19. Venice Preserved. Jaffier Thurmond: Bel

videra Mrs. Rogers.

21. Booth acted Oronooko for his bt.

24. Othello Betterton: Iago Cibber: Cassio =Booth.

26. Cibber's bt. Alchemist-with a new Epilogue by Cibber in the character of Nobody.

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29. Pack's bt. Gamester. Lady Wealthy Mrs. Porter.

April 4. To every body-For Pinkethman's bt. Alchemist with a new Epilogue spoken by Pinkethman and Jubilee Dicky, representing the figures of Somebody and Nobody-Pinkethman hoping himself to be Somebody that night (or Nobody) it being his Jubilee day.

5. Mrs. Porter acted Roxana for her bt.

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7. By the desire of several persons of quality for Betterton's bt. Love for Love. Valentine Betterton : Ben-Dogget: Angelica Mrs. Bracegirdle: Mrs. Frail Mrs. Barry :-with a new Prologue by Mrs. Bracegirdle, and a new Epilogue by Mrs. Barry— the Boxes to be opened to the Pit, and no person to be admitted without printed tickets, which will be delivered at a Guinea each-Tickets delivered for Othello and the Great Mogul will be taken.

This was Betterton's famous benefit-there had not been known so great a concourse of persons of distinction as at that time; the Stage itself was covered with Gentlemen and Ladies, and when the curtain was drawn, it discovered even there a very splendid audience-all the parts were acted to perfection; and no one was guilty of the affectation to insert witticisms of his own-(Tatler)-the Epi

logue was written by Rowe and spoken by Mrs. Barry Mrs. Bracegirdle supporting Betterton on the other side-it concluded thus

"What he has been, tho' present praise be dumb,
"Shall haply be a theme in times to come
"As now we talk of Roscius and of Rome.
"Had you withheld your favours on this night,
"Old Shakspeare's Ghost had ris'n to do him
" right;

66

"With indignation had you seen him frown
Upon a worthless, witless, tasteless Town;
"Griev'd and repining you had heard him say-
Why are the Muses' labours cast away

?

Why did I write, what only he could play?
"But since like friends to Wit, thus throng'd you
"meet

"Go on, and make the gen'rous work complete ;
"Be true to merit, and still own his cause,
"Find something for him more than bare applause:
"In just remembrance of your pleasures past,
"Be kind, and give him his discharge at last:
"In peace and ease life's remnant let him wear,
“And hang his consecrated buskin there."

At the last word Mrs. Barry pointed to the top of the Stage.

Davies by a gross mistake says that Mrs. Bracegirdle and Mrs. Barry had retired some years, when they both returned to the stage at Betterton's bt.Mrs. Bracegirdle had retired about 2 years, and Mrs. Barry about 10 months-at the close of the season 1707–1708, she had evidently no thoughts of retiring, as on June 10th Mrs. Frail was said to be her last

appearance that season-Dogget was not engaged, and only acted for one night.

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April 9. Don Sebastian. Don Sebastian Wilks: Dorax Betterton: Antonio Booth: Mufti Johnson: Mustapha Estcourt: Muley Moluch - Mills: Almeyda Mrs. Knight: Morayma Mrs. Porter. 11. Mrs. Bradshaw's bt. Humorous Lieutenant. Demetrius-Booth: Leontius-Betterton: Lieutenant =Powell: Antigonus is omitted: Seleucus Keen: Charinthus Bullock: Menippus Norris: Celia = Mrs. Bradshaw Leucippe = Mr. Pack: Governess Mrs. Powell.

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12. Recruiting Officer. Rose - Mrs. Bicknell. 14. Mrs. Bicknell's bt. Not acted 6 years, Country Wife. Horner Wilks: Pinchwife = Powell: Sparkish =Cibber: Sir Jasper Fidget Bullock: Harcourt = Mills: Quack Estcourt: Country Wife = Mrs. Bicknell Alithea Mrs. Bradshaw: Lady Fidget is omitted, but Mrs. Powell played the character on the 29th.

