ven for Walker's and Miss Fenton's nights, the Macheath
and Polly of the opera; but, in order to connect the latter with it,
when Miss Fenton issued her bill for _The Beaux's Stratagem_, on
29th April, it was headed that it was "for the benefit of Polly." An
exception was, however, made in favour of John Rich, the brother of
the manager, for whose benefit the _Beggar's Opera_ was played on
26th February, when the receipt was 184l. 15s. Miss Fenton was
allowed a second benefit, on the 4th May, in consequence, we may
suppose, of her great claims in connection with the _Beggar's
Opera_, and then it was performed to a house containing 155l. 4s.
The greatest recorded receipt, in its first season, was on the 13th
April, when, for some unexplained cause the audience was so numerous
that 198l. 17s. were taken at the doors.

After this date there appears to have been considerable fluctuation
in the profits derived from repetitions of the _Beggar's Opera_. On
the 5th May, the day after Polly Fenton's (her real name was
Lavinia) second benefit, the proceeds fell to 78l. 14s., the 50th
night produced 69l. 12s., and the 51st only 26l. 1s. 6d. The next
night the receipt suddenly rose again to 134l. 13s. 6d., and it
continued to range between 53l. and 105l. until the 62nd and last
night (19th June), when the sum taken was 98l. 17s. 6d.

Miss Fenton left the stage at the end of the season, to be made
Duchess of Bolton, and in the next season her place, as regards the
_Beggar's Opera_, was taken by Miss Warren, and on 20th September it
attracted 75l. 7s.; at the end of November it drew only 23l., yet,
on the 11th December, for some reason not stated by the manager, the
takings amounted to 112l. 9s. 6d. On January 1st a new experiment
was tried with the opera, for it was represented by children, and
the Prince of Wales commanded it on one or more of the eight
successive performances it thus underwent. On 5th May we find Miss
Cantrell taking Miss Warren's character, and in the whole, the
_Beggar's Opera_ was acted more than forty times in its second year,
1728-9, including the performances by "Lilliputians" as well as
comedians. This is, perhaps, as much of its early history as your
readers will care about.

DRAMATICUS.

* * * * *

{180} NOTES UPON CUNNINGHAM'S HANDBOOK FOR LONDON.

_Lady Dacre's Alms-Houses, or Emanuel Hospital._--"Jan. 8. 1772,
died, in Emanual Hospital, Mrs. Wyndymore, cousin of