, is called to that Tribunal where there is no respect of persons. Canceled

Event Comment: By Desire of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Benefit for Gardel. Tickets, half a guinea each, to be had of Gardel, No. 26, Margaret-street, Cavendish-square. 1st ballet: With entirely new Music, and a new Overture by Carter (Morning Herald, 25 May)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Bland as Ariel , but "Ariel was, on account of the sudden indisposition of Mrs Bland, read by Miss Heard" (Diary, 8 May). Miss Heard may also have substituted for Mrs Bland in the afterpiece.] Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Cobb, for whose authorship see Kemble Mem. Larpent MS 982; not published]. Public Advertiser, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing Cross. Receipts: #227 8s. (95.17; 7.5; tickets: 124.6) (charge: #90 2s. 6d.)

Event Comment: The original Music [of the TE DEUM] is in two Scores, MS., one of them in the possession of the King of Naples, and the other in that of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, by whose gracious condescension the use of this Score will be allowed for that night. The new Organ, built by Green (organ-builder to his Majesty) for the new Subscription Room, will be played upon this occasion by Greatorex. Boxes to be taken of Rice. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. No Money to be returned. The Doors to be opened at 7:00. To begin at 8:00

Event Comment: Under the Patronage of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. Benefit for Roselli. Tickets, 10s. 6d. each, to be had of Roselli, No. 6, King-street, St. James's-square

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for the Choral Fund, instituted for the Relief of their decayed Members, Widows and Orphans, under the Patronage of his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. The Band and Chorus will be select, and the Young Gentlemen of the Westminster Choir will assist. A New Organ, built by Lincoln, will be opened on this occasion. Boxes #S. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be had of Rice, at the Theatre

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several eminent Merchants and Persons of Distinction. Afterpiece: a new Pastoral Epithalamium. [Edition of 1733 lists no cast, states that it was written by a Gentleman, and prints the Prologue, which was written by Havard. A song, The Wedding Day, written by Henry Carcy, was sung in it by Master Osborne.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Afterpiece; We suppose it was reviv'd for the purpose of introducing a new scene, viz. a representation of the wonderful and surprizing feats lately performed at Stockwell in Surrey, by an invisible agent, who, we apprehend is very nearly related to the celebrated Cock-Lane Ghost of famous Memory. [See 28 Jan. 1762.] We cannot help considering it a lucky hit and we hope it will meet with encouragement, as the turning the transactions of the Stockwell Conjurer into ridicule may prevent that mysterious affair making improper impressions on the minds of the ignorant and superstitious. When considered in this light, the additional scene must be acknowledged to have merit, and, we confess, it is extremely well conducted to produce risibility (Theatrical Review, II, p. 85). [See notice of the additional scene 1 Feb. and see An Authentic...Narrative of the Astonishing Transactions at Stockwell...on the 6th and 7th days of January, 1772, containing a series of the most surprising...events that ever happened (London, 1772), with the cryptic comment upon it in the Gentleman's Magazine, Feb., p. 84, A new edition of the Cock-Lane Ghost, altered from the original of Miss Fanny, with additions but no amendments." The Gentleman's Magazine (Historical Chronicle for 6 Jan.) mentions the explosion of two powder-mills on Hounslow Heath: About the time explosion was felt at London, some families at Stockwell were terrified with the ratting and braking of their china, which they attributed to a preternatural cause. A Lady of fortune was so firmly Persuaded that some invisible agent was concerned, that she discharged her maid, whom she suspected of having an intercrouse with the wicked spirit; and when she was gone, as no mischief ensued, consoled herself that she had rid of so dangerous an intimate." See also bill for 8 Feb.] Rec'd from Condell on account of Fruit rent #20. Paid Dall on account of his salary #50 (Account Book). Receipts: #202 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: These pamphlets were printed in 1661. For further details of the affairs of the day, see Rugg's Diurnal, ed. Sachse, p. 175. See also Pepys

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not certain, but the Dedication speaks of its being acted two days and an order, L. C. 5@144, p. 29 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p.1 on), dated 14 Dec. 1680, banning it suggest that it was performed on 11 and 13 Dec. 1680. It is possible, however, that Tate's statements may refer to performances on 18 and 19 Jan. 1680@1. Dedication, Edition of 1681: For the two Days in which it was Acted, the Change of the Scene, Names of Persons, &c. was a great Disadvantage: many things were by this means render'd obscure and incoherent that in their native Dress had appear'd not only proper but gracefull. I call'd my Persons Sicilians but might as well have made 'em Inhabitants of the Isle of Pines. Henry Purcell composed the music for a song, "Retir'd from any mortal's sight." See Purcell, Works, The Purcell Society, XX (1916), ix-x

Event Comment: "It was with extreme regret that we perceived the ravages of time in the person of [Mrs Crawford, who had not acted in London since 12 Apr. 1785], tho' we were much consoled in observing that his influence is not equally apparent in her abilities...The blaze is gone, but there is a richness in the setting lustre...Kemble is evidently [Johnston's] model, and he followed him so closely, as even to the crossing of the legs in dying; so that where he was best, his efforts seemed to be the effect of imitation" (True Briton, 24 Oct.). "Mrs Crawford has had her day; but the sun of her genius has long sunk beneath the horizon...Many parts of her performance, we were sorry to observe, evinced the most evident decline of powers, and her tremulous accents, the debility of which was rendered the more striking from the want of several teeth, proclaimed that her days of play and action were nearly brought to a close...She was received with reiterated plaudits throughout...Nature has been very bountiful in supplying [Johnston] with a voice of much compass and melody, but he does not appear to have paid much attention to the cultivation of her favours. His transitions are often abrupt, and sometimes discordant; and the management of his tones is of so strange a nature that it appears more like two distinct voices than a judicious modulation of his natural accents" (Morning Herald, 24 Oct.). Receipts: #260 9s. (253.4.6; 7.4.6)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The exact date of this performance is not known, but the Prologue refers to "After a four Months Fast," suggesting that the theatre did not reopen until the end of the Long Vacation (24 Oct. 1681 is the beginning of Michaelmas Term). The Epilogue also seems to refer to events at Bartholomew Fair, and the Prologue to the King's visit to Newmarket, from which the King did not return until 12 Oct. 1681. Furthermore, The Impartial Protestant Mercury, No. 54, 28 Oct. 1681, reports: A Revised Play was some days since Acted on an Eminent Publick Theatre, and the Prologue is extreamly talked of. [The periodical reprints some of the lines (which are essentially those in the printed version).] The Loyal Protestant, No. 70, 29 Oct. 1681, refers to the same performance and reprints part of the Epilogue (which also is essentially that of the separately printed Epilogue). All of these elements point to a performance in mid-October. Both the Prologue and the Epilogue were printed separately, and have been reprinted by Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 43-45. Broadside copies of the Prologue and Epilogue in the Huntington Library bear Luttrell's manuscript notations that both were written by Dryden. Luttrell's date of acquisition is 13 Feb. 1681@2, an instance in which Luttrell's date of purchase does not apparently correspond closely to a date of performance

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Diana to Mrs Martyr, but "News of Mrs Martyr's husband's death having reached her the day before, an apology was made for her not playing Diana; Miss Wheeler, however, from the other house proved a very agreeable substitute" (.European Magazine, Oct. 1783, p. 310). In afterpiece the playbill assigns Lucy to Mrs Wilson, but on the Kemble playbill a MS annotation substitutes Mrs Davenett.] Receipts: #134 19s. 6d. (133/9/0; 1/10/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, author unknown; based on La Precaution Inutile, by Nolant deFatouville]. Public Advertiser, 13 July 1790: This Day is published Try Again (1s.)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; D 3, by Henry Neuman, based on Der Opfertod, by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Text (R. Phillips, 1799) assigns no parts]. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice, at the Theatre. The Theatre, since the last Season, has been newly Decorated. [Beginning with 19 June the playbill: Printed by T. Woodfall, Drury Lane; on 4 Sept.: No. 104, Drury Lane.] Morning Chronicle, 27 June 1799: This Day is published Family Distress (2s.). Gentleman's Magazine, May 1800, pp. 406-8, prints a letter from "J. B." in which strong exception is taken to Kotzebue in general, and this play in particular. "Theatrical entertainments have an extensive influence upon the manners of Society. When well regulated, and the pieces for representation well selected both as to matter and manner, they may be esteemed friendly to morality, and improvers of public taste. But what shall we say when both these ends are disregarded; when moral virtue is banished from the scene, and purity of taste is destroyed by affected language and pantomimical decorations? Improvements in almost every art and science have been within a few years, rapid and important. But that is not the case with the stage; nor can it be, while Kotzebue and his friends usurp the venerable boards of Shakespeare." The writer then, in sarcastic terms, outlines the plot of Family Distress. [Pope and Miss Chapman were both from cg.

Event Comment: [Huddart, whose 1st appearance on the stage was at the Crow Street Theatre Dublin, on 14 May 1798, is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1798, p. 258.] "In the gentle and tender scenes [Huddart] was impressive...but in the impassioned parts he was often too boisterous, and from his too eager exertion, he exhausted himself, in a great measure, before the conclusion of the piece" (Morning Herald, 16 Oct.). [Mrs Pope, as Miss Campion, had 1st appeared as Desdemona at the same theatre, 11 Mar. 1790. Mrs Wybrow was from the Royal Circus. She had appeared at cg on 6 June 1798.] Afterp iece [1st time; BALL. PI, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 1228. Text (i.e. synopsis of the ballet, and the songs) in his Circusiana (Lackington, Allen & Co., 1890), Vol. 1; it lists the cast for the Royal Circus]: Taken chiefly from the favourtie Piece of the latter Title [1st acted at the Royal Circus, 9 Apr. 1798], with Alterations and Additions by the original Author. The Music by Sanderson, and Scenery by Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Blackmore, &c. Receipts: #294 15s. 6d. (290.8.6; 4.7.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By particular desire. [Afterpiece call'd Merlin in the Treasurer's Account Book, but listed as Royal Chace; or, Harlequin Skeleton in the General Advertiser.] Receipts: #58 10s. 6d

Event Comment: Doors open at 6. Play to Begin exactly at 7. Books of the Interlude to be had at the theatre. Paid for a license for The Royal Garland #1 1s. (Account Book). Receipts: #173 17s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mrs Egerton smart figure not much of the Gentlewoman tho, appear'd in Lady Townly (Hopkins Diary). From the Theatre Royal, Dublin (MacMillan). Lady Townly, Mrs Egerton, first time (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Lacy, formerly of the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane. Tickets to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box Office of the Drury Lane Theatre, and Rice, at the Box Office of the Theatre-Royal, Haymarket, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. [Address by John Taylor (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 370). On this night the following appeared both at dl and at the hay: Hollingsworth, Caulfield, Bannister Jun., Suett, Miss Pope, Mrs Bland.

Event Comment: Benefit for C. Kemble. Mainpiece: By permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Morning Chronicle, 8 Aug.: Tickets to be had of C. Kemble, No. 126, Great Russel-street, Bloomsbury

Event Comment: [In Daily Courant, 8 Dec., The Libertine Destroyed had been announced for this day.