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5. Love makes a Man. Sancho-Woodward. 9. Hamlet. Osrick

Woodward.

23. Siege of Damascus. No more bills. (These bills from B. M.)

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Mrs. Porter was the genuine successor of Mrs. Barry, whose theatrical attendant she had been when young-in her person she was tall and well made, of a fair complexion, but far from handsome; her voice, which was naturally tender, was by labour and practice enlarged into sufficient force to fill the theatre, but by that mean a tremor was contracted to which nothing but custom could have reconciled the audience she elevated herself above all personal defects by an exquisite judgment-in Comedy her acting was somewhat cold and inefficient, but in those parts of Tragedy, where the passions predominate, she seemed to be another person and to be inspired with that noble and enthusiastic ardour, which was capable of raising the coldest auditor to animation-she had a dignity in her mein and a spirited propriety in all characters of rage-but when grief and tenderness possessed her, she subsided into the most affecting softness-she acted the opposite parts of Hermione and Belvidera with great applause -Booth, who was no admirer of Mrs. Oldfield in Tragedy, was in raptures with Mrs. Porter's Belvidera; she excelled particularly in her agony, when forced from Jaffier in the 2d act and in her madness. (Victor and Davies.)

After the misfortune of her dislocated limb, and in an advanced age, she acted many of her principal characters with much vigour and general approbation -in Queen Elizabeth in the Albion Queens, she con

trived to turn the cane, she was obliged to make use of on account of her lameness, to advantage; after signing the warrant for Queen Mary's execution, she struck the stage with such characteristic vehemence, that the audience reiterated applause. (Davies.)

In 1758 Mrs. Porter published by Subscription, at 58. each copy, the Comedy of the Mistakes, written by the late Lord Cornbury and given to her many years before-the Subscription was very large, several persons subscribed for 20 copies and Countess Cowper for 80-Mrs. Porter, in the advertisement prefixed, speaks of herself" as an old and favoured "servant of the public; says that her powers of "contributing to their amusement are no more, but "that she shall always retain a grateful sense of the indulgence she had received, from those who have "had the goodness to accept her inclination and en"deavours to please, as real merit."

66

The Mistakes, or the Happy Resentment, is a sensible, but dull play-it consists of 5 acts of mere dialogue-the only incident which occurs is stale to the last degree-the small part of Lord Graveairs is good, and may possibly have suggested to Mrs. Sheridan a hint for Sir Anthony Branville.

Mrs. Mary Porter's characters-selection only.

L. I. F. 1699. *Orythia in Friendship Improved. 1701. Jessica in Jew of Venice.

Hay. 1705-1706. *Araminta in Confederacy.

1706-1707. Lady Graveairs in C. H.-Melinda in

R. O.-Fainlove in Tender Husband-Eugenia in London Cuckolds-Evandra in Shadwell's TimonDutchess of Malfy in ditto-Sophonisba in dittoBellamira in Cæsar Borgia.

D. L. 1708. Doralice in Marriage a-la-ModeMaria in Libertine-Queen in Don Carlos.

1708-1709. Mrs. Frail-Lady Wealthy in Game

ster.

Hay. 1709-1710. 1st Constantia-Elvira in Love makes a Man-Nottingham in Unhappy Favourite— Amanda in Love's last Shift-Queen in HamletQueen in Richard 3d-Hillaria in Tunbridge Walks -Silent Woman-the last 2 parts, with some others, she seems only to have played during a temporary absence of Mrs. Oldfield.

Hay. and D. L. 1710-1711. Queen in Spanish Fryar-Lady Macduff-Hortensia in Æsop-Lady Sharlot in Funeral-Aspatia in Maid's TragedyAlibech in Indian Emperour.

1711-1712. *Hermione in Distressed Mother. 1712-1713. Lucia in Cato.

1713-1714. *Iphigenia in Victim-*Alicia in Jane Shore.

1714-1715. Portia in J. C.-Louisa in Love makes a Man - Lavinia in Caius Marius - Monimia*Duchess of Suffolk in Lady Jane Gray.

1715-1716. Amanda in Relapse-Lady Wronglove in Lady's last Stake-Angellica in Rover-Queen Elizabeth in Unhappy Favourite-Evadne in Maid's Tragedy.

1716-1717. Roxana in Sultaness Isabella in Fatal Marriage.

1717-1718. *Lady Woodvil in Nonjuror - Lady Macbeth - probably sooner-Mrs. Marwood.

1718-1719. Belvidera-Octavia in All for LoveZara in M. B.

1719-1720. Volumnia in Coriolanus altered *Eudocia in Siege of Damascus.

1720-1721. *Leonora in Revenge. 1721-1722. Queen Katharine

Desdemona

Nourmahal in Aurenge-Zebe-*Cartismand in Briton -Athanais in Theodosius.

1722-1723. *Duchess of Gloucester in Humphrey Duke of Gloucester - Queen Elizabeth in Albion Queens.

1724-1725. *Cornelia in Cæsar in Egypt.

1725-1726. Chruseis in Heroick Love-*Hecuba in ditto.

1726-1727. Phædra in ditto.

1727-1728. *Leonora in Double Falsehood-Lady Grace in P. H.

1729-1730. *Lady Science in Humours of Oxford -*Eunesia in Timoleon.

1730-1731. *Medæa by Johnson-Almeria in Indian Emperour-*Eurydice in ditto.

Her accident was in this summer-her 1st appearance afterwards was at her bt. D. L. Jan. 25 1733. 1734-1735. No new character.

C. G. 1735-1736. No new character.

she

D. L. 1736-1737. No new character. 1737-1738. *Clytemnestra in Agamemnon seems to have been engaged expressly for this part, and to have played no other, but Hermione for her bt., and Portia for Shakspeare's Monument.

1738-1739.

1739-1740.

Seemingly not engaged.

C. G. 1740-1741. She had a bt., but seems not to

have been engaged.

1741-1742. Engaged for some few nights.

*Originally.

L. I. F. 1742-1743.

Giffard being driven from Goodman's Fields by measures, which, however legal, were considered as oppressive, once more opened L. I. F.-but his success was not equal to his merit—(Chetwood) Davies and Murphy say that Giffard and his wife were engaged by Fleetwood; the latter, not knowing that Havard had been several years at D. L., adds that Fleetwood engaged him at Garrick's requestGiffard engaged Cibber Jun., Mrs. Butler and some of the performers who had acted with him at G. F. Nov. 26. Cibber Jun. acted Lord Foppington. Dec. 1. Committee. Teague = Cibber Jun. 27. Cibber Jun. acted Richard 3d.

30. Cibber Jun. acted Fondlewife 1st time. Jan. 7. Devil to Pay.

1st attempt on any stage.

Nell-Miss Bradshaw, her

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