BRIEF MEMOIR

OF

MISS H. C. SMITHSON.

THE talents and amiable qualities of this young lady are highly beneficial both to the interests of the drama and to those of private life. To the dramatic interest her abilities most effectually contribute, while, in the domestic circle, her accomplishments and estimable qualities are models for imitation.

Miss SMITHSON is the daughter of Mr. WILLIAM JOSEPH SMITHSON, of a highly respectable family in Gloucestershire; but nearly thirty years manager of the Waterford and Kilkenny circuit, in Ireland. She was born at Ennis, in the county of Clare, March 18, 1800, was taken, at two years of age, by the Rev. Dr. JAMES BARRETT, of Ennis, and lived with him till his decease, in 1809; when her parents placed her in the seminary of Mrs. ToUNIER, at Waterford, where she was carefully instructed in every fashionable accomplishment. Miss SMITHSON having passed the early part of her life in retirement, and acquired religious habits under the care of the pious gentleman who brought her up, had no great inclination for the stage; but when her father, on account of ill health, was obliged to give up the company of which he had so long had the management, she, by his desire, turned her thoughts to the stage, for which profession he had fully satisfied himself she was properly qualified; and a better resolution could not therefore have been taken; for her figure is tall, well-formed, and graceful; her countenance handsome and intelligent; her eyes full of expression and animation, and her whole deportment easy and fascinating. The ease and suavity of her manners are attributable to the society she has been accustomed to. Early in life she attracted the notice of, and was highly esteemed by, Lord and Lady CASTLE COOTE; many others of the nobility and gentry courted her society, and gave every facility to her acquirement of the habits and manners of polished life.

Lord and Lady CASTLE COOTE recommended her to Mr. JONES the patentee of the Dublin theatre, and she presently after appeared as Albina Mandeville and Lady Teaxle: her success was such as

to occasion numerous offers from different companies, and she at last accepted an engagement from Mr. TALBOT, of the Theatresroyal, Belfast, Limerick, and Cork, the next in repute to the metropolitan company of Ireland, at the head of which, at that juncture, was Miss O'NIELL. No actress was ever more successful in Ireland. By the leave of Mr. TALBOT she performed two seasons in the summer months with the Dublin company, and was much admired in the characters of Mrs. Haller, Cora, Therese, Yarico, Lady Teazle, Lady Contest, &c. &c. &c.

In 1817 Miss SMITHSON made her first public appearance in this country at the Birmingham theatre, and immediately received an engagement for the whole season. While at Birmingham she was introduced to Mr. ELLISTON by Lord and Lady CASTLE COOTE, and that gentleman, on the part of the management with which he is connected, engaged her, and she made her first appearance in London, on the boards of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Laue, in the character of Letitia Hardy, Jan. 20, 1818.

Lord and Lady CASTLE COOTE introduced Miss SMITHSON to the first families in London. It is owing to such powerful patronage, and to the accomplishments and high character of the young lady herself, that on her benefits the house is invariably crowded with all the rank and fashion in the metropolis.

At Drury-Lane theatre Miss SMITHSON has continued ever since, except in the summer vacations, when she has performed at Manchester, Liverpool, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Buxton, &c. &c. &c.

Miss SMITHSON visited France last summer, and performed with her accustomed success in the English theatres of Boulogne and Calais.

Of the performance of this young lady we have but little room left to speak. Her voice is not the most powerful, but it is melodious and clear. Her action is naturally graceful, her manner rather timid than confident, but totally free from affectation. In the walk of genteel comedy she has been, we know not why, chiefly confined; but there is a pathos and a sensibility frequently observable in her performance, which would touch the heart of the most indifferent observer; and which, notwithstanding her universally admitted and admired comic powers, bespeak her equal to the most exalted rank in tragedy.

MEMOIR

OF

PHILIP MASSINGER.

PHILIP MASSINGER is said to have been born at Salisbury, in 1584. At the age of eighteen, he was entered a fellow commoner of St. Alban's Hall, Oxford, where he remained several years to complete his education; but although every inducement was held out to him by his patron, the Earl of Pembroke, to prosecute his studies, the natural bent of his inclination was more to poetry and polite literature than to the dry and abstruse studies of logic and philosophy.

He was impatient for an opportunity to move into a more public sphere of action, to indulge his taste for the belles lettres, and to have free intercourse with men of wit and learning. He quitted the University without taking out any degree, came to London, commenced writing for the stage, and presently rose into high repute. His pieces bespeak him a man of first-rate abilities, yet he is said to have been a person of such great modesty, that he was extremely beloved by his cotemporary poets, and all esteemed it an honour to have his advice and assistance in the composition of their works. He is the author of not less than thirty comedies, tragedies and dramatic pieces, of one class or other.

He lived to be upwards of eighty. His death was sudden, at his own house, near the-play house, on the Bankside, Southwark, where he went to bed in good health, and was found dead the next morning. His remains were interred in St. Saviour's Churchyard, and were attended to the grave by all the Comedians then in town.

SIR GILES.-Puce-coloured velvet jacket, trunks, belt, and cloak, with orange silk puffs; the dress trimmed with orange-coloured silk lace and gilt buttons; puce silk hose, the same colour as the dress, with gold embroidered clocks; square-toed drab shoes and jewel buckles, with orange satin roses over them; a broad Brussels point lace vandyke with two tassels; a round-crown brown hat, with orange puffs and feathers of the same colour.

LORD LOVELL.-A scarlet cloth jacket, trunks, belt, and mantle, trimmed with orange silk lace, and yellow plated buttons; russet boots with red tops; black velvet hat and blue silk band, with black, white, and red feathers; a ruff; buff gloves with high tops, and white stocking pantaloons.

WELLBORN. First dress.A brown ragged jacket and breeches; a pair of blue hose; russet boots, and a black hat.-Second dress. A blue and silver jacket and pantaloons, trimmed with silk cord, plated buttons, and green vest, trimmed with buff; a buff hat, and white feathers; a ruff; russet boots; buff gloves, with high tops.

ALLWORTH.-A light mixture kerseymere jacket and trunks trimmed with pink galloon; white silk pantaloons; pink satin vest, trimmed with scarlet and black; plated buttons; russet boots with scarlet tops; hat, kerseymere mixture, with white feathers; lace ruff, and buff gloves with high tops.

MARRALL.-Black old English dress, tagged black shoes, black hose, black hat, and cock's-tail feather.

JUSTICE GREEDY.-A black kerseymere jacket, puffed with crimson silk; trunks and cloak trimmed with crimson satin, and black glass buttons; white square-toed shoes; gloves with high tops, and a vandyke; black sugar-loaf hat with crimson band; black hose with embroidered clocks.

LADY ALLWORTH.-First dress.-A green velvet train dress. bordered with white satin and gold, and point-lace; long sleeves, slashed and trimmed to correspond; high ruff; stomacher of point; black velvet hat, white feathers, and tassels.-Second dress.-White satin train dress, with long sleeves, richly embroidered with gold; robe of white and gold; high ruff; jewel stomacher and cross; white satin hat and feathers.

MARGARET.-White satin dress, the sleeves and front of the petticoat ornamented with jewels; a ruff, and white satin shoes.

Cast of the Characters at the Theatre-Royal,

Drury-Lane, 1824.