Critick. Bartholomew Fair, and the idol of the rabble; a fellow that over does everything, and spoils many a part with his own stuff.
Be this as it may, he is very honourably mentioned throughout the Spectator, although Steele[454] gives him a good-humoured rap over the knuckles. 'Mr. William Bullock and Mr. William Penkethman are of the same Age, Profession, and Sex. They both distinguish themselves in a very particular Manner under the discipline of the Crab-tree, with this only difference, that Mr. Bullock has the more agreeable Squall, and Mr. Penkethman the more graceful Shrug. Penkethman devours a cold Chick with great Applause; Bullock's talent lies chiefly in Asparagus. Penkethman is very dexterous at conveying himself under a Table; Bullock is no less active in jumping over a Stick. Penkethman has a great deal of money; but Mr. Bullock is the taller man.'
The mention of Crab-tree seems to suggest that Pinkethman had been thrashed at some period of his career, as does a passage in another Tatler (No. 42), describing the theatrical properties at Drury Lane: 'Three oak Cudgels, with one of Crab-tree; all bought for the Use of Mr. Pinkethman.'
That he must have been a fair actor is testified by the fact that he played in two out of the four performances at St. James's.
As far as I can find out, he seems first to have acted at the Theatre Royal in 1692, in the play of 'Volunteers, or the Stock Jobbers,'[455] when he played the part of Taylor (six lines only). He rose gradually, and was a painstaking actor, ever on the alert to court popular favour. He became rich. Downes says of him, 'He's the darling of Fortunatus, he has gain'd more in Theatres and Fairs in Twelve Years than those that have Tugg'd at the Oar of Acting these 50.' To realise this fortune he probably was saving in his habits, and not so lavish as some of his compeers—a fact which is exaggerated into a charge of meanness: see an Elegy on his Merry Andrew, John Edwards.[456]
Dull sneaking Pinkeman this loss bewail,
And sing his Dirge o're half a pint of Ale,
For if thou more didst spend at once, your Note
You'd Change, and for your Charges cut your throat.
He seems to have retired from the stage after his benefit on May 23, 1724, and he died in 1740.
The other actors, Bullock,[457] Mills, Norris, alias Jubilee Dickey, Pack Johnson, etc., are unworthy any notice except to chronicle their names as actors of the time.
It is singular that the ladies of the stage of this period stand out so prominently for their talents. It must have been by natural genius, for they could have had little enough tradition to guide them, it being only forty or fifty years since the first woman ever trod the boards. Who she was seems to be somewhat obscure, but it probably was Mrs. Coleman, who played Ianthe in the first part of the 'Siege of Rhodes' in 1656, but she did not speak. We know Kynaston, who kept Charles II. waiting whilst he was being shaved to play his part; he of whom Pepys writes[458] thus: 'Kynaston, the boy, had the good turn to appear in three shapes; first as a poor woman in ordinary clothes to please Morose; then in fine clothes, as a gallant; and in them was the prettiest woman in the whole house; and lastly, as a man; and then likewise did appear the handsomest man in the house.' Of him Betterton writes,[459] 'that it has been disputed among the Judicious, whether any Woman could have more sensibly touched the Passions.' He seems to have been the last of the male actors who took female parts, although in 1661 a woman actor was still a novelty. 'There saw the "Scornfull Lady,"[460] now done by a woman, which makes the play much better than ever it did to me.'[461] A Mrs. Sanderson is traditionally said to have been the first woman actress, and she played Desdemona at the theatre in Clare Market on Dec. 8, 1660. Betterton says the mother of Norris, or Jubilee Dickey, 'was the first Woman who ever appeared on the Stage as an Actress.'
Anyhow, never was there a period that could show four such actresses as Mrs. Barry, Mrs. Bracegirdle, Mrs. Oldfield, and Mrs. Verbruggen.