ページの画像
PDF
ePub
[graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small]

LA BELLE ASSEMBLÉE;

For MAY, 1812.

A New and Improved Scries.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ILLUSTRIOUS AND
DISTINGUISHED LADIES.

The Thirty-second Number.

MRS. EDWIN.

the Dublin Theatre principally, where their dramatic abilities procured them that share of public estimation, which their private characters secured to them.

We may allow (nay we must allow, for || parents also of the histrionic profession, on it is an inherent quality in human nature) the aged chroniclers of past times to lament their Garricks, their Abingdous, Pritchards, and Popes, and to exclaim that the day of dramatic genius is gone by; as we ourselves shall do, a few years hence, when the names of Kemble Jordan, and Siddons are no longer upon the theatric list. But who will say, even should the frigorific hand of winter chill the genial current of wit and genius, who will say that another spring shall not put forth its vernal blossoms, or who will venture to say that the summer sun of public favour will not ripen their fruits to maturity? For us, or at least for those of the present generation who are now young, to indulge in those carping criticisms when time shall have silvered their hoary heads, would be to contradict every lesson of present experience, when we now see a Smith, a Duncan, and au Edwin stand forth as rivals of the dramatic phenomena of the last century, and that perhaps with equal claims.

Of the last mentioned actress, it is now our province to speak, and to attempt a slight delineation of her professional life and merits.

Her maiden name was Richards, her

We have seen many instances of youth forced upon public notice, where it was not accompanied by genius: this was not, however, the case with Miss Richards, although at the early age of six years she made her theatrical debut in the character of the Romp, for her mother's benefit. This whim of securing a full house by novelty, had the good luck, however, of procuring further emolument; for the Managers of Crow-street (Ryder and Crawford) not only gave her an engagement, in which she performed Prince Arthur, The Virgin Unmasked, and the Fine Lady, in Lethe, but the facetious O'Keefe was actually induced to write a farce, The Female Club, for the purpose of introducing a character in which she might perform.

Throughout the whole of this engage. ment she displayed an infantine ability that bespoke future approbation; but it was, perhaps, fortunate for her that the respect. able situation of her parents did not render it a matter of absolute necessity for them to continue her appearance, as novelty would

soon have given way, in such a case, to satiety, and as continued exertions might have been injurious to early genius.

by the Dublin Manager, who, pressed also by the requests, and influenced by the opinions of many of the Irish nobility and The next nine years were therefore judici- || gentry who had witnessed her powers, was ously applied to preparation for public ap-induced to offer her another engagement in plause, and not to the search after it, and at that capital; and there she could not fail to the still early age of fifteen she appeared on charm, particularly as the audiences were the York boards in genteel comedy. Even already prejudiced in her favour by her forat such a juvenile period, she took the lead mer exertions to please. amongst the dramatic heroines, but the heroes and heroines of the provincial drama not having yet put down the Aristophanic|| cart, she quitted York for Richmond in Surrey, and there first paid her devotion to Thalia interrupted by a troublesome blind boy who, with the assistance of Mr. John Edwin, son of an old distinguished favourite of the public, contrived to lead her to the Temple of Hymen.

At this period the private theatricals at Wargrave, under the auspices of the gay, but unfortunate, Earl of Barrymore, were now in all their splendour, which was not a little increased by the translation of Mrs. Edwin into that galaxy of wit and fashion, where she personated high life on the stage,

and mixed with it when off.

This initiation into the fashionable world was of considerable service to her; for it is not to be supposed that the greatest genius for observation and for imitation, will acquire a sufficient knowledge of the nice minutiae of high life, in the circles connected with a provincial theatre, except indeed at Bath, where Mrs. Edwin soon after procured an engagement after having spent

another winter on the Dublin boards.

From Crow-street, however, she first emigrated to Cheltenham, where her private character which had stood unsullied midst all the seduction, glitter, freedom and temptations of private theatricals, soon procured her not only the patronage, but the personal esteem and protection of the first

circles.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York was at that time resident at Cheltenham, and with her accustomed goodness and liberality, honoured her as a protegee; a notice which, no doubt, hastened Mrs. Edwin's engagement with the Bath Managers, and there she had a fair field for the display of all her various acquirements. In her then improved state of acting, she was seen

||

At this period, whilst flattered by public approbation, she became the victim of private woe by the loss of a husband, of whom she has always spoken with tenderness, and whose death she attributes in a monumental effusion on his grave, to the keenness of his feelings at an anonymous attack up his professional reputation.

After yielding to the first impressions of sorrow, she resumed her public duties, and having soon after attracted the notice of Mr. Sheridan, jun. it is said that his recommendation led the way to an engagement at Drury-Lane, not only at an handsome sa |lary, but it is we understand under the very flattering stipulation, that she should fill the first parts in comedy, with a reserve on her part of refusing any character which she felt unsuited to her powers, or contrary to her inclinations.

On her arrival in London, the Lyceum, in consequence of the unfortunate destruction of Drury-Lane Theatre, was then the scene of action; and there she came out in October, 1810, in the character of the Widow Cheerly, in the Soldier's Daughter; and was not only received with a degree of applause which she has fully justified in characters of more importance and interest, but had also the good fortune of acquiring the good will of the literary critics of the day, who did her every justice in their various diurnal and weekly productions.

This marked and general applause, which due to her merit, ought to be a lesson to ou all hands is allowed to have been fully many of our heroes and heroines of the sock and buskin, that it is possible to improve ; for it ought now to be noticed, though for obvious reasons we had omitted it before, that she had already been seen by a London audience not only as Miss Richards, but also as Mrs. Edwin, without exciting any of those plaudits which she has since received.

