James Peller Malcolm

Anecdotes of the Manners and Customs of London During the Eighteenth Century

Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme, 1810. 3 vols.

The orchestra, boxes, theatre, and every part of the gardens were beautifully illuminated at vast expense with lamps of various colours, disposed with great taste and elegance. The grass plat before Mr. Torre's building was surrounded with two semi-circular rows of trees and hedges prettily contrived, divided, and forming two walks; and between every tree hung a double row of lamps bending downwards; between every break orange and lemon-trees were placed, and the whole was hung with festoons of flowers and other pastoral emblems. On this place the rural entertainment was held, consisting of singing and dancing...On the left hand of this rural space was a stile, and a walk which led to a Temple sacred to Hymen, which was transparent, and had a pretty effect when viewed from a distance

This description of a Fête Champêtre in Marylebone Gardens, c1774, was taken from a newspaper of the period. As originally staged it had been criticised as 'a few tawdry festoons and extra lamps,' not worth the entrance charge of five shillings. This new version seems to have been a success: 'The gardens were not clear of company at six o'clock next morning.'

Marylebone Gardens had opened in 1659 and 'were entered gratis by all ranks of people;' but in 1738, 'the company resorting to them becoming more respectable, Mr. Gough, the keeper, determined to demand a shilling as entrance-money, for which the party paying was to receive an equivalent in viands'

Entertainments were staged throughout the season: there is a description of a typical evening, including an exhibition of Torré's famous fireworks, elsewhere in the same volume.