“Act i.--An Overture. A favourite song from the opera of Pharnaces: ‘Swift wing’d vengeance nerves my arm,’ by Mr. A. Smith, set by Mr. Bates. A favourite Scotch air by Miss Dowson, words and music by Mr. A. Smith. An overture by Abel. The Act to conclude with a celebrated song from Anacreon, set by Mr. Starling [Sterling?] Goodwin, by Mr. A. Smith. Act ii.--‘The soldier tired of war’s alarm,’ by Miss Dowson. A new song, ‘O what a charming thing is a battle,’ by Mr. Barnshaw. An overture in Otho, Handel. ‘Sweet Echo,’ by a young gentleman from Italy. Trumpet Concerto by Master Green, pupil of Mr. Jones. The celebrated song of the ‘British Wives,’ by Mr. A. Smith. A new song by Miss Dowson. Concerto on the violin by Mr. Smart. The Act to conclude with ‘Russel’s triumph,’ by Mr. A. Smith, by particular desire. To which will be added an entertainment called ‘The Gamester,’ to be sung by Mr. A. Smith, Mr. Barnshaw, Miss Dowson, and Mrs. Dorman, with a hornpipe in the character of a sailor, by Mr. Rawlins from the Opera House in the Haymarket. At the end of the hornpipe Mr. A. Smith will sing the celebrated song of ‘The storm or the danger of the sea,’ in character. After which will be displayed a Grand Transparent Painting.” [271] In 1827 this stone was used as a step in the yard of the house of a Mrs. Stevens near the site of the Gardens, the verses being then almost illegible (Wilkinson). [272] Nichols’s _Lambeth_, 1786 (in vol. ii. of _Bibl. Topog. Brit._ p. 77, ff.); Michaelis’s _Ancient Marbles in Great Britain_, 35–37. [273] Prologue to Mrs. Centlivre’s _Busybody_. [274] Chappell (_Popular Music in the Olden Time_, ii. 727, 728) gives words and music. [275] The gardens were closed on the Sundays of 1752. [276] _Gent. Mag._ 1740, 525. [277] Walpole’s _Letters_, ed. Cunningham, ii. 32, 24 June, 1746. Bad company was not unknown in the earlier days of the gardens: see Welsted’s _Epistle on False Fame_, 1732:-- “For Cupid’s Bowers she hires the willing scull ... While here a ’prentice, there a captain bites.” [278] _The Complete Letter-writer_, Edinburgh, 1773, quoted in _Notes and Queries_, 7th ser. ii. 469. [279] Twelve songs by Lewis Granom, as sung at Cuper’s Gardens by Miss Maria Bennett, published London, 24 November, 1752. [280] The fireworks at Cuper’s in 1751 are described in the _London Daily Advertiser_ for 10 September, 1751. [281] ‘The Inspector,’ No. 448, in the _London Daily Advertiser_ for 6 August, 1752. The details that follow are derived from the same journal for 4 August, 1752, where they are related of “one of the public gardens on the other side of the water.” Possibly Vauxhall is intended, but if not literally true of Cuper’s Gardens, they seem sufficiently applicable to them. [282] Boswell, _Life of Johnson_, ed. Croker, chap. xli. p. 366. [283] _Nollekens_, ii. 201. [284] The Folly was occasionally moored off the Bank side (Wheatley, _London Past and Present_, “The Folly”).