lowed to be his most finished performances. Although it is acknowledged that Mr. Kean has a most expressive countenance, and "an eye like Mars to threaten and command," yet objections have been made to his figure and his voice. To such it may be only necessary to adopt the language of Churchill, that

-----"When perfections of the mind break forth,
Humour's chaste sallies, judgment's solid worth ;
When the pure genuine flame, by Nature taught,
Springs into sense, and ev'ry action's thought,
Before such merit all objections fly;

Pritchard's genteel, and KEAN is six feet high."

To splendid talents, Mr. Kean adds private worth and benevolence; he has often been known to leave town, and go, at his own expense, a distance of fifty or a hundred miles, to play for the benefit of some less fortunate actor; and in his country excursions, has been remarkable for his liberality and beneficence. In his summer tour in 1818, he met with an old theatrical acquaintance in very distressed circumstances. The child of this person played the youngest prince to Kean's Richard the Third, and after it had been smothered, by order of the bloody Gloucester, he took an opportunity to slip ten guineas into its hand as a present for the father.

MRS. SIDDONS.

"Form'd for the tragic scene, to grace the stage,
With rival excellence of love and rage;

Mistress of each soft art, with matchless skill
To turn and wind the passions as she will;

To melt the heart with sympathetic woe,
Awake the sigh, and teach the tear to flow;
To put on frenzy's wild distracted glare,
And freeze the soul with horror and despair;
With just desert enroll'd in endless fame,
Conscious of worth superior, SIDDONS came."

Although some difference of opinion exists as to the relative merits of male tragedians, yet, by common consent, Mrs. Siddons is allowed to be the greatest actress that ever trod the British stage. This lady, who is a sister of Mr. Kemble, first became a candidate for public favour as a singer; but she soon abandoned the operatic line, for the most sublime department of the drama-tragedy. It was on the 12th of October, 1782, that Mrs. Siddons first appeared at Drury Lane Theatre, in the character of Isabella. The excellence of her performance was universally acknowledged and applauded; but the surest test of its merit was in the sympathy of the audience, which was not only evinced by tears, but such was the "cunning of the scene," that several ladies actually fainted. Her fame was at once established as the first tragedian in Europe; and the numerous characters which she successively added to that of Isabella, fully justified the first decision of the public. Testimonials of her transcendent talents were poured in from all quarters; and the gentlemen of the bar subscribed a purse of one hundred guineas, which was presented by Mr. (afterwards Sir Arthur) Pigott and Mr. Fielding, accompanied by a very polite letter, expressing their high admiration of her talents.

From the period of Mrs. Siddons's first appearance, to her quitting the stage, she had “no rival near her

throne," nor did she wait till her powers were impaired, for though advanced in years, retired in the full blaze of popularity.

Not many years before her retirement, this celebrated actress went down to Bath, to play a few of her favourite characters. One morning coming from rehearsal, she called in at a shop to purchase some article of dress. Wholly absorbed in the part she was to perform, whilst the shopman was displaying his muslins, &c., Mrs. S. took one in her hand, and fixing her eyes full on the man, exclaimed in a solemn voice, "Did ye say, sir, this would wash ?" The poor fellow, in great alarm, began to think the intellects of his customer were not right; but Mrs. Siddons, recalled to recollection by his astonishment, with a smile, apologized for her absence of mind, and repeated the question in a voice better suited to the

occasion.

Siddons, Mrs................ 176 Walpole, Sir R............. 135

London: D. Cartwright, Printer, 91, Bartholomew Close.