Ad Lalauze, sc
A BRIEF SUPPLEMENT
To COLLEY CIBBER, Esq; his
LIVES
of the late famous
ACTORS and ACTRESSES.
Mr. Betterton (although a superlative good Actor) labour'd under ill Figure, being clumsily made, having a great Head, a short thick Neck, stoop'd in the Shoulders, and had fat short Arms, which he rarely lifted higher than his Stomach.—His Left Hand frequently lodg'd in his Breast, between his Coat and Waist-coat, while, with his Right, he prepar'd his Speech.—His Actions were few, but just.—He had little Eyes, and a broad Face, a little Pock-fretten, a corpulent Body, and thick Legs, with large Feet.—He was better to meet, than to follow; for his Aspect was serious, venerable, and majestic; in his latter Time a little paralytic.—His Voice was low and grumbling; yet he could Tune it by an artful Climax, which enforc'd universal Attention, even from the Fops and Orange-Girls.—He was incapable of dancing, even in a Country-Dance; as was Mrs. BARRY: But their good Qualities were more than equal to their Deficiencies.—While Mrs. BRACEGIRDLE sung very agreeably in the LOVES of Mars and Venus, and danced in a Country-Dance, as well as Mr. WILKS, though not with so much Art and Foppery, but like a well-bred Gentlewoman.—Mr. Betterton was the most extensive Actor, from Alexander to Sir John Falstaff; but, in that last Character, he wanted the Waggery of ESTCOURT, the Drollery of HARPER, the Sallaciousness of JACK EVANS.—But, then, Estcourt was too trifling; Harper had too much of the Bartholomew-Fair; and Evans misplac'd his Humour.—Thus, you see what Flaws are in bright Diamonds:—And I have often wish'd that Mr. Betterton would have resign'd the Part of HAMLET to some young Actor, (who might have Personated, though not have Acted, it better) for, when he threw himself at Ophelia's Feet, he appear'd a little too grave for a young Student, lately come from the University of Wirtemberg; and his Repartees seem'd rather as Apopthegms from a sage Philosopher, than the sporting Flashes of a Young Hamlet; and no one else could have pleas'd the Town, he was so rooted in their Opinion.—His younger Cotemporary, (Betterton 63, Powel 40, Years old) POWEL, attempted several of Betterton's Parts, as Alexander, Jaffier, &c. but lost his Credit; as, in Alexander, he maintain'd not the Dignity of a King, but Out-Heroded Herod; and in his poison'd, mad Scene, out-rav'd all Probability; while Betterton kept his Passion under, and shew'd it most (as Fume smoaks most, when stifled). Betterton, from the Time he was dress'd, to the End of the Play, kept his Mind in the same Temperament and Adaptness, as the present Character required.—If I was to write of him all Day, I should still remember fresh Matter in his Behalf; and, before I part with him, suffer this facetious Story of him, and a Country Tenant of his.
Mr. Betterton had a small Farm near Reading, in the County of Berks; and the Countryman came, in the Time of Bartholomew-Fair, to pay his Rent.—Mr. Betterton took him to the Fair, and going to one Crawley's Puppet-Shew, offer'd Two Shillings for himself and Roger, his Tenant.—No, no, Sir, said Crawley; we never take Money of one another. This affronted Mr. Betterton who threw down the Money, and they enter'd.—Roger was hugeously diverted with Punch, and bred a great Noise, saying, that he would drink with him, for he was a merry Fellow.—Mr. Betterton told him, he was only a Puppet, made up of Sticks and Rags: However, Roger still cried out, that he would go and drink with Punch.—When Master took him behind, where the Puppets hung up, he swore, he thought Punch had been alive.—However, said he, though he be but Sticks and Rags, I'll give him Six-pence to drink my Health.—At Night, Mr. Betterton went to the Theatre, when was play'd the ORPHAN; Mr. Betterton acting Castalio; Mrs. Barry, Monimia.——Well (said Master) how dost like this Play, Roger? Why, I don't knows, (says Roger) its well enought for Sticks and Rags.
To end with this Phœnix of the Stage, I must say of him, as Hamlet does of his Father: "He was a Man (take him for all in all) I cannot look upon his Like again."
His Favourite, Mrs. BARRY, claims the next in Æstimation. They were both never better pleas'd, than in Playing together.—Mrs. Barry outshin'd Mrs. Bracegirdle in the Character of ZARA in the Mourning Bride, altho' Mr. Congreve design'd Almeria for that Favour.—And yet, this fine Creature was not handsome, her Mouth op'ning most on the Right Side, which she strove to draw t'other Way, and, at Times, composing her Face, as if sitting to have her Picture drawn.—Mrs. Barry was middle-siz'd, and had darkish Hair, light Eyes, dark Eye-brows, and was indifferently plump:—Her Face somewhat preceded her Action, as the latter did her Words, her Face ever expressing the Passions; not like the Actresses of late Times, who are afraid of putting their Faces out of the Form of Non-meaning, lest they should crack the Cerum, White-Wash, or other Cosmetic, trowel'd on. Mrs. Barry had a Manner of drawing out her Words, which became her, but not Mrs. Braidshaw, and Mrs. Porter, (Successors.)——To hear her speak the following Speech in the Orphan, was a Charm:
I'm ne'er so well pleas'd, as when I hear thee speak,
And listen to the Music of thy Voice.