Mrs.

= Mrs. Cibber: Countess of Nottingham Vincent :-Jones in this play, and Banks in his Unhappy Favourite, are guilty of a great mistake in making Lord Burleigh one of their D. P.--Lord Burleigh was dead-they should have called the character Robert Cecil, as Brooke does in his T. on the same subject-Jones' play was well acted in all its parts-when Barry in the 5th act, pointing to Rutland who lay fainting on the ground, said "O look "there" his attitude and pathetic expression of voice and countenance was such that all the critics in the Pit actually burst into tears and then shook the theatre with repeated and unbounded applause-so says Wilkinson-the play itself is very poorly written and ought to be consigned to oblivion.

March 10. Mrs. Cibber's bt. All for Love. Antony = Barry: Dolabella Smith: Cleopatra = Mrs. Cibber-with Oracle.

17. Barry's bt. Venice Preserved and Oracle. 19. Ryan's bt.

Henry 4th.

Falstaff Quin: Hotspur Barry: King Sparks: Prince of Wales

= Ryan: Hostess

=

Mrs. Macklin.

=

20. Country Wife. Horner Ryan: Sir Jasper Fidget Macklin Sparkish Dyer :-rest omitted. 24. Macklin's bt. Fair Penitent. Sciolto Sparks : Calista Miss Macklin, being her 1st appearance in that character, and 4th on the stage-with, never acted, the Englishman in Paris. Buck Macklin :

This was her 4th character, but her 6th appearance on the stage she had played Athenais-Jane Shore 3 times-and Lady Townly.

=

=

Subtle Collins: Classic (Buck's Tutor)=Anderson: Sir John Buck Bransby: Marquis Usher: Roger - Dunstall: Lucinda Miss Macklin : Mrs. Subtle = Mrs. Macklin :-Lucinda is an orphan who had fallen into the hands of Subtle and his wife-Buck is an Englishman who is on his travels-he falls in love with Lucinda-Sir John Buck arrives-he at first opposes the intended match-he afterwards discovers Lucinda to be the daughter of a particular friend he takes her under his protection, and insists that his son should disclaim the partners of his riot, polish his manners, and make himself worthy of Lucinda- -this Farce was written by Foote, who gave it to Macklin for his bt.-the dancing and music masters were introduced for the sake of showing Miss Macklin to the best advantage-at this time great expectations were formed of her; her figure was said to be a very good one, her eye strong, piercing and significant, her voice clear, melodious and intelligible, her deportment easy and her action just. (State of the Stage.)

26. For bt. of Sparks. Distressed MotherSparks had peculiarities which were not always pleasing; but was capable of great feeling in his proper cast in Tragedy-he was particularly happy when in Acasto he said

"When you complain to me, I'll prove a Father."

and in Sciolto when he said

"You are my daughter still."

His performance of Young Wou'dbe in the Twin Rivals showed that he had humour and that his abili

ties were not confined to the serious line. (State of

the Stage.)

April 2. Arthur acted Polonius for his bt.

7. Smith's bt. Siege of Damascus.

Smith.

Abudah =

9. Provoked Husband. Lord and Lady Townly Barry and Mrs. Cibber.

12. Mrs. Elmy acted Jane Shore for her bt. 24. Miss Macklin's bt. Orphan. Monimia = Miss Macklin -with Englishman in Paris.

30. Distressed Mother-Wilkinson gives us the bill for this evening which is an excellent specimen of the different manner in which the superiour and inferiour performers were advertised.

THE DISTRESS'D MOTHER.

The Part of PYRRHUS to be performed

By Mr. SPARKS.

Pylades, by Mr. RIDOUT.-Phoenix, by Mr. ANDERSON.

The Part of ORESTES to be performed

By Mr. BARRY.

Cephisa, Mrs. BARRINGTON.-Cleone, Mrs. GRIFFITH.

And the Part of HERMIONE to be performed

By Mrs. BLAND.

And the Part of ANDROMACHE to be performed
By Mrs. CIBBER.

To which will be added a Musical Farce, (acted there but twice) called

Chetwood in 1749 says-" formerly characters "were printed in the playbills according to their rank "in the Drama, as for example in Macbeth Duncan "stood first in the bill, tho' acted by an inferiour per"son; but latterly I have found it a difficult task to " content ladies as well as gentlemen, because I could "not procure letters large enough to please them;

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nay some were so fond of elbow room, that they "would have shoved every one out but themselves, "as if one person were to do all.”

=

May 6. Julius Cæsar. Antony = Barry: Brutus Sparks Portia = Mrs. Bland :—rest omitted. 8. Wit without Money. Valentine =

23. Earl of Essex, 16th or 17th time.

24 and 26. Romeo and Juliet

=

Ryan: Wi

Barry and Mrs. Cibber-last performance. (Bills from B.M.)

The Compiler of the bills has transcribed them on loose pieces of paper, which are bound up in a very confused state from Jan. the 6th.

Quin made his last appearance on the stage in

Falstaff in Henry 4th for Ryan's benefit March 19the Nobility and Gentry at Bath gave Quin 100 Guineas and desired him to send down as many tickets-(Gent's Mag.)-Quin acted with so much success on this occasion that Ryan was induced to solicit the same favour next year-which produced the following answer from Quin-" I would play for 66 you, if I could, but will not whistle Falstaff for you "I have willed you £1000, if you want money you may have it and save my executors trouble-James' "Quin." (Mrs. Bellamy.)

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Quin perfectly understood propriety in speaking— but tho' he was a very natural reciter of plain and familiar dialogue, yet he was utterly unqualified for the striking and vigorous characters of Tragedy-he could neither express the tender nor the violent emotions of the heart-his action was generally forced or languid, and his movement ponderous and sluggish -but it must be confessed that he often gave true weight and dignity to sentiment by a well-regulated tone of voice, judicious elocution and easy deportment-his Cato and Brutus were remembered with pleasure by those who wished to forget his Lear and Richard he was particularly successful in the Ghost in Hamlet. (Davies.)

Victor speaks highly of him in Comus-the Spanish Friar-Duke in Measure for Measure and ÆsopWilkinson says that Quin was excellent in Henry the 8th Sir John Brute all the Falstaffs

Old

Batchelor-Volpone-Apemantus-Brutus-Venti

dius Bp. Gardiner (Lady J. Gray) - ClauseGloster and several other parts.

His Othello-Macbeth-Chamont-Young Bevil