1771

In a note to the “Public,” the editor of //Bingley’s Journal// or //Universal Gazette// outlines his purpose for bringing the printed material to his audience. He says the Journal is printed every Friday for the convenience of his readers, who can pick up a copy and take it to the coffee house, where they might find a moment to settle down and read about the news of the week. He promises his readers that the writers of the Journal take care to collect the best information possible and compile it into something the Public can enjoy. Last, but not least, he thanks his readers for their continued support (To).

Overall, Londoners seem to be most concerned with the status of their foreign affairs and good morals in the year 1771. Below are important summaries or noteworthy extracts from the articles, grouped by topics: Foreign Affairs: Good Morals: Theatre: Extras:
 * Sir George Colebrook argues against General Smith’s assertion that war will be waged against France. He claims there is no evidence that France has the sea power to wage a war in the Island of Mauritius, India. He does however say that care should be taken to protect Bengal and Bombay and that the English Court has provided the military ships necessary to do this (News, Jan 5).
 * A letter from Paris promises that France only wants peace between England and Spain (News, Jan 5).
 * Details of an attack on the crew of the Spencer frigate (a ship sent to Jamaica) reveal that London’s Captain Laurice was successful in securing his ship with minimal losses (News, Jan 5).
 * The government gave money to Massachusetts Bay governors to make them “Independent of the Assemblies” and will do the same for other colonies (News, Jan 5).
 * Warning that the Ministry will be questioned by Parliament concerning its meeting with Spain (News, Jan 26).
 * Ships sent to Jamaica, Barbados, and Antigua (News, March).
 * France puts negotiations with England on pause while they wait for news from Spain. It is also revealed that Spain announces that it has ships and seamen on the water, but for what England has yet to discover (News, March).
 * An account of revenue received by sugar and Rum from Jamaica and other colonies is provided (News, March).
 * Ships sent to Maryland; ship failed to leave for the East Indies (News, April).
 * Captain Young takes over the government in Dominica.
 * The Empress of Russia will tax the wealthy people in her empire to continue fighting against the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile the English court is on good terms with Russia (News, June).
 * A history of how England got its Navy and its purpose/ use in foreign affairs (spread over several issues) (News, July 13).
 * Warning against gangs who hold “honest tradesmen” hostage in exchange for money.
 * A touching story about a man who was banished from England and sent to work in France because of debt. He missed England, secretly returned to work in Moorfields, but was discovered and sent to receive punishment at the “King’s Bench” (News, Jan 5).
 * Morals are reinforced: “The public…if they act wantonly or wickedly in governing, any one of that community has a right to detect and discover their iniquity, in order for the future they may act with more uprightness…when a man writes a falsehood, on purpose…it is a libel, and the author ought to be punished” (News, Jan 5).
 * A new Act makes it impossible to have a divorce due to adultery, unless it comes from the person who was cheated, so that no adulterer can marry the lover with whom they cheated (News, March).
 * Junius Brutus writes a letter, trying to emphasize religion as a way to keep morality alive during a time when “the great World seems to have no Idea of any other Principle but that of getting Money no Matter how obtained if got without the Circle of the Gallows” (News, March).
 * A new Act will prevent the counterfeiting of coins. The punishment for counterfeiting will be increased from “misdemeanor” to “felony.” Upholders of this bill have the right to search, seize, and try anyone. Those found guilty will be punished and their fake coins will be destroyed to prevent them from circulation (News, April).
 * An anonymous writer argues for transportation of thieves rather than their execution as punishment for their actions. The writer makes points such as, the criminal only feels pain for a moment instead of reflecting upon his sins and the public has grown too used to these executions to be afraid of the death penalty anymore (News, April).
 * Fifty pounds are offered for anyone who can help catch thieves and murderers in a particular case (Mrs. Hutchins). There is controversy over the little reward, since in a previous incident 500 pounds were offered (News, June).
 * A plot summary and positive review of //The West Indian//, a new comedy. “The Comedy winds up with a proper distribution of rewards and punishments to each character concerned in it” (News, Jan 26).
 * Prologue and Epilogue to the tragedy, //Almida// (News, Jan 26//)//.
 * Prologue to //The Tobaconist// (News, July 20).
 * Summary and overall negative review of //Dido,// the comic opera. It says the performance contains no plot or morals, but that it is well liked by the audience only because it revamps some already famous songs (News, July 20).
 * Shock over a hail/rain storm, speculation that it will cause damage (News, Jan 5).
 * List of people mentioned in the “Journal of the Proceedings and Debates of Both Houses” otherwise called “an extraordinary number” (News, Jan 26).
 * Reward given for finding 100 pounds at Lloyd’s Coffee-House (News, March).
 * Advertisement for Palmer’s Original Shop’s new portable razor kits to use on land or at sea (News, April).
 * An advice column for farmers how to best deal with their sheep (News, June).
 * A summary of the Chelmsford and Stamford horse races (News, June).
 * A request for the Crown to give more money to the Church (News, June).
 * The Arts and Entertainment section offers poets a chance to share their work (Arts).

__ Summary of the Theatre Season: __ During the first half of 1771, “more than the customary number of different plays were performed” (Stone, 1495). These included //King Arthur, The Suspicious Husband, The English Merchant, Almida, The Beggar’s Opera, Clementina, The Clandestine Marriage, Cymbeline, The Jealous Wife,// and perhaps most popularly, //The West Indian,// and later, //The Maid of Bath. (The West Indian// played 28 consecutive nights after its premiere in January (Stone, 1496).

During the second half of 1771, the theatre saw some original plays performed, including //The Beggar’s Opera, The West Indian and The Suspicious Husband;// however, there seemed to be a revival of Shakespeare, particularly of his comedies, in the last few months, including//: As You Like It, The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing,// and //Twelfth Night.//

__ Summary of //The West Indian// by Richard Cumberland __



Stockwell travels to Jamaica and secretly marries Belcour (Sr.’s) daughter. She gets pregnant and has to pretend that the baby was left on her doorstep so that her father will leave his inheritance to her “adopted” son. Stockwell goes back to live in London after his wife makes him promise never to tell Belcour that he is his father; she does allow Belcour to be “friends” with Stockwell, though. Then, Belcour (Jr.’s) mother and grandfather die; so, he travels to London to see Stockwell.

In London, Sir Oliver has apparently left his entire fortune to his daughter, Lady Rusport. The Dudleys ask her for some money so that Captain Dudley can return to the army to earn a living. She tells Captain Dudley to leave London, without offering monetary aid, and this makes Major O’Flaherty, her love interest, lose respect for her. Meanwhile, Belcour falls in love with Louisa, whom he sees on the street and follows her home. There, he meets Mrs. Fulmer (the Dudleys’ landlord) and Captain Dudley. Belcour agrees to give Captain Dudley money to help him. While this is happening, Charles and Charlotte meet in secret and Charlotte gives Charles diamond earrings so that he can take them to Stockwell in exchange for the money he needs in order to marry her. Stockwell receives the jewelry, but tells Belcour to take it back to Charlotte, because he is willing to loan her money without the ransom.

Belcour gets sidetracked by Mrs. Fulmer, who tells him the lie that Louisa is actually Charles’ mistress and not his sister. Mrs. Fulmer suggests that Belcour give her Charlotte’s diamonds so that she can give them to Louisa and thus help Belcour win Louisa over and he obliges. He then goes to Charlotte to tell her what he did and offers to give her new diamonds, but she forgives him and confides to him that she wants to marry Charles. Belcour protests since he thinks Charles is seeing Louisa. Then, Charlotte finds out Louisa never got the diamonds Belcour left for her and sends Charles to find out what happened to them.

Belcour confronts Louisa, who thinks he still has Charlotte’s earrings and when he proposes to her, Charles begins fighting with Belcour. Louisa stops them and Belcour leaves, but they agree to duel later. Meanwhile, O’Flaherty discovers that Lady Rusport is attempting to conceal her father’s will, which leaves a whole estate to the Dudleys. She promises to pay her lawyer 5,000 pounds if he lies, but O’Flaherty saves the day by threatening the lawyer and ultimately he does not comply with Lady Rusport’s scheme. Stockwell discovers that Mr. and Mrs. Fulmer have tried to escape with Charlotte’s diamonds and stops them. Stockwell also informs Belcour that Mrs. Fulmer lied about Louisa being Charles’ mistress.

At the duel between Belcour and Charles, Stockwell reveals the information about the Fulmer’s evil plot, thereby clearing Belcour of all suspicion about the missing jewelry. Louisa and Charles forgive Belcour. O’Flaherty informs everyone that the Dudleys have inherited a fortune and that they now have enough money to marry, so Belcour and Louisa and Charles and Charlotte plan to do just that. To add to the merriment, Stockwell finally reveals to Belcour that he is his father.

__ Conclusions: __ In 1771, the theatre paralleled the news. And the news talked of the theatre, which it deemed moral or prevalent. This relationship is evident through the success of //The West Indian.// While the English public was concerned with mercantilism, the West Indies, and morality in its newspapers, Richard Cumberland found a way to entertain the English public with a play about these issues, as well. Stockwell upheld the positive view of merchants that the public supported. Belcour represented the frivolity and plethora of goods that was associated with the West Indies. The resurgence of stricter morals concerning money (e.g. the counterfeiting bill) is reflected in the scenes with O’Flaherty and the lawyer and the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Fulmer who do not succeed with their theft. An emphasis on proper marriage laws (e.g. the adultery bill) is also represented by the quarrels between Belcour, Charles, and Louisa, when issues concerning the possibility of mistresses arise. Overall, a mutually beneficial relationship between the news and the theatre of the year existed- the newspapers supplied themes for new plays and the plays provided content for the newspapers.

Works Cited: "Arts and Entertainment" //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 69 (1771): 1.//17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers//. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. Cumberland, Richard. //The West Indian. A comedy. As it is performed at the Theatre// // Royal, in Drury-Lane. By the author of The brothers. // Belfast, MDCCLXXI. [1771]. __Eighteenth Century Collections Online__. Gale. University of Maryland College Park. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, April 20." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 47 (1771): 1. //17th-// // 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, August 10." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 63 (1771): 1. // 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, August 17." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 64 (1771): 1. // 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, Jan. 5." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 31 (1771): 1. //17th-// // 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, Jan. 26." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 34 (1771): 1. //17th-// // 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, July 13." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 59 (1771): 1. //17th-// // 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, July 20." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 60 (1771): 1. //17th-// // 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, June 15." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 55 (1771): 1. //17th-// // 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, March 16." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 42 (1771): 1. // 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers //. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. Stone, George W. "The Season of 1770-1771." //The London Stage//. 1st ed. Vol. 3. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois Univ. Pr., 1968. 1495-564. Print. Stone, George W. "The Season of 1771-1772." //The London Stage//. 1st ed. Vol. 3. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois Univ. Pr., 1968. 1565-597. Print. "To The Public, March 16." //Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette// 42. (1771): 1. //17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers//. Web. 12 Aug. 2012.

Compiled by Elizaveta Solovey