15. Bickerstaffe's bt. Beaux Strategem-Mrs. Oldfield's last appearance this season-the Tatler requests the reader to go to Bickerstaffe's benefithe calls him (in joke) his near kinsman-this bill shows that the assertion of the Patentees with regard to Mrs. Oldfield is not quite correct.

25. Bullock's bt. Epsom Wells. Bradshaw Mrs. Woodly

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Carolina Mrs.

Mrs. Knight-rest as before the Tatler says, tho' Bullock is a person of much wit and ingenuity, yet he has a peculiar knack of looking like a fool, and is therefore well qualified for the part of Bisket in this play.

27. For bt. of Husband and Mrs. Willis. King

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Lear Betterton: Cordelia by a young Gentlewoman

for her diversion.

28. For bt. of Cross. Old Batchelor. Belinda= Mrs. Cross.

30. For bt. of Norris. Marriage-Hater Matched. Solon Norris: La Pupsey is omitted-rest as March 8 1708.

May 2. Thurmond's bt. All for Love. Anthony Thurmond: Ventidius Ventidius = Powell: Serapion Keen Cleopatra Mrs. Knight: Octavia Mrs.

Finch.

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3. Never acted, Modern Prophets, or New Wit for

a Husband. Ned Whimsey Bowen: Zekiel Magus Powell: Squire Crump

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Booth: Father Marogne Johnson: Lord Noble= Norris: Cub Develing

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(Lord Noble's black footman)=Pack: Sir Charles Courtly Mills: Limbeck Bullock: Scirefacias= Cory: Sal Magottile Fairbank: Betty Plotwell= Mrs. Bicknell: Clora (very freakish in love matters) = Mrs. Bradshaw: Fidelia (daughter to Magus)=Mrs. Porter: Kate Spunge (a hostess at Enfield) Mrs. Powell: Mrs. Guiacum (widow to a late physician, who was one of the prophets)=Mrs. Willis-acted 3 times-Zekiel Magus is a grand impostor and sham prophet-Marogne is a knavish French priest-he designs to debauch Betty Plotwell, and lets her into the secret roguery of the sham prophets-she pretends to be inspired-in the 4th act, the scene changes to Bunhil Fields-Dr. Guiacum had promised to rise from his grave on the 25th of May 1707 --various persons are assembled to see the result of his prophecy-at the conclusion of the play, the sham prophets are taken into custody--the scenes in which

Marplot

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they are concerned have not much to recommend them to a modern reader-the other part of this C. is better-it was written to expose some enthusiastic impostors, who seemed to have been much talked of in 1707-D'Urfey supposes that the run of his play would have been longer, if it had been acted sooner. May 7. Mrs. Moor's bt. Hamlet. Osrick Cibber. 12. Never acted, Busy Body. Marplot = Pack : Sir Francis Gripe Estcourt: Sir George Airy = Wilks Sir Jealous Traffick = Bullock: Charles = Mills: Whisper Bullock Junior: Miranda = Mrs. Cross: Patch Mrs. Saunders: Isabinda - Mrs. Rogers-acted 7 times-Miranda's making of an assignation with Sir George by telling him not to come to the garden gate, and her dumb scene are both taken from the Devil is an Ass-Mrs. Centlivre has improved what she has borrowed-Whincop tells us that Wilks threw down his part at Rehearsal, and swore no audience would endure such stuff, &c. &c. -this story is so very improbable, that as Whincop cites no authority for it, it seems not to deserve any attention the whole of what Whincop says is certainly not true-he tells us that the Busy Body was acted in the next season for 6 nights running in opposition at D. L. and the Hay.—the Busy Body was acted at D. L. on Nov. 26th, and on the 28th the Committee was the play-the Busy Body was acted at the Hay. for 3 nights following in Oct.-and then laid aside.

17. For bt. of Carnaby and Birkhead. Love makes a Man. Elvira Mrs. Porter:-and by way of a Prologue the Stage Coach-Nicodemus Somebody=Pack: Capt. Basil Booth: Micher=Norris: