mr. james dillancey: James De Lancey (1732–1800), eldest son of Lt. Gov. James De Lancey (1703–1760) of New York, was a merchant and landowner. He was also the owner of New York’s largest racing stable, and GW had met him 17 May at the meeting of the Philadelphia Jockey Club, of which De Lancey was a member (JACKSON description begins Joseph Jackson. “Washington in Philadelphia.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 56 (1932): 110–55. description ends , facing p. 118). Although at first a supporter of the colonial position, he later became a Loyalist and fled to England with his family.

The plays GW saw this evening were Hamlet and a new farce by William O’Brien called Cross Purposes, performed for the first time. The playhouse was a large, red, wooden building on the north side of John Street (MONAGHAN description begins Frank Monaghan and Marvin Lowenthal. This Was New York: The Nation’s Capital in 1789. Garden City, N.Y., 1943. description ends , 123; DAY description begins Richard E. Day. “A Summary of the English Period.” In vol. 3 of History of the State of New York. Edited by Alexander C. Flick. 10 vols. New York, 1933–37. description ends , 3:127).