To herself this must be a source of great

229

satisfaction, because she must feel that the || times a want of the minutiae of acting; her pains she has taken to excel, have not failed | bye-play, even her attention to her corresponding performer, are sometimes forgotten.

in their object.

In some characters Mrs. Edwin labours to produce an effect, which her elegance, simplicity, and beauty already secure, without any toilsome effort. By endeavouring to do too much, she impairs the genuine effect of her unstrained powers. was

Her

Charlotte, in the Hypocrite, is a proof that she diminishes excellence by over-acted exertion. How admirable would it be if more simple!

We cannot, however, close this article without adding that the marked and vary-\

From an early initiation into the trick of the stage, and her subsequent opportunities of acquiring a practical knowledge of fashionable life, it is not a matter of surprize that with her abilities she should now possess an easy and unembarrassed deportment. Mademoiselle Clairon always called by her friends Queen Dido; but she justified the haughtiness of her demeanour when off the stage, by saying, "how shall I represent a Queen four hours every day, if the other twenty are spent as a domestic slattern?" But it must be remarked that she has also sufficient powersing expression of her countenance, and the of discrimination to enable her to give grace of her manners, give dignity to a form grace, novelty, and interest to casts of cha- which, though extremely pleasing, may be racter which she could never have perform-deficient in height for a heroine; and we ed in real life, and which are essentially different in themselves. To illustrate this position, we need only remind our readers of her performance of Beatrice, and of Lady Traffic in Massinger's altered comedy, now Riches; or, The Wife and Brother. To praise only, would even in this slight sketch be a dereliction of part of the critic's duty, we must not, therefore, be understood as saying that Mrs. Edwin has nothing more to learn. With all her skill, there is some

[ocr errors]

add with extreme pleasure, that the propriety of her conduct, and the goodness of her disposition, cannot be more strongly proved than by the general good will and esteem of the world at large, and the particular praise of her professional cotemporaries, amongst whom, we are informed, Mrs. Jordan has distinguished herself by giving her great praise in her Beatrice and in several other characters.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

HYMENEA IN SEARCH OF A HUSBAND.

(Continued from Page 179.)

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

enrich our language than any other of our writers; and it is no small proof of his excellence of this kind, that many of his pas sages have passed into the proverbs and colloquial maxims of our language. Your quotation is from Milton, where he is describing the garden of Eden in the most beautiful part of his Paradise Lost."

"Paradise Lost is certainly a very fine poem, and Milton a very fine poet," said my aunt; "but I am at present thinking of the Court, and of the Lords and Ladies of the Bedchamber, and Drawing-room. Her Majesty holds a Drawing-room after

the levee to-morrow, and if you are dis- most certainly we approve whatever is posed to go I think you will be entertain-right and good."

ed."

"I certainly will do myself the honour to attend you," said 1. "It is an act of homage which I conceive to be due to the present situation of her Majesty."

Accordingly, at the proper hour on the following day, I accompanied my aunt to Court. My aunt was in high spirits, and seemed to promise herself much entertainment in the original figures which she expected to see.

"There is no Court in Christendom, Hymenæa," said my aunt, "which presents a more singular spectacle than that of England. You will see a greater variety of characters than perhaps all the European Courts taken together would equal."

My aunt had not promised this variety without sufficient reason." Do you see that lady?" said my aunt, almost as soon as the first compliments had passed. "That Jady," continued she, " is one of the most remarkable persons in his Majesty's dominions. She was married very early in life to a nobleman, since deceased, of high merit and character. During thirty years they lived such a conjugal life as even in the country you would have termed most exemplary. They were scarcely ever separate either in business or pleasure. Her husband was in the military profession, and served throughout the American war, I believe throughout the French war which preceded it. His Lady accompanied him throughout all his first campaigns; she repeatedly crossed the Atlantic with him, and slept in the woods aud marshes of the new world. Her husband died some time since, and there now sits his widow, the most respected and most respectable woman in the three kingdoms, and whom even I love and revere, though, as you well know, I have no very violent partiality for domestic enjoyment."

"She must be good indeed," said I, "to have made this general impression in her favour."

"Yes," said my aunt; "whatever any one may say of fashionable manners aud of fashionable morals, they must at least do us the justice to acknowledge that we have no hypocrisy; we may not practise, but

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

"Yes," said my aunt; "his character is marked in his looks. You would imagine by his important looks, that he carried the Inquiry into the State of the Nation in his head, and that he was labouring, and perhaps discussing some important proposition. But when he rises to speak in the House of Lords (which he does very frequently) he can never get three lines bebeyond his original hem; and the inanity of what he says, as compared with the importance of what he seems to mean, forms a most ridiculous contrast. He could not look more solemnly if the nation were upon its last legs; and he would not speak less to the purpose if he had taken an oath never to speak at all."

"And who is that fidgety face-making restless gentleman who is every now and then pulling his own ears in the attitude of deep thought, and alternate vexation and anger?"

"Why, that man," said my aunt, "is an exact contrast and contradiction to the character of the other; for as the one looks so solemn, so pregnant, and so important, and yet so full only of emptiness and wind, so the other who looks so insignificant, so trifling, and so fidgety, is in reality an able, honest, and most efficient minister. He is the first nobleman in the Administration. And what is undoubtedly very greatly to his honour, both his father and himself owe their rise and fortune to their merits. He has not long succeeded his father in his honours and in his reputation. He is, or rather was, at the head of a party usually denominated the Household, or King's men."

"But who is that grave and composed nobleman near her Majesty's person? He has the air of a man at once good and great."

1

« 前へ次へ »