The Theatre.
Among the chief actresses, was Mrs. Jordan, whose real name was Dorothy Bland, who became a decided favourite, with a London audience, at her first appearance at Drury Lane, in 1785. Her connection with the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William 4th, is well known. They lived very happily together, and had ten Children, but the connection was broken off in 1811—and she was left to shift for herself. She died in 1816.
The name of Sarah Siddons is too well known to elicit any remark; as a tragedian, her equal has, probably, never been seen on an English Stage. She had a long career—from her début, at Drury Lane, in 1775, till her last appearance, in London, in 1816. Died 1831—aged 76.
Miss Farren, was a most lady-like, and elegant actress. She was tall and slim, and was caricatured as being positively scraggy—but she captivated the then Lord Derby, who, in physique was her complete antithesis, having short legs, a very corpulent body, and a hydrocephalous head. She retired from the stage before her marriage, in 1796.
Mrs. Crouch, and Mrs. Billington, the rival songstresses, were actresses, but they generally had parts assigned them, in which they could exercise their vocal powers, and they sang at Oratorios, and Concerts. Mrs. Billington did not retire from her profession until 1800. She died in 1817.
Mrs. Frances Abington first appeared before a London audience on 21st Aug. 1755, and played, with few intermissions, until 1798. After Mrs. Clive, she was the best comic actress on the English stage, and could equally play Lady Teazle, Lady Betty Modish, a Chambermaid, a Romp, or a Country girl—Died, 1815.
Mrs. Bellamy, can just claim a notice, because she died in 1788, but she left the stage in 1785. She was a tragic actress, and was reckoned equal to Mrs. Cibber.
Chief among the next rank of actresses, we must place Miss Brunton, Mrs. Martyr, and Mrs. Pope.
Thinking it would interest my readers, I have taken some portraits of the chief Actors, and Actresses, of the time, from a very rare book, and they are interesting to the present generation, as shewing the Costumes in which the plays were acted, and, which, I suppose, satisfied the æsthetic, and archæological, taste of our grandfathers.