Event Comment: Receipts: #40 (Cross). [The Epilogue Occasioned by the Two Occasional Prologues published in the General Advertiser. Fifty-one lines ending: @"No more shall either rack his brains to teaze ye@But let the Contest be who most shall please ye." [In the form of a story, mocking Garrick and Berry]: "Once on a time two boys were throwing dirt@A gentle youth was one, and one was somewhat pert.@Each to his Master with his tale retreated,@Who gravely heard their different parts repeated,@How Tom was rude, and Jack poor lad ill treated."

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer and Shuter. Last time of acting mainpiece this season. Tickets of Hobson at the stage Door. At Sadler's Wells near Islington will this day be opened a Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music, divided into two parts; the vocal parts to be perform'd by Hemskirk, Bell, Mrs Yates, and Mrs Hooper. Between the two parts of the concert will be introduced several curious Performances, among which will be a fine representation of the Italian Shadows, which have not been performed in England these 30 years. The whole to conclude with a Grand piece of Fireworks, decorated with machinery and paintings entirely new, Each person to be admitted for a pint of Wine. To begin at 5 o'clock (General Advertiser). Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Barry is greatly improv'd since last year in the character of Hastings , as he is indeed in every part in which I have seen him this winter. Mrs Cibber performed as she always does, to the admiration of her audience, and in my opinion she shewed a particular and new exertion of her art and abilities on those two nights. Great as I had declared my expectations for Miss Macklin, she surpassed them; particularly on the second night. On the former, indeed, in the first and in part of the second act, her embarrassment was insuperable, and I cannot sufficiently admire and applaud the Candour of the Audience on that distressed Occasion! In my judgment, never were two parts better adapted to the persons and powers of the performers, than those of Alicia and Jane Shore to Mrs Cibber and Miss Macklin (Inspector No 207, in Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette, 30 Oct.)

Event Comment: The seventh and last time that these orations will be delivered at the Castle Tavern, Paternoster Row, new matter being provided for the next night. The Ladies are desired to come early, that they may be accommodated with the best Seats, and not be crowded as they were the last two nights. [Advice repeated in subsequent bills.

Event Comment: Receipts: #57 2s. 6d. [As against the estimated charges for a night (#35 19s. 8d.), the first night's bill for fixed charges came to #36 7s. 1d., but included two days' bills, two days' billstickers, and six advertisements. In addition, paid Lambert (scene painter) three months' salary due 16 Aug. last, #25 (Account Book).

Event Comment: At The Chapel of the Foundling Hospital. [Deutsch, Handel, pp. 799-801, notes the performance and lists the "Orchestra Bill," for this performance: twelve violins-Brown, Collet, Freeks, Frowd, Claudio, Wood, Wood Jr, Denner, Abbington, Grosman, Jackson, Nicholson, the first three at 15s. and the rest at 10s. each; three "tenners" [violas]-Rash, Warner, Stockton at 8s. each: four hautbois-Eyferd, Teede, Vincent, Weichsel, the first three at 10s. 6d. and the fourth at 8s.; four bassoons-Miller, Baumgarden, Goodman, Owen, the first two at 10s. 6d. and the rest at 8s. each; three violoncellos-Gillier, Haron, Hebden at 10s. 6d. each; two double basses-Dietrich at 15s. and Sworms at 10s.; horns and drums by Adcock and Willis at 10s. 6d. each; trumpets and kettle drums-Trowa, Miller, and Fr Smith at 10s. 6d. for a total of #17 15s. He also lists the bill for the singers: Sga Frasi, #6 6s.; Miss Frederick, #4 4s.; Miss Young, #3 3s.; Beard with services gratis; Champness, #1, 11s. 6d.; Waas, Bailden, and Barrow at #1 1s. each; six boys, totalling #4 14s. 6d.; a second Champness, Ladd, Cox, Munck, Reinhold, Walz, Courtney, and Kurz, at 10s. 6d. each, for a total of #27 16s. 6d. Servants and music porters added #4 14s. 6d. What with #5 5s. 6d. for Smith brought the total bill to #55 11s. 6d. The Constable in addition cost #3 3s.

