“IN PART II.
- The Deserter; or, Death or Matrimony.
- Miss Wrinkle and Mr. Grizzle,
- and
- The Tortoiseshell Tom Cat.
“IN PART III.
- THE TRAGEDY OF OTHELLO; or, Fine Fleecy Hosiery.
- The Marrow-fat Family.
- Jollity Burlesqued, and
- Beggars and Ballad-singers.
The doors to be opened at six o’clock, and to begin precisely at seven. Boxes, Upper Circle, 4s.; Lower Circle, 3s.; Pit, 2s., Gallery, 1s.
N.B. Care has been taken to have the Theatre well aired.”
1810.
My reader will find by the following copy of a paper written by the Rev. Stephen Weston, B.D.,[340] and read at the Society of Antiquaries’ meeting, 25th January 1810, that the term Swan-hopping is to be considered a popular error.
“It appears in the Swan-rolls, exhibited by the Right Honourable Sir Joseph Banks, that the King’s were doubly marked, and had what was called two nicks, or notches. The term, in process of time, not being understood, a double animal was invented, unknown to the Egyptians and Greeks, with the name of the Swan with Two Necks. But this is not the only ludicrous mistake that has arisen out of the subject, since Swan-upping, or the taking up of Swans, performed annually by the Swan companies, with the Lord Mayor of London at their head, for the purpose of marking them, has been changed by an unlucky aspirate into Swan-hopping, which is not to the purpose, and perfectly unintelligible.”[341]