Event Comment: Farce hiss'd (Cross). The Confederacy is oblig'd to be deferr'd a few days (playbill). [Goldsmith in The Bee (Vol. 1759, p. 154) comments on the farce: "Too narrow a plan...The poor affecting the manners of the rich might be carried on through one character or two, at the most, with great propriety; but to have almost every personage on the scene almost of the same character, was unartful in the poet to the last degree." He laments the barrenness of incident, but admits one or two scenes are "fine satire and sufficiently humorous...Whatever defects there might be in the composition, there were none in the action; in this the performers shewed more humour than I had fancied them capable of."] Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Clive. Part of the Pit railed into Boxes and Stage will be formed into Amphitheatre, where servants will be admitted to keep places. Afterpiece: Farce of Two Acts never before acted. [MacMillan lists the characters from the Larpent MS and points out that no indication of assignment appeared: Sir John Bayfield , Sir Charles Freelove , Sir James Trueman , Mr Lovenight , Captain Squander , Lady Bayfield , Miss Croston , Lady Di Clatter , Miss Gibberish , Mrs Lovenight , Miss Prue , Mrs Goodfellow , and servants . Two deputy licensers seem to have been operating at this time, for Garrick sends his plays to Edward Capel, and Rich his to Chetwyn.

Event Comment: At the Great Room, Dean St., Soho. By Desire. An Italian Oratorio in Two Acts. Words by Metastasio. Music by Jomelli. First Time of performing this Grand Musical Entertainment in England, and is judged by all conoisseurs to be the most exquisite piece of composition ever heard before. Pit Half a Guinea, Gallerias 5s. To begin at half past six precisely. A very strong rumour prevails, that leave will be applied for to the higher Power, for a third Theatre in this City; and it is even hinted, that two well-known performers have already ventured on a purchase, and are selecting together a company with that design (Public Ledger)

Event Comment: [This day Horace Walpole wrote as follows to George Montagu, forshadowing an event to take place on 27 July: "If you will stay with me a fortnight or three weeks, perhaps I may be able to carry you to a play of Mr Bentley's--you stare--but I am in earnest--nay, and de par le roy. In short, here is the history of it. You know the passion he always had for the Italian comedy. About two years ago he writ one, intending to get it offered to Rich--but without his name--he would have died to be supposed an author, and writing [I, 372] for gain. I kept this a most inviolable secret. Judge then of my surprise when about a fortnight or three weeks ago I found my Lord Melcomb reading this very Bentleiad in a circle at my Lady Hervey's. Cumberland had carried it to him, with a recommendatory copy of verses, containing more incense to the King and my Lord Bute, than the Magi brought in their portmanteaus to Jerusalem. The idols were propitious, and to do them justice, there is a great deal of wit in the piece, which is called The Wishes or Harlequin's Mouth Opened. A bank note of #200 was sent from the Treasury to the author, and the play ordered to be performed by the summer company. Foote was summoned to Lord Melcomb's, where Parnassus was composed of the peer himself, who, like Apollo as I am going to tell you, was dozing, the two Chief Justices and Lord Bute. Bubo read the play himself, with handkerchief and orange by his side. But the curious part is a prologue which I never saw. It represents the god of verse fast asleep by the side of Helicon. The race of modern bards try to wake him, but the more they repeat of their works, the louder he snores. At last "Ruin seize thee ruthless King" is heard, and the god starts from his trance. This is a good thought, but will offend the bards so much, that I think Dr Bentley's son will be abused at least as much as his father was. The prologue concludes with young Augustus, and how much he excels the ancient one, by the choice of his friend. Foote refused to act this prologue, and said it was too strong. 'Indeed,' said Augustus's friend, 'I think it is.' They have softened it a little, and I suppose it will be performed. You may depend upon the truth of all this; but what is much more credible, is that the comely young author appears every night in the Mall in a milkwhite coat with a blue cape, disclaims any benefit, and says he has done with the play now it is out of his own hands, and that Mrs Hannah Clio alias Bentley writ the best scenes in it. He is going to write a tragedy, and she, I suppose, is going--to court."--Horace Walpole's Correspondence with George Montagu. Ed. W. S. Lewis and Ralph S. Brown Jr (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1941), I, 372-73. [IX, 372-373.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these two years. [George II's death had closed the theatres on 4 Nov. the previous year.] Income from Boxes #14 15s. Paid Mr Powell for two years att[endin]g Office & pass [?] Ac[count]. #100. Advanced to Hull #20. Receipts: #64 16s. (Winston Theatrical